Rifle Scopes Ultra High End scope worth the money?

[mioduz]

I have been shooting in one manner all my life. I want to get into long range shooting. I am working on my first "high end" bolt gun. I already have an AICS 2.0 stock here, which i plan on using with a Badger M2008 and an undetermined barrel chambered in .308.
My next big decision to make is with glass. I have never personally used a Ultra high end piece of glass like a S&B, premier, USO, etc etc. I own 2 Leupold LR/T 4-14 and 8-25. I think the glass is clear and the reticles are well defined. What kind of benefits will i see with moving into these higher end scopes?
I would ideally love to shoot out to 1000m some day with this rifle, finding time and more importantly space to do so is hard to come by, but its nice to have goals.
I am currently contemplating something like the Bushnell HDMR, and also looking at the Premier 5-25. Can anyone tell me how much difference i will see and is the premier truly worth twice the price. I can afford either but do not want to throw money away where it will not be used well.

 

[Chiller]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

Cant hit what you cant see......

you need to get behind some of which you are talking about. You are all over the map on glass...

 

[Shortdraw]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Mioduz</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> What kind of benefits will i see with moving into these higher end scopes?
</div></div>
Reliable tracking, clearer glass, and in many cases better construction. Once you pass the $1000 price range, the cost vs benefit has a broader spread. You have to decide if it's worth it to you.

 

[lencomatt]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

I have shot to 1000 yards with a Bushnell Banner 6-18x50 which is about as cheap a scope as you can get. Now I could see the target fine, obviously the edges of the glass weren't clear but the center was good enough. Now the problem I think you run into is adjustment, I ran out and to hold over to hit it. I think that's why the high dollar scopes are high dollar, the adjustment is what they say it is and its repeatable. Also I would hope the high dollar ones are tougher. I think a lot of what happens is guys get to a point where they have had it all and just want the higher dollar optics. I can't see myself spending $3000 on a scope when a $1500 scope will do the same job for me. My $500 Vortex did just fine the last time I got out to the 1000 yard range.

 

[turbo54]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

Honestly, for most of us, the answer is "no - they arent worth the money". Because you can get a damn fine scope for $1000-1500, it's pretty hard to justify another $1000-1500 for a better scope. Are the $2500+ scopes better? Yes. Are they $1500 better? Tough call. You need to really consider your needs and budget. I can afford the expensive high end scopes and I enjoy the extra niceties so I get them, but at Mammoth, I would have placed exactly the same as I did if I was rocking a Vortex Viper instead of my Bender.

Some folks will say they are worth every penny. My guess is $3000 means less to them than most people, or, they're trying to make themselves feel better about eating ramen noodles for a year to afford one.

For our boys in uniform, I pretty much don't care what it costs to give them the BEST. If something "ok" costs $1000 and something GOOD costs $2000 and the BEST costs $3000, I want them to have something better than the best for $5000! Their lives and ours depend on this equipment, and an extra couple grand IS well worth every penny if it means just one more bad guy spotted and/or smoked.

 

[eyehunter92]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

I just purchase on group buy through GAP. A Bushnell 3.5-21X50 HDMR G2 Reticle. Great scope and very good glass. Reticle is very simple and scope is Mil-Mil. I have S&B's and Leupold scopes also. This is very close to S&B for 1/3 the cost but, 90% as good. I look through glass all day long and you get what you pay for. Remember the glass is half of the equation. The controls and ease of use is also a lot better the more money you spend. "You can't have quantity and quality at the same time."
David M. Webster, O.D.

 

[*greenhorn*]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

my 500 dollar scope hits 800 yrds A-OK but it fades at magnification i got buddy whose got a vortex 800.00 ffp it does really good. but the better the scope the better the clearly in magnification in my .02$ i see no need for a 2-3000 scope unless your latching on to a .50 because of recoil. if you don't understand, take a .22 scope and fire off a 308 or 300WM under it 5 rounds you'll know what i mean

 

[hamstur]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Honestly, for most of us, the answer is "no - they arent worth the money". Because you can get a damn fine scope for $1000-1500, it's pretty hard to justify another $1000-1500 for a better scope. Are the $2500+ scopes better? Yes. Are they $1500 better? Tough call. You need to really consider your needs and budget. I can afford the expensive high end scopes and I enjoy the extra niceties so I get them, but at Mammoth, I would have placed exactly the same as I did if I was rocking a Vortex Viper instead of my Bender.

