Looking at 2.5-10 scope options

[Alaska Luke]

So I'm shopping for a pair of BUDGET scopes and was interested in hearing opinions. Zeiss etc are off the table because I purchased land in Alaska and am on a "pay it off fast" plan. No big splurges for a while.

First I want to put a better scope on my 308 Ruger American, it gets used for close in bear hunting and long range caribou hunting by myself and kids I mentor as an "uncle." It currently has a 2-7 scope with a duplex reticle. Good for bears but its limiting when we hunt caribou on the tundra. To really shoot past 250 yards I want the kids to have a BD reticle to work with and a bit more magnification. Experienced adults can shoot 400 yards with a 7x scope. For the kids I want to stack the deck a bit more.

Second I want more magnification on my ultralight 375 Ruger. It currently wears a 1-4 Leopold which is perfect for close range bears, but not great at longer range during moose and caribou season.

I think the best bet for both would be a simple 2.5-10 scope with a BD reticle. This would give me adequate FOV at close range and 10x should be enough for longer range (400 yards is as far as I'd shoot with either rifle). The lightest and cheapest option appears to be the Nikon Prostaff 2.5-10 scope. The only other option I've seen in my price range appears to be the Burris Fulfield 2.5-10 scope.

Has anyone ever tried these scopes? I'm sure either would work okay on a 308. Its the 375 Ruger I'm a bit concerned about. I don't want to break the scope with recoil.

 

[mdwest]

Do you happen to be a military veteran?

If so, Leupold has a VIP program that puts some of their entry level options into the same price range as the Burris and Nikon scopes you are considering.

For example the VX Freedom 3-9x40 is $178

The VX3i 3.5-10x40 is $285

The rifleman 3-9x40 is $137

 

[Ridgewalker]

I have a couple of Burris 3-9x Fullfield scopes. They have held up well on a .50 cal muzzleloader, 30-06, Mini-14, 7mm-08, 300 WM, and probably something else I have used them on until upgrading.

Personally I started out using a fixed 4x on a 30-06. Worked well for me out to over 400 yards on Wyoming antelope. Not sure you really need more than 7x for caribou. I think we all tend to over power our scopes these days thinking it improves the accuracy of a hunting situation. More power is needed for targets and prairie dogs (small targets indeed!), but big game, just more weight to haul around.
Now saying that, I have moved to more powerful scopes for my old eyes, but it’s the fad and not the need IMO.

Best of luck getting those kids involved in hunting!

 

[Dwight Beagle]

It’s been my experience that kids need less magnification than adults as a rule, they have better eyes.

IMO BDC reticles are pretty useless unless you shoot the rifle at every distance there is a holdover point for. Then use the same ammunition for hunting.

Nikon is out of the scope business so if you buy one and it breaks you might be in a tough spot. In addition their BDC reticle uses bubbles instead of slash marks, makes it more difficult to use-at least to my eyes.

On a budget it’s pretty hard to beat the Burris Fullfield I believe.

 

[Red Leg]

It’s been my experience that kids need less magnification than adults as a rule, they have better eyes.

IMO BDC reticles are pretty useless unless you shoot the rifle at every distance there is a holdover point for. Then use the same ammunition for hunting.

Nikon is out of the scope business so if you buy one and it breaks you might be in a tough spot. In addition their BDC reticle uses bubbles instead of slash marks, makes it more difficult to use-at least to my eyes.

On a budget it’s pretty hard to beat the Burris Fullfield I believe.

What he said.

Out to 400 meters adding magnification above 6X merely adds perceived visual instability - particularly for relatively inexperienced shooters. In other words, if that .308 had a 3x9 variable, I would almost never crank it above 6 power for my own use much less my grandchild.

I also can't fathom the use of a complicated scope reticle for game inside 400 meters. Again, it is something that just complicates a kid's learning curve. I should note, I use such reticles on none of my hunting rifles (and I have a few). With a .308, I think you could do yourself and them a greater service by maximizing the point blank range of the rifle. Why not sight in 3 inches high at 100 meters? That would put you at about -2.5" at 250 and -7.5" at 300 with a 150gr bullet. I don't really think of the .308 as an ideal 400 meter game rifle. Inside 300 meters, the young shooter puts the crosshair on the shoulder shoots.

Leupold's VX line is where I also would first look for an entry level scope of reasonable quality.

 

[Ridgewalker]

+1 what RedLeg said with point blank range. That’s how I have my granddaught’s 7mm-08 set up with a Leupold VX-R 3-9. Worked well so far. But her longest game shot has only been 175 yards or so off sticks.

 

[Alaska Luke]

I would agree the 308 is not an ideal 400 yard rig. But a new rifle is not an option. I had basically limited the kids to 200 yard shots. But they got quite good at shooting so I think an unhurried shot at longer range would beat a rushed shot closer. With a kid in tow it was hard to close the distance on caribou. We did multiple stalks and 400 yards was often when the caribou saw us and moved.
I'd probably be fine with another 2-7 scope but it needs a BD reticle or dials to take the guesswork out as drop increases. Leopold makes a 2-7 with a BD reticle but geared toward rimfires. Maybe I'll call and see if it will work on a big rifle.

 

[curtism1234]

Diamondback 4-12x40

Diamondback 4-12x40

vortexoptics.com

Vortex is a great entry-mid brand, frankly far superior than Leupold imo.

