.223 scope options between $300 to $750

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.223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Aussie_Vic » 30 Aug 2021, 10:06 pm

G'day all

I've been checking out scopes for my future Lithgow LA102 or Ruger .223.

Looking for a scope to get the job done while out in the field between $300 to $700.

I have heard Leupold, Bushnell and vortex have all great scopes.

What would you guys suggest?

Cheers :)
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by boingk » 30 Aug 2021, 10:13 pm

Leupold 4-12x40 is a good thing, and if you want to spend a bit less I'm actually using an Athlon Neos 6-18x44 on my Ruger American 223 at the moment, couldnt be happier with it.

Very clear, very crisp, great parralex. From memory it was a $350 scope and very good value if they still retail at that.

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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by bigpete » 30 Aug 2021, 10:22 pm

Redfield are damned decent too if you can find one.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Oldbloke » 30 Aug 2021, 10:24 pm

Personally I like 3-9x40
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by deye243 » 30 Aug 2021, 11:37 pm

Meopta optika 5 very good glass .
3-14x44 or the 4-20x50 fit your budget.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by bah! » 30 Aug 2021, 11:58 pm

I have a little-used meopta 6-18x50 if that suits.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by straightshooter » 31 Aug 2021, 7:32 am

Aussie_Vic wrote:G'day all

I've been checking out scopes for my future Lithgow LA102 or Ruger .223.

Looking for a scope to get the job done while out in the field between $300 to $700.

I have heard Leupold, Bushnell and vortex have all great scopes.

What would you guys suggest?

Cheers :)

An answer to a question that suggests a level of inexperience is something like this.
Allow the rifle to dictate the scope you fit.
For a light trim hunting rifle that will be carried and handled far more than it is shot probably a 2-7 or a 3-9 is optimum. Those size scopes are light and compact and are popular for good reason. They fall in the most competitive area of the riflescope business. You should be able to find a 'name brand' scope of decent quality in this power range at the bottom of your price range because of the degree of competition, well at least you could pre-covid.
If on the other hand if you head in the direction of target / tactical style rifles then a bigger scope will be a consideration. Then a brand new scope of decent quality might fall outside your price specification.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by InisBineest » 31 Aug 2021, 7:53 am

The golden rule still applies no matter what way you go. You still get what you pay for.

At the lower price point you do tend to get more bank for buck these days than a few decades ago, but if you pay a little more, you do tend to get clearer glass.

That said, how much glass do you need? For. Haunting 22 I rarely spend more than $300 for a scope, because I'm rarely shooting out past 50-100m, and cheap glass works just fine for that.

For my target 22 however, it has a $1500 piece of glass, as I'm going to be spending more time looking through it and I want a near perfect image, Nd one that won't strain my eyes.

Straightshooter is on the money, work out what you need first in terms of size and features, then look at what is available for your budget. Most of the big brands got big for a reason, and their reputations speak for themselves.
I personally like Leupold as my old ye faithful. Ive never had a dud from them and Ive owned a few. Bushnell are my second favourite, and they have some great low price options. Vortex, Ive not had much to do with, but I rarely hear bad things about them.

Zerotech... They look in the same league as Bushnell but everytime Ive looked at buying one I've ended up getting a second hand Leupold instead. One day I'll try them, they look the goods. But for now, Ive mostly got Leupolds:) Reliable glass for the money, and if you can find a second hand one, you can count on their life time warranty to keep you out of trouble... Not that I've had to use it.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Humperdinkel » 31 Aug 2021, 8:52 am

Burris Fullfield IV range is brilliant
Winchester Xpert - .22
Savage A22R Pro Varmint - .22
Savage 340 - .222
Howa 1500 VT Fluted - .308
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by bman940 » 31 Aug 2021, 11:02 pm

The Optika5 2-10 or 3-15 would be a great option. A 1inch tube, Second Focal Plane, and easy to dial in scope. It would serve your needs very well and not break the bank. I just put an Optika5 2-10x42 without parallax adjustment through its paces on a 10/22. The scope's next stop will be a T/C in-line .50 cal muzzleloader. Very nice glass, edge to edge clarity, bright, good low light visibility, and the European quality control you expect.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Die Judicii » 01 Sep 2021, 7:47 pm

Although never owning one I have been told by several gun shop owners that GPO (German Precision Optics) are pretty good
for the lower end market of scopes, of which you seem to be interested in.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Harrynsw » 02 Sep 2021, 9:17 am

