Cheap $100 Scope

[Rob404]

I,m a Vortex Fan I also own a few Monarchs. I recently tried a Riton in the mid priced range and have been surprised by the quality of the build and nice glass

 

[Tra3]

Another way to look at it: few are disappointed to have put a higher quality scope on a lower cost rifle.

 

[mark-hunter]

New and cheap factory rifle today is usually accurate. Moa or sub moa.
Installing quality scope, will upgrade rifle significantly and utilize its accuracy pottential, and allow shooting in low light condition. This makes sense

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

You've got a several options.

Bushnell Trophy XLT - $99 - 139
Vortex Crossfire - $129 - 199
Sig Whiskey 3 - $119 - 199
Bushnell Prime - $179 - 219
Leupold VX Freedom - $199 - 399
Leupold VX3HD - $499 +

I think the Trophy XLT has the same or better glass than the Vortex in that price arena. If it were me, I'd opt at spending a little more, or even consider a used scope. I've seen that same Savage wearing a Swaro or Zeiss. Used to see people do it all the time when I lived in Alabama.

 

[Jaegger]

Helping a young guy find a lower budget replacement scope for an old Savage 110-FNS .30/06 (About 1990 production).

I've heard a few good things about Athlon and could pick up their Neos 3-9x40 for about $90 new.

Anyone have any experience with Athlon Scopes?

I have no direct experience w/ Athlon but I do w/ Sig Sauer Products & made right here in the great US of A (Oregon). Important: every American take notice of ‘where their purchases are sourced’ & strive to support business grounded @ home before purchasing abroad.

Look at the affordable Sig Sauer Whiskey 3 in 3x9 or 4x12 in both 40mm & 50mm & a price point South < $220. Happy Trails.

 

[jpr9954]

I have heard only good things about them. My son-in-law's dad who is an avid shooter has one on his .260 benchrest rifle. If it wasn't more than adequate, Jeff wouldn't have it.

I want to clarify my comment were on the quality of Athlon scopes and not on the Neos itself.

You also might want to look for a used scope from someone who is upgrading their scope. They may be doing it not because the old scope is bad but because their needs or vision has changed.

 

[Hogpatrol]

I want to clarify my comment were on the quality of Athlon scopes and not on the Neos itself.

You also might want to look for a used scope from someone who is upgrading their scope. They may be doing it not because the old scope is bad but because their needs or vision has changed.

That's me. I am constantly upgrading to better scopes. Some of the glass on today's cheaper scopes is better than the old European and Japanese ones that sold for high prices.

 

[NE 7x57]

I think it depends entirely on what you're going to do with the rifle.

If you're mostly shooting at the range or you're hunting close to home then you can get by with less. If you're going on a hunt you've spent a lot of money on and you're depending on some cheap scope then that makes about as much sense as using cheap bullets to hunt something that might kill you.

 

[2L8]

One of the most difficult things to evaluate in a riflescope, is durability. Even professional reviews often look only at the features and image. If you are going to use the rifle only at the range, what difference does durability make? But if you're going to hunt, that is another matter. A friend (with unlimited resources) and I have developed a series of repetitive stress and drop tests for scopes. The most durable by far are Nightforce and Leupold. But they are not $100. Best of luck in your purchase...............FWB

I ended up just giving him a Sightron S1 3-9x40 that I bought at some point and never used on anything. Hopefully it will be reasonably durable. I've had pretty good luck with Philippine built optics through the years.

 

[Whitebear995]

I don't want to sound like a snob, but I spent years playing the cheap scope game. Every time I went to the range I would go through a box of shells chasing zero. Make bad shots on deer,if not missing them completely. I finally broke down and bought a Leupold. I think you owe it to the animal to put on something quality enough to make a ethical shot.

 

[2L8]

I don't want to sound like a snob, but I spent years playing the cheap scope game. Every time I went to the range I would go through a box of shells chasing zero. Make bad shots on deer,if not missing them completely. I finally broke down and bought a Leupold. I think you owe it to the animal to put on something quality enough to make a ethical shot.

I've actually been pretty lucky with cheaper optics through the years. I've got an old Simmons Whitetail Classic 6.5-20x50AO (Philippine made) that must have thousands of rounds on it. I think I paid $99.99 on sale for it from Midway. It's never been on anything but an old heavy weight .223 Savage though. I've always had trouble hanging a $1000 scope on a $200 rifle.

 

[Rob404]

I have a few more $ in mine but they are not bad in light applications I've had this for years

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Helping a young guy find a lower budget replacement scope for an old Savage 110-FNS .30/06 (About 1990 production).

I've heard a few good things about Athlon and could pick up their Neos 3-9x40 for about $90 new.

