Which scope should this newbie buy?

Hey guys, first time poster here.

I know this topic has been covered here a thousand times, but here goes...

I'm very new to hunting but have had the shooting bug for years. I recently got my license and finally shot my first deer on public land up in the Ruahines on an overnighter about a month ago! I absolutely LOVED the experience.

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I took this deer from 255m with a mate's Howa 1500 in 6.5CM with a Vortex Viper 6-24X and would like to purchase my own Howa in this calibre eventually (as soon as the wife gives the green light...) - this will be my first rifle.

I'm very new to the hunting game but can imagine I'd be after reds & fallow both at short and mid ranges, say 0 - 200m but would like a scope that allows me out a bit further if needed. I'm thinking something with a magnification of about 3-12X.

I'd like to buy quality - ideally something to last a lifetime of little - moderate usage, but I'm on a budget too...

I like the look of the Burris Droptine range and some of the cheaper Leupolds and Vortexes.

Any general scope buying advice for a beginner? Buy once and cry once? Or work my way up? And what about rings?

TIA

Hey bro, I have a t3 6.5cm that i use a vx3hd 3.5-10
never felt under scoped. Have shot deer to 300y and gongs to 600

The hd glass is better then more zoom and poor quality glass and i love the zero lock

nd hand leupold or burris would prabably give you best value. I have used Vx1,2,3, 6 & Freedom, my 2nd favorite out of that lot is actually the vxFreedom, maybe it just suits my eye, but for the money, I find it very good to look through. As an entry level option, nothing wrong with Burris droptine and full field either, they don’t have as many features as some of the more expensive Burris options, but this can be a blessing or a curse depending on the situation.
Both brands have a lifetime guarantee, I haven’t used the Burris guarantee but have used the Leupold one twice, both 2nd hand scopes that had ‘owner damage’ rather than manufacturing defects. Leupold more than honoured the contract.

For the distances you have tabled, a 3-12 will easily cover these and a bit more too. One thing you may want to do in future is dial up elevation, so factor that into your plan, relatively simple holdover reticles have a place too.

As far as 2nd hand goes, scopes don’t really wear out, the newness only goes out of them through abuse or obselesence, that is why I suggest 2nd hand if you want max value for money, plenty of good 2nd hand scopes out there that haven’t been abused.

As far as rings go, the lower the better (as long as they still fit, scope objective clear of barrel and eyepiece clear of bolt) you can’t go wrong with Talley or Warne or the Weaver rings with the four-screw-steel-saddle, there are plenty of other good ones too, but these are brands I can recommend through real world experience.

I recently got back into shooting (after almost 20 years away) and bought a Vixen V1 3-12x40 that I have been very happy with. Japanese-made I understand - just like the Howa! Not sure if we are supposed to post links, I'm a newbie here, but here's where I got it:

https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Opt...dot+5940.html?

Bear in mind I am comparing it to a Tasco and a Weaver scope from the 1990's... but the optics seem great, even at low light.

well one can spend $500 - $5000 but some things I would pick in a scope and no exceptions - power 3-9 or 3-12 my scopes seldom move of 3x - reticles to me very important - no to those horrible holdover cross hairs with lots of small bars and very fine cross hairs just bloody awfull - no nice big cross hairs that are easy to pick up in early morning or evening - euro 4A posts leading to a fine inner cross hair -designed for quick shots - really good or plex style okay - the last thing I want is to be struggling to pick up the cross hairs - for me I like an adjustable eyepiece - not to concerned 30mm or 1 in

You're probably on the right track, 3-12 or 3-14. If you plan on shooting slips or faces in there you might want to shift higher than Barry's x3 power. Just buy what you can afford, at the ranges you plan on shooting it won't be a big deal. You won't know what you want when this thread finishes haha

vx3 3.5-10 as said above.good of the bush and out to 500.
PS having to get the green light from the wife is an issue you need to sort out before you get into hunting.

yes I should say that the majority of my hunting is bush edge and clearing stalking last 10 deer longest shot barely 150 meters

as above 2-10x or 3-12x is more than enough for shooting to 300 mtr or 500 on large game.
for bush hunting stay under 3x, 1.5 or 2x would be nice but to get the top end is hard without moving to a more expensive scope in the 5x or 6x zoom range.
While those big 6-20x scopes look sexy they are a pain in the butt in the bush.
Z

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Originally Posted by ZQLewis

as above 2-10x or 3-12x is more than enough for shooting to 300 mtr or 500 on large game.
for bush hunting stay under 3x, 1.5 or 2x would be nice but to get the top end is hard without moving to a more expensive scope in the 5x or 6x zoom range.
While those big 6-20x scopes look sexy they are a pain in the butt in the bush.
Z

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Yes, the more variation a scope has, the less it will have in the other desireables of affordability and/or lightness and/or clarity.

