Reliable tactical hunting scope under $1500, impossible or not?

[nakneker]

I've owned and still own a wide variety of optics and have always enjoyed trying new optics. Optics are as much a mental game as anything else, if you buy a scope and don't have faith in it or are constantly questioning its integrity that's seems to have a negative effect on things. You want to be using something you have faith in, it just helps.

I have a few NF optics, I stopped buying new and have bought what I have used. Some of them were like new when they arrived and the savings were big. I've done that with several high end scopes, Mark 5 Leupolds is another, I have two I bought used for 200-300 under the 1500.00 mark.

I finally found a Meopta Optika6 in the configuration I wanted, I shoot MILS and those have been hard to find. It's been impressive, haven't used it enough to have a feel for rug-ability but the glass is good and it's tracks spot in. I bought it new off EBay for a good price. The Bushenell DMRII is constantly on sale for under 900.00, I've seen them as low as 750.00 new. I'm blabbering on to say if you really have to have NF or Mark5 type of scope that is a bit over 1500 I would watch the used market. Anytime I start a hunt for a used scope I check here, Accurateshooter, Ebay, gunbroker and the many internet sites for a sale, it usually doesn't take long to find a deal on a clean scope. I have bought a couple Steiner M5s for 1500.00 and a bit less on EBay, sometimes those auctions don't gather any traction and the reserve is very low....

 

[VTbluegrass]

If I could actually put my hands on a Meopta I might be more interested but they just aren't in any retailers nearby.

 

[BEEMAN]

My dealer said this was the first problem they'd experienced as well. Overall I liked the scope, but the Center aiming dot was WAY to big! I bit the bullet and bought a March. Very happy with it so far.

 

[MAD10]

Anytime I put someone behind either of the two Athlon Cronus I have .... they become a believer. One sits on a 338 Edge and the other a 7mm 08.

I am extremely confident in them "all day every day"

 

[nakneker]

I gave the Optica6 a try this past fall. Wasn't able to finish load development on my 25-284 before it failed. I'm not saying all meopta are bad. But unfortunately this was my first and only experience with them. Dealer I bought it through refunded me all my money back. So I was treated good.

Mine hasn't been anything but reliable, Im becoming more and more of a fan. Glad you got your money back. Maybe it failed because your rifle is just too cool being a 25-284!, what a screamer that would be!

 

[wasskeet]

If I could actually put my hands on a Meopta I might be more interested but they just aren't in any retailers nearby.

I know Mid South Guns in Wagram has several MeoPro and MeoStar units in stock, didn't see Optika models. At least they did about 3 weeks ago.

 

[Hard rock]

I know Mid South Guns in Wagram has several MeoPro and MeoStar units in stock, didn't see Optika models. At least they did about 3 weeks ago.

I chose the Dicro reticleon 3 power its small on 18 its alittle big but ok quick target acusition I can easily shoot bug holes with it with a little concentration on hold but they make a variety of reticles for the optica6 in first and second focal plane
Illuminated and non illuminated

 

[TrialbyFireFormed]

Since every scope can be use in a tactical situation, and every tactical scope can be used to hunt, what exactly defines a "tactical hunting" scope? Not trying to be a smarta##, seriously curious. Do I need one? Do I have one? Can I mount it on anything? Did someone already ask this question?

Pretty much what GG said.
If ur gonna range and dial ur optic then having a turret where u can just dial a specific amount of mils or moa is great.
If ur not shooting comp or not shooting varying distances in one set then u could go with an optic with normal wind age and elevation that requires u to unscrew the cap and dial.
Another question is are u going to be shooting 1,2,3,400 yards or will u be shooting between a hundred and a thousand?
What firearm are u mounting it on ?

Answering these questions will help u better choose.

U can find cheap optics with regular or tac turrets but the vast majority of better glass will have turrets u can dial and they'll also have a zero stop.

Anyway, GG answered ur question, I just thought I'd join in

 

[Hugnot]

I think most high price scopes enjoy a huge profit margin.

 

[Rifleman97]

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.

Your comment about the glass is true. Many people nowadays crap on the old NXS series glass as being out of date, high Chromatic aberration, etc. But it didn't stop me from hitting my record distance on a 10" gong with it. My 5.5-22x50 got me out to 1300 yards on a 10" target with no issues, and although it's glass was never Swarovski comparable, I never felt it hindered my ability to hunt or shoot long range.

 

[Paladin300]

Your comment about the glass is true. Many people nowadays crap on the old NXS series glass as being out of date, high Chromatic aberration, etc. But it didn't stop me from hitting my record distance on a 10" gong with it. My 5.5-22x50 got me out to 1300 yards on a 10" target with no issues, and although it's glass was never Swarovski comparable, I never felt it hindered my ability to hunt or shoot long range.

It is interesting to me that we all of a sudden need this premier glass. Don't get me wrong I like it but I don't ever remember having trouble shooting or seeing deer with the Leupold VX 3s I was running on everything I had in the 90s. Still running them on two of my rifles and they have never failed in 25 yrs of use. One is a 3.5-10 euro model with a 30mm tube and Amber duplex (no need for illumination) works like a dream on a 270 and the other a 3.5-10 with a heavy German no.1 reticle mounted on a 375 H&H. The glass is excellent and hasnever caused me any issues. The Mark 4s and Mark 5 I have are even better but none of them see in the dark and the Mark 5 might get you 5-10 minutes maybe 15 if your lucky of extra shooting light. They are all good scopes. Everyone of them will get you to a 1000 yards but for ethical hunting purposes I cannot imagine many situation where you would need more. The glass is important but not everything. Other features and rugged durability matter just as much in a hunting optic. I would give up a little glass quality for a scope that would take a beating and still function properly. Buy a quality scope from a proven manufacturer/OEM and you will be happy. If you have your mind set on a specific brand you want be happy with anything else. Confidence means a lot and if you are not confident in your equipment it will let you down when it counts most.

