First Scope
- Thread starter jeff
- Start date
Sam
Well-Known Member
Hi Jeff,
Whats it for mate? As an all round scope I think its hard to beat the Schmidt & Bender 8x56. its widely accepted as a real jack of all trades master of most job. They cost around £500 new, for a Hungarian one, and less second hand. IMO it doesnt matter if its new or second hand (condition is important obv.). Look on Fleabay for second hand and www.uttings.com for new. You should get a fair few answers but that would be my top guess.
atb
Sam
Whats it for mate? As an all round scope I think its hard to beat the Schmidt & Bender 8x56. its widely accepted as a real jack of all trades master of most job. They cost around £500 new, for a Hungarian one, and less second hand. IMO it doesnt matter if its new or second hand (condition is important obv.). Look on Fleabay for second hand and www.uttings.com for new. You should get a fair few answers but that would be my top guess.
atb
Sam
flytie
Well-Known Member
Jeff, come on, give us a clue? What's it going on? What are you going to use it for (driven boar, woodland stalking, open hill stalking, targets etc. etc.) and most important what's your budget?
Given that you have not told us any of the above, Schmidt & Bender, Swarovski, Zeiss or Kahles are top of the line. Doctors, IOR, Nikon and Leupold are all reasonable makes too if you are on a tighter budget. Or you can look on sites for quality second hand, I can personally recommend this site; http://www.rmacleod.co.uk/CUSTOMER%20S_H%20STOCK%20LIST.pdf
I bought a S&B 7x50, ex display, from them for a good discount. I wish I had bought the 8x56 instead.
ft
caorach
Well-Known Member
I'm far from an expert on scopes as I've only ever bought one and I've only ever needed one - an 8X56 S&B. I picked it up 2nd hand for £250 and am sure I could sell it for at least that today. It does everything I need it to do. Unless you have some very specific requirements that it just will not meet I'd give the 8X58 S&B another vote. I would also agree that 2nd hand is worth looking at, it will leave you some cash for some stalking. Macleods of Tain get a good reputation and often have a lot of 2nd hand stock.
In saying all of this I've had a look through an 8X56 Swaro on a few occasions and the sight picture through it is better. It can't see any better in low light and the optics aren't really any better but I think the wider field of view makes it feel slightly "better" in some way. I wouldn't change my S&B to the Swaro and I've no idea what 2nd hand prices are like on them but if the 8X56 S&B appeals to you then the Swaro is also worth a look if you can get one for the same money.
In saying all of this I've had a look through an 8X56 Swaro on a few occasions and the sight picture through it is better. It can't see any better in low light and the optics aren't really any better but I think the wider field of view makes it feel slightly "better" in some way. I wouldn't change my S&B to the Swaro and I've no idea what 2nd hand prices are like on them but if the 8X56 S&B appeals to you then the Swaro is also worth a look if you can get one for the same money.
dieseldan
Well-Known Member
give this is a deer stalking web site and your are a novice, might i suggest a european fixed power scope of 6x42 or as previously stated 8x56 with A4 crosshairs.
As PS , i would like to add that get what you can afford and get out stalking, dont sit and save. I shot more deer with an old simmons WTC than I do now and you can still pick them up for less than £100.
And once you have good glass, shooting becomes expensive as you cannot go back........
)devilishdave
Well-Known Member
As has been said to start out you wont go far wrong with a S&B 6x42 or 8x56 or similar from the other big european makers.
Dave
Dave
jeff
Well-Known Member
Hello Guys,
Thanks for the feedback.
just to let you know, I am a novice, Have to start somewhere. I have been taken out Stalking in Ireland with my uncle, I have decided to take the next step, so sorry for my ignorance.
I have a Tikka T3 Hunter .243 coming soonish and am thinking scopes for hunting Deer.
I am hearing all sorts of things, Get high end ones, don't get expensive ones. then I start reading about them and im in a spin.
Thought the best thing to do would be to ask the experienced.
Any help is much appreciated. Thanks for all the input guys.
Cheers Jeff.
Thanks for the feedback.
just to let you know, I am a novice, Have to start somewhere. I have been taken out Stalking in Ireland with my uncle, I have decided to take the next step, so sorry for my ignorance.
I have a Tikka T3 Hunter .243 coming soonish and am thinking scopes for hunting Deer.
I am hearing all sorts of things, Get high end ones, don't get expensive ones. then I start reading about them and im in a spin.
Thought the best thing to do would be to ask the experienced.
Any help is much appreciated. Thanks for all the input guys.
