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Very well said.I think you can stop reading so much now. What does your experience say? You have used some nice scopes on hard kickers and they still work. Better, nicer, or more expensive scopes wont do any good if you get skunked on that high doller hunt anyway. Yeah its nice to stack the deck in your favor but its hunting. Success isn't guaranteed and spending more money isnt the end all solution. To directly answer your question. I have been happy with how my $900-1000 scopes have dialed and have been happy with how my $2500 scopes dialed. The $2500 scopes do have much better glass but that has honestly never stopped my from killing deer where I hunt.
lLook at their new optica 6 scopes side parralex adj 30 mil tube 50 mill objectice or 44 mil objective 1st or second focal plane 3x18 / 2.5 14 / 4.5 x27 they have someting pretty much for everyone the dealer I use went from his main line of scopes from Leopold to Meopta really a good value european glassI had a Meopta once. Nice glass, but too heavy for me. Also, it had the Parallax adjustment on the bell. I found better scopes for me with more features and less weight.
Not nocking Meopta because I have their binoculars and they are as good as it gets.
Correction 2.5 x 15 not 2.5 x14 on one of the optica 6 scopeslLook at their new optica 6 scopes side parralex adj 30 mil tube 50 mill objectice or 44 mil objective 1st or second focal plane 3x18 / 2.5 14 / 4.5 x27 they have someting pretty much for everyone the dealer I use went from his main line of scopes from Leopold to Meopta really a good value european glass
Without going into great detail to explain my experience in optics testing and evaluation, I can say I've shot just about the hardest recoiling weapons I've ever heard of, with a multitude of glass riding them. I was also part of fixture fire evaluations of the same groups of glass to eliminate operator error and recoil mitigation. To state the obvious, we also broke/rendered inoperable quite a few through recoil events, all in the search for durable, repeatable, and long life cycle optics for US Army sniper systems. From 50cal down thru the exotic cal's, to the short range and mundane, to include offerings of vendors from all over the world. That said, after retirement I've settled on what I've witnessed to be the best proverbial bang for MY buck in glass. That's not to say this particular brand has not failed before, but certainly less than some other glass you can spend more on! I even went so far as to purchased a knowingly damaged rifle scope of this brand off eBay for the sole purpose of returning it to the parent company for free repair/restoration. All my rifles but two wear Leupold MK 4's and above. The exception is only on our gas guns which have 3-9 patrols on them. I can not justify the cost, or weight in some cases of other optic brands. The clarity and real field observation by myself and others have convinced me of my choices. Now this thread is sure to rub someone's pelt the wrong way, so in advance let me apologize by saying 'MY CHOICE' is for the Lepold's. They're like owning a Rolex. They may not be the newest high speed low drag (HSLD) bullet guiders on the circuit today, but they have always delivered my meat hammers to their precise destinations with consistency. You can spend more money on glass, easily. But I'm not remotely convinced your target will know. My petite little 'Huntress' wife would agree. The attached groups were fired by her from Rock Creek barreled gas guns on a measured 600yd range, sighted with Leupold 3-9x patrol's. My advice is get quality glass with a GREAT warranty, a good system with quality ammo, practice,and enjoy the performanceI have been beating my brains out for well over two years now researching and trying to chose and buy a tactical capable scope designed specifically for a big game hunting application and keep the cost to as close to between $1300 and preferably $1k. And I have read seemingly COUNTLESS threads and postings now, that scopes that dial that fall in the sub $1500 range equipped with target turrets, zero stop elevation and with reticles either designed specifically for or can also be used for big game hunting costing it would seam under $1500 simply are either not durable enough or not reliable enough to consistently dial accurately and consistently return to zero to be worth buying, especially not on a limited entry big game unit hunt that usually takes years if not over a decade of building PBs to get drawn for.
So is the bitter truth of the matter that simply stated tactical hunting scopes in the $1k to $1500 price point can not be made to be 95%-100% as reliable as those costing $1800- $2k and above? I have read COUNTLESS posting by persons claiming to have owned or owned tactical scopes made by major top players in the rifle scope and optics industries all in the under $2k price range being just not reliable enough to be trusted on a high $$$ guided hunt or a hunt you just used up closer to 20-24 than 15 years worth of BP/PP's getting drawn for.
What's the real reality of tactical style hunting scopes or tactical designed scopes that can also be used for big game hunting?
Is it really must buy March, S&B, Kahles, NF, US Optics etc and spend $1800-$2.5k+++ to get close to the same level of reliability in a tactical dialing scope as in a set-it-and-forget-it scope costing 1/3rd to 1/5th the $$$?
I own seven SIAFI scopes three Vari-XII's, one VX3, a WGS and a two 4200 Elite that all sit atop VERY hard recoiling rifles and turkey guns that each as seen countless hundreds and in the case of my belted magnums and smokeless ML if not well over a 1000 rounds of very harsh recoil and 20+ hard hunting seasons and not one of them has ever (knock on wood) given me so much as a shift in POI of any significance.
Do I really have to spend $1800-$2k to get that level of durability and reliability in a tactical hunting scope? If that's the truth then I just want to know. Not at all complaining just more of a matter of wanting to be properly educated.
Very well said.
If there is one equipment item in hunting where the terms "You get what you pay for" and "Buy1x cry 1x" no item is more deserving than optics and most of all your rifle scope. Having said that:
My issue is there is no way I can justify spending much over $1300 on a scope all things considered and what current and future financial responsibilities I must tend to. Can I choke up $2500 in cash for a scope? yes undoubtedly I can, but my true legit need for it can not possibly justify the use of my limited funds as I am not independently wealthy and have limited funds for any use. With two sons heading off to collage VERY soon (started a family rather late) I must be financially prudent if I still wish to retire per my wishes. Not whining or bemoaning just being frank and stating a financial reality.
I have zero first hand experience with tactical scopes and no one I know even has or uses them. So my choices are to research by way of forums at websites like this one and we all know getting unbiased, truthful and accurate Infor F2F from people you know can be difficult, all bets are off dealing with the utterly anonymous world of cyber space.
The one great advantage to sites like this one that aren't available else where is the instant call BS factor members here will do if they see someone making statements a novice such as myself might not know enough to recognize as less than accurate or truthful.
Unfortunately I know precisely what I want in a rifle scope it's the affording part I have trouble with.
Now how to come up with almost 3x my budget.
This would be my ultimate hunting rifle scope:
Tangent Theta 3-15x50mm Long Range Hunter
Introducing the new Tangent Theta model TT315LRH 3-15x50mm Rifle Telescope. The Long Range Hunter is a variable power telescopic rifle sight that can be rapidly adjusted for ballistic and environmental corrections by means of externally calibrated adjustment dials. The reticle is situated in the...armament.com
Essentially what I have spent the last year doing. I let a great deal on a V4 and V6 get away. at Red Hawk RiflesGood deals can often be found on high end used glass, that often has either a lifetime warranty or decades of warranty remaining. That said, if you've been looking for 2 years then hopefully you've been able to put away a little extra to up your budget to say $1500-1750...opens up several more options.
John your experienced based input please.I've used the Bushnell LRHS, the LRHSi, and the LRTSi. All have been outstanding, tracking reliably and retaining zero perfectly. They are well within your price range and are outstanding hunting scopes.
John