Some folks will say they are worth every penny. My guess is $3000 means less to them than most people, or, they're trying to make themselves feel better about eating ramen noodles for a year to afford one.</div></div>

This is a great reply.

 

[kenndapp]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

Good thread. Has been help full. Right now I'm torn between a weaver tactical........or holding out for a pripemier

 

[Goin'Hot]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kenndapp</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Good thread. Has been help full. Right now I'm torn between a weaver tactical........or holding out for a pripemier </div></div>

Take a hard look at the Bushy HDMR. I own a couple Premiers and got in on the HDMR group buy. After playing with the bushy, i'll be buying more of them once they come out with 10 mils/rev and zero stops. Nice scope.

 

[mioduz]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Goin'Hot</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: kenndapp</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Good thread. Has been help full. Right now I'm torn between a weaver tactical........or holding out for a pripemier </div></div>

Take a hard look at the Bushy HDMR. I own a couple Premiers and got in on the HDMR group buy. After playing with the bushy, i'll be buying more of them once they come out with 10 mils/rev and zero stops. Nice scope. </div></div>

Is that your way of saying the premier is not worth twice the price of the hdmr

 

[Goin'Hot]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

I'm saying, I like my 5-25 PH's but, if Bushy releases a 10 mil/rev with zero stops, I will not be buying a 4th PH as long as the new model is priced around the $1500 mark.

I RARELY get to run my scopes over 20x due to mirage so, the 21x max is perfect. Glass looks great and it has plenty of elevation.

 

[bushido2222]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

My opinion is that the minimum I want is bombproof mechanics for repeatability. I have had to send my Mark 4 6.5-20 back to Leupold twice for a rebuild. It is now sitting on a 22-250 :-( Expensive lesson. I'm currently running a Nightforce without issues. It is extremely dependable. I personally think that a scope just holds a set of crosshairs so if you can see them and your target and it has top performing mechanics your rocking. Now that being said, if your target is small or in lowlight conditions or at the tail end of a long expensive hunt, then yes the premium optics are worth every damned cent you pay for them. So to me it all depends on what you are gonna use it for. As an example. Two seasons ago on the last day of hunting season here in Montana my partner and I were on the edge of a huge coulee system 10 minutes before the last shooting light. A 180 class muley came out after a hot doe. My tag was already filled but Gregs wasn't. I could pick out the buck with the spotting scope but he couldn't see which one had horns through a Nightforce. Since then he has gone to a Premier and he can pick out horns AFTER I can't see them with the same spotting scope! If he'd been running that Premier it coulda made a difference. That was at 600 yds by the way. Just my .02 cents

 

[bama110]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

This topic comes up all the time. Are high end scopes worth the money? My answer is yes. Five years ago I would have be in the othe camp but after shooting my Henny's now I can not go back. The confidence you get from the tracking makes you a better shooter IMO. The clarity is unreal, most of the time I shoot on lower power settings because I have a greater fov and still have the resolution to see impacts. I have sold all my other scopes and have moved to Henny/Zeiss.

Just looking though a high end optic will not necessary convene you. If you shoot with it for a couple of times you will not want to give it back. That is the test.

Go high as you can in 5 years you will not be selling you 1000-1500 scope on here for 700-900 dollars and buying a new high end scope

 

[Double-edged]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

I used Leupolds for everything for years with an occasional older IOR thrown in. I ended up buying a S&B and was initially disappointed when comparing it with Leupolds around the house or in the neighborhood. I didn't see a lot of difference in casual observation. The difference came when out shooting at distance and in lower light conditions where the S&B blew the Leupolds out of the water. No real comparison. Will the Leupold do the job? Yes. Will the S&B do the job significantly better? Yes.