Cheers Jeff.
skippy1001
Well-Known Member
try a few out, your eyesight is the key factor in this, its not always price / build quality or reputation that sways the descision. ive had alsorts of scopes, S+B, swarovski, lecia, tasco, simmons to name but a few. to be honest i carnt really see much difference between the high price scopes when it comes down to image quality. i have settled with meopta after nearly 15 years of other scopes. for me the meopta artemis 2000 7 x 50 is by far the best scope i have used (buld quality, relaibilty, clarity, reticlue choice,warranty and price taken into consideration). infact i have just bought another one for my 270! I am not saying it is "better" than anything else but for my eyes it would seem that it is!
Main thing is to try them out for your self.
happy shopping
Skipp.
Main thing is to try them out for your self.
happy shopping
Skipp.
skippy
I see buck52 has just put a Swaro 6x42 for sale in the classifieds section for £200.
willie_gunn
I see buck52 has just put a Swaro 6x42 for sale in the classifieds section for £200.
willie_gunn
Realtree
Well-Known Member
Just go with the best you can afford. You will not go wrong with Swarovski or Zeiss aswell as S&B, these are however high end scopes in terms of both money and optics.
You really do pay for what you get and with all the bashing and thrashing you scope will take over the years, just make sure it will handle it.
Woodland Stalking- Fixed mag 8x,10x with large objective, say 56mm (you dont have time to fumble)
Hill Stalking- Variable mag say 2.5-15 or 3-18 or similar. ( you will have a little more time to adjust mag)
Some may argue that a variable mag scope will be an all-rounder, which I tend to agree with.
You really do pay for what you get and with all the bashing and thrashing you scope will take over the years, just make sure it will handle it.
Woodland Stalking- Fixed mag 8x,10x with large objective, say 56mm (you dont have time to fumble)
Hill Stalking- Variable mag say 2.5-15 or 3-18 or similar. ( you will have a little more time to adjust mag)
Some may argue that a variable mag scope will be an all-rounder, which I tend to agree with.
Hi
I started with a 6x44 Tasco and found it fine for most stalking in woodland or on the hill. Then changed to 6x42 Doctor and found the optics were better My advice for new stalkers is to get a good fixed power scope first and learn to stalk before complicating things any more than you need to. Top choices would be S&B, zeiss, swarovski 6x42, 8x50 or 8x56 but also good leupold, doctor, meopta. 6x should be plenty when you start
Cheers
S
I started with a 6x44 Tasco and found it fine for most stalking in woodland or on the hill. Then changed to 6x42 Doctor and found the optics were better My advice for new stalkers is to get a good fixed power scope first and learn to stalk before complicating things any more than you need to. Top choices would be S&B, zeiss, swarovski 6x42, 8x50 or 8x56 but also good leupold, doctor, meopta. 6x should be plenty when you start
Cheers
S
Sam
Well-Known Member
Sorry Realtree but I have to disagree. I've mixed with a fair few hill stalking chaps, most of them are using 30 year old 6x42 Swaro and similar, but by gum they can shoot. A 8x56 will do everthing. Hence my preferance. Are you a hill man or a woodlander (guessing by the name you are a woodsman, but I live to be proved wrong!)
atb
Sam
atb
Sam
I've done mainly hill-stalking, and a little bit in woods: most of it with two 6x42 Schmidt and Benders, one s/h on a s/h rifle and one bought new for a new rifle.
As many have said already, I'd suggest good quality (S&B, Zeiss, Swaro) fixed power, and do consider decent s/h.
As many have said already, I'd suggest good quality (S&B, Zeiss, Swaro) fixed power, and do consider decent s/h.
Bavarianbrit
Well-Known Member
I use an illuminated reticule on my Zeiss 3-12x56 but usually set at around 6x and have never needed the lit function yet. I have good sources for obtaining a lot of 4x32 , 4x36 and 6x42 top german made scopes in mostly good condition, as here in germany most Jägers are upgrading to 56 dia objective scopes due to boar problems at night.
The Americans are snapping them up now as for the normal lighting conditions found in deer stalking they really dont need more light gathering performance only the brilliant optics on these scopes.
I found that No1 reticule is very good for precise bullet placement and I was uncertain at the beginning as I was used to using more normal No4 crosshairs before I moved to Germany.
Martin
The Americans are snapping them up now as for the normal lighting conditions found in deer stalking they really dont need more light gathering performance only the brilliant optics on these scopes.
I found that No1 reticule is very good for precise bullet placement and I was uncertain at the beginning as I was used to using more normal No4 crosshairs before I moved to Germany.
Martin
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