[Sherpa1]

Just got off the phone with a Leupold rep. This is absolutely the case with spotting scopes and binos. He stated that because of the covid restrictions in Oregon and the high demand during the pandemic some of the lower price point scope glass was procurred from an outside vendor. He told me to listen to the Leupold "core insider " podcast that discusses this. I cannot find that episode in the app store. As you read the above statement it states " enough " not all. Don't worry about being snarkey, I like good banter.

 

[khmer6]

Leopold is top notch for hunting glass. Everyone flocks to vortex lifetime warranty. While they do honor it, that's not the point of glass lol. But vortex is "good enough" at the right price point for many. They helped bring a good value to the industry as opposed to other newer cheap chitty companies that are trying to take a bit of vortex lion share

 

[lynn1130]

The best way to find out is call them and ask. They are a great company and I am sure they will not blow smoke if you call.

 

[Robert Gonzalez]

I am a big fan of the Vortex Crossfire scope, super great quality at a good price. I have been happy with the accuracy and clarity.
Eventually I am looking to get a higher end rifle and at that time I will be looking to put some super quality glass on top of it, for now my Crossfire works great and I love the Dead-Hold BDC reticle - it has proven accurate for me.

BTW - has anyone used any of their scopes: Riton Optics Scopes, Red Dots and Binoculars - Riton Optics
Company out of Tucson making scopes and red dots...

 

[Clifffalling]

My point is simply getting the right tool for the job.
Believe me, I'm not knocking Leupold. I have several of their scopes.
The "Made in the US" just gets thrown around sometimes without folks really thinking about it. Thats all.
Sometimes when companies say that, what they mean is "assembled" or in the case of glass "finished" from a blank produced elsewhere.
I have no problem spending bucks on glass, if it's called for. I spent about as much on glass as i did on my rifle in 50 cal.

For the OP, buying his first bolt gun to hunt with, i just wouldn't recommend going all in. Especially if it's a gun that gets hunted with a couple times a year and paper punching a couple times more.
Get some range time and a few hunts under your belt, then you get a feel for what you might need or want to upgrade.
That's where I'm coming from, and I'll leave it at that.

 

[DesertRat44]

I like Leupold riflescopes for “set and forget” scopes. Based on my experience with their scopes, and first-hand experiences of folks I trust, I’d be less inclined to use them for a scope where I’m twisting turrets all the time.

My understanding is Leupold imports their rifle scope glass from Asia (Japan and China). That’s certainly not a knock against Leupold, as Japanese glass lens manufacturers like Ohara and Hoya make some world-class glass that probably rivals Schott. And China is really accelerating their ability to produce high-quality optical components.

 

[DesertRat44]

For the OP, buying his first bolt gun to hunt with, i just wouldn't recommend going all in. Especially if it's a gun that gets hunted with a couple times a year and paper punching a couple times more.
Get some range time and a few hunts under your belt, then you get a feel for what you might need or want to upgrade.

I think that’s good guidance.

Someone just getting into big game hunting with a rifle could check a lot boxes with a Burris Fullfield II riflescope with BDC reticle, without investing a lot of money.

 

[Vector16]

BDC sco[es ony work when you have the exact same recipe that the scope company has and the exact same Muzzle velocity.

Avoid BDC at all cost. You are better off with a Dead hold.

 

[Antsour751]

I have a vortex diamondback 4-16x44. It's a great scope for $300 and a forever warranty. Mounted on a Mossberg Patriot rifle 3006.
$300.
Great gun too.
You don't need a $1k gun as your first bolt action. You might hate bolts. Hunting with an AR sucks. It's heavy and awkward to carry for this kind of thing.
Better scopes for hunting run up to around $1600

I do love vortex unconditional warranty.

 

[Antsour751]

If budget is a factor, Tikka’s are hard to beat. Probably the best under 1k rifle made. Stick with US made optics. Don’t cheap out and buy a low end Vortex. Cry once and buy Leupold. As for caliber, I am a 270 guy but go with what you can shoot comfortably.

Money IS a factor. I don’t have endless supply of it (as I’m sure most of us don’t) the tikka G3’s hunter with the wooden stock has grabbed my eye more than once! I’m looking for a good In between. Middle Grounds maybe say a 600 dollar optic on a 400$ rifle (might be pointless idk) or a 500$ rifle and 500$ optic. All together I can’t spend more than about 1500 right now. And that’s MAX. Ive been seeing rifles that come with optics for under 1000 but they are usually paired with a cross fire, which I already own. I’m not sold on the crossfire for my AR either, so at that point I’d prob buy around a 4-500$ rifle and switch my crossfire to it instead of my AR. Just a lot of options I got Even at that price point.