Prime example: Had this fella come in our shop years ago set on a Matthew bow. Nothing else would do! Trouble was he did not have $1250 to invest in a bow and did not want to wait till he did. He was looking to spend about $550. You could not buy an FX set up for that much less the Q2 he wanted. We had a few used Matthews that were in his price range but he did not want them. We ended up selling him a Diamond Undertaker. MSRP on that bow if memory serves me right was $309. This was before Bowtech bought them out. At that time they were a small company out of Louisana that had their own line of bows but manufactured the cams for some of the biggest name brands out there at the time. This particular bow I am talking about basically mimicked a Matthews FX, power flex limb, aluminum riser, winners choice strings, etc. and quiet as a mouse. Super forgiving bow and for the times fast! Anyway the guy bought the bow and he hated it! It wasn't a Matthews Q2! He had zero confidence in the bow. He said it was loud and hard to shoot. By the way did I tell you he had never owned a bow before this. He missed more deer with that bow or at least he said he did. So finally he saved up the money came back and we traded him for what he wanted, a new Matthews Q2. Man with that Bow he became a deer killing machine, probably had nothing to do with the lessons we gave him or his confidence level in the bow. My point is this: I took that bow we traded him and hunted with it the following year. I have killed a lot of deer with a bow but I have only watched one get shot twice and not know he was dead on contact and it was with that Bow. That thing was so quiet I shot this deer through the heart twice at about 15 yards and all he did was jump about 10 feet each time as if something stung him. I watch him sit down in front of me and then lay down, twitch his ear about twice and it was lights out. He never knew he was shot. By the way at the time I was a pro staffer for Matthews and got two free bows a year from the shop to shoot tournaments with. I will tell you that little Diamond was a Diamond in the rough.

If you are convinced only a certain piece of equipment will do then by all means buy it. You want be happy with anything else. Remember this though, all the big named companies started some where and there are some really good companies out there building really good products if your willing to look and learn. That said I really like Leupold!

 

[sp6x6]

For 37 years Ive used Leupold one was my dads for his 300 Wby,mine 340wby and up.Have many vari 3's and my son on 340 shot the most game of all my scopes.Yes others I like more now but cost $$$

 

[morgaj1]

It is interesting to me that we all of a sudden need this premier glass. Don't get me wrong I like it but I don't ever remember having trouble shooting or seeing deer with the Leupold VX 3s I was running on everything I had in the 90s. Still running them on two of my rifles and they have never failed in 25 yrs of use. One is a 3.5-10 euro model with a 30mm tube and Amber duplex (no need for illumination) works like a dream on a 270 and the other a 3.5-10 with a heavy German no.1 reticle mounted on a 375 H&H. The glass is excellent and hasnever caused me any issues. The Mark 4s and Mark 5 I have are even better but none of them see in the dark and the Mark 5 might get you 5-10 minutes maybe 15 if your lucky of extra shooting light. They are all good scopes. Everyone of them will get you to a 1000 yards but for ethical hunting purposes I cannot imagine many situation where you would need more. The glass is important but not everything. Other features and rugged durability matter just as much in a hunting optic. I would give up a little glass quality for a scope that would take a beating and still function properly. Buy a quality scope from a proven manufacturer/OEM and you will be happy. If you have your mind set on a specific brand you want be happy with anything else. Confidence means a lot and if you are not confident in your equipment it will let you down when it counts most.

Prime example: Had this fella come in our shop years ago set on a Matthew bow. Nothing else would do! Trouble was he did not have $1250 to invest in a bow and did not want to wait till he did. He was looking to spend about $550. You could not buy an FX set up for that much less the Q2 he wanted. We had a few used Matthews that were in his price range but he did not want them. We ended up selling him a Diamond Undertaker. MSRP on that bow if memory serves me right was $309. This was before Bowtech bought them out. At that time they were a small company out of Louisana that had their own line of bows but manufactured the cams for some of the biggest name brands out there at the time. This particular bow I am talking about basically mimicked a Matthews FX, power flex limb, aluminum riser, winners choice strings, etc. and quiet as a mouse. Super forgiving bow and for the times fast! Anyway the guy bought the bow and he hated it! It wasn't a Matthews Q2! He had zero confidence in the bow. He said it was loud and hard to shoot. By the way did I tell you he had never owned a bow before this. He missed more deer with that bow or at least he said he did. So finally he saved up the money came back and we traded him for what he wanted, a new Matthews Q2. Man with that Bow he became a deer killing machine, probably had nothing to do with the lessons we gave him or his confidence level in the bow. My point is this: I took that bow we traded him and hunted with it the following year. I have killed a lot of deer with a bow but I have only watched one get shot twice and not know he was dead on contact and it was with that Bow. That thing was so quiet I shot this deer through the heart twice at about 15 yards and all he did was jump about 10 feet each time as if something stung him. I watch him sit down in front of me and then lay down, twitch his ear about twice and it was lights out. He never knew he was shot. By the way at the time I was a pro staffer for Matthews and got two free bows a year from the shop to shoot tournaments with. I will tell you that little Diamond was a Diamond in the rough.

If you are convinced only a certain piece of equipment will do then by all means buy it. You want be happy with anything else. Remember this though, all the big named companies started some where and there are some really good companies out there building really good products if your willing to look and learn. That said I really like Leupold!

Great post and entirely accurate!

 

[Paladin300]

Great post and entirely accurate!

War Eagle!