How to decide?

I am looking for a new scope for my deer rifle. I set a budget and set out looking. I learn that I can't get what I am looking for in my particular budget. So, the budget increases. Now I have so many choices that just when I'm about to make up my mind, I can't decide. I take shot anywhere from 100 yards to 300+ yards. I need some type of bullet drop compensator for the long shots. This has drew me into looking at the Nikons. Right now I'm looking strongly at the Nikon Monarch 4-16X50 SF BDC. But the more I look on this forum and others the more I just don't know. I need a product. I don't mind spending a little extra to get a better product if I can truely SEE the difference and USE it. I am having a hard time finding unbias information. I DO NOT know about optics. I am definitely NOT an expert. How good is Nikon? I'm sure many of you will say the Zeiss Conquest is better. I pretty much understand that Swarovski is the best of the best. There are several scopes out there that are recommended that I have never heard of OR haven't heard of until recently. Some of them include: Sightron, Nitrex Optics, Meopta, Vortex. I could go on and on.

That's just it; I don't know what I need! I just don't want to spend a lot of money on a scope and wish I had a tad more magnification. Who makes the best glass? It seems that this is up to interpretation. But for all practical reasons is it the GERMAN/AUSTRIAN manufactuers?? How does European glass compare to Japanese glass or even American glass?? Aren't Nikons made in Japan?

The last 3 scopes I purchased:

VX-III 1.5-5x20mm
VX-III 2.5-8x36mm
Nikon Prostaff 2-7x32mm

I dunno where you hunt (terrain and cover) or how (walk, ride, stand, blind) but for all around ease of use and packability, the VX-III 1.5-5x20mm has been on everything from .22's to 7 mm high powers to 54 caliber inline muzzleloaders.  The only complaint I have ever had is that it looks a tad small on a full/magnum length action.

Palehorse wrote: The last 3 scopes I purchased: VX-III 1.5-5x20mm VX-III 2.5-8x36mm Nikon Prostaff 2-7x32mm I dunno where you hunt (terrain and cover) or how (walk, ride, stand, blind) but for all around ease of use and packability, the VX-III 1.5-5x20mm has been on everything from .22's to 7 mm high powers to 54 caliber inline muzzleloaders.  The only complaint I have ever had is that it looks a tad small on a full/magnum length action.

I hear there's going to be some great sale prices on vxIII's after Thanksgiving.

Forgot to ask how ya'll felt about illuminated reticles. Worth it? It looks like they would help in low light situations. And is the zeiss the "vette" or is there a better bang for you buck scope?? Sightron? Meopta?

2.5-3" HIGH

Whats the 4, 5, 6 stand for?? 400 , 500, 600 yards?? What happened to 200 and 300 yards?

I agree: 100-300 yds don't require no BDC. Any of today's modern calibers focused on deer can be sighted-in at 100 a little high and still be on at 300. ACCESSORIES? BDC means the sight picture will be more cluttered with mil dots or whatever too. I'd feel better just knowing the range (step it off first, use a topo map with scale, or rangefinder and memorize those values for wherever you're at) and having standard duplex reticle (clear sight picture) with a good mental handle on by bullet drop chart. Summary: Simpler is better, and even cheaper! The more things you use that are in your head don't have to come with the scope! That's my motto. Optics? Number one: decide how good you think your eyes are. If great or decent, you need no illuminated reticle. If poor, IR would be advantageous but I would do a field test comparison with someone else's. Price & Quality ? I choose the mid-range and I've have no dissatisfaction whatsoever with my choices. I have two 6.5-20x40mm VXIII's, one 3-9x40mm VXI, and one 3.5-10x50mm Monarch. Can't beat the clarity (I doubt) and I myself have been able to tell very little difference (well, maybe none) between them in low light. If I went to the $1,000 price range on a scope, it would be because of more rugged internal construction, because my Monarch did a backflip off the cab into the truck bed and knocked the 100 yd zero setting way off. I'd rather my zero not be able to be moved. But then again, you're not supposed to put your scope in an abusive situation (unless you're in the military). The ability to set and mark your zero is a very nice feature on a scope. I paid $549 (TOTAL) for my newest 6.5-20 VXIII EFR target scope 2 months ago. Beats the norm of $679 ! 5-20x Monarchs were $419, but Leupolds are easier to sell I believe.

I'm also looking for a new scope, similar needs and shot distances as you mentioned, plus I just enjoy punching paper at the range also.  I have been using Leupold VariX III scopes, a 2.5-8x32 and a 3.5-10x40.  Both  have been great scopes, but I really appreciated the extra magnification when I got the 3.5-10x scope.  I use Swaro 7x42 SLC binos, and the extra power on the scope helps quite a bit for verifying target details when the binos aren't quite enough.  I would rather have more magnification and be able to turn it down THAN not have enough. 

Ballistics? I'd say if you're trying to bust a rhino from butt to brisket, definitely go with the heavier bullet. With deer, up to 300 yds, it won't amount to much difference. JBM ballistics software will give you a good comparison if you search it on the web. "Team anything" products are generally more economically priced I think, and on purpose. Clarity usually suffers. Don't know about 4200, but a guy showed me a couple of months ago what a REAL set of binos looked like. They were Elite 6500's with Baush & Lomb's name on them. Best set of glass in ANYTHING I've ever looked-through. Now the B&L design has been taken over by Bushnell, or something like that.

I won't claim it's any better than anyone else's approach or hunting style but I really thought long and hard recently about upgrading the scope on my rifle and decided against it. In my case, I have a Rem. LTR in .308 with a 20" barrel. I've been pretty happy with the Leupold FX-II fixed 4X scope that sits on it now.

You have a .270 ( a necked down .30-06) so you can reach out farther, but as long as you are thinking that 0-300 yards is your desired range, you really don't need to worry about BDCs or high magnification. For practical purposes, I don't consider the .308 that lethal beyond 300 yards - at least on elk - so I have standardized on one load and used the ballistics calculator at http://www.eskimo.com/~jbm/calculations/traj/traj.html to figure out my maximum point blank range zero for an 8" dia. vital zone. That is great for antelope and works even better for bigger animals. At 100 yards, my aim point is 3.5" high and at 300 it is 4" low. It worked just fine on the two antelope I shot this year - one at 310 yards with a 15 mph crosswind and the other at 230, both off a Harris bipod.

Despite what one poster said, at least for me, at short range 4X is not a problem. Mostly that's because I shoot a lot of .22 through a 4X scope. I got a cow elk at 35 yards when I jumped her in thick timber this year. It was no problem getting accurate placement even through she was running.

Again, I'm not trying to claim this style is better. You have to do what works for you, but if nothing else, play around with the ballistics calculator and consider what you can do with a maximum point blank range strategy of some sort.

Jon

supertool73 wrote: jonoMT wrote: Despite what one poster said, at least for me, at short range 4X is not a problem. Mostly that's because I shoot a lot of .22 through a 4X scope. I got a cow elk at 35 yards when I jumped her in thick timber this year. It was no problem getting accurate placement even through she was running. Jon I have found this to be true as well.  I have used 3 and 4x my whole life and have never ever been over scoped for any shot I have ever taken.  Even running deer, elk, small game within 30 yards have never been a problem.

buy the zeiss, i currently have 3 nikons on three of my rifles i also have a 4200 elite on one, i will tell you that there isnt any hype about the zeiss conquest, the down fall with nikon is there poor customer service dept. leupold is one company that you pay for a lot of name.