Most hunting that happens for me is within the first 200m. My suggestion is a 2-10x power. That lower end magnification allows for quicker target acquisition in close, especially when something is moving.
Iv got a 4-12x on my 223 atm which is going to be replaced soon, iv been looking at the burris signature HD 2-10X and the vortex viper 2-10x, but I'm also craving an illuminated reticle as half my hunting happens at night, so I'm also considering the vortex strike eagle 1-8x....
Hawke make a 2-7x with an illuminated reticle for a few hundred dollars, but Im opting for something a bit expensive because I can.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Bugman » 02 Sep 2021, 3:24 pm

Meopta scopes would be my choice, through personal experience with them.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by bladeracer » 02 Sep 2021, 4:38 pm

Aussie_Vic wrote:G'day all

I've been checking out scopes for my future Lithgow LA102 or Ruger .223.

Looking for a scope to get the job done while out in the field between $300 to $700.

I have heard Leupold, Bushnell and vortex have all great scopes.

What would you guys suggest?

Cheers :)


It will depend on the purpose(s) you want it for.

If you plan on spotlighting you'll want better glass, otherwise, for daylight hunting, even most of the cheaper stuff works just fine these days.

For hunting you will want something lighter and smaller than you might use on a target, varmint, or vehicle rifle.

If you want to shoot paper, you'll want higher magnification, so you can aim more precisely, and so you can see your bullet holes. 18-power works for me to see .22-calibre bullet holes to 200m, 40-power is better for longer distances. 40-power can give me tighter groups at closer ranges as well, but the scopes are big, bulky, heavy, and have limited adjustment for general use. If you're primarily shooting at paper you can also go for a much finer reticle, under .25MoA thick, but such fine reticles are very difficult to pick up easily against a bush background for hunting. For hunting you need to be able to wind it down to about 4-power max. 4.5-18x40 works nicely for me for most things.

You don't want a first-focal-plane scope for any kind of precision shooting or hunting. When you're walking out you want to wind the scope right back for widest field-of-view for close-range and snap-shooting. In an FFP scope this is when the reticle is the finest, just what you don't want. Then, when you're in position or shooting longer distances you wind the scope right up. But with an FFP scope this is when its reticle is the fattest, completely obscuring your tiny target.

If you're only shooting at close ranges, say to 300m, you don't need tactical turrets as you won't need to make adjustments in the field. You might also be fine with a fixed parallax, but if you want to shoot rabbits back to 50m or closer you might prefer adjustable parallax, but you don't want an adjustable objective (AO) scope, they're very difficult to adjust from a firing position, get a side-focus adjustment.

Reticles are also greatly varied, from a simple crosshair, or a duplex crosshair (two thicknesses), or dots, circles, arrows and such. Also various hold-over marks, either bullet-drop (BDC) graduations (supposed to match a specific cartridge and load but rarely does), or standard grids. These allow you to make more precise allowances for elevation and wind, but can clutter the screen somewhat until you get used to them.

You'll also want to decide if you prefer to work in minutes (MoA) or milliradians (Mil) adjustment. Minutes are one-sixtieth of a degree, which is 29.07mm at 100m or 1.047" at 100yd (also 1-1/8" at 100m). Milliradians are one-thousandth of the distance, so 100mm at 100m. I prefer minutes, but Mil's do offer a couple of advantages at long ranges. Often MoA scopes are graduated at one-inch at 100yd, rounding off the extra twentieth of an inch, which can be annoying for some people. At 600yd you might have a calculated 20-minutes of drop ( 125.64"), but if the turrets are rounded to 1", you dial up 20-MoA (120-inches) to find your group is nearly six-inches low (you always need to measure the actual graduation of your scope regardless of what it says it is). The other advantage is the ease of calculation, although I do just fine working in minutes using 29mm at 100m. Mils are big, so you're always working in tenths. I've used Mil scopes, but don't own any.

MoA scope adjustment is generally done with sixty indents or clicks per revolution of a turret (my 4.5-18x40 scopes have seven revolutions of the elevation turret - 105MoA). With quarter-minute adjustment you get 15MoA per revolution (436mm at 100m), with eighth-minute adjustment you get 7.5MoA per revolution (218mm at 100m), I can find multiplying 7.5MoA confusing when I'm dialing large amounts. Mil scopes I think tend to have 100-clicks, in .1Mil adjustments, giving 10Mil per revolution (1000mm at 100m).
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by JimTom » 02 Sep 2021, 8:11 pm

Meopta are good value for money mate. I have a few of them now.
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Post by pilotsignal » 08 Sep 2021, 9:22 pm

