Starter optic for up to 400 yards and sub$500

[LonghairDontcare]

Hey everyone. Want to get into longer range shooting (long term goal is to sheep hunt) so would like to get my range comfy to 400 yards. Looking for a good starter scope sub $500. Fine with any brand and am fine with new or used on ebay. Would like to be in the 4-16x ballpark. Will be bench rest shooting mostly to start here in sunny florida. Going to put it on a Franchi 6.5. I would eventually up the whole setup before I went on a major trip but just want to get good at dialing MOA on different lengths and long range shooting. Give me scopes you like and starter setup ideas. I've been looking at new Athlons, Leupold VX3's on ebay and Vortex Vipers on ebay. Thanks for looking.

 

[Tremain4414]

Take a look at the Trijicon Credo 4-16 HX, can’t remember what they were going for on Euro Optic but it was right in that price range

 

[LonghairDontcare]

Take a look at the Trijicon Credo 4-16 HX, can’t remember what they were going for on Euro Optic but it was right in that price range

North of $600. But looks really cool. Will look for one used as well. Thanks.

 

[KenLee]

For what you are describing, I'd buy one of the cheaper SWFA 10x42 fixed magnification. You'll figure out more what you want before dumping big $ and you could sell the SWFA later and get most of your $ back.

SWFA 10x42 SS 30mm Riflescope

SWFA 10x42 SS 30mm Riflescope Details SKU: SS10X42MQ Finish: Matte Reticle: MIL-Quad Tube Diameter (mm): 30 Elevation Knob: Exposed Target (.1 MIL) Windage Knob: Exposed Target (.1 MIL) Parallax Setting: Rear Focus Focal Plane: Second

www.swfa.com

 

[KenLee]

North of $600. But looks really cool. Will look for one used as well. Thanks.

Without the "HX" gets you a little closer to $500.

Trijicon Credo 4-16x50 SFP w/ Red MRAD Center Dot, 30mm, Matte Black Riflescope 2900003

FREE SHIPPING on Trijicon Credo 4-16x50 SFP w/ Red MRAD Center Dot, 30mm, Matte Black Riflescope 2900003

www.eurooptic.com

 

[KenLee]

You have to be careful of what you buy on ebay. Many fakes on there.

 

[Tremain4414]

Yeah I just went back and checked and the model I got was $670. Thought it was less than that

 

[KenLee]

Yeah I just went back and checked and the model I got was $670. Thought it was less than that

He may not need to upgrade for many years if he buys a Credo though. Big consideration to me when buying.

 

[Tremain4414]

That’s absolutely true. I’d go through and look at some of the testing done on this site and some of the reviews out there. That credo is extremely solid for the price if you can swing the extra $150.

 

[LonghairDontcare]

That’s absolutely true. I’d go through and look at some of the testing done on this site and some of the reviews out there. That credo is extremely solid for the price if you can swing the extra $150.

It's not that I can't, it's that I don't want to put a $700 scope on a $500 Franchi Momentum 6.5. Truth be told, I won the gun at a DU Dinner. I figure a $500 scope on a $500 gun is a good entry point. Currently looking at this:

Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 PA Dead-Hold BDC Riflescope VPR-M-06BDC

Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 PA Dead-Hold BDC Riflescope VPR-M-06BDC | Only at EuroOptic.com!

www.eurooptic.com

 

[KenLee]

It's not that I can't, it's that I don't want to put a $700 scope on a $500 Franchi Momentum 6.5. Truth be told, I won the gun at a DU Dinner. I figure a $500 scope on a $500 gun is a good entry point. Currently looking at this:

Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 PA Dead-Hold BDC Riflescope VPR-M-06BDC

Vortex Viper 6.5-20x50 PA Dead-Hold BDC Riflescope VPR-M-06BDC | Only at EuroOptic.com!

www.eurooptic.com

The only 2 things I know about that particular scope is that it has short eye relief and is a Vortex. I've had plenty of trouble with both.

 

[JFK]

I would seriously reconsider the magnification ranges you are looking at. 20x is basically unusable in most hunting scenarios. Nothing crazy is needed to shoot 400 yards. I would be looking at scopes with a low of around 2-4 and a max of 9-12. Even a fixed 6x is fine for 400 yards.

Zero retention, reliable tracking and a reticle that’s useful is what separates a lot of the scopes in the market, and you’d be best served by focusing on those things. Fewer headaches in the long run.

Lastly, I know you have a budget of $500, but if it’s solely based on what the gun is worth, there is absolutely nothing wrong with mounting a scope on a rifle that costs more than the gun.

 

[CorbLand]

Watch the classifieds here. Wink wink.

A SWFA 6X would cover you for what you want and save you some money.

The thing to remember with scopes is that they can be moved from gun to gun. So putting a 1000 dollar scope on a 500 dollar gun isn’t a bad option. You can always put that 1000 dollar scope on a 1000 dollar gun in the future.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Swfa 6x is the right answer.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

Swfa 6x is the right answer.

Not for this poster. He's considering a variable with a max of 16X, and you think a fixed 6X is the right answer? Now that we have the SWFA fixed 6 out of the way, someone needs to recommend a scope that hasn't been manufactured in 10 years.

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I wouldn't do a Chinese Athlon or a Vortex. Meopta has some good scopes in the sub-500 range. Czech those out.

 

[LonghairDontcare]

I wouldn't do a Chinese Athlon or a Vortex. Meopta has some good scopes in the sub-500 range. Czech those out.

I’ll check out the Meopta’s. Had never even looked at them. (East west bowl is the best k&p skit btw). I’m firmly at a 4-16x now.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Not for this poster. He's considering a variable with a max of 16X, and you think a fixed 6X is the right answer? Now that we have the SWFA fixed 6 out of the way, someone needs to recommend a scope that hasn't been manufactured in 10 years.

yeah, I do, because I used to use unreliable variables that maxed out between 14 and 25x at 400 yards, and i've learned by experience that my hit rate is noticeably better with a scope that has reliable zero retention + dialing, regardless of the magnification. For a <500 budget and a scope you want to hunt with, the swfa 6x is the best thing going. Pure targets, one of the higher X fixed SWFA's could work fine too. SWFA 3-9 and 3-15 are good hunting choices, but are unlikely to make the <500 budget without waiting on a backorder. We've already covered how the credo's are unlikely to make budget, and the next optics with noteworthy perforance are the LRHS/LRTS/LRHS2/SHV F1 at 900-1k.

Most of the scope market is flooded with too many X's and convenience features, while ignoring the few things that actually matter, i.e. durability, zero retention, and tracking.

 

[LonghairDontcare]

Watch the classifieds here. Wink wink.

A SWFA 6X would cover you for what you want and save you some money.

The thing to remember with scopes is that they can be moved from gun to gun. So putting a 1000 dollar scope on a 500 dollar gun isn’t a bad option. You can always put that 1000 dollar scope on a 1000 dollar gun in the future.

Agreed but I have a million other toys I’d rather save the $500 for and I bet in five years a $1000 scope will have Wi-Fi, cook me a steak and do my taxes. I’d rather keep this rig a budget setup for now.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

SWFA 3-15