# opinion on scopes



## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

I am considering getting a new scope for my 270. I have it narrowed down to either a Burris E-1 3-9x50 or a redfield revolution 3-9x50. I have a pair of burris binoculars and they are great in low light. I dont have much knowledge of the new redfields, but accurange crosshair is cool. Just wanting to get some opinions from people that have used them.


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## T-REX (Mar 1, 2011)

What's your budget?


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## my3nme (Oct 9, 2007)

Trijicon Accupoint


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## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

$300 is the max I have to spend.


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## SouthAlabamaSlayer (Oct 13, 2011)

Prostaff


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

I will say that I had a Redfeild and I will never have another one until someone proves that they have improved their quality. They seem to be going through some rebranding but I was not very happy with the last one that I had. I wound up getting a Trijicon Accupoint , I'll never go back! Btw I got it off Dvor for $650 which was hundreds less than I found anywhere else.

Dvor has some of the best prices on scopes. But their sales change daily. 
http://www.dvor.com/s/70ic67


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## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

I have looked at DVor some. Most is the very high end that I have seen.Natchez shooters supply has the Burris e1 for $199. A guy frome the hunting club was saying the vortex diamondback is good too. Just want to get the best scope for my money. $300 is a lot to me. I looked at the trijicon is way out of my price range.


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

The guys on Doug's swear by sightrons.....Check out Natchez shooting supply they have a sale on a bunch of different scopes.....


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## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

Yep I keep looking on Natchez. Never have looked through a sightron.


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## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*Take A Look......*

......at the prices of all optics at Camera Land. I found a great deal on a Zeiss a couple of weeks ago. --- SAWMAN


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## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

Cameraland has the vortex for about 10 bucks less than anywhere I have looked. They had a good price on the viper but a little out of my price range. I read a review comparing the burris, vortex, nikon, redfield,and bushnell. They ranked them vortex 1, burris 2, nikon 3, redfield 4, bushnell 5.May just have to go to Mikes and look through some more scopes.


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

If you can't afford a viper then don't get a vortex....their cheaper scopes have had issues.....


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## naclh2oDave (Apr 8, 2008)

I will sell my Redfeild for $85. It is not the Revenge or Revolution, a few years older than that.


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## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

Thanks nach2oDave, The main thing I liked about the revolution was the accurange cross hairs. I think tats the only redfield with that type of reticle. Thanks though.


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## Countryboyreese (Sep 11, 2012)

Nikon prostaff or buckmaster. Best scopes for the money in my opinion.


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## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*Imo.......*

.......Redfield before Leupold was Redfield. NOW....they are Leupold...with...the Leupold lifetime warrenty. Apples and oranges. --- SAWMAN


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

The Nikon buckmaster 4.5x14 bdc SF $259.00 at Natchez closeout sale.... is going to be the 300 and under deal of the week......I look at this crap all the time because I am always wanting a deal on a higher end scope....As you see they don't give nice glass away .....good luck ..hope I helped u out....The longer you wait the more money you can put into what you really want....The guys at Dougs message board have to have a high recoil withstanding scope because they shoot smokeless mls with recoil 50lbs or more...most scopes can't take it ,but oddly enough the older vx111's can hold up better than the new ones....The guys that didn't go the zeiss route went with the sightron s111 and blue sky and have had very little problems.....
A guy double loaded a sub load the other day and blew up his encore .50 with a brand new zeiss hd 2x10....Zeiss had a no fault 2 yr warranty and had a scope in the mail to the guy the next day.....crazy


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## slackwolf (Oct 23, 2007)

SAWMAN said:


> .......Redfield before Leupold was Redfield. NOW....they are Leupold...with...the Leupold lifetime warrenty. Apples and oranges. --- SAWMAN


Yep, I have the revolution 3-9x50 that came from Oregon out of Leupold. Love mine with accurange reticle on a .30-06. Does fine out to 300-330 yards. Drilled some pigs at 300 and a doe at 320. Past that things get real small lol wish they had a 4-12x50. Holds zero well and great in low light. IIRC it's the twin to a VX-2 or very close cousin.

Accurange is very close for me shooting 180gr win powermax bonded .30-06.


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## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*Redfield's Accurange*

Several months ago I did some shooting with a friend out at our gun club/range. We can get 300yds and we shot his 308Win at every 50 out to 300 to test the accuracy of the Accurange. 