4x is alright minimum
12x let's you see bullet holes on paper and a final decision if you want to shoot the animal
14.6 oz is mid-weight without being obnoxiously heavy.

I concur with several others that say to go with the duplex. I dont like my scopes "busy" when I look in them; and if one has to hold over the back of an animal, you are too far away anyway. But pick what ever makes you happy

 

[Alaska Luke]

One of my young buddies has that Vortex scope on a 7mm-08. But it was a bit frustrating on bear baits in the woods.

With no one seeming to like the Nikon I'll look at the Burris or a Vortex with a lower minimum magnification.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

So I'm shopping for a pair of BUDGET scopes and was interested in hearing opinions. Zeiss etc are off the table because I purchased land in Alaska and am on a "pay it off fast" plan. No big splurges for a while.

First I want to put a better scope on my 308 Ruger American, it gets used for close in bear hunting and long range caribou hunting by myself and kids I mentor as an "uncle." It currently has a 2-7 scope with a duplex reticle. Good for bears but its limiting when we hunt caribou on the tundra. To really shoot past 250 yards I want the kids to have a BD reticle to work with and a bit more magnification. Experienced adults can shoot 400 yards with a 7x scope. For the kids I want to stack the deck a bit more.

Second I want more magnification on my ultralight 375 Ruger. It currently wears a 1-4 Leopold which is perfect for close range bears, but not great at longer range during moose and caribou season.

I think the best bet for both would be a simple 2.5-10 scope with a BD reticle. This would give me adequate FOV at close range and 10x should be enough for longer range (400 yards is as far as I'd shoot with either rifle). The lightest and cheapest option appears to be the Nikon Prostaff 2.5-10 scope. The only other option I've seen in my price range appears to be the Burris Fulfield 2.5-10 scope.

Has anyone ever tried these scopes? I'm sure either would work okay on a 308. Its the 375 Ruger I'm a bit concerned about. I don't want to break the scope with recoil.

@Alaska Luke
If your budget will stretch a little bit look at the Meopta 3.5 to 10 x44 it will exceed your needs.
Bob

 

[Dwight Beagle]

Vortex is a great entry-mid brand, frankly far superior than Leupold imo.

Why?

 

[Dwight Beagle]

@Alaska Luke
If your budget will stretch a little bit look at the Meopta 3.5 to 10 x44 it will exceed your needs.
Bob

I have two MeoPro 3.5-10x44 scopes with German #4 reticles. Of the scopes I own they are my favorite.

 

[doods SV]

@Alaska Luke..
Check out the Lynx LX2 2.5-10 x 56..
Not sure if you still get the LX2 model as I bought mine a number of years ago. I think Lynx now makes the LX3.

A good quality scope IMO
I have used them on a 7mm rem mag and 30.06

 

[Dwight Beagle]

I’ve never seen Lynx for sale in the U.S. I know they are popular in South Africa.

 

[Alaska Luke]

Yeah I was about to say Lynx scopes don't seem to be available here. Looks nice though.

I appreciate all the ideas. At this point anything over 2.5 is basically of the table. I just like having a wide FOV up close in case that rifle gets used on a aggressive bear.

The Burris only has 3.5 inches of eye relief. So its not likely to work on my 375. I might just get one for my 308 and see if I can figure out something better for the 375.

 

[curtism1234]

Why?

You won't find very many scopes for $250usd that are crystal clear and have very positive clicks you can feel & hear.

Entry level leupolds are clear but too mushy for me

 

[Alaska Luke]

You won't find very many scopes for $250usd that are crystal clear and have very positive clicks you can feel & hear.

Entry level leupolds are clear but too mushy for me

So you're saying the Vortex is better in that respect? I have a Leopold and its reasonably nice. The Redfield on the 308 is meh. Good enough to use but I don't love it.

Remember half the time this scope will be used by 13 year old boys who won't necessarily take perfectly good care of it. Improvement is the goal not perfection.

 

[curtism1234]

So you're saying the Vortex is better in that respect? I have a Leopold and its reasonably nice. The Redfield on the 308 is meh. Good enough to use but I don't love it.

Remember half the time this scope will be used by 13 year old boys who won't necessarily take perfectly good care of it. Improvement is the goal not perfection.

Yes, i should have been more clear. The diamondback is spectacular all the way around. Not sure I'd put it on a 375 but it would probably work just fine.

 

[Wyatt Smith]

If it were me I would look on EBay at used scopes. Sometimes a Swaro or Zeiss can go cheap used, but still in extremely usable condition.

 

[Alaska Luke]

Wyatt I'm tracking Ebay currently. A generic 3-9 or 4-12 scope would be easy to find for cheap. That might end up being what ends up on the 308. Really as long as they can plug caribou in the fall with it I'll be happy. Maybe save up a bit to get a nicer 2-10 of some kind for the 375.

I took stock of my hunting the last couple years and realized if I could have financed a nice fly out float hunt; if I had blown less money on various toys I didn't technically need (new 358 rifle project restocking my 375 etc). So now I'm only spending money on stuff that significantly increases my ability to kill game. As of right now the priorities are 1. a better range finder (I skipped a shot at caribou because I couldn't range them). 2. Better scopes for 300+yard ranges.