Best 2x10/2x12ish scope for the money?

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have looked at them and they sound pretty good but I know nothing of Meopta so didn't know if it was a quality brand and if it would take the 375 recoil. I honestly don't feel that the recoil is bad at all but I know it is heavier than an average rifle.

@Axle2010
Meopta like other European brands offer entry level up to ultra high quality. To me the meo-pro is an excellent scope. I have a 3.5-10 x 44 with bdc on my 25 and the same without the bdc on my K Hornet.
Both can easily pick .224 cal bullet holes on a 100yd target.
I was going to put Meopta on my 35 but they were to pricey by then so I chose the Ziess Terra 3-9 and find it excellent with the heavy duplex reticle.
Bob

 

[FlyGuy]

Best value for money depends on the customer...
A Swaro, Zeiss or Leica is great value for an oil sheik. Leupold are still pretty good value but there are a number of new scopes on the market that offer excellent value for money.
My personal favorite at the moment is the Hawke Endurance or Vantage 2.5-10X50.
Crystal clear, fully multicoated lenses and an excellent illuminated reticle.
Reminds me a lot of the #60 reticle used by Zeiss in their Victory scopes from the HT series onwards.

 

[godwincp]

You need to call Mark at R&M and talk with him. He is very knowledgeable and will answer all your questions
Great guy to deal with

 

[AZDAVE]

I have a older Vortex Razor 2-10 that is second focal plane that is super clear. and a Athlon Helos BTR GEN2 that is a first focal plane with either MIL or MOA lockable turrets with illuminated recital. Mine is the MIL. I am happy with both of them. Have shot a Leupold VX5 on a friends rifle that would fit your criteria

 

[mdwest]

Were I hunting a leopard, I would spend the money for the right Swaro, Leica, Zeiss, or S&B. For PG, you will be fine with a quality Leupold, Trijicon, etc.

10000% concur...

While I am very much sold on Leupold, mostly due to the extremely good "veterans" pricing they provide (best value overall for the dollar at the price I can obtain).. there is no doubt that mid to high end Swaro, Leica, Zeiss, S&B, etc products are in a completely different class in terms of clarity and low light capability...

2 years ago I was glassing a bushbuck at last light with leupold binos.. a few minutes after I could no longer see anything other than a hazy dark blob in the field, a shot rang out.. my wife, using the swaro optic on her rifle could still see the bushbuck clearly and was able to drop him in his tracks.. There is no way I could have taken the shot based on what I was able to see through the leupold glass that late into the day..

 

[Don458]

Hey guys I'm looking for a good 2x10-12 scope for my new 375 and I've looked until my eyes are blurry. Obviously I need a good one to tolerate the recoil and have decent eye box but I really don't want to pay Nightforce money after what I just gave for this rifle. I paid a lot (for me) and I plan to take it to SA for Eland so I'll be shooting it more than the average 375 owner at my local deer and pigs (armadillos, squirrels, stray cats...) so I want something besides a dg scope. Preferably 30mm tube, 40+mm obj, dialing elevation turret and/or bc reticle. I see mixed reviews on the Burris Veracity, I don't care much for Vortex, Zeiss don't go below 3x below $1500, NF and Swaro are $$$$....I think that leaves Leica, Maven, Athlon, Steiner anybody else? I love my Zeiss and would but another but only the high dollar ones come in 2x12. Any help or suggestions? Or am I just wanting to much? Thanks guys

Steiner Predator 4. 2-10x. 30mm Very happy w the quality. And reasonably priced under 1k. Illuminating Reticle also

 

[Tidalgunner]

Swampfox Kentucky Precision 2-12 has a 44mm objective and lighted reticle. First focal plane. I got one with the Recce Mil and at 2x -4x it is almost like a red dot with plenty of FOV not occluded by a large reticle. Price is pretty good compared to the big manufacturers. Very solid scope. Pic is one mounted on my Bergara Ridge Wilderness. It shot a .5 MOA group (100 yds) while breaking in the rifle.

 

[WAB]

I have the Leupold VX6 2-12x on a deer rifle. I have the Swaro Z5 1.7-10x on my 9.3x62. Both are fine but the Swaro is significantly better glass. My .375 has a VX6 1-6x24 on it. That is anything I would need on PG out past 300. Unless you are after leopard I have no idea why you would want more than a 1-6x or 1-8x on a .375.

 

[BeeMaa]

Unless you are after leopard I have no idea why you would want more than a 1-6x or 1-8x on a .375.

 

[RR 314]

If you can find one, this Kahles offering is one of my favorites for a .375 . . .

 

[Wyatt Smith]

I’m with @WAB and @BeeMaa I fail to see the need for so much magnification. I hardly ever turn any of my scopes up past 5x unless I’m sighting in or doing load development.

 

[Axle2010]

I’m with @WAB and @BeeMaa I fail to see the need for so much magnification. I hardly ever turn any of my scopes up past 5x unless I’m sighting in or doing load development.

I usually stay around 6 on mine as well even on my 12 and 16x scopes but if/when I need to it's there and like you said load development a bigger scope is as good as a spotter at 100 yards. If this rifle is as accurate as it should be then it'll be my main rifle until I go back to SA in '25 so it'll be used to replace everything from my 3030 to my 300WM. Even if I never shoot it past 250 yards I'll know it CAN if and when I need it too. I'd hate to miss a follow up shot on my Eland at 430 yards just before it plows over the ridgeline just because I'm only set up for 250-300 yards. I know it's not likely but I'd rather be over prepared than under when it comes to taking an animal.

