Recommendations for a mid-grade scope?

[CLT65]

I've been tossing around the idea of replacing the scope on one of my rifles, but scopes are not my specialty; I just don't know what's good and what's not anymore.

The rifle is a custom Rem 700 30-06 that my dad bought back in the '80s. It's a 26" heavy barrel, McMillan pillar-bedded stock, put together by a master riflesmith. When I practiced from sandbags regularly, I could shoot .5moa with it, but I suspect that it might do better than that; half-minute was just the limits of my abilities. I'm not a big bench-rest guy anyhow, my interest in tiny little groups from sandbags comes and goes.

Anyhow, it currently has a Leupold 6x scope that hasn't been off of it in 30+ years, and I've always thought that 6x is a little weak for such a rifle. My dad never shot it, didn't really even like guns, just thought he needed it in case he ever needed it. He passed a couple years ago and it's mine now. I think eventually I want to put a bigger scope on it, maybe a variable around 6-16x or something like that.

As to cost, I'm not going to break the bank. I know a lot of guys like expensive optics and preach things like spending more on glass than you do on the gun, but that kind of thing is way out of my league. I'm thinking two to four hundred tops. I'm not a hunter or an "operator"; this rifle won't be packed through the boonies in a snowstorm. It will be packed to the range in a padded case, and if my life ever depends on this rifle, something went way, way wrong in life.

It's funny, when I was a young man, in my circle of friends where I grew up, a really nice scope that most hunters I knew liked was a Leupold Vari-X 3-9x40 that could be had for $100 or so. Nowadays it seems that those are looked down upon as a budget scope, and everyone spends $1k or more. To each their own. Nice stuff is nice to have, but not everyone can afford it.

This is just something I've been thinking about, thought I'd start researching and learning what's good and what's not, and what would be appropriate for this old rifle, and in my price range. What really got me thinking was seeing a used B&L scope in the classifieds here, looked like a really good deal. Must have been, because it went quick. I made a commitment earlier this year to not spend any more money on guns and such, but somewhere down the road I might spend some on a scope.

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[arrowshooter]

I've been very happy with Athlon. I have a Neos 6-18x44 and two Argos BTR 6-24x50 and they work great.

 

[NeoBlackdog]

Leupold VX-III 2.5-8. That'll do everything you'll ever want on a hunting rifle.

 

[Mark_Dorman]

Sounds like a really need rifle and awesome that you are keeping it and take it out sometimes.

Man, you could get quite the variety of recommendations but it will vary so much depending on who answers but I'll give it a shot.
I personally started out my shooting adventures with an SFP 4-12x Vortex Diamond back that honestly was pretty solid for just getting started. Offered a fair amount of zoom to really see a target at 100-200 yards (R700 in 223). That really go me into precision shooting so started stepping up scopes and gear from there.

Currently that gun has a second hand Vortex Venom that we picked up for $300 (pretty solid deal at the time). It is FFP and a 5-25x56 34mm tube in MRAD. I switched from MOA to MRAD because most competitive shooters use it now and makes it easier to share holds and adjustment info. FFP is a really nice feature but not necessary if you're just punching paper at standard distances. Also saves a bit of weight usually go with an SFP. That being said if you're shooting 300 yards or less you could easily get by with something like a 4-16x but having a 6-24x is always nice for anything over 100 yards. If you're trying to keep the cost down I would check out the classifieds and see what's floating around there in the scope section. Most scopes that retail in the $500 range are actually pretty solid and you can have a ton of fun with them if you're not obsessed with the best glass quality. Honestly, most decent brands make solid options in that price range. Arken, Athlon, Bushnell, Burris, Leupold, Vortex, etc.

I also have a Bushnell Match Pro 6-24x50, Arken EP5 5-25x56, and Athlon BTR 6-24x50 on my Rimfire guns and all are pretty solid. They won't hang with $1000+ optics, but all were sub $400 when I got them.

