Want To Buy scope cheap/cheerful (or recommend)

[ChooChoo404]

Just trashed a bottom tier german made scope practicing w/ .375HH.

While i figure out what’$$$ next, I need something.

Whatcha got?

How are those $300 Vortex LPVOs?

Hold up to boomers?

 

[Mnovak]

Not sure about Vortex LVPOs but Leupold is probably your best budget bet for a decent scope that will hold up.

If you’re a member of the long range hunting forum there’s a member on there that has a Swarovski Z6i 1-6x24 for sale for $1500. Pretty good deal.

 

[mdwest]

A vortex strike eagle will likely hold up to 375 HH ok… but it’s only got 3.5” of eye relief… most recommend at least 4” of eye relief on a big recoiler…

 

[375Fox]

I’m not sure I’d trust it to a high dollar hunt, but vortex does stand behind their warranty no questions asked. If you want a low cost scope I think vortex is best bet.

 

[cash_tx]

You might want to take a look at the Arken LPVOs. Allegedly they've been successfully tested on 50 BMG rifles.

https://www.arkenopticsusa.com/optics/

 

[ChooChoo404]

All good info thanks! Keep it coming.

Did talk to a Vortex dealer today. They claim to prefer and recommend Vortex over Leupold owing to durability and customer service.

Definitely not counting on a $300 scope for dg hunts, though, I’ll shoot more in an afternoon’s practice than I may shoot on a week long hunt. So hmmm.

 

[JimP]

Did talk to a Vortex dealer today. They claim to prefer and recommend Vortex over Leupold owing to durability and customer service.

Did you expect anything else from a Vortex dealer?

I can tell you from personal experience that Leopold customer service is just as good as Vortex's if you ever need to use it.

My question on Vortex has always been about the refurbished Vortex store that's out there. Of their products are so good then how many get sent in that a refurbished store can stay in business ?

 

[Bandera]

My buddy mounted a vortex Lvpo on his 375 Ruger.
Yes it held up. He figured out the reticle sucks. To busy.
He took a look through my Leupold VX5 2-10 and bought one.
As far as customer service. Leupold has great customer service.
Many gun stores get a much better deal (they make more money) on Vortex. There fore they push Vortex. The employees also at different times get a bonus or points for selling Vortex and other products. So what are they going to push?

Not a vortex fan and I have a couple.

 

[mdwest]

I’m going to guess vortex makes as much money on electronic sights and merchandise these days as they do on traditional optics..

Every tacticiol guy at the range seems to be wearing a vortex hoodie or hat…

They brought in $95.1M last year and have 335 employees…thats about $284k in revenue per employee…

Their financials aren’t public record since they are privately held… but…

Margins in optics are about 40%.. on clothing items you’re looking at probably 20% as a wholesaler/retailer…

Unless they are a horribly run business…They can afford to repair a lot of scopes…

 

[Doug3006]

Safaris are too expensive and too few in a hunter’s life to risk a broken scope. Even if the manufacturer fixes it once you’re back. Buy a Leupold. They are pretty much the gold standard in moderately prices scopes.

 

[John Camp]

I have 3 Leupold scopes I bougt used for$300.00 and I would trust all 3 on any hunt. Held up to both 9.3x62 and 416 Ruger.

 

[TucsonFX4]

I’m going to guess vortex makes as much money on electronic sights and merchandise these days as they do on traditional optics..

Every tacticiol guy at the range seems to be wearing a vortex hoodie or hat…

They brought in $95.1M last year and have 335 employees…thats about $284k in revenue per employee…

Their financials aren’t public record since they are privately held… but…

Margins in optics are about 40%.. on clothing items you’re looking at probably 20% as a wholesaler/retailer…

Unless they are a horribly run business…They can afford to repair a lot of scopes…

I don’t have any direct knowledge to refute your stat, but I feel like the profit margin on Vortex scopes is significantly better than 40%. They sell to mil/leo for about 40% discount, with full warranty, and I highly doubt they are doing it at true cost.

I was told by a former employee at a competitor of Vortex that their company sold to employees at better than mil/leo prices, and the company still made a substantial profit.

I know these aren’t hard numbers, but I think high volume/no questions asked warranties accompany scopes sold on very high profit margins.

 

[SRvet]

I have a Zeiss Diavari on my .375 and a Swarovski Z6 on my .458 Lott. Neither have given any cause for concern. I would also trust Schmidt and Bender or Kahles. I used a Leupold on a camp rifle in Zim and wasn’t impressed.
As others have said having a lifetime warranty will only be a tiny comfort when your scope takes a dump at the wrong moment on a safari, especially if you discover it when a dagga boy is bearing down on you!

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Okay, everyone will throw eggs at me but I've done okay with a new Bushnell 1-4x30mm with plain Jane tapered crosshairs mounted on my 404J. So far so good. I use Warne QD rings mounted low. Very wide field of view and clear. Scope is mounted low enough to acquire instantly with me firmly on the gun. So low it barely clears the bolt handle. If it craps out, I'm not too worried. My rifle is only good for 100 yards and my right eye is still good enough to make the backup irons work at that range if necessary.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Have a few Sightrons, two on heavy recoiling smokeless muzzleloaders and they've held up. Prices are competitive with Leupold and Vortex.

 

[BeeMaa]

@ChooChoo404 - I wouldn't trust a Vortex scope to watch cat videos. I've had two RDO's from them fail and sent back the same set of binos twice for minor bumps that damaged the housing. I apologize, but hunting Africa is expensive and the kit needed to do so is pricey as well.

Leupold is the brand I'd consider to be the entry point for DG optics and considering you have a 375H&H, DG is on the menu. Look at the VX-3HD 1.5-5x20 with Firedot reticle, available for $700 USD on Amazon. It has 3.6" of eye relief at 5x and 4.4" at 1.5x which should have your eye safe from scope cut.

Leupold also make it in the Freedom series in the same scope, but the upgrade in glass with the 3HD is worth the extra money.

Other brands to consider would be Trijicon and Kahles...but from there it only gets more expensive.

 

[KEC]

If you're comparing Vortex to another brand do your own research, employees of Vortex dealers are spiffed on every unit they sell and will sometimes sway customers to buy Vortex. over another brand in order to get free products. I worked for a dealer before retirement.

 

[whisk(e)y hunter]

Leupold VX3HD 2.5-8x36

 

[RLL]

All good recommendations here. I just picked up a used S&B lpvo for a steal on gunsinternational. Keep an eye on the used market for the top tier quality optics, you’ll be surprised what you can get.

 

[MontanaGrant]

If I may ask what bottom tier German optic did you trash?

I’m going to go against the grain here: I’m not recommending vortex! I think their razor line is good but that’s not their typical cheap stuff.


You can get a solid Trijicon scope for $450-$600. They seem good. Personally I’m not a fan of the newer leupolds, less issues than the vortex but from what I’ve seen the new VX5s and 6s have had more failures than their legacy line of scopes.