New Hunting scope suggestions Budget 750-1500
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In your price range a Leupold VX5 2-10 is hard to beat. If you are willing to spend a little more a Leupold VX6 2-12 is one of my favorite hunting scopes. Good glass, tracks well and light weight.
I have wanted to get my hands on one of these to look at for a few years, but always manage to miss their booth at the outdoors show that comes to Salt Lake every year.
Gary in MD
Well-Known Member
I have a Tract and the glass is excellent, tracking is spot on.
I really like the Swarovski scopes and the Zeiss scopes, for me the "snap shot" ability of a scope really matters. I have been looking at both z3 and z5 swaros and the VX5 2.5-10 Leupold.
Cheaper options that are also really good glass for the money are the Burris Fulfilled line ($300ish and way better than any glass on a LP vx3)
And the Sig whiskey5. Sigs are a little heavier than the rest of the scopes meantioned but still lighter than any nightforce and very indestructible. Sig also has excellent customer service/warrenty.
Cheaper options that are also really good glass for the money are the Burris Fulfilled line ($300ish and way better than any glass on a LP vx3)
And the Sig whiskey5. Sigs are a little heavier than the rest of the scopes meantioned but still lighter than any nightforce and very indestructible. Sig also has excellent customer service/warrenty.
DartonJager
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Apr 1, 2016
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I will only recommend what I have used or tried first hand.
Spent over four years and spent an amount of $$$ I shall not discuss to arrive at the scope I ended up with.
Started out with a Zeiss RZ600, but soon found out the BDC reticle wouldn't work for my application and sold it for a $50 loss. Then bought a used LNIB for a great price Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50 but didn't like the reticle, the fact the entire rear ocular rotates to adjust the diopter making using scope caps impossible, and the weight was MUCH more than I realized and sold it actually for a small profit. Then bought a Zeiss V6 3-18x50 ZMOA but found the windage adjustment knob had no numbered markings so back it went at no loss to me. Then tried a Bushnell LRHTi-II scope and couldn't get used to the FFP reticle and back it went at no loss. All were GREAT scopes but just weren't for me and my application.
Then stumbled across a Trijicon 2.5-15x42 Creado HX at a excellent price I think either here or at accurate shooter and bought it and have been absolutely happy with it. Great clear glass so far 100% repeatable adjustments and great size and weight.
What I learned was before you buy ANY purpose specific rifle scope you must figure out as specifically as possible what your primary use for it will be.
Once that is done you can determine all else.
Such as what reticle design you wish to use VS what is available in your price range
Do you plan on dialing for both wind and elevation or use the reticle for one or both?
Are re-settable/return to zero turrets a must have they were for me
What minimum maximum power range will serve your hunting style and conditions best. A LOT of LR hunters use scopes with a 5x or 7x minimum power and a 20x or above maximum power setting neither of which I needed as I have more shots at under 200 than over 500 yards.
Will FFP work for you or like me only like SFP scopes. If FFP works for you your selection will be considerably larger, but I just do not like FFP scopes.
My budget ended up being $1k Firm and yes I did buy every one (Save for the NF) of the above scopes for $1k or less.
To be 100% honest I couldn't afford the scope that had all my requirements but I did settle on a scope that gave me 90%+ of them and ended up with a 2.5-15x42mm Trijicon Credo HX that had almost all I wanted that being:
Strong well established reputation for durability and reliability
NOT made in Communist China
SFP
MOA/MOA
Low power minimum high enough maximum power
MOA Exposed elevation turret with zero stop
MOA Covered windage turret
MOA based Reticle that allowed for windage and elevation holds and if need be range finding
Reticle hash marks numbered accordingly
SF parallax adjustment
30mm main tube
As low weight as practical
What of my requirements the scope did not have were locking turrets and a standard cross hair aiming point as the Credo HX has a dot for its aiming point.
I paid under IIRC $700 TMD for the scope.
What I really wanted was a Leupold VX5 HD 3-15x44 with the HTMR reticle as both its elevation and windage turrets were exposed and locking but I despite 2+ years of looking could never find one for less than $1200 NIB IN STOCK or under $1k used with a HTMR reticle that wasn't already gone by the time I found it.
The Trijicon didn't have locking turrets but it's hash marks were numbered where as the VX5's were not and the Trijicon was 30% cheaper than the VX5. So it was an even trade off
As fate would have it less than two months after I had my first range session with the Trijicon I saw a VX5 HD FS here with the HTMR reticle for under $900.
Of well I am still completely satisfied with my Trijicon and confident it will serve my every hunting need.
I recommend you give the Trijicon Creado HX line a look.
But at $1500 I would DEFINATELY give a Leupold VX6 HD a look. My exhaustive research showed a 95% positive reviews of the VX5 and VX6 HD line of scopes.
Spent over four years and spent an amount of $$$ I shall not discuss to arrive at the scope I ended up with.