In the end, because you don't have a super defined purpose for the scope like Hunting or Competition you could be vary happy with a wide variety. I would just stay away from anything too cheap (sub $200 market price when new). They can be decent, but I think you'll be happier with something a little nicer.

 

[solv3nt]

It sounds like Leupold is your best bet.

 

[CountryGent]

Generally speaking, I always just keep to iron sights. So my scope knowledge is also limited. However, Leupold has never been a bad choice; either the scope or their product support. I can't say the same for other manufacturers.

 

[JRuby]

Depending on the condition of that 6X leupold it could probably pay for most of a new scope if you sold it. There are alot of people that I know that really like those. Look up what they are going for on ebay.

A recommendation is a Vortex DiamondBack HP 4-16 power was going for @200$ on Midway USA.. I think they must be closing them out. Its no leupold but they make a decent scope. I purchased one for my new 264WM I am having built.

 

[Nosferatu]

Arken sounds like it fits the bill.

This one is $389 and there's a 25% off special going on now: https://www.arkenopticsusa.com/sh-4-4-16x50-gen2-ffp-illuminated-vpr-zero-stop-34mm-tube

You'd have to budget for new rings too.

 

[DunRanull]

I've been tossing around the idea of replacing the scope on one of my rifles, but scopes are not my specialty; I just don't know what's good and what's not anymore.

The rifle is a custom Rem 700 30-06 that my dad bought back in the '80s. It's a 26" heavy barrel, McMillan pillar-bedded stock, put together by a master riflesmith. When I practiced from sandbags regularly, I could shoot .5moa with it, but I suspect that it might do better than that; half-minute was just the limits of my abilities. I'm not a big bench-rest guy anyhow, my interest in tiny little groups from sandbags comes and goes.

Anyhow, it currently has a Leupold 6x scope that hasn't been off of it in 30+ years, and I've always thought that 6x is a little weak for such a rifle. My dad never shot it, didn't really even like guns, just thought he needed it in case he ever needed it. He passed a couple years ago and it's mine now. I think eventually I want to put a bigger scope on it, maybe a variable around 6-16x or something like that.

As to cost, I'm not going to break the bank. I know a lot of guys like expensive optics and preach things like spending more on glass than you do on the gun, but that kind of thing is way out of my league. I'm thinking two to four hundred tops. I'm not a hunter or an "operator"; this rifle won't be packed through the boonies in a snowstorm. It will be packed to the range in a padded case, and if my life ever depends on this rifle, something went way, way wrong in life.

It's funny, when I was a young man, in my circle of friends where I grew up, a really nice scope that most hunters I knew liked was a Leupold Vari-X 3-9x40 that could be had for $100 or so. Nowadays it seems that those are looked down upon as a budget scope, and everyone spends $1k or more. To each their own. Nice stuff is nice to have, but not everyone can afford it.

This is just something I've been thinking about, thought I'd start researching and learning what's good and what's not, and what would be appropriate for this old rifle, and in my price range. What really got me thinking was seeing a used B&L scope in the classifieds here, looked like a really good deal. Must have been, because it went quick. I made a commitment earlier this year to not spend any more money on guns and such, but somewhere down the road I might spend some on a scope.

Personally I'd leave it be. 6x Leupold is fine for an ott-six.

 

[CLT65]

Generally speaking, I always just keep to iron sights.

I shoot a lot of iron sight guns too, but something weird has been going on with my eyes lately. The sights are starting to get blurry. I went to the eye doctor several years ago and he just said I was getting old, that it happens to everyone once you approach the half-century mark. Wait, what?! No, can't be... It is frustrating though, trying to shoot like I used to with open sights. A lot of my favorite guns are the type I'd never put a scope on (old surplus rifles).

Depending on the condition of that 6X leupold it could probably pay for most of a new scope if you sold it.

