I have a 30-378 that is coming and I need a rifle scope for it. I know what the rifle is capable of and now I'm looking for a scope that will let it do its job. I have been looking at the vortex razors. But don't know what would be best. All opinions will be appreciated.
Best option for rifle scope
- Thread starter Hawkes
- Start date
You can't go wrong with Vortex. The Razor is a great scope and for the cost plus their warranty it's hard to choose anything else IMO.
WYhunter24
New Member
- May 27, 2015
- 14
- 0
Hawkes,
I was in the market a couple months back for a new scope for a 7mm I bought. I was looking at many different price ranges and brands. I went to Jax Sporting Goods and had a very passionate hunter show me the good and bad of each. We put these scopes to the test in all conditions. The biggest deciding factor for me was the low light capabilities. The employee taped a store flyer on a wall 20' into a dark room. With the door open, from appx. 150' away he asked me to try and read the flyer with each scope I was interested in. One rose to the top, a Nikon Monarch 3! I put this scope against many levels of Vortex (all my other optics are Vortex), and it outperformed it. I purchased a 4-16x42 BDC Monarch 3 and it hasn't disappointed me.
The debate will always go on for what brand is the best. One thing I think we can all agree on is buy the best scope you can afford. I've seen people put a $150 scope on a $1500 gun and wonder why it won't shoot like they claim...do your gun justice and whatever brand you go with invest in a good quality optic!
Hope this helps
I was in the market a couple months back for a new scope for a 7mm I bought. I was looking at many different price ranges and brands. I went to Jax Sporting Goods and had a very passionate hunter show me the good and bad of each. We put these scopes to the test in all conditions. The biggest deciding factor for me was the low light capabilities. The employee taped a store flyer on a wall 20' into a dark room. With the door open, from appx. 150' away he asked me to try and read the flyer with each scope I was interested in. One rose to the top, a Nikon Monarch 3! I put this scope against many levels of Vortex (all my other optics are Vortex), and it outperformed it. I purchased a 4-16x42 BDC Monarch 3 and it hasn't disappointed me.
The debate will always go on for what brand is the best. One thing I think we can all agree on is buy the best scope you can afford. I've seen people put a $150 scope on a $1500 gun and wonder why it won't shoot like they claim...do your gun justice and whatever brand you go with invest in a good quality optic!
Hope this helps
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CrossCreeks
Veteran member
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
When it comes to scopes, I have had some "big name" scopes fail me at critical times. A scope is one piece of equipment I do NOT want to be faulty EVER in a hunting situation! You can still pull off a hunt if a a number of your pieces of equipment go out, but if your scope fails, even in a situation where it's been abused (such as falling) it can cost you the animal you worked so hard for. I would put reliability at the top of my list when looking for a scope.
For the past 30 years Leupolds have NEVER cost me an animal, and I trust them. There are more expensive and more premium scopes, but Leupold has always done the job. Speaking of not failing when abused, I shot my Mountain caribou back in the dark ages (1986) with a rifle topped with a Leupold after running down hill after the caribou. I lost my footing and both me and the rifle took several summersaults down the mountain. I literally caught my rifle as it was bouncing past me. I told my guide after that, that he must have been laughing watching that, and he said "No I wasn't, I would have had to pack you out". Ha ha. That shot was after 20 days in some tough country. NOTE: I am older and hopefully a bit wiser now, and I would never recommend shooting a rifle after a spill like that without checking it out first, particularly for an obstructed barrel.
After that, I tried a few different set-ups, had some bad experiences with scopes, and I kept going back to Leupolds. I have had two warranty issues with Leupolds in 30 years. One was a bent scope tube after dropping it on concrete, they repaired it at their cost. The other was a tight, but functional, adjustment screw that they repaired at their cost.
I have Vortex Razor for a spotting scope and two pairs of binoculars for my sons. I have had one warranty issue, it was a loose part rattling around inside my brand new top of the line Razor spotting scope. Their warranty is amazing, and I regularly recommend them for spotting scopes and binoculars (I did just the other day), but that loose part shook my confidence in one of the the pieces of equipment (a scope) that I never want to fail. Optically the Vortex spotting scopes have been great, but I will have to say that the fit and finish and "feel" of quality does not measure up to the Swarovski spotters I have owned, but with Vortex's no questions asked warranty I am willing to live with that due to the excellent cost/performance. Again, I can pull a hunt off if my spotter has some issues, but I won't take chances with a scope on my rifle.