Started out with a Zeiss RZ600, but soon found out the BDC reticle wouldn't work for my application and sold it for a $50 loss. Then bought a used LNIB for a great price Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50 but didn't like the reticle, the fact the entire rear ocular rotates to adjust the diopter making using scope caps impossible, and the weight was MUCH more than I realized and sold it actually for a small profit. Then bought a Zeiss V6 3-18x50 ZMOA but found the windage adjustment knob had no numbered markings so back it went at no loss to me. Then tried a Bushnell LRHTi-II scope and couldn't get used to the FFP reticle and back it went at no loss. All were GREAT scopes but just weren't for me and my application.
Then stumbled across a Trijicon 2.5-15x42 Creado HX at a excellent price I think either here or at accurate shooter and bought it and have been absolutely happy with it. Great clear glass so far 100% repeatable adjustments and great size and weight.
What I learned was before you buy ANY purpose specific rifle scope you must figure out as specifically as possible what your primary use for it will be.
Once that is done you can determine all else.
Such as what reticle design you wish to use VS what is available in your price range
Do you plan on dialing for both wind and elevation or use the reticle for one or both?
Are re-settable/return to zero turrets a must have they were for me
What minimum maximum power range will serve your hunting style and conditions best. A LOT of LR hunters use scopes with a 5x or 7x minimum power and a 20x or above maximum power setting neither of which I needed as I have more shots at under 200 than over 500 yards.
Will FFP work for you or like me only like SFP scopes. If FFP works for you your selection will be considerably larger, but I just do not like FFP scopes.
My budget ended up being $1k Firm and yes I did buy every one (Save for the NF) of the above scopes for $1k or less.
To be 100% honest I couldn't afford the scope that had all my requirements but I did settle on a scope that gave me 90%+ of them and ended up with a 2.5-15x42mm Trijicon Credo HX that had almost all I wanted that being:
Strong well established reputation for durability and reliability
NOT made in Communist China
SFP
MOA/MOA
Low power minimum high enough maximum power
MOA Exposed elevation turret with zero stop
MOA Covered windage turret
MOA based Reticle that allowed for windage and elevation holds and if need be range finding
Reticle hash marks numbered accordingly
SF parallax adjustment
30mm main tube
As low weight as practical
What of my requirements the scope did not have were locking turrets and a standard cross hair aiming point as the Credo HX has a dot for its aiming point.
I paid under IIRC $700 TMD for the scope.
What I really wanted was a Leupold VX5 HD 3-15x44 with the HTMR reticle as both its elevation and windage turrets were exposed and locking but I despite 2+ years of looking could never find one for less than $1200 NIB IN STOCK or under $1k used with a HTMR reticle that wasn't already gone by the time I found it.
The Trijicon didn't have locking turrets but it's hash marks were numbered where as the VX5's were not and the Trijicon was 30% cheaper than the VX5. So it was an even trade off
As fate would have it less than two months after I had my first range session with the Trijicon I saw a VX5 HD FS here with the HTMR reticle for under $900.
Of well I am still completely satisfied with my Trijicon and confident it will serve my every hunting need.
I recommend you give the Trijicon Creado HX line a look.
But at $1500 I would DEFINATELY give a Leupold VX6 HD a look. My exhaustive research showed a 95% positive reviews of the VX5 and VX6 HD line of scopes.
Last edited:
SDPlinker
Well-Known Member
Another vote for Leupold! The VX6HD is very nice, I do not have any direct experience with the VX5HD but see great reviews. I have been upgrading some of my equipment to MK5HDs I just ordered my 5th yesterday in 5/25x56 all illuminated, hopefully it is available, last month I had to substitute the 7/35x56 as the 5/25 was not available. I also have several VXIIIs, 2- MK4s etc. I am a believer in the USA made Leupold!! I also have a USA made US Optic B25 that is nice but I prefer the MK5 TMR ! I have a couple Zeiss 5/25x50s on my Ruger 10/22s and they are nice, I have 1- Swarovski left that will be for sale as soon as I take it off, to be replaced by a Leupold VXIII.
I have a Swarovski Z6 3-18x50 waiting for a build to finish up and I just purchased a Vortex Razor HD LHT 3-15x42mm MRAD and would buy another Vortex, I can get 2 for the price of the one Swarovski.
Catahoula
Well-Known Member
The only scope I will buy is Leupold. Their warranty is great.
I would buy any consistent high quality scope that has great warranty. I've never had to use the warranty on any of scopes I have purchased (probably over 20 thus far). I maybe lucky in this area, but continue to go back to Leupold to meet my needs. Tried Vortex and don't have anything bad to say about them. Just find myself gravitating to leupolds due to my 45 years of using them. The $$ you spend over $1000 definitely have diminishing returns IMO. There seems to be a good return between $500 and $1000.