Anyone have any experience with Athlon Scopes?

@2L8
The higher end Athlon scopes are supposed to be excellent. I don't know about the cheaper ones but probably good value.
The scope I have on my 25 is a 3 to 9 x 40 that cost me 100 bucks which was cost price and it has served me well for 10 years. It tracks well, has good brightness and has kept its zero. I couldn't ask for more. No it not as bright as my meopta or Zies but it has never let me down.
It may be a good buy.
Bob

 

[Prewar]

If I only had $100cdn…I would look for an 80’s vintage Bushnell Scopechief in whatever magnification you think you need. Decent scopes from my experience…

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

I have no direct experience w/ Athlon but I do w/ Sig Sauer Products & made right here in the great US of A (Oregon). Important: every American take notice of ‘where their purchases are sourced’ & strive to support business grounded @ home before purchasing abroad.

Look at the affordable Sig Sauer Whiskey 3 in 3x9 or 4x12 in both 40mm & 50mm & a price point South < $220. Happy Trails.

@Jaegger
Might be assembled in the USA but I would bet London to a brick that the parts like lenses were sourced from Asia and just assembled in the states.
Bob

 

[CBH Australia]

Totally agree, the rule of thumb is of little to no use. IMO, the Swarovski Z8 1-8x24 is one of the finest hunting scopes in the world. It costs about 1/3 the price of a Rigby Highland Stalker. What do you do, mount 3 of them?

@WAB- sorry mate, I'm not on board at all. When you are talking rifles above $10K, a scope that cost $3K-$4K is not a big stretch. Buying a rifle that cost $300 and spending another $300 on the scope...this is an investment that could pay off with food on the table for a lifetime. Food that someone with a rifle that worth $10K sitting in the vault (with a $4K scope) isn't worried about.

That being said, Vortex is a lower cost option and a company that stands behind their product. A 3-9x40 scope from them can be had for $150-200.

You are both right. Well I can see the point of both.



If you have good eyes you might do ok with cheaper optics but you migt find you want to upgrade later.

Entry level Leupold could be good if you can stretch the budget. If you just want a beater you still want reliability.

If you have a specific purpose in mind consider what you really need, if the old rifle is still accurate you might benefit from a better scope over time.

I have found low light performance and clarity improve in more expensive scopes but pending your needs and budget as to where to draw the line.

If you can stretch the budget a little you might get something far better for a small price increase still in the lower price point of optics.

Small improvements seem to come at higher increases in high end optics.

 

[CBH Australia]

I've actually been pretty lucky with cheaper optics through the years. I've got an old Simmons Whitetail Classic 6.5-20x50AO (Philippine made) that must have thousands of rounds on it. I think I paid $99.99 on sale for it from Midway. It's never been on anything but an old heavy weight .223 Savage though. I've always had trouble hanging a $1000 scope on a $200 rifle.

I had one of those. Probably value exceeding their price point.
I sold it to fund another scope as I needed the cash but it's one I should have kept.

Adds to the reason to make good choices there are some good value scopes out there

 

[Hillbilly Marine]

The whole "spend at least as much on a scope as you do on the rifle" has always amused me. I will agree that the higher priced scopes are usually of higher quality and have a brighter sight picture. However, with that said, the very best performance of a rifle scope I have ever had was from a dirt cheap clearance store.
Back in 1982 I bought my first brand new rifle, a Ruger 77 .270. All I had left over after the rifle and 2 boxes of ammo was about $30. I looked at all of the scopes they had thinking I would be back after I could scrape up more money cutting brush off of hillsides and whatnot. I looked at everything they had and I came across (if I remember the name correctly) an Aimsport scope. It was the brightest of the bunch and the guy told me he would let me have it for $20 to get rid of it.
Happy me walked out with it. My dad helped me get it mounted and I sighted it in. I used that rifle and scope for the next 20 years up and down the hills of WV and the fields of eastern NC and that cheap, no-name scope never once lost zero or failed in any way. If the asshat who stole the rifle in 2003 still has it I would assume that scope still works.

 

[CBH Australia]

I'm glad the scope worked. Many cheap scopes work.
It's sucks that some asshole stole the rifle and scope

 

[Rob404]

So I spent yesterday at the range with 3 rifles 7mm Rem with a Riton, a 7-08 with a Vortex and my Whelen with a Leupold. All 3 perform excellent the Riton and the Vortex are in the upper magnification range and the Leupold is a 3x15.The glass on the Vortex and Riton are excellent but the glass on the Leupold is outstanding, of course the Leupold is 2.5 times the price I wonder how a 1200.00 Riton and Vortex would compare but thats not likely to happen with my budget