This year, I finally got myself to branch out again on scopes. I wanted ballistic compensation with the turrets (something that might come in handy with that 30-378
to push the effective range of my 300 WSM out to around 800 yards. For a couple months I studied the reviews of the top brands of turret type scopes, particularly in the area of turret tracking repeatability. I will be putting a Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50 on my 300 WSM in large part due to their reputation of extreme reliability, even in combat situations. I didn't go with the 5.5-22 power scope that most guys chose, since 5.5X is a bit high for quick shots at close range. The 3.5X gives me low enough magnification for close range and the 15X adequate magnification for longer range than I plan to shoot in a hunting scenario. I am just doing my initial set-up with this scope and have no time on it yet.
For the past 30 years Leupolds have NEVER cost me an animal, and I trust them. There are more expensive and more premium scopes, but Leupold has always done the job. Speaking of not failing when abused, I shot my Mountain caribou back in the dark ages (1986) with a rifle topped with a Leupold after running down hill after the caribou. I lost my footing and both me and the rifle took several summersaults down the mountain. I literally caught my rifle as it was bouncing past me. I told my guide after that, that he must have been laughing watching that, and he said "No I wasn't, I would have had to pack you out". Ha ha. That shot was after 20 days in some tough country. NOTE: I am older and hopefully a bit wiser now, and I would never recommend shooting a rifle after a spill like that without checking it out first, particularly for an obstructed barrel.
After that, I tried a few different set-ups, had some bad experiences with scopes, and I kept going back to Leupolds. I have had two warranty issues with Leupolds in 30 years. One was a bent scope tube after dropping it on concrete, they repaired it at their cost. The other was a tight, but functional, adjustment screw that they repaired at their cost.
I have Vortex Razor for a spotting scope and two pairs of binoculars for my sons. I have had one warranty issue, it was a loose part rattling around inside my brand new top of the line Razor spotting scope. Their warranty is amazing, and I regularly recommend them for spotting scopes and binoculars (I did just the other day), but that loose part shook my confidence in one of the the pieces of equipment (a scope) that I never want to fail. Optically the Vortex spotting scopes have been great, but I will have to say that the fit and finish and "feel" of quality does not measure up to the Swarovski spotters I have owned, but with Vortex's no questions asked warranty I am willing to live with that due to the excellent cost/performance. Again, I can pull a hunt off if my spotter has some issues, but I won't take chances with a scope on my rifle.
This year, I finally got myself to branch out again on scopes. I wanted ballistic compensation with the turrets (something that might come in handy with that 30-378
to push the effective range of my 300 WSM out to around 800 yards. For a couple months I studied the reviews of the top brands of turret type scopes, particularly in the area of turret tracking repeatability. I will be putting a Nightforce NXS 3.5-15x50 on my 300 WSM in large part due to their reputation of extreme reliability, even in combat situations. I didn't go with the 5.5-22 power scope that most guys chose, since 5.5X is a bit high for quick shots at close range. The 3.5X gives me low enough magnification for close range and the 15X adequate magnification for longer range than I plan to shoot in a hunting scenario. I am just doing my initial set-up with this scope and have no time on it yet.
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Hilltop
Veteran member
I second what UH says above. Leupold is my brand of choice. I have been using their VX3 scopes for 23 years without a single issue. I have had some friends who had issues with the lower VX lines but I don't know anyone who has had an issue with any of their top end scopes. I do have a Nikon on my teenagers .243 that has also had several years of issue free use. We bought that simply because we didn't have the cash at the time to put a Leupold on.
Umpqua Hunter
Veteran member
A good point Hilltop makes. I've had solid performance with VXII scopes, but I would definitely recommend the VXIII.
WapitiBob
Veteran member
I'll never own another Leupold. $1000 and absolute junk from day one. For a cheap scope the Vortex PST is the lowest I'd go. Night and day difference between my Leupold VX III and the NXS I now have, not including the $1000 price difference.
xtreme
Very Active Member
Ditto the Leupold. I do not like my Nikon Monarch. I have a Z5 that I like, but my leupold vx-7 has more low light kills.
