Budget Scope Advise

Savage 110 Carbon Tactical - Unmatched Precision - Viking Arms
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EccentricJackal

Well-Known Member
Hi All,

I'm sure it has been asked a million times, but with constantly changing prices and availabilities, old threads havent provided me an answer yet!

I have a .308 Parker Hale with 1inch PH low mounts. This limits me a little on scopes as a 50mm scope i tried wouldn't fit the low mounts, and the bolt rubs my current scope a little.

Currently I have a BSA Essencials Hunting Rifle 3-9x44 scope mounted on it (likely an air rifle scope...) and I'm concerned that it would lose zero or be inadequate in low light.

With a budget of around £100, what is my best bet for a scope?

I am looking at new Bushnell Banner scope at £88 and Nikon Prostaff at £150 (though this is stretching my budget much further than i would like).

I think a good name fixed mag 2nd hand (as suggested on many other posts) would be ideal but with a stalk planned for the end of April I'd rather not wait to see if one comes up...

Thanks for any advice,

Ryan
 
A used Simmons Whitetail classic is a good bet. Get the Philippines-made model if you can as they tend to be better quality. I had a 3-9 x 50 with Truplex reticule & it was a cracker. Only cost me £80 from the Bay of E, too :thumb:
 
I found a meopta 6x42 for my brno zkk 601 for £100. They come up quite regularly on here from what I've seen. Love it and good glass. Did a wee write up on the set up here http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co....nd-First-Buck-for-a-Friend?highlight=brno+zkk

I had the same problem and the bolt just clears the scope but I'm using PH RAHS 3 rings (the higher ones I think). Needed it high to clear the iron sight mount at the front. Not sure what model of PH you have or if it is similar in design?
 
I have the RALS (low ones) but iron sight isnt a problem as mine had been removed before i bought it. It just means my scope gets rubbed slightly but the bolt - not ideal but hopefully not damaging.
 
I've seen meopta 6x42's go for around £110-120 on ebay lately. There are also a couple of Leupold 6X42's on at the moment - may be worth putting in a bid.
 
The Simmons looks good, theres one on ebay that might be worth a bid.

I've looked at the Meopta scopes but there doesnt seem to be any about at the moment and as I said, i only have a couple of weeks for a bargain to come up!

How do the Vortex compare to Bushnell and Nikon?

Cheers,

Ryan
 
I'd go for the Nikon over the Bushnell. Of the glass I've owned nearly all the bushnells have had issues at the extreme end of the field of view.
Nikon's have some chromatic aberation but pretty good at the price point.

Can't comment on the Vortex but they seem to get good reviews.
 
I don't rate Bushnell especially those at the lower end seen quite a few problems with those, Nikon is a better scope for not an awfull lot of money, Meopta if you are lucky enough to find one in your price range.
 
I have 2 bushnells at the moment. One on my 243 (Legend) and a 4-12 x 40 Banner on my 270. very happy with both. the 270 has seen action with this scope in Estonia on Moose and plains game in Africa. For the money a cracker. I also had a Banner 3-9x50 on my 30-06 and that had seen action all over the world and never let me down shot stuff out to 280 yrds.
Hope this helps, Tusker
 
As far as the vortex goes the only scopes I have directly compared it to are the old nikko sterling mountmaster which I had on my rimfire previously, which obviously it is in a different league to. And my zeiss duralyt which again it is in a different league to.

That been said I paid £50 for the nikko, £140 for the vortex crossfire and £600 for the duralyt. In realistic terms of performance its closer to the zeiss than it is the nikko beleive it or not.
Im not claiming its perfect however the optical clarity is excellent in daytime, fading light it performs better than expected given the price. Its a little fussy for eye releif although im putting that down to the fact that its 6-18x44 as opposed to 3-12x50 like im used to. does get ever so slightly milky as the light really fades and has a tiny bit of blur round the edges at full zoom in lower light. On the whole though it is genuinly impressive.

