Hunting Scope under $1000

Went with VX-3i 3.5-10x40 CDS (Wind Plex model 170682 $359) from Schmaltz and am very happy with it for both quality and price. I wear bifocals but once you adjust to viewing through glasses it works just fine for it's intended purpose. We've shot the 243 out to 400+ with no problems/issues related to the scope. The only issue I have with it, oddly enough, is the CDS since to use it as intended you really need to buy extra custom dials since it is not likely you'll want to shoot only one type of ammo with it.
 
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From your list, I’d take the Leupold, you won’t regret HD, and I’d buy new instead of Craigslist. I don’t have any experience with the Conquest line, but I don’t like the idea of buying Ziess, but having it assembled here and sold at a major discount. That said, I have a pair of US assembled Meopta’s that I got on a major sale and they’re fantastic.
 
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ImBillT said:
From your list, I’d take the Leupold, you won’t regret HD, and I’d buy new instead of Craigslist. I don’t have any experience with the Conquest line, but I don’t like the idea of buying Ziess, but having it assembled here and sold at a major discount. That said, I have a pair of US assembled Meopta’s that I got on a major sale and their fantastic.
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Which Meoptas do you have? The Meopta MeoStar R1 3-10x50 is on sale for $764 and the Meopta MeoStar R1r 3-12x56 Z Plex for $849.
 
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I think I'd get the $300 scope and spend $500 on ammo/ reloading for practice.

(says the guy with the 2-7x Redfield from 1990)
 
JScoMN said:
Which Meoptas do you have? The Meopta MeoStar R1 3-10x50 is on sale for $764 and the Meopta MeoStar R1r 3-12x56 Z Plex for $849.
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MeoPro 4.5-14x44 and 6.5-20x50. I don’t think those are assembled in the USA anymore, but they were at one point. The more I think about it, I’m not certain if mine were assembled in the US or in Europe. Schott glass is as good as any in the world though. The only thing to watch for with European scopes is that a lot of them don’t have a particularly wide windage and elevation adjustment range, and these fall into that category. I still like them a lot. These have crappy Cabelas exclusive reticle in them that isn’t particularly useful, but it doesn’t hurt anything. I paid around $600 total for the pair when Cabelas was taking their name off of them and closing them out. You can get your knobs custom etched to match your ballistics just like Leupold’s CDS system. Again, check with Meopta customer service on that too, I doubt it, but that may have been a Cabela’s exclusive feature as well.
 
Stay away from buying used scopes from unreputable sources. Lots of counterfeits floating around. VX5 is really good glass
 
Head is swimming with options now and having a hard time figuring it out.

I think I narrowed it down to Meopta MeoPro, the new Optika6, R1, or a used Kahles 3-10 Helia CSX from SWFA.

I was in Dallas for work and got to look through the Kahles and compare the clarity of the VX-5HD, Meopta R2, and Swarovski V5. Kahles was top to my eyes by quite a bit. Swaro and R2 were pretty close. VX5HD wasn’t close to those.
 
Kahles is definitely top notch. I don’t know anything about Optika, but you can’t go wrong with anything else you mentioned. The Optika may be just as good.
 
JScoMN said:
Figured out which rifle I am getting and now I need to figure out my glass. Looking for recommendations for under $1k. I'll mostly be doing tree stand hunting from 30-150 but would take it out West if I have a hunt come up. Regardless, I can't imagine taking anything beyond 300-400 yards max. Here is what I've come across so far:

- Leupold VX-3i 3.5-10x40mm ($299)
- Leupold VX-5HD 2-10x42mm ($750 or $950 illuminated)
- Leupold Leupold VX6 3-18x50mm Illuminated Boone & Crockett reticle ($900 craigslist)
- Zeiss Conquest V4 4-16X44 ($669 demo unit)
- Zeiss Conquest V5HD 3-15X50 ($629 closeout)

I've looked hard at the Vortex line but it just seems like others are a big jump up in quality of glass.
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on that list for those prices....
I'd get the VX3i, without a doubt. But the VX5 would be a close 2nd. I do think you can get the VX5 cheaper, even locally though. I have that VX5 and LOVE it.
 
Got a great deal on the Leica Magnus 1.8-12x50 so I ended up going with that. Looking forward to getting that mounted and sighted in on my Hell's Canyon Speed. Thanks for all the suggestions and input. It was really close between the Meopta R1, Swarovski Z5, but since the Leica was about the same price, I couldn't pass that up.
 
3855WIN said:
Also consider the Sig Scope/rangefinder combo. Interesting technology.
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Take a hard look at the SierraBDX before you buy it. I took a chance and bought a blemished at a rock bottom price online. The only reason it was blemished was a scratch on the box which had a factory seal intact. I think the scope is a total piece of crap. I sent it back.
 
JScoMN said:
Does anyone have any experience with the Swarovski Z3 or Z5?
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Yes. They are worth the money. I've got the 3-18 and love it. I was out shooting the other day in the early morning. It was almost light and we looked through a few different good quality scopes and the swaro was far above the rest. We started shooting that rifle and couldn't even see through the other scopes with the same magnification
 
Mthuntr said:
I have a Swaro Z3 (4-12x50) with the BRX reticle. Great clarity and light however the reticle is too thin for hunting purposes. Get the Plex or 4A reticles (I can't comment on the BRX heavy but that might work too).
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I've got the plex reticle and then did the outdoorsman ballistic turret. works pretty good.
 
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