Tips for Best Riflescope Buy

One trick I use when I’m shopping for scopes is to send my wife off somewhere in the store and then make sure she notices me checking her out through the scope. She’ll feel special enough for a bit and will ignore that I went $500 over budget.

In 1967 I bought my first big game rifle for my 21st birthday from Clark Brothers in Warrenton, Virginia. I was going to graduate from the University of Virginia and the world was my oyster, so I wanted a rifle to hunt everything and everywhere. They sold me a Remington 700 BDL in .30-06 with a 2x-7x Leupold Vari-X II using a Redfield Jr. mount. What fantastic advice for a novice big game hunter with only years of Jack O'Connor articles for experience. I still have that scope today on a 1978 Ruger in .30-06 and I have taken 30 elk and I don't recall how many deer with it. I thought I wanted a Redfield scope at the time, but they convinced that that Leupold was as good and cost $5 less, which was actually serious cash for a college student in those days. There are lots of good scopes out today, but I have stayed with Leupold for the past 54 years on my big game rifles and have never been sorry.

I've had a Bushnell Banner on a .30-06 since 1998. I shoot, at least, 3 animals a year and sometimes as many as 6 and I shoot about 100 rounds a year through that rifle to get ready for hunting season. I have had zero issues with that scope moving around. A long time ago (1981), I went to school for TV, Stereo, and VCR repair and I was told by my instructor that when it came to quality of equipment, price didn't matter, "you didn't have to buy the most expensive Hi-Fi if your ear couldn't tell the difference between that and a JVC Hi-Fi set unless you just want to show off". Same with TVs today. If you can't see the difference between HD and 4K, why spend the extra money? Same with firearms and scopes IMHO. If I can shoot sub-MOA with a Mossberg 100ATR and a Bushnell "Dawn to Dusk" scope, what is a $6,000.00 rifle and a $4,000.00 scope gonna do better? Will it drag the animal out of the woods and load the it on the truck? Because that's what it'd have to do for me to spend that much on it.

I have several Leupold VX-III scopes, a VX2 rimfire, an FXII, a couple of Zeiss & a Schmidt & Bender PMII. All have been 100% reliable, capable of "shooting the box" & have good to superb optical properties. I'd far rather "buy once, cry once" than maybe save a few hundred £ & have a scope let me down at a critical moment.

Wow! I’ve never heard half that much about scopes! Thanks Ron!

Jokes on you, Ron. I always wanted a goldfish

You should’ve used “thingies” and “doohickies.” I love you man.😄 A couple years ago my local Sportsman’s was selling the discontinued Leupold 2-10x42mm Long Range with HD lenses for $399 regularly $799. These thingies were small, light and exceptionally clear, so I picked up 2 and I’m still happy for my fortune.

I've been using a Redfield 2x7x32 scope on my 30-06 for 50 years. It's never failed me. It was top of the line in its day. Now I see scopes selling for more than the rifles they're mounted on.

Thanks for important tips and information regarding optics. Just as shooters/hunters are loyal to a particular cartridge and rifle, optics are also included. I know it’s true for myself. It’s great there are a wide range of quality optics available as price comes into play for most. Continue to eagerly await your videos. Thanks again!

Like your vids Ron. You get straight to the point, no time wasted. Lots of info.

Great information. Last week we were sighting in 3 scoped rifles I have 2 brands of scopes. I agree with your comments on scope adjustments. I have a great scope from 30 years ago that moves EXACTLY 1/4 INCH per click @ 100 yards. I have another brand that clams to move 1/4"/100 but it has never been able to accomplished that. It's nice, it's accurate but not a target scope. Another great video, glad I found the channel.

This is absolutely the most informative and engaging video I've seen on this subject. Thank you, sir!

Great info as always, your videos are an "acid test" on checking my knowledge! I can't say I know something without the abililty to teach it with confidence, and you remind me that there is always more to learn and know.

Ron thanks for the great information on scopes I,learned my lesson years ago when I missed a deer with the cheap scope I had on it also think of the money you save on ammo because it won’t get off track as often once you set it in

I have a leupold, vortex, and nikon. Never had any problems with them 👍

When I looked at the time you had, I was amazed that you packe all this information into it. Great Job.

I have a Leupold VX-freedom 3-9x40 on a 6.5 creedmoor, that the turret springs were bad from the get-go…. But I didn’t know it, because I didn’t know you could do tests like the one Ron had mentioned. I’d put about 200 rounds through the rifle and groups were a mess. Sent it back to Leupold for $12 insured by USPS via their instruction. Said if they couldn’t fix it or I wasn’t happy they’d send a brand new one of equal value. They rebuilt the whole inside, and the thing works like a champ. Customer service was great. Bought a Leupold 4-14x44 with CDS this year for a 30-06 and have had no problems.

Great comparisons. Without trashing any brands or manufacturing locations, you've given us more info than all the manufacturers ads on the web. Thanks!

Ron, love your channel, awesome job on erasing the cobwebs associated with scope purchase, thanks so much

The Bushnell Banner that came with my .22-250 is clear and really great for is price tag honestly. I get 1/2" groups @100 yds out of that rifle with one of the cheapest optics, nothing wrong with that!