 

[RR 314]

I usually stay around 6 on mine as well even on my 12 and 16x scopes but if/when I need to it's there and like you said load development a bigger scope is as good as a spotter at 100 yards. If this rifle is as accurate as it should be then it'll be my main rifle until I go back to SA in '25 so it'll be used to replace everything from my 3030 to my 300WM. Even if I never shoot it past 250 yards I'll know it CAN if and when I need it too. I'd hate to miss a follow up shot on my Eland at 430 yards just before it plows over the ridgeline just because I'm only set up for 250-300 yards. I know it's not likely but I'd rather be over prepared than under when it comes to taking an animal.

I am with you. Other than DG scopes, I prefer more magnification than most. Heck, I have 5-30 Z6i on most of my .30s and also on a .340 Weatherby. I like to look and individual hairs when I kill.

 

[MLindsay]

I would like to bring up reticle choices. I know I have taken well over 250 animals with a scoped rifle and I have a duplex reticle on everything except on a fairly new custom 35 Whelen, On the Whelen I have a Meopta 1st focal plane with their 4C reticle. The reticle I do not like for very precision target shooting but getting on an animal target quickly is just amazing. I recently took a baboon and a zebra with very quick shots and my eyes puts the dot on the target amazingly fast.

Just some personal experience I have been mulling over

 

[jpr9954]

Steiner Predator 4. 2-10x. 30mm Very happy w the quality. And reasonably priced under 1k. Illuminating Reticle also

I was just about to suggest this scope. I have one with the E3 reticle which is close enough to a German 4.

 

[WAB]

I have the Leupold VX6 2-12x on a deer rifle. I have the Swaro Z5 1.7-10x on my 9.3x62. Both are fine but the Swaro is significantly better glass. My .375 has a VX6 1-6x24 on it. That is anything I would need on PG out past 300. Unless you are after leopard I have no idea why you would want more than a 1-6x or 1-8x on a .375.

That Swaro is a Z6. Sorry.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I would like to bring up reticle choices. I know I have taken well over 250 animals with a scoped rifle and I have a duplex reticle on everything except on a fairly new custom 35 Whelen, On the Whelen I have a Meopta 1st focal plane with their 4C reticle. The reticle I do not like for very precision target shooting but getting on an animal target quickly is just amazing. I recently took a baboon and a zebra with very quick shots and my eyes puts the dot on the target amazingly fast.

Just some personal experience I have been mulling over

@MLindsay
I to like simple Duplex reticle. These Xmas tree mill dot scopes with dots and hashes all over the place for windage and holdover just seem to cluttered to me and don't get me started in side parallax adjustment.
A good heavy duplex with fine cross wires will do me. Sight in for maximum point blank range and have fun. If I have to hold on air not hair it's to far away to me.
My meopta bdc has a balistic program available so you can input your data and get results out to 700yds for the 4 hash marks. Go to the range and verify they are correct. With my 25 I can use it comfortably to 500yds on paper. Unless I had no other option I don't go past 400yrds and even then I'm still holding on hair.
Bob

 

[HankBuck]

Were I hunting a leopard, I would spend the money for the right Swaro, Leica, Zeiss, or S&B. For PG, you will be fine with a quality Leupold, Trijicon, etc.

For Leopard - would you include Trijicon Accupoint 3-9 with “illuminated” green dot in center of duplex reticle? I ask because I’d like to go on a Leopard hunt one day and have used that particular Trijicon many times Night Hunting for Coyote - target acquisition is very fast and No need for batteries EVER due to fiber optic and tritium gas illuminate the reticle....very reliable. My hit rate on night time coyotes improved signicantly since switching from non illuminated reticles and now good out to 250 yrds on night time coyotes with a red light mounted to the scope or without “if moon light & snow” No other light needed.
Daytime shooting in bright sun the Duplex cross hairs look like any other standard duplex. I’ve Never hunted Leopard but “think” this scope would work day/dusk/or night w/faint red light. Thoughts or opinion?

 

[Corey0372]

I would suggest looking at the Toric line from Tract. They have 1-8s, 2-10s, and 3-15s that all have Schott glass in them and are under 1k. I own one of their FFP LR scopes and have been absolutely pleased with it. The quality of scope you get for their price is insane.

 

[WAB]

For Leopard - would you include Trijicon Accupoint 3-9 with “illuminated” green dot in center of duplex reticle? I ask because I’d like to go on a Leopard hunt one day and have used that particular Trijicon many times Night Hunting for Coyote - target acquisition is very fast and No need for batteries EVER due to fiber optic and tritium gas illuminate the reticle....very reliable. My hit rate on night time coyotes improved signicantly since switching from non illuminated reticles and now good out to 250 yrds on night time coyotes with a red light mounted to the scope or without “if moon light & snow” No other light needed.
Daytime shooting in bright sun the Duplex cross hairs look like any other standard duplex. I’ve Never hunted Leopard but “think” this scope would work day/dusk/or night w/faint red light. Thoughts or opinion?

I have that scope and have compared it directly to the Swaro Z6 1.7-10, Leupold VX6 2-12 and Swaro Z8 1-8x. I do this on deer behind the house at absolutely last light. Unfortunately the trijicon comes in dead last every time. I used to think it was great at low light until I started these direct comparisons.

The best scope I have seen in this testing is the Schmidt & Bender 8x56.