Re: New rifle means new scope
Overall, Nightforce. It has clear-as-air glass and built like a tank with some great features.
But bang for buck depends on the buck you're willing to spend. If you're willing to spend 2 grand, or nearly such, on optics, then NF is the way to go. If you're saying to yourself, "$2k for a scope!?!" then you'll likely want to look at something else entirely.
I don't have much experience with low end stuff (anything less than $500) as I completely skipped that when I first bought.
In the less than $700 range, I'd look hard at the Bushnell Elite 4200 6-24x50 Tactical. It has GREAT knobs, a great mil-dot reticle, very-good-but-not-great glass and gathers light extremely well. I have one and I really like it. That said, I have decided to make a MAJOR upgrade to a Nightforce (which shouldn't say anything bad about the Bushnell as they are simply not even in the same league).
The next range IMO is the $700-$1000 range which I have no experience in, though many might point towards the Vortex line of scopes or perhaps Leupolds. Maybe Super Sniper?
Next comes $1000-$1500 and just about everything that I have read about this price bracket hints that they are not markedly better than most scopes in the price range below, though I'm sure there are exceptions, and that you would very likely be better served to move up to the next price bracket ($1500-$2000) as you will get a substantially better product like the Nightforce or very high end Vortex.
I don't know anything about scopes any more expensive as A) I've never even bothered looking, and B) I doubt that I'd notice a difference in any of them except for features.
Hope this helps.
