Best scope $800-1000

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Best scope $800-1000

Post by Yipikaye » 25 Jun 2017, 10:43 pm

Hi All,

I'm looking to get a new scope for my 308. I want to take it out to 800M and I don't want to spend more than $1000.

I was thinking something up to 24x magnification with a 50mm objective. I would like a mil-dot reticle or something with mil measurements.

I'm also ok with getting something second hand.

What would you recommend?
Last edited by Yipikaye on 26 Jun 2017, 5:50 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Die Judicii » 25 Jun 2017, 10:57 pm

Yipikaye wrote:Hi All,

I'm looking to get a new scope for my 308. I want to take it out to 800M and I don't want to spend more than $1000.

I was thinking something up to 24x magnification with a 50mm objective. I would like a mil-dot " rectile " or something with mil measurements.

I'm also ok with getting something second hand.

What would you recommend?


You might need some lube to go with the "rectile" ,,,, :lol: I presume you meant reticle .

If you can manage to get an S+B secondhand for your $1,000 go for it,
Otherwise I'd look at Zeiss
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Yipikaye » 26 Jun 2017, 7:05 am

Lol. Damn autocorrect. Fixed. Thanks for the tip
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by sungazer » 26 Jun 2017, 10:36 am

Bushnell 6500 6-24 *50 with G2 reticle would be my recommendation that fits all those criteria. Just getting one that fits the price range is the issue. NRR is $1400 so second hand should be no problem to get under that. I picked one up for $600 a bargain.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Yipikaye » 26 Jun 2017, 5:19 pm

The Bushnell looks great. Now to find one second hand :)
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Yipikaye » 26 Jun 2017, 5:49 pm

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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by bladeracer » 26 Jun 2017, 6:12 pm

Yipikaye wrote:These are available at my local dealer.
https://www.usedguns.com.au/Product.aspx?p=91483
https://www.usedguns.com.au/Product.aspx?p=84099
What do you think?


The second one is First Focal Plane, might want to skip that one.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Yipikaye » 26 Jun 2017, 6:14 pm

Oh i didn't notice that! Thank you :)
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by monbeg » 27 Jun 2017, 12:27 am

You can get one of these for less than $800, its as good as anything I saw when I was looking with a budget of up to $1000.

Got one on my Howa 308.

http://www.meoptasportsoptics.com/shop/ ... tgRen.html
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Supaduke » 27 Jun 2017, 8:30 am

I have a meopta 6-18x50, very underrated optics.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Yipikaye » 27 Jun 2017, 8:45 am

Will check out a Meopta, got to find a local retailer so I can have a look. :)
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by VICHunter » 27 Jun 2017, 10:39 am

Meopta is good.

Has been for a long time but doesn't have a big brand presence like Leupold etc.

Definitely worth a look.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by scaredyet » 28 Jun 2017, 9:19 am

You guys got me interested in the Meopta scope. I need a scope my my Tikka T3x CTR .308. which reticle to go for and where is the cheapest price available?

Main use will be long range hunting/target
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Gwion » 28 Jun 2017, 10:38 am

Meopta make some really nice scopes, from all reports, but one thing to consider: if you plan on doing any long range shooting that requires a lot of dialing back and forth for elevation and windage and buy a scope with a "dot" or "hash" reticle to aid in observing corrections onto target, make sure you get a scope where the turret adjustments are in the same angular measurement as the reticle subtensions/stadia. From memory, when i was looking for a mid-range scope, Meopta were one of the weird companies that offered "mil-hash" reticles with "MOA" turret adjustments and/or vise versa. This is a recipe for frustration!
If you don't plan on this type of shooting or don't plan using reticle stadia for hold-offs and turret corrections you will get away with just a plain reticle and Meopta will be a great choice.

Just something to watch out for when ordering/purchasing your scope.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Gwion » 28 Jun 2017, 10:47 am

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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Bosbefok » 30 Jun 2017, 7:13 am

Zeiss conquests are good glass.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Yipikaye » 30 Jun 2017, 8:47 am

The Zeiss looks good but I'm nervous to buy unseen and it's interstate. I will check out a few of the recommendations at my LGS on the weekend.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Yipikaye » 01 Jul 2017, 10:55 pm

Hi All,

An update, I spent a long time at the LGS and ended up getting the Bushnell Elite Tactical ERS 6-24x50 BTR-MIL Illuminated.

I tried the Zeiss, Vortex and even a Nightforce that was out of budget. The scope seems to be the best all rounder for the price and had a great turret feel and was comfortable to look through.

The surprising thing for me is I went FFP. The guy at the store was great and taught me how to range things and do holdover calculations.

I went FFP as the calculations are the same at any power.

At 24 power the reticle doesn't cover the whole target it was very fine.

A good place to check this out is Vortex Optics. They show very detailed specs on all their scopes and if you compare subtensions on e.g. their new PST gen 2; 3-15x44 FFP vs SFP. The thin line covers 4.5 and 3.3 mm respectively at 15x magnification and 100 yards. Not a big difference and probably something you could barely notice. At lower magnification, the FFP still covers 4.5mm, whilst the SFP will cover 6.6mm at 12x, 9.9mm at 9x and so on... No reason whatsoever to not chose FFP...

The illumination is great for hunting in low light. I found that I can see it against dark targets with both eyes open which is good.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by bladeracer » 02 Jul 2017, 1:25 pm

Yipikaye wrote:Hi All,

An update, I spent a long time at the LGS and ended up getting the Bushnell Elite Tactical ERS 6-24x50 BTR-MIL Illuminated.

I tried the Zeiss, Vortex and even a Nightforce that was out of budget. The scope seems to be the best all rounder for the price and had a great turret feel and was comfortable to look through.

The surprising thing for me is I went FFP. The guy at the store was great and taught me how to range things and do holdover calculations.

I went FFP as the calculations are the same at any power.

At 24 power the reticle doesn't cover the whole target it was very fine.

A good place to check this out is Vortex Optics. They show very detailed specs on all their scopes and if you compare subtensions on e.g. their new PST gen 2; 3-15x44 FFP vs SFP. The thin line covers 4.5 and 3.3 mm respectively at 15x magnification and 100 yards. Not a big difference and probably something you could barely notice. At lower magnification, the FFP still covers 4.5mm, whilst the SFP will cover 6.6mm at 12x, 9.9mm at 9x and so on... No reason whatsoever to not chose FFP...

The illumination is great for hunting in low light. I found that I can see it against dark targets with both eyes open which is good.


The problem with FFP is at longer ranges, where the deer you are aiming at might only be 2mm wide and safely tucked behind your 4.5mm reticle. Under 100 yards it would be irrelevant.
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Re: Best scope $800-1000

Post by Yipikaye » 02 Jul 2017, 1:35 pm

Agreed, but I'm not comfortable to take a deer at that range. For a deer to be 2mm size at 24power would be a long way.

The good thing with the BTR-MIL reticle is it's a dot not a crosshair in the centre which should help.
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