Rifle Scopes Best value in the high-end used market?

[SquarePizza]

This year its time to upgrade my optics from my swfa 10x to a big boy scope. I plan on shopping in the USO/Steiner/S*B, etc price ranges, but I am hoping to keep the cost under 2500ish, so I am thinking of going used. I want to grab either a 3-15 or 4-16, and would prefer illumination.

I am wondering two things:

1- Are there any companies that may have a lower resale value, and therefore might be better deals than another brand? I see that S*B tend to retain their most of their whole value, but other great companies like USO tend to linger in the FS threads for a few price drops. My hopes is to wait around and buy a nicer glass at a greater value if I can. While I love the lines of S*B, I am in no way set on paying for a name.

2- Given that I am looking used, are their any companies that still take care of their products after the original owner, or any to avoid? I have read a few threads on USO taking care of their scopes through multiple owners, but what about the other companies?


I can follow the FS threads and get some answers to these questions myself, but what I don't know is if the treads on this board are common, or if this community has preferences for certain brands and thus they just resell higher here. I would hate to want a S*B and not buy one because they go high here, and only realize that at X community they go cheaper. =P


I don't have a reticle preference, so long as it is not straight mil-dot. I got the chance to look through a steiner with MSR over the weekend and that scope is pretty much the reason why I am wanting to upgrade this year. Clarity was amazing, the eyebox was all-or-nothing, unlike my swfa which seems prone to edge shadowing , and it was a lot brighter when using dark shooting glasses. Plus, the gf's rifle will need glass and can get my swfa.

 

[GhengisAhn175]

S&b is out of the question for 2500 budget.

You overlooked nightforce. Bushnell and vortex have good CS as far as warranty returns and stuff it carries over.


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[djskit]

Used Schmidt's hardly ever go for less than $3MM. I think the best used value are the USO's...I've sold a couple and bought a couple myself. There seems to be plenty of them and they just don't seem to hold thier value as much as the others - probably because each one is custom and there is a bit of a discount factored in because it is rare to find one used "just the way you would have wanted it".

 

[Quickdraw40]

New Steiner 4-16s can be had for a steal right now (used prices). I shot one for two years and they are solid. No issues at all.

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[Rob01]

Look at the new Vortex Razor II. Both are below your price limit. I know you said you wanted 4-16x and they make a 3-18x but you might want to look at the 4.5-27x as you can always dial it down but you can't dial up from 16x.

New the Razor IIs are going for $2199 for the 3-18x and $2499 for the 4.5-27x.

Vortex Tactical - Razor HD Gen II 4.5-27x56 EBR-1C<br />(MRAD)

 

[SquarePizza]

I am open to pretty much any brand (including NF), I just didn't want to type them all out. =P

And 2500ish has a lot of wiggle room, since I am willing to wait if I wanted to spend more (it would just mean selling more gear or motorcycles).

Power range is fairly subjective and I am not set in stone on any power rating, since until this weekend I very very much enjoyed shooting fixed power and had simply planned on buying a used USO ST-10 when the right one came along. But alas, I had a hard time spotting my 6mm hits at 400+ yards and on a couple drills shooting at numbered targets in sequential order was a total pain in the ass since I couldn't make out the numbers. I would like to keep the overall size and weight down if I can.

So it was a just-this-week thing when I started to change my mind and I am still a few months out but I wanted to kinda get a few good-deal optics on my radar to start keeping an eye out for them.

 

[HodgdonExtreme]

If you'd be satisfied with a 3.5-15x FFP scope, there is exactly one correct choice: NF F1 with MLR2 reticle. Nothing else is as reliable or trustworthy. You should be able to get one of these used for ~$1700ish, probably less in a few months as all those guys are in full swing with their swaps to the beast.

Another fine choice is the March 3-24x42, which can be had for ~$2k. Obviously these have the small exit pupil "eyebox problem", but these scopes are excellent. Glass resolution is 2nd to none (and I mean NONE), and the tracking is superb.

$2500 ought to be enough for a used March 3-24x52, but you'll probably have to wait a good while before you start seeing those pop up used. Still, you could buy a new one right now from Kelbly's for $2850, only a couple hundred over budget.

 

[SquarePizza]

I love the size of the march scopes and they were pretty high on my list but lots of people mention the small exit pupil eyebox problem. What is that?

 

[HodgdonExtreme]

I love the size of the march scopes and they were pretty high on my list but lots of people mention the small exit pupil eyebox problem. What is that?

Exit pupil is the black disk you see in the ocular lens of a scope when you point it towards the light, and look at the ocular from ~2 feet away.

All of the light/images gathered by the objective are funneled into that little black disk, so your eyeball must be in-line with it. If its small, its more difficult to get a good sight picture through the scope.

Exit pupil diameter = objective lens diameter divided by magnification power

Thus, a small objective and high magnification makes for a small exit pupil.

Bottom line: You've gotta have your eyeball positioned just right when you use the march at high power.

 

[PatrickChewing]

I have seen some great deals on used Kahles here on the Hide.

 

[jakelly]

I don't think you can do much better than a Kahles for the money. I consider the resale value with more weight than, it seems, most. Ohiofarmer has one for sale used (NIB) in the PX.

 

[CSTactical]

Premier seem to be going for very good price and they are very, very good scopes. Amazing glass, very solid turret system, great reticle options, great customer service if needed, a lot over elevation, and strong.

We can even get you new MOA 5-25x56mm units.


Mike @ CSTACTICAL