What's the Real Scoop on Budget Optics?

[LeeMaster99]

I have done a lot of research in reading drop evals from this forum, watching Youtube reviews (paid and not), reading other reviews, evaluating specs and reading other forums on here and on Sniper's Hide and I cannot come to a conclusion on budget optics. Brands like Arken, Athlon, SWFA (looking for about 20x magnification so they're out) and lower tier models from Vortex (Strike Eagle) all fall into this category. When it comes to binos and spotters, glass is king and I have "premium" glass (Vortex Razor). On rifle scopes, durability, tracking and features matter so much more. Or so it seems? Most reviews I have read leave glass quality out of it and I'm trying to gauge the weight and impact of that.

I'm looking for LR features with light-ish weight. I do zero competitions at this point, but would like to get involved in NRL Hunter. This is mostly going to be a range/training gun (6.5CM), but I want to simulate my hunting as much as I can. Budget is not the chief concern, however I don't shoot near enough or with enough skill to justify a Mark 5, ATACR, ZCO, Tenmile etc. I've read that the Razor LHTs are notorious for failing to hold zero as well.

The real question is it worth my dollars to get something in the same ballpark as the Leupold MK4HD or is an Athlon/Arken/Strike Eagle going to be just as good? Is the adage of spend as much on glass as your rifle applicable still? Table attached for reference. Happy to add to it.

Country of origin (Japan/Philippines/China) is a whole dimension that is relevant, but I'm unsure how it fits together

 

[BigNate]

This is a can of worms. Right now I'd probably tell you not to buy any Leupold.
Budget wise bang for the buck, Arken
If you have a bigger budget Maven
Then I'd either get a Nightforce or Stiener.

 

[SuperDUECE22]

add this to your table :

RS1.2 - 2.5-15x44 FFP

Buy Maven Outdoor Equipment Company RS1.2 Riflescopes. Our RS Series Riflescopes stack up with the most celebrated and expensive scopes in the world…bar none.

mavenbuilt.com

 

[seand]

You are really ruling out the SWFA 3-15 because it doesn’t go to 20x?

 

[LeeMaster99]

This is a can of worms. Right now I'd probably tell you not to buy any Leupold.
Budget wise bang for the buck, Arken
If you have a bigger budget Maven
Then I'd either get a Nightforce or Stiener.

Any Arken? EPL and EP?

I have looked and can’t find a good answer, but maybe I’m looking in the wrong places: on Europtic and other places, I didn’t see a MIL option in the NXS or SHV line. Is that real? Can’t be real, right?

Definitely will add Maven

 

[8nbait]

My last three purchases have been
2-Swfa gen2 3-15 and Arken EPL 4-16.
If durability is your main concern the SWFA are hard to beat.
If weight and price was not a concern I would have NX8 4-32 on all my rifles.

 

[mustelid_master]

I would seriously question the magnification need, and push for a swfa, either a 6x when the exist again, or a 3-9.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Swfa 5-20 is a great scope too.

 

[LeeMaster99]

I would seriously question the magnification need, and push for a swfa, either a 6x when the exist again, or a 3-9.

I have a 1000 yd range about 15 minutes from my house and I feel a touch underpowered at 16x already.

 

[SloppyJ]

I've ran a ton of different scopes. I'm up to 4 NX8s at this point and I'll take the weight penalty every day for the zero retention.

The one I'm interested in and would like to try is the Steiner H6XI. I have not read anything bad on them but nothing specially testing zero retention.

My deal with the NX8s is that they've never failed me and I can easily get my money back out of them. The 4x14 SHV in Mil R is another id like to try for roughly half price of the NX8. I enjoy the high magnification for a few reasons though even though it's not required in a hunting situation.

 

[jimh406]

You should take a look at Tract scopes as well. Here's one example video.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

I have a 1000 yd range about 15 minutes from my house and I feel a touch underpowered at 16x already.

I’ve shot 1000 a few times and haven’t really felt underpowered. If I was shooting for tiny groups, maybe, but for gong work, it’s fine. If you have the lht on your list of scopes, you can certainly afford a credo or tenmile. Once you start dialing, and dis a lot, you’ll quickly realize that those on your list aren’t on anyone else’s list of reliable, repeatable scopes.

 

[Mike D Texas]

I have a 1000 yd range about 15 minutes from my house and I feel a touch underpowered at 16x already.

What targets are you shooting at that you feel underpowered at 16x for 1000 yards?

I shoot to a mile several times a year and feel perfectly fine at 14-16x.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

 

[Long Cut]

Trijicon AccuPoint 5-20x50

Trijicon AccuPoint 5-20x50 Sale Trijicon Rifle Scopes are on sale, no tax plus free shipping please call (570) 368-3920

www.eurooptic.com

5-20x50 Accupoint’s and a 4-24x50 Accupoint if you want over 20x magnification.
Japanese glass, Trijicon reputation.

Probably the “best” budget scope given your criteria IMO

 

[8nbait]

Is $1000-$1200 considered budget now?
$500 used to be expensive, now I feel like under $500 is budget. Over $1000 is top end of my budget

 

[Kurts86]

I have a 1000 yd range about 15 minutes from my house and I feel a touch underpowered at 16x already.

16x with what quality of scope? My 10x Nightforce NXS resolves targets way better at 1,000 yards than my Vortex Vipers did at 16x. Higher magnification is often over valued.

I slowly moved up in scope cost from $200 to a few thousand dollars and the peak value for long range scopes happens around $1,000 with scopes like the Nightforce SHV, Maven RS 1.2 and some Trijicon offerings.

SWFA is a great option if you happen to get their once every 2 year shipment of 3-9 HD’s. They are great scopes for $600 but availability and warranty replacement is iffy.

I would suggest buying a 4-14x50 FFP Nightforce SHV demo. Those are hard to beat for the money.

 

[Mojave]

I have done a lot of research in reading drop evals from this forum, watching Youtube reviews (paid and not), reading other reviews, evaluating specs and reading other forums on here and on Sniper's Hide and I cannot come to a conclusion on budget optics. Brands like Arken, Athlon, SWFA (looking for about 20x magnification so they're out) and lower tier models from Vortex (Strike Eagle) all fall into this category. When it comes to binos and spotters, glass is king and I have "premium" glass (Vortex Razor). On rifle scopes, durability, tracking and features matter so much more. Or so it seems? Most reviews I have read leave glass quality out of it and I'm trying to gauge the weight and impact of that.

I'm looking for LR features with light-ish weight. I do zero competitions at this point, but would like to get involved in NRL Hunter. This is mostly going to be a range/training gun (6.5CM), but I want to simulate my hunting as much as I can. Budget is not the chief concern, however I don't shoot near enough or with enough skill to justify a Mark 5, ATACR, ZCO, Tenmile etc. I've read that the Razor LHTs are notorious for failing to hold zero as well.

The real question is it worth my dollars to get something in the same ballpark as the Leupold MK4HD or is an Athlon/Arken/Strike Eagle going to be just as good? Is the adage of spend as much on glass as your rifle applicable still? Table attached for reference. Happy to add to it.

Country of origin (Japan/Philippines/China) is a whole dimension that is relevant, but I'm unsure how it fits together

The only thing I would buy off that table is the LHT Vortex.

I'd also consider this scope. It has legend status. https://www.gaprecision.net/bushnell-lrhs-2-4-5-18-x-44-g2h-reticle-lrhs2.html

 

[KY_coop]

I've been impressed with my athlon scopes. My ares gen 2 did lose zero after a good fall off a sawhorse onto gravel drive. Directly on the scopes elevation turret. But it has kept zero during all the drives, rides, and other bumps I've put it through.