RyanHughes
Member
I also used to be a Leupold lover and still have them on many of my rifles. They have also never failed me on many kills. Before I switched to Vortex I purchased another Leupold and it was total crap! They have done some changes to what they have done in the passed, not sure what it is but I've heard some stories. I returned the scope and got a Vortex that has been just what Leupold used to be for me. So I figured well I'll give Leupold a second chance only because I truly loved their products when I dropped my binos on the concrete garage floor and broke one of the eye pieces. I sent them in for repair and they sent me some POS that they say is the replacement for my originals. I loved those binos and the junk they sent me was the last straw for Leupold for me. I gave them to my kid and purchased a pair of Vortex wich are now my new favorite. I have 5 Vortex scopes, and a spotter and I love them all. I did have the Ranger range finder but it didn't work during a antelope hunt consistently so I gave them away.
All in all buy the best you can afford, go to the sporting goods store, go outside and look around with them not just in the store.
Good luck
All in all buy the best you can afford, go to the sporting goods store, go outside and look around with them not just in the store.
Good luck
badgerbob
Active Member
In 1980 I put a Leopold vari-x III, 3.5-10 on a Ruger .300 win mag. This is my workhorse. I hunted elk and deer with it yearly. Sighted it in and with yearly pre-season checks, never had to adjust until 1998. I had drawn a X zone mule deer tag in Calif. When I checked the rifles zero, something went wrong inside and it would only be in focus on 4 power. Two and a half weeks before the season opened. Fired it off to Leopold, explaining the problem of needing it back in time to sight in before I left. Less than a week later I had it returned with a statement saying they had fixed the problem, added 3 updates which had taken place in that model since I bought it , polished and recoated the glass, resealed and filled with gas. There were a few scratches in the finish they reported they did not address because they wanted to get it back to me as soon as possible. Put it back on the rifle, sighted it in and have not touched it since. In 2001 I bought another one and put it on my 26-06. It is a tactical one with the tall turrets. I reload for this rifle and playing around with different powder/bullet combos causes me to re-sight often, not the fault of the scope. I love these scopes and would not part with them...period.
BowHunterJake
New Member
- Jun 9, 2014
- 21
- 0
I didn't notice a budget.
Here are my recommendations in descending price order:
1. Schmidt & Bender PMII
2. Nightforce BEAST or ATACR
3. Swarovski Z6
4. Zeiss HT
5. Swarovski Z5
6. Zeiss HD5
good luck!
Here are my recommendations in descending price order:
1. Schmidt & Bender PMII
2. Nightforce BEAST or ATACR
3. Swarovski Z6
4. Zeiss HT
5. Swarovski Z5
6. Zeiss HD5
good luck!
rigderunner
New Member
- Jun 23, 2015
- 3
- 0
That weapon is meant to shoot, connect, and down the target at extreme distances. In order to accomplish that you need premium optics. Not only does the optic need to clear but I needs to withstand the recoil of that magnum. If it were me and budget was not a constraint, nightforce would be my choice.
Congrats and good luck in the field.!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Congrats and good luck in the field.!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Google, March Scopes and you will see some amazing optics. I have the 2.5x25 x42 tactical hunting scope for 7mm wsm. My gun is made by Kelbly and is made to shoot long distances, so I needed a tactical long range accurate scope. March are known to be very precise and have won many world championships in the benchrest shooting. They started making hunting scopes and I really like mine. 100 moa vertical and horizontal adjustments and a zero stop feature. I have used it out to 1500 yards and am amazed at its ability to come back to 200 zero and be right on. I was torn between the nightforce and March and talked to some hunters and competition shooters and decided on the March as it weighed a bit less. I have had the scope 2 years and put about 800 rounds through the gun and still love it.
Good luck with your search.
Good luck with your search.
rigderunner
New Member
- Jun 23, 2015
- 3
- 0
It is on a dovetail and mounted with magnum rings made by Kelbly out of Ohio. Super solid.
Sorry for the delayed response, been out a few days.