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Rifle Scopes Scope under $1500

NorthWinds

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Hi, first post here. I'm sure the question has been asked a couple dozen times but I haven't been able to find any threads quite the same as what I'm looking for. So, I'm going to start a new one and let the chips fall where they may. As the title suggest, I'm looking for a scope under $1500. Intended use will be primarily target shooting out to 1000 yards, maybe hunting coyotes on the side. It will be going on a Remington 700P in .308 (this is to be my first long range setup). The scope should not be higher than 16x on the highest setting (if variable), FFP (preferably, if variable), mil/mil reticle/turrets, and have side parallax adjustment. Anything from SWFA is out because I can't find a dealer in Canada, and I can't go up another $100-200 to get a Nightforce or Leupold Mark 4 M5. The scope I had in mind was a Vortex PST 4-16x50, but I heard the glass on some of them is very poor. I'm also perfectly open to buying used if someone has a spare scope burning a hole in their gun safe. Thanks for any answers, feel free to yell at me and link to another thread if I missed something obvious.
 
why only 16x? I know it is more but I love my Bushnell G2dmr, 3.5x-21x50. Has a high max power than you're looking for but can be found for $1100 or so for the gen 1.
 
Bushnell DMR w/G2 as mentioned above, hands down
 
If you can stretch to $1800 look at the Vortex Razor 5-20 HD. I have been on the fence for months and Optics-planet has them on sale for 3 days - maybe one day left. That is the best price I have ever seen on them. The scope has it all.

At my age (early 60's), I have never had a high end optic and figured - screw it. Now I can look like a tactical Ninja even if I am just a hack.
 
I have a Vortex Viper PST 6-24, and the glass is excellent for the price. I haven't personally used the 4-16x variant, and I'm am not 100% sure the glass is the same as the 6-24. I believe it is, but perhaps someone can fill in here.

I have a buddy with the Bushnell G2DMR and it is a great scope too. I'm slightly biased as a Vortex fan, but you can't go wrong with the Bushnell.
 
Thanks afate. I heard the 6-24 PST has better glass. Although I have heard many good reviews for the 4-16, there were a couple bad ones that make you wonder... There's a gun show in town this weekend, hopefully I'll be able to look through a few scopes, compare, and make a decision.
Thanks for the replies so far, this is exactly what I was hoping for. Just more options to look at.
 
Thanks afate. I heard the 6-24 PST has better glass. Although I have heard many good reviews for the 4-16, there were a couple bad ones that make you wonder... There's a gun show in town this weekend, hopefully I'll be able to look through a few scopes, compare, and make a decision.
Thanks for the replies so far, this is exactly what I was hoping for. Just more options to look at.

Good luck with your search, let us know what you land on!
 
+1 vote for the Bushnell HDMR with one of the Horus reticles. If you take the time to learn to use the reticle and PRACTICE, it may be very versatile for your mixed predator/range shooting plans. If you don't really understand what the reticle is telling you, it is just busy noise.
 
if you're even ever so rough on your stuff, and the bushy breaks, you're screwed.

i have the 4-16 PST and the IOR 4-16, for the $, i'd take the vortex. the IOR has really good glass, better than the PST for sure. the 4-16 PST has ok glass, a buddy has a razor and the 6-24 PST, and at 12X it's hard to tell them apart. even at 20X, the difference is minimal.

you can hit the vortex with a hammer, and they'll send you a new scope.
 
Well if I manage to smash the scope I've probably got bigger problems. Like the bear using my femur for a toothpick. I'm pretty good about keeping my equipment intact, but I'll definitely keep that in mind. My ground rule for life is sh#% happens.
 
I've also been trying to piece together my first long range set up. I recently looked at the 4-16 PST FFP at SCHEELS. It seemed great to me, felt like a tool and not a toy i guess. The glass seemed great in the bright lights of the store, but I am no where near qualified to say how it compares to other brands. I was impressed after just playing around with it in the store, so hopefully you get a chance to check a few out before having to make your purchase.
 
depending on where you are I would try to find others at your local club to see i they have one of the scopes you can look through and possible shoot. This helped me with my decision. I think with the vortex or bushy you cant go wrong.
 
Sir, Not sure if you are aware of this or not, but SWFA is only in one place and that is in Texas. They only sell out of that one location and over the internet. They have no dealer network - so no middle men to jack up the prices. IF, SWFA will ship to Canada (you'll have to check) you'll be doing yourself a dis-service by leaving the SS 5-20 off your list. Unless 5 power is just too high on the low end, you ought to give it some consideration. SWFA's guarantee is right up there with Vortex - lifetime.

With each company, new or second hand the warranty applies. Good luck in your quest.

Might I suggest you keep an eye on the for sale section here on the hide, the Sample list on SWFA, call and talk to Scott at Liberty Optics (Montana), or Doug or Neil from CameralandNY.
 
Actually the new SFWA 5-15x50 was one of the scopes I very much liked the looks of and it came highly recommended. They don't ship to Canada at all though, which means I'd have to find a local gun shop (of which there are few) willing to import one for me and then pay them to do it, THEN see if SFWA is willing to make an exception. It gets kinda complicated.
 
The import laws for Canada are pretty screwed up. Basically you need a firearms vendor license to import ammo, guns, scopes, ect. That's why Cabela's has a store in Edmonton. They stock (relatively) few guns but they can ship any model they carry from the US no problem; they just ship it from their Montanna location. But for an individual sending to another individual it's a royal pain in the a$$. As I said, there's a gun show this Saturday and I'm going to try and look through a few scopes. Saw a VX-III either the BAS reticle and was rather impressed with the glass. Much better than my hunting scopes.
 
midway has sale on nf scopes $1600...i dont know if they can get it to canada with import laws you were talking about...worth a shot
 
Found a few really good deals in the trading post here at Sniper's Hide. If I don't pick a scope up this weekend I'm going to talk to the local gun store about possibly importing one for me, if that's possible. If not I can get a Bushnell DMRG2 for around $1400 from optics planet. I don't want to cheap out too much on the scope, but the rifle is going to run me $900 when they get in and money is tight, so any money saved is awesome.
 
Going into the gun show I had my options narrowed to three choices: Vortex PST 4-16x50 FFP (MIL), Bushnell 3.5-21x50 G2DMR, or a Leupold Mk4 M5 (if a great deal presented itself and the Bushnell was not present). Well I spent the whole day looking through scopes and decided to go with the Vortex. The glass was as good as I needed it to be and then some. On 16 power I could easily read the numbers off the seats on the other side of the hockey rink and some of the items on the concession board (numbers are about an inch and tall from about 150 meters. The scope itself felt solid and the clicks felt awesome. I didn't buy one there as there were none in mil (about 5 in MOA though). Unfortunately did not get to look through the Bushnell, but will keep my eyes open in the future. The Vortex is also $900 shipped through OpticsPlanet compared to the Bushnell being $1400. Thank you all very much for the help and for showing me some of the other options to consider when I need another scope!