I can honestly say that i dont think you will be dissapointed with a vortex, the warranty side is a big seller also as nothing in that price range will even come close to matching that.

may be worth looking to see if there is a local gunshop that stock them? or take the punt like i did

Hope you find something that suits

regards

KS
 
I really like the look of the Vortex Crossfire, but when I checked the dimensions I dont think it will fit my rifle - it has a slightly larger ocular lense than the one i currently have, and my current one is already touching the bolt when I load, and I only have one set of rings - RALS4 Parker Hales.

Does anyone know whether other mounts will fit the parker hale mounts? - I know it has been suggested that I can have the mounts changed for Leupold one but that option isn't so appealing at the moment on such a tight budget!
 
EccentricJackal said:
I really like the look of the Vortex Crossfire, but when I checked the dimensions I dont think it will fit my rifle - it has a slightly larger ocular lense than the one i currently have, and my current one is already touching the bolt when I load, and I only have one set of rings - RALS4 Parker Hales.

Does anyone know whether other mounts will fit the parker hale mounts? - I know it has been suggested that I can have the mounts changed for Leupold one but that option isn't so appealing at the moment on such a tight budget!
Click to expand...
If your bolt is touching the scope You could shim the mounts to gain a fraction more height to clear the scope?
 
How would i go about shim-ing the mounts? - I understand the concept but would have not idea how to achieve it without wrecking the ability to maintain zero!

Alternatively, are all mauser mounts suitable for all mauser actions? - I might have to seriously consider biting the bullet and replace the mounts to make all of these issues go away (as i suggested above).
 
EccentricJackal said:
I really like the look of the Vortex Crossfire, but when I checked the dimensions I dont think it will fit my rifle - it has a slightly larger ocular lense than the one i currently have, and my current one is already touching the bolt when I load, and I only have one set of rings - RALS4 Parker Hales.

Does anyone know whether other mounts will fit the parker hale mounts? - I know it has been suggested that I can have the mounts changed for Leupold one but that option isn't so appealing at the moment on such a tight budget!
Click to expand...

The original PH mounts have a different recoil locator to Weaver, which is why I changed eventually to Leupold STDs and solved it all.
I tried 2 sets of Weaver bases and still had windage problems, as an interim I managed to get a temp solution by using Warne rings.
Don't forget the original PH rings are 1" not 25mm, just measured my original scope Nikko Special 6x32 at 1".

Just look up your rifle on the Leupold site, it gives all the info you need to solve it all in one go, The Countryman in Derby may have them in stock?
 
Last edited:
EccentricJackal said:
How would i go about shim-ing the mounts? - I understand the concept but would have not idea how to achieve it without wrecking the ability to maintain zero!

Alternatively, are all mauser mounts suitable for all mauser actions? - I might have to seriously consider biting the bullet and replace the mounts to make all of these issues go away (as i suggested above).
Click to expand...
Strips of coke can in the bottom of the lower rings ( just the bottom third of the lower) then put top of rings back on.
 
vintage jap glass
Nikko , simmons, Nikon, Tasco
etc etc

Meopta are great
I have a 6x42 on my .270 but you will be lucky to get one below £150
7x50s are going for £200+
 
This might horrify you, and it depends on whether your P/H is original and how concerned you are to keep it so , I solved a similar problem by grinding around 3mm from the bolt dremel did the job perfectly but you could do it with a file, take care with the finish a little cold blueing and no one would ever know it had been done.

You say it's only just touching the scope so probably will not need as much taken off as I did.

You could always say it was customised.:rofl:
 
bogtrotter said:
This might horrify you, and it depends on whether your P/H is original and how concerned you are to keep it so , I solved a similar problem by grinding around 3mm from the bolt dremel did the job perfectly but you could do it with a file, take care with the finish a little cold blueing and no one would ever know it had been done.


You could always say it was customised.:rofl:
Click to expand...

Especially if it was a Chrome finish.:old:
 
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