We concluded that it worked as advertised. IIRC his was a 4-12X40(or 50). IMO there is a huge difference between 9X and 14X except in very low ambient light conditions. Then.......the objective size comes into play. --- SAWMAN


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## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

The low light performance is the most important to me since the bucks on our club come out the last 5 minutes of light that you can shoot. That's why I want a 50mm objective.


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## Emerald Ghost (Mar 11, 2008)

SAWMAN said:


> .......Redfield before Leupold was Redfield. NOW....they are Leupold...with...the Leupold lifetime warrenty. Apples and oranges. --- SAWMAN


 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hey SAWMAN,
So does Leupold now own and manufacture Redfield scopes now ?


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## Fish-n-Fur (Apr 2, 2009)

i like my leupold vxIII w/ 50mm obj lens. EXC for low light conditions, much better than naked eye. also like my nikon rifleman range finder, and rem 700 .06 for hogs, deer and bigger game (150 vs 180gr. core lokt). good luck.


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## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*Ab-so-toot-lie*

50mm+ objective and good glass makes all the differance in the world. I do not any of the expensive glass(except a pair of bino's that are Swarovski) I do own Leupold though. 

I have been lucky enough to directly compair glass in a hunting environment. IMO........you get what you pay for in most any kind of optics. Weapon scopes,bino's,spotters. Buy the best that you can afford. --- SAWMAN
EDIT to add: Does everyone understand how to do the "low light equasion" re. the objective size ??


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## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

SAWMAN said:


> 50mm+ objective and good glass makes all the differance in the world. I do not any of the expensive glass(except a pair of bino's that are Swarovski) I do own Leupold though.
> 
> I have been lucky enough to directly compair glass in a hunting environment. IMO........you get what you pay for in most any kind of optics. Weapon scopes,bino's,spotters. Buy the best that you can afford. --- SAWMAN
> EDIT to add: Does everyone understand how to do the "low light equasion" re. the objective size ??


 All I know the larger the objective, the more light it will transmit. Is that the right answer?


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## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*Divide*

Most humans eyes will dilate down to 7mm if you are and older person,5mm if you have young/healthy eyes. Me.......I'm definitely a 7mm person. Soooooooooo.......Divide the 7mm into the size of your scopes objective lens and that is the max setting to allow all available light thru to your eye.

Example: 7 divided by the 50mm scopes objective equals 7. You should only zoom up to 7X in extreme low light conditions. This is why allot of the German scopes have a 56mm objective. Given good glass,the bigger objective,the more light gets thru to your eye if you zoom appropriately. --- SAWMAN


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## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

Thanks sawman. That's good information. I have never been told that. I think redfield makes one in a 52mm but I don't know how good the glass is. I know it's like $50 cheaper than the one I was looking at. They had to cut corners some where to be $50 cheaper. I found the Burris e1 for 199 and the regular price is 289.


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## hfboats (May 9, 2011)

Ok, through all this research and advice from forum members I learned a lot. Burris FFII scopes are made I Thailand. Not sure if it's just assembled or completely made there. The redfield revolution is made in Oregon, but assembled overseas. The revenge is made and assembled overseas. That's how they lowered the price on the revenge. After talking to a rep from redfield I learned that it has the same warranties as leuopold. I looked through a vortex diamond back and the crosshairs were just too small for me. Still liked the accurange on the revolution and I didn't see any real difference in any of the three except reticle. So I purchase the revolution. Found it at buds gun shop online. They have an option where you can make an offer. Listed at $249, so I offered $215. They accepted the offer. Saved some money and I think I have gotten a good scope for my money. Thanks again for all the help and advice.


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## fairpoint (May 9, 2013)

let us know how that one works out for you...glad you got a good deal......


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## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*My Scopes*

Most all of my rifle and pistol scopes are of the Leupold brand. Over 50% of these Leupold's were purchased BEFORE the brand increased severely in price. 

Nowadays you can pay 2K$'s for a Leupold. For the low light capability thing I own a couple of the Leuopld VX-R line of scopes. For the money,these scopes are exceptional. Also for the close(r) range carbines I like the Leupold line of scopes that have a "Heavy Duplex". I have several of the 1-4X20's and the 2-7X33's. For the ~$200,these perform excellent and you can get on target extremaly fast. 

Nowadays I feel that the lower priced Zeiss scopes are a great deal. They have quite a few scopes that are the same price as a Leupold. Especially the Terra line. (Check out the CameraLand site) Heck...you can get a Conquest for <$500.