I just carried a three power, but Bruce Dawson was more than happy with a four, seen him unload on a running deer from crock of arm, up n bang I one fluid motion, good shot.

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Originally Posted by SmokeyJason

I just carried a three power, but Bruce Dawson was more than happy with a four, seen him unload on a running deer from crock of arm, up n bang I one fluid motion, good shot.

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I'm very happy with my four vixens, 3-12 is great, damn good actually, can see wallaby out to 700yrds on dusk with the 12 power.

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Originally Posted by Barry the hunter

..reticles to me very important - ..nice big cross hairs that are easy to pick up in early morning or evening - euro 4A posts leading to a fine inner cross hair ..

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Got away with that twice last weekend at -very last- light. First shot 368 yds and I could just make it out through the Geovids. Looking through the Z5 which has a 4A, couldn't make out the fine crosshairs but enough with the wider sidebars to do the job. ~10X was the max power I could use, anything higher was too dark.

Following night using the VX3 2.5-8 plex on the Bushpig, exact same situation at about 150yds. The stag was just visible and used the side bars again for the same result.

Dunno why they were so cautious as no-one had been shooting at them for at least a month, more like six weeks actually.

3x9x40 Leupold will see you right.

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Originally Posted by Micky Duck

3x9x40 Leupold will see you right.

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This. VX-Freedom.

My opinion: skip anything with dials, keep it simple. Get some good mounts (Talley) and get someone you trust to help you mount the scope.

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Originally Posted by 6x47

Got away with that twice last weekend at -very last- light. First shot 368 yds and I could just make it out through the Geovids. Looking through the Z5 which has a 4A, couldn't make out the fine crosshairs but enough with the wider sidebars to do the job. ~10X was the max power I could use, anything higher was too dark.

Following night using the VX3 2.5-8 plex on the Bushpig, exact same situation at about 150yds. The stag was just visible and used the side bars again for the same result.

Dunno why they were so cautious as no-one had been shooting at them for at least a month, more like six weeks actually.

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Off topic, but this illustrates the big advantage illumination has in low light.

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Originally Posted by bjp

I recently got back into shooting (after almost 20 years away) and bought a Vixen V1 3-12x40 that I have been very happy with. Japanese-made I understand - just like the Howa! Not sure if we are supposed to post links, I'm a newbie here, but here's where I got it:

https://www.reloaders.co.nz/shop/Opt...dot+5940.html?

Bear in mind I am comparing it to a Tasco and a Weaver scope from the 1990's... but the optics seem great, even at low light.

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Vixen 3-12 is great value and nice and simple. With BDC reticle good to 400

Burris have a good warranty and are generally pretty reliable scopes. I personally wouldn't go with the droptine but the next line up should see you ok. Holdover reticle too if you do want to shoot further at some point. Burris Fullfield IV 2.5-10x42.
Or if funds, allowed stepping up to the Burris signature hd line would allow you to dial up down the track.

Less is more.
3-9by 40 leupold or Burris be plenty

Another vote for VX-Freedom 3-9x40. Simple. Good quality. Won't break the bank.

If I bought again id prob get a leupold vx3 with 3x being the lowest zoom (good for bush and low light) up to 10 or 12 or so. Doubt youd need more than that with 6.5 CM ranges. As for rifle, I used to have a howa 1500 in 308 and now have a tikka superlite in 6.5 CM. In my mind the tikka is much nicer. My howa could never get under 1 inch groups at 100 no matter what ammo I tried, it also used to change point of aim with and without bipod and with and without supressor it was also a bit of a brick weight wise. The tikka shoots 0.5 inch groups first ammo I tried, no point of aim shifts at all, and lovely smooth action. In saying that I may have had a dud howa and there is a pretty big price difference to consider. Those carbon stock howas are very light and seem nice.

Quite simply a scope should be your no1 piece of equipment

Definitely buy once cry once

Scopes have come along way in the last 5yrs… vx1/ 2/ 3 are IMO obsolete if you are into shooting over 300yds

Burris has great HD optics
Leupold has great HD optics
There’s also the Swaro z3 and z5 with unmatched reliability

All depends on your budget but I’d go vx5 3-15x44 as a lifetime scope if I was to buy one

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Originally Posted by Forestry

Vixen 3-12 is great value and nice and simple. With BDC reticle good to 400

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These here are great then you have spare money for a cheap "sndwy" or whatever they are called rangefinder, zero the gun using the 400 holdover mark at 400 after sighting in at 100 and your good to go out to 400 nice and easy, best of luck