Friend of mine can give me BSA Deerhunter 8-32x44 for free, which I intend to use for bench target shooting at about 200-300m. Is it a decent scope for that application? should I graciously take it of politely decline the offer ? :-)
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by boingk » 09 Sep 2021, 11:21 pm

pilotsignal wrote:Friend of mine can give me BSA Deerhunter 8-32x44 for free, which I intend to use for bench target shooting at about 200-300m. Is it a decent scope for that application? should I graciously take it of politely decline the offer ? :-)


Given the price you'd be mad not to.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Harrynsw » 10 Sep 2021, 2:43 pm

My new toy coming in the mail. Going on my 223, with a reticle to suit
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by deye243 » 10 Sep 2021, 9:52 pm

I hope you are not using this for spot lighting or even dusk
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Harrynsw » 11 Sep 2021, 4:30 pm

Whys that bud?
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by deye243 » 11 Sep 2021, 4:34 pm

I used to have one of those In A Weaver years ago sitting on top of a 3006 woodsmaster in semi Auto because of the small objective lens you will be using it on about 2 power you'll only be able to use 8 power in reasonably bright conditions
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Harrynsw » 11 Sep 2021, 5:37 pm

deye243 wrote:I used to have one of those In A Weaver years ago sitting on top of a 3006 woodsmaster in semi Auto because of the small objective lens you will be using it on about 2 power you'll only be able to use 8 power in reasonably bright conditions


Thanks for the heads up. Althought it does state in the Description it has optimum low light performance, you more than likely have the gen 1, this is the gen 2. I don't plan to use it above 2x as all my shooting is within 200m and this was the only style of scope that incorporated the things I wanted ie low magnification, illuminated reticle and numbered turrets.
Cheers
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by bladeracer » 11 Sep 2021, 6:41 pm

Harrynsw wrote:
deye243 wrote:I used to have one of those In A Weaver years ago sitting on top of a 3006 woodsmaster in semi Auto because of the small objective lens you will be using it on about 2 power you'll only be able to use 8 power in reasonably bright conditions


Thanks for the heads up. Althought it does state in the Description it has optimum low light performance, you more than likely have the gen 1, this is the gen 2. I don't plan to use it above 2x as all my shooting is within 200m and this was the only style of scope that incorporated the things I wanted ie low magnification, illuminated reticle and numbered turrets.
Cheers


What do mean by numbered turrets? The turrets are capped so not really field adjustable.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Harrynsw » 11 Sep 2021, 8:50 pm

bladeracer wrote:
Harrynsw wrote:
deye243 wrote:I used to have one of those In A Weaver years ago sitting on top of a 3006 woodsmaster in semi Auto because of the small objective lens you will be using it on about 2 power you'll only be able to use 8 power in reasonably bright conditions


Thanks for the heads up. Althought it does state in the Description it has optimum low light performance, you more than likely have the gen 1, this is the gen 2. I don't plan to use it above 2x as all my shooting is within 200m and this was the only style of scope that incorporated the things I wanted ie low magnification, illuminated reticle and numbered turrets.
Cheers


What do mean by numbered turrets? The turrets are capped so not really field adjustable.


I'll be switching between TAP 60 grain and GMX 55 grain, so I just want to be able to refer to some numbers instead of dodgy texta marks.
Does me fine.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by bladeracer » 11 Sep 2021, 9:50 pm

Harrynsw wrote:
bladeracer wrote:
Harrynsw wrote:
deye243 wrote:I used to have one of those In A Weaver years ago sitting on top of a 3006 woodsmaster in semi Auto because of the small objective lens you will be using it on about 2 power you'll only be able to use 8 power in reasonably bright conditions


Thanks for the heads up. Althought it does state in the Description it has optimum low light performance, you more than likely have the gen 1, this is the gen 2. I don't plan to use it above 2x as all my shooting is within 200m and this was the only style of scope that incorporated the things I wanted ie low magnification, illuminated reticle and numbered turrets.
Cheers


What do mean by numbered turrets? The turrets are capped so not really field adjustable.


I'll be switching between TAP 60 grain and GMX 55 grain, so I just want to be able to refer to some numbers instead of dodgy texta marks.
Does me fine.


I'm still confused.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Harrynsw » 11 Sep 2021, 11:29 pm

Numbered turrets
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by bladeracer » 12 Sep 2021, 12:23 am

Harrynsw wrote:Numbered turrets


I get you now, I think :-)
The numbers are on the dial rather than on the housing.
But I don't see how that has any relevance to using two different loads, at least over using any other style.
My Redfield Revolution 3-9x40 has the same setup, capped turrets with numbered dials.
The reason we have the graduations around the outside of the knob is that we can't see the tops of the turrets from a shooting position.

