Best scope for up to £200??

[SD198]

Hi all - having just bought my first deer calibre gun (in .308) I now need a scope - but as I currently have v limited funds remaining before my other half presses the divorce button ("WHY do you need ANOTHER gun??"....) I will unfortunately have to limit myself at this stage to a v low budget of around £200 max. I will be using it exclusively for stalking and do not expect to be taking shots at much beyond 100m - during the day but potentially last/ first light as well. I have had two RFDs recommend at that budget getting a Hawke Endurance - which I think the 50mm (I presume that would be noticeably better than the 40mm in terms of light gathering?) has side focus and IR - although I have been offered a used Minox ZA5 3-15x42 Plex for £230.... I do not know a huge amount about scopes on full bores, so can anyone please offer any advice??

Thanks

 

[Rupert J]

No doubt you'll get a lot of responses here. If I was in this position (which I was when I first started stalking) I'd opt for a reasonable second hand scope. I plumped for a Meopta, and now all my rifles are fitted with them. They are fairly cost effective and excellent for the money at a second hand level. Good luck in your quest. Rupert.

 

[Cyres]

Second hand old fix mag S@B, Swarvi or Meopta all would do. Meopta probably cheapest but excellent glass.

D

 

[takbok]

I would choose a good 2nd hand 6x42 scope (Leupold, Meopta, S&B).

Otherwise a new Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40 or 4-12x40 would be very good.

The Minox scope you've been offered will be good. Their after sales service in Germany is excellent.

I'm not so sure about the Hawke scopes. I've got a pair of their binoculars and they're ok but not excellent.

 

[caorach]

A local RFD was selling new S&B 8X56 for less than £400 so you should be able to get a decent, fixed mag, 2nd hand scope for your £200. I paid £250 for my 8X56 S&B second hand and have never needed anything else. For stalking there is no need for a variable magnification, some people use them and like them, but I'm talking about "need" here rather than nice to have.

While you might not quite be able to reach to first tier optics like S&B, Zeiss or Swaro with £200 as Rupert has said above there are now an excellent range of optics from the "second tier" manufacturers and these are all good optics that would have been class leading only a few years back.

What you don't want to do is spend your £200 on something with adjustable this, and variable that, spend the cash on good quality, simple, glass to see and shoot with and let someone else pay for the marketing buzz words.

 

[farmer jim]

For Sale: SB 6x42 £180

 

[Kernow_Stalker]

Another vote here for 2nd hand fixed mag. Optically it will outperform new variable mag scopes well up past the 1k mark. You may get lucky and find a cheap 8x56 s&b for your budget, but more likely you'll be look9ng at 6x42 which will still be excellent and see you right.

Cheers

Ks

 

[african jack]

try MacLeod's of Tain new

Minox ZA5​

at £175

 

[iain b]

Hi all - having just bought my first deer calibre gun (in .308) I now need a scope - but as I currently have v limited funds remaining before my other half presses the divorce button ("WHY do you need ANOTHER gun??"....) I will unfortunately have to limit myself at this stage to a v low budget of around £200 max. I will be using it exclusively for stalking and do not expect to be taking shots at much beyond 100m - during the day but potentially last/ first light as well. I have had two RFDs recommend at that budget getting a Hawke Endurance - which I think the 50mm (I presume that would be noticeably better than the 40mm in terms of light gathering?) has side focus and IR - although I have been offered a used Minox ZA5 3-15x42 Plex for £230.... I do not know a huge amount about scopes on full bores, so can anyone please offer any advice??

Thanks

stay away from the minox ZA line. I’ve sent 6 back. Minox service is very good. But the ZA range is pants. Look for a meopta 7x50 cheap but they punch way above their weight

 

[VSS]

Vortex or Bushnell can be had in that budget. Both are OK.

 

[tusker]

I have had Bushnells at that budget all very good and I have hunted with a Bushnell Banner 3-9x50 all over the world in all kinds of conditions however my best buy is a Swarovski 6x42 Habitch for £160 second hand it is outstanding.
Tusker

 

[User00033]

SD198... I use Vortex, Bushnell, Weaver, Zeiss... Different types of scope for different applications. Vortex with their brilliant replacement warranty is hard to beat for value and quality at the price. My new Bushnell is excellent, very very good value. I have yet to be convinced that tripling the price of my optics is going to deliver me 3x or even 2x as many deer!

The way I look at it, you’ve got to say to yourself right, I’m only going to be shooting short range, sub-200m. What light conditions am I working in? Are your permissions heavily wooded, rough or arable shooting, relatively open country? Are you after roe, fallow or reds? Am I going to want to shoot foxes? Is there any chance you are going to be presented with longer range opportunities?

If I were you I’d make a little “decision matrix”. Select a bunch of different scopes, fixed and variable, and score them on what’s important to have, what’s nice to have, what you don’t need. Doesn’t matter if they are available to you or not, its about selecting the right type of scope. Ideally, go to a well stocked RFD and look through them outside at dusk. Warranty for scopes is important, they can cause lots more problems than the rifle, that’s where a new scope can trump a second hand one, depending on transferability of the warranty. Be objective and clinical! Once you’ve worked out what type of scope you actually need, rather than what you think you might want, you can set about finding one at your price point.

 

[User00014]

Look for a 6x42 Schmid bender second hand are making around £200 bower days quality glass and bomb proof !

 

[Old melv]

Look for a 6x42 Schmid bender second hand are making around £200 bower days quality glass and bomb proof !

+ 1 don't think you can beat a Schmidt and bender you might get a 8. X 56 for not much over £200 if you keep your eyes open. Good luck

 

[Dalua]

try MacLeod's of Tain new

Minox ZA5​

at £175

Two parts to this:
First, by all means buy something from MacLeods of Tain - I would buy stuff, including used 'scopes, from them with complete confidence.

However, I would certainly not advise buying any Minox ZA 'scope. The two I've had were not good, nor would they have been at £175.

I echo those who suggest a quality second-hand fixed-power - Meopta, Schmidt, Zeiss etc. My pick would be a 6x42.

 

[2130martin]

Just buy Cervushunters 6x42 he has advertised.
Job sorted,go stalking!

 

[danban]

I have a nikkon that was £200. Very good for the money

 

[Chasey]

I have a virtualy never been used Loupold VX 1 3-9 variable scope you can have for 200.00 (300 new) Took it out a couple of times with the new .17HMR rifel but I swaped it immediately for a higher mag 4-16 Vortex

ATB

Chasey

 

[big ears]

Don’t get hung up on objective lens size it only becomes an issue at higher magnification. For most of our work x6 is enough which means a 42mm Lens is also fine. There are plenty of scopes out there in your price range in the 40-42mm objective bracket. You may feel you want variable mag but I use it so infrequently my variable scopes might as well be fixed. A good secondhand 6x42 would be a really good start and a S&B Hungarian would fit the bill as said above.

 

[bish789]

Two parts to this:
First, by all means buy something from MacLeods of Tain - I would buy stuff, including used 'scopes, from them with complete confidence.

However, I would certainly not advise buying any Minox ZA 'scope. The two I've had were not good, nor would they have been at £175.

I echo those who suggest a quality second-hand fixed-power - Meopta, Schmidt, Zeiss etc. My pick would be a 6x42.

Even Gregor persuaded me not to have that Minox model when I was in there a month ago.
I'll be putting a S&B 6x42 up for sale shortly to fund my next optical extravaganza.