I do still believe that with most all optics,you get what you pay for. I have looked thru,and used,several different Schmidt & Bender scopes.(I have never actually owned one). If I had the money,every scope that I owned(and I probably own 25-30)would be S&B or Swarovski. 

As far as sights go......I own Aimpoint's and one older Tasco Optima that sits in the safe. --- SAWMAN


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## johnf (Jan 20, 2012)

I would get one of these two and a good set of rings. Too many people get a great scope and mount it with crappy rings. Having good glass is pointless if it moves after every shot.

http://www.basspro.com/Nikon-Buckmasters-Rifle-Scopes/product/65011/

http://www.basspro.com/Leupold-VX1-Rifle-Scopes/product/591888257/

Something like this is what I would put on a new scope. http://www.basspro.com/DNZ-Products-Game-Reaper-OnePiece-Scope-Mounts/product/10207654/


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## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*Dead Nutz....*

The DNZ(used to be Dead Nutz)rings are extremely well made. If you find that these are needed/wanted for your firearm I would highly reccomend them. 

I true and lapp all my rings before I put a scope in them. I have done this for others and have found some sets of rings waaaaaaay out of "true". I have NEVER found the DNZ rings in need of lapping. ---- SAWMAN


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## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

SAWMAN said:


> The DNZ(used to be Dead Nutz)rings are extremely well made. If you find that these are needed/wanted for your firearm I would highly reccomend them.
> 
> I true and lapp all my rings before I put a scope in them. I have done this for others and have found some sets of rings waaaaaaay out of "true". I have NEVER found the DNZ rings in need of lapping. ---- SAWMAN


Would you mind sharing more info on the true and lapp process? What tool(s) do you use? I'm assuming its a way to make sure you maximize surface contact where the ring touches the scope tube? Thanks in advance.


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## SAWMAN (May 24, 2010)

*What I Do --->*

First of all.........the below is not to sound critical of what others do or how they do it. Also of the equipment that they choose to buy and use for their firearms. 

What I use ---> 
** Brownell's Sleeved Scope Alignment Rods (#080-918-000)These will align both 1" and 30mm rings. 
** Brownell's 30mm Alignment Lapp #080-903-130. The 1" version is #080-903-100
** Sinclair International 1" Scope Ring Lapping Tool #LAP-1

I have trued and lapped probably 200 sets of rings for myself and others in the last 15(or so)years. When guiding in Maine I used to do this for my clients on their high end guns and their Schmidt & Bender,Swarovski,Doctor,Zeiss,Kahles,etc. high end scopes. I have also done this on probably 50 of my own weapon a scope combos over the years. It is a somewhat tedious process if done properly. HOWEVER ...the rewards are great in that you save your weapon,bases,rings,and more importantly...your higher dollar scope. 

Using the truing rods you can immediately tell of the set of rings are not exactly true to each other when mounted in the bases. If they are not,when you torque the top part of the rings down,they will put permanent ring marks on your scope...this is the best. The worse will be to damage your scope. Some scope manufacturers will not honor the warranty if they see this damage. 

If the rings are out a little bit,you can lapp them in. If you have to lapp too much,they will not tighten on your scope properly. As you lapp you can see the rods and the lapping compound taking the finish off the inside of the rings. I will usually lapp until 1/2 to 2/3rds are done. If you take off any of my scopes you will not see ANY ring marks(even the one that I have for sale on this forum).(shameless plug) 

I absolutely hate what is commonly referred to as Leupold rings. I call them "twist in". Those and the Ruger style rings have frigged up more scopes than all the others combined(IMO). They are just not true,and pretty hard to get true. BTW...never twist in a scope using the scope. Use a 1" or 30MM dowel. The above lapping rods can be used for this .....Uhhhh.....if ya just gotta. 

Obviously the "non steel" rings are the easiest to lapp. The steel are somewhat harder,and the Ruger stainless are a royal PITA. Checking about 15 of the DNZ(used to be Dead Nutz)sets of integral rings/bases I have never found one to be out of "good enough" true. They seem to be machined very well. 

Now.....re-read my first paragraph above. Good Shootin' to all. --- SAWMAN


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## K-Bill (May 14, 2009)

A lot of good stuff to know. Thank you, sir.


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## csmigels (Nov 2, 2013)

Konus M30 , best budget scope $ for $.


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