I heard Jim say he was thinking of doing some testing and putting
some scopes through the ringer, So what you think. A lot of questions
I guess. How much zoom is enough? How durable? I hunt NC, Ga, Missouri
maybe Kansas. 500 yards is a long shot here for sure. I was looking at Leupold
VX-4HD but it only comes 4-16x50. Is that enough for 500 yards plus if I venture
out west?
I think 16 power is plenty for 500 yards. If you want a little more zoom you could consider the Athlon Helos 4-20.
That was my thought as well. 24 zoomies is even better (except on the kill shot) but all the 4-24 are over $1000. Personally don’t think you loose too much going 5-25 and the Burris Veracity is a nice choice there.
Are you looking for light weight? Or best bang for your buck? I know there still some Leupold gen 1 VX-5’s out there under a $1000. Some models to consider that don’t get mentioned, Steiner Optics, Meopta, I don’t know if you have restrictions on electrical asst optics but the Burris Veracity PH 4-20x50 is a good one especially if your a Crapelas or Ass Pro shop club member, as they’ll beat any price by 5%, and if you wait for a club member day you’ll get a additional 10% off, as I look at there inventory and typically find want I want cheaper on the web. Then call them up and have them beat it.. I ended up getting the Burris 4-20x50 above for like $568.
https://www.wikiarms.com/guns?q=Burris+Veracity+PH+FFP+Rifle+Scope+-+4-20X50mm
Narrow down what you want, then search it on Wilki Arms or Gun Deals, to find the best price. Same goes for Ammo, I use ammo seek
I’d look for a gen 1 Leupold vx5 or check for used ones on marketplace or Rokslide. I do have a Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22 in MOA that id sell for $950 shipped with rings, if you are interested in that. I sold the rifle it was on and its been sitting in my safe
Light weight hunting rig mostly
4-16 is plenty. Higher magnification is great for zooming in on shots at the range and differentiating between groups of animals, but shooting at lower magnification is great because it lets you spot impacts and keep the animal in the field of view. If you can clearly see the animal’s body and center the reticle to cleanly divide the torso/vital zone into four quadrants, you have plenty of magnification to make an ethically precise shot. It’s an aiming device, not a spotting scope. You don’t need to see the morning frost on the fur to make a good shot.
The scope from Shoot2Hunt/Zero Tech is going to be hard to beat at the $1,000 price point. 3-18x44, but you’ll be waiting a 6+ months or until they can get some in stock. First 50 production units are getting reviewed/tested now and it looks pretty promising. I should have 2 coming in October to try for myself. It is FFP though if that factors into your decision.
If you’re going Leupold, get the vx-5 3-15x44. I used the 5 and 6 for a long time. The 6 is great but not worth the extra cost. Put frankly, I don’t know if they have a problems holding zero or not but I’ll be interested to see some independent testing because enough people are touting it that it’s made me cautious. Mark 4/5 HD are likely outside your budget as FFP options.
Nightforce are durable as you can get. I don’t love the eye relief on them though. nX6 may be a bit better, but haven’t tried one yet.
Trijicon may be worth a look - I haven’t priced them in a long time and have a reputation for durability as well.
What are your personal preferences? Everyone wants something a little different.
For me personally, a 4-16 is annoying. It is sometimes tough to see holes in a paper target at 100 yards at 16 power—especially if the paper is in the shade. 18 is okay, 20 makes me happy, 24 is a luxury.
Also, first focal plane is a hard requirement for me. I just don’t use second focal plane because then I lose the ability to make precise wind calls. For others, they don’t mind that and like the reticle never getting too skinny.
Here is one I like https://www.opticsplanet.com/burris-veracity-5-25x50mm-30mm-tube-rifle-scope.html Note that’s the Veracity and NOT the Veracity PH. No electronics in this one. Just a solid scope.
But even though it doesn’t match my preferences spec-wise, I do really really like the Leupold VX4HD
Well covered. Thanks guys.
Great minds… 
That Burris Jim mentioned is on sale here $618.01
That’s a great deal. solid scope
Quickfishing sent link and Natchez has the 4-20x50 varacity ph for 749.99. I ordered it today.
Thanks men.