 

[unreconstructed]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Honestly, for most of us, the answer is "no - they arent worth the money". Because you can get a damn fine scope for $1000-1500, it's pretty hard to justify another $1000-1500 for a better scope. Are the $2500+ scopes better? Yes. Are they $1500 better? Tough call. You need to really consider your needs and budget. I can afford the expensive high end scopes and I enjoy the extra niceties so I get them, but at Mammoth, I would have placed exactly the same as I did if I was rocking a Vortex Viper instead of my Bender.

Some folks will say they are worth every penny. My guess is $3000 means less to them than most people, or, they're trying to make themselves feel better about eating ramen noodles for a year to afford one.
</div></div>

Spot on.
As for me, I'm not spending $3600 on an optic when $1500 will do the job. These "premium" optic prices are getting to be absurd.

 

[deersniper]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

Nightforce seems to be the best value.

 

[hamstur]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

The optic has more of a 'human interface' aspect to it than the rifle. My roommate is in the process of buying a scope but doesn't know much about them. He likes music, so the best comparison I could give him was those terms. Some people spend $5K on stereo, some spend $25K, while others only listen to an iPod. It's all personal preference.

If you notice the difference, it's a positive difference, you shrug at the cost, and pay cash with zero change in lifestyle -- why not buy and try for yourself vs. read about it on some forum?

The beauty of most things high end (except depreciating assets like modern autos), is if you shop smart & buy used, you can recoup all your $ if you don't like it.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deersniper</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Nightforce seems to be the best value. </div></div>

Here's one valid perspective above. I might contrast that with at $400-500 more used, a USO is a better value because you get FFP, your entire ocular bell doesn't turn with mag change, you have 11 on-the-fly illumination settings, better resolution, better elevation knob (assuming EREK), better DOF...

It's all personal opinion which means there's no wrong answer. If you're a person who enjoys 'the experience' and prefer what you perceive as refined in design, aesthetics, ergonomics and function -- the cost is most likely worth it.

 

[jpspeeddemon]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

I think a lot of it depends on how much you shoot. If you go shoot 50 rounds a weekend at paper or in competitions like F-Class, then maybe you won't benefit from a $2000 scope. But, if you shoot a lot, really care about how well you do, then benefits of more expensive gear are more easily realized and appreciated.

As mentioned earlier, reliability and features are enhanced when you spend more money on optics. Reliability is important to consider when you shoot a lot. If you don't shoot a lot, then you are generally not as hard on your gear, so you can get away with lower end products.

 

[LibertyOptics]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

The real story here is that scopes in the $2000-$3000 range, well populated just a couple of years ago, seems suddenly void of options. Now the high end stuff resides in the $3K-$4k range. Lupy Mark 8, S&B, Hense, Premier, Trijicon(???)

With an assumption that the economy is not going to get better, I think the new "value" scopes under $2K will be what butters our bread in 2012. IOR, Vortex, Bushnell, Weaver, Nighforce SFP...these all offer what 99% of all shooters (even tactical ones) really need. IMO.

If you are going to spend the big coin, then USO looks better all the time, tailoring a scope to your exact specifications.

Anyway, as a dealer, I'm starting to struggle with the question posed by the OP. There are only so many "one percenters" (not my favorite term but it's buzzed around lately) to cater to and I'm not sure what exactly what the manufacturers are thinking with these sky-high prices.

So, my bet is on the $800-$1999 range for most of our sales this year, when reality enters into the equation. Put another way, there is a reason I can't keep PSTs in stock



Scott

 

[Bearwalk]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

+1 on Scott's post and turbo's as well. For me, the cost is worth up to the Razor's and NF1's genre, after that I can't really justify the expense. I'd rather just start the next build.

 

[Ldwillia]

Re: Ultra High End scope worth the money?

I shoot nightforce NXS. I am usually very hard on my stuff. Its been extremely dependable. Good scope for the money.