Interesting that the Vortex has 88 clicks per revolution though. With just over three revolutions to give 140-minutes of elevation.

If it only had one revolution I could see it being easy to simply set it to the number each load is zeroed at, but I don't see any advantage over the standard design. You still need to bottom it out and wind up to be sure you're on the right revolution, although bore-sighting would certainly tell you if you were 44-minutes out.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Harrynsw » 12 Sep 2021, 12:51 am

bladeracer wrote:
Harrynsw wrote:Numbered turrets


I get you now, I think :-)
The numbers are on the dial rather than on the housing.
But I don't see how that has any relevance to using two different loads, at least over using any other style.
My Redfield Revolution 3-9x40 has the same setup, capped turrets with numbered dials.
The reason we have the graduations around the outside of the knob is that we can't see the tops of the turrets from a shooting position.

Interesting that the Vortex has 88 clicks per revolution though. With just over three revolutions to give 140-minutes of elevation.

If it only had one revolution I could see it being easy to simply set it to the number each load is zeroed at, but I don't see any advantage over the standard design. You still need to bottom it out and wind up to be sure you're on the right revolution, although bore-sighting would certainly tell you if you were 44-minutes out.


Well I'd have it zeroed to the 60 grain TAP, and the adjustments would be for the 55 grain GMX which my rifle shoots about 5 MOA left of the 60 grain TAP zero.

Cant wait for this lockdown is over so I can get to the range for the day.
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by bladeracer » 12 Sep 2021, 8:43 am

Harrynsw wrote:
bladeracer wrote:
Harrynsw wrote:Numbered turrets


I get you now, I think :-)
The numbers are on the dial rather than on the housing.
But I don't see how that has any relevance to using two different loads, at least over using any other style.
My Redfield Revolution 3-9x40 has the same setup, capped turrets with numbered dials.
The reason we have the graduations around the outside of the knob is that we can't see the tops of the turrets from a shooting position.

Interesting that the Vortex has 88 clicks per revolution though. With just over three revolutions to give 140-minutes of elevation.

If it only had one revolution I could see it being easy to simply set it to the number each load is zeroed at, but I don't see any advantage over the standard design. You still need to bottom it out and wind up to be sure you're on the right revolution, although bore-sighting would certainly tell you if you were 44-minutes out.


Well I'd have it zeroed to the 60 grain TAP, and the adjustments would be for the 55 grain GMX which my rifle shoots about 5 MOA left of the 60 grain TAP zero.

Cant wait for this lockdown is over so I can get to the range for the day.


That's what I mean, you just adjust it 5-minutes to the right when you switch to the GMX. It's the numbered dial that I can't see any advantage to.
It's really no different to using a DOPE chart for elevation, you are changing your zero to suit whatever range you are shooting at.

Can you set the dials to zero once you've zeroed the rifle?
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Re: .223 scope options between $300 to $750

Post by Harrynsw » 12 Sep 2021, 10:02 am

bladeracer wrote:
Harrynsw wrote:
bladeracer wrote:
Harrynsw wrote:Numbered turrets


I get you now, I think :-)
The numbers are on the dial rather than on the housing.
But I don't see how that has any relevance to using two different loads, at least over using any other style.
My Redfield Revolution 3-9x40 has the same setup, capped turrets with numbered dials.
The reason we have the graduations around the outside of the knob is that we can't see the tops of the turrets from a shooting position.

Interesting that the Vortex has 88 clicks per revolution though. With just over three revolutions to give 140-minutes of elevation.

If it only had one revolution I could see it being easy to simply set it to the number each load is zeroed at, but I don't see any advantage over the standard design. You still need to bottom it out and wind up to be sure you're on the right revolution, although bore-sighting would certainly tell you if you were 44-minutes out.


Well I'd have it zeroed to the 60 grain TAP, and the adjustments would be for the 55 grain GMX which my rifle shoots about 5 MOA left of the 60 grain TAP zero.

Cant wait for this lockdown is over so I can get to the range for the day.


That's what I mean, you just adjust it 5-minutes to the right when you switch to the GMX. It's the numbered dial that I can't see any advantage to.
It's really no different to using a DOPE chart for elevation, you are changing your zero to suit whatever range you are shooting at.

Can you set the dials to zero once you've zeroed the rifle?


I get what you're saying, yes you could. But since I was buying a new scope with lower magnification (1-8x) and an illuminated reticle to replace my current scope (4-12×) I thought why not get one with numbered turrets to make referencing easier. That's all.
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