 

[Antsour751]

Money IS a factor. I don’t have endless supply of it (as I’m sure most of us don’t) the tikka G3’s hunter with the wooden stock has grabbed my eye more than once! I’m looking for a good In between. Middle Grounds maybe say a 600 dollar optic on a 400$ rifle (might be pointless idk) or a 500$ rifle and 500$ optic. All together I can’t spend more than about 1500 right now. And that’s MAX. Ive been seeing rifles that come with optics for under 1000 but they are usually paired with a cross fire, which I already own. I’m not sold on the crossfire for my AR either, so at that point I’d prob buy around a 4-500$ rifle and switch my crossfire to it instead of my AR. Just a lot of options I got Even at that price point.

Tx3 hunter* damn auto correct

 

[itsEnricoPolazo]

Money IS a factor. I don’t have endless supply of it (as I’m sure most of us don’t) the tikka G3’s hunter with the wooden stock has grabbed my eye more than once! I’m looking for a good In between. Middle Grounds maybe say a 600 dollar optic on a 400$ rifle (might be pointless idk) or a 500$ rifle and 500$ optic. All together I can’t spend more than about 1500 right now. And that’s MAX. Ive been seeing rifles that come with optics for under 1000 but they are usually paired with a cross fire, which I already own. I’m not sold on the crossfire for my AR either, so at that point I’d prob buy around a 4-500$ rifle and switch my crossfire to it instead of my AR. Just a lot of options I got Even at that price point.

In my experience spend as much as your budget can afford on good glass rather than a more expensive rifle.

And I also like the Tikka. I’m looking at getting a T3 Superlite sometime soon

 

[khmer6]

Riton is in the same bucket as Athlon. Peddling and shilling their products with fake reviews. They charge for the same price as Vortex, a well established company and their products are inferior to vortex in terms of clarity and glass

 

[az-jim]

My boss has a tikka in 6.5 Needmore, he’s happy with it. Never heard anyone say anything bad about them. Give a look at Burris optics, decent quality, reasonably priced, if I remember they also have a lifetime warranty.

 

[Azblaster]

My boss has a tikka in 6.5 Needmore, he’s happy with it. Never heard anyone say anything bad about them. Give a look at Burris optics, decent quality, reasonably priced, if I remember they also have a lifetime warranty.

I just put on a Burris 4.5x14x42 on my .270. Replacing the old Vortex diamondback 3x9’s. I have to say I’m impressed. Maybe it’s the deeper zoom that’s giving me a stiffy but the sharpness and clarity is just as good if not better than the Vortex. I haven’t worked with it yet just mounting and I’m very pleased. For being in the same price point it should not be overlooked. Plus the adjustable parallax focus is a big help on aging eyes.

AZB

 

[Vector16]

The 3-9 zoom scopes suck. All of them. Face it we're getting old and can't see very well. We all need a scope the starts a 9x magnification and goes up for shots past 25 yards.

 

[khmer6]

3-9 has its use. Starting at 9 you lose so much fov. You don't need to be staring at hair and fur, you just need to set your cross hairs on the vitals.

 

[Tucsontony]

The 3-9 zoom scopes suck. All of them. Face it we're getting old and can't see very well. We all need a scope the starts a 9x magnification and goes up for shots past 25 yards.

You can’t be serious. The guy is looking for a hunting rig, not a bench rest rail gun. Anything that starts over 4x for hunting is useless.

 

[Vector16]

You can’t be serious. The guy is looking for a hunting rig, not a bench rest rail gun. Anything that starts over 4x for hunting is useless.

Don't go there Tusc.
3-9 is a crap scope.
BP and muzzy is different.
Don't tell me that the 4-16x42 is useless. I can see out of it better that some POS burris 3-9x40.

 

[Tucsontony]

Don't go there Tusc.
3-9 is a crap scope.
BP and muzzy is different.
Don't tell me that the 4-16x42 is useless. I can see out of it better that some POS burris 3-9x40.

I guess that I am just interpreting your written words different, but I do think your attitude about a 3-9 power scope is unwarranted. From how you first wrote things, it sounded like you like to shoot at 25 yards with a scope setting at 9 power.