It is a pretty nice scope, for what it is. It has multiple crosshairs and range-finding dots out to 800 yards, don't know if that's custom or factory. The riflesmith that built the rifle had a close relationship with Leupold at the time.

I don't think I could bring myself to sell it though. It was my dad's. I'd probably put it on something else.

Personally I'd leave it be. 6x Luepold is fine for an ott-six.

That is an option too. I'm not 100% sold on replacing it. One of my other rifles has a 16x scope, and going from 6x to 16x is a pretty big difference, and it's hard to be as precise at longer ranges.

Lots of great suggestions and good options that I'll check into. Thank you, everyone. I'm not in a hurry on this, so I might just get a good idea of what I'm looking for and keep an eye on the classifieds, maybe find something a little nicer used than I could afford new.

 

[bionic knees]

leupold freedom 4-12x40 cds gets my vote. find a load that shoots well in the rifle, stick with it and have the dial cut to that load, I put one on my .270 short mag last year and love it. regular price is $349, with christmas here you can probably find it close to$300

 

[CountryGent]

I shoot a lot of iron sight guns too, but something weird has been going on with my eyes lately. The sights are starting to get blurry. I went to the eye doctor several years ago and he just said I was getting old, that it happens to everyone once you approach the half-century mark. Wait, what?! No, can't be... It is frustrating though, trying to shoot like I used to with open sights. A lot of my favorite guns are the type I'd never put a scope on (old surplus rifles).

Funny you mention it, because I was at an overdue eye doctor appointment yesterday. He said something about age and the effects of said too.

 

[bionic knees]

leupold freedom 4-12x40 cds gets my vote. find a load that shoots well in the rifle, stick with it and have the dial cut to that load, I put one on my .270 short mag last year and love it. regular price is $349, with christmas here you can probably find it close to$300

Midway has the leupold 4-12x40 cds in matte black for $300 now

 

[edzz]

Sounds like a classic sniper configuration. Benefit of the fixed magnification is you don't have to second guess if you set the correct magnification.

If it were me, I'd just send the Leupold 6x in for service, reinstall and confirm zero.

If you really want one of those fancy variable magnification numbers I'd look into building out a new rifle. Saves kicking yourself latter for mucking up dad's rifle.

If you really want more magnification you may look at the same scope in 10x.

 

[Koda]

I'm not a hunter or an "operator"; this rifle won't be packed through the boonies in a snowstorm. It will be packed to the range in a padded case

It doesnt sound like a rifle you plan to shoot much. I would leave the original Leupold 6x on it as it was intended. Leupolds are excellent scopes then and now.

That said... a custom built -06 thats a tack driver, should you insist on a new scope any Leupold that fits your budget is more than enough.

 

[Knobgoblin]

The leupold fixed 6 power is a scope I'm always on the lookout for. The Matte 4x seems common, but not the one you have.

 

[ZigZagZeke]

I've been tossing around the idea of replacing the scope on one of my rifles, but scopes are not my specialty; I just don't know what's good and what's not anymore.

The rifle is a custom Rem 700 30-06 that my dad bought back in the '80s. It's a 26" heavy barrel, McMillan pillar-bedded stock, put together by a master riflesmith. When I practiced from sandbags regularly, I could shoot .5moa with it, but I suspect that it might do better than that; half-minute was just the limits of my abilities. I'm not a big bench-rest guy anyhow, my interest in tiny little groups from sandbags comes and goes.

Anyhow, it currently has a Leupold 6x scope that hasn't been off of it in 30+ years, and I've always thought that 6x is a little weak for such a rifle. My dad never shot it, didn't really even like guns, just thought he needed it in case he ever needed it. He passed a couple years ago and it's mine now. I think eventually I want to put a bigger scope on it, maybe a variable around 6-16x or something like that.

As to cost, I'm not going to break the bank. I know a lot of guys like expensive optics and preach things like spending more on glass than you do on the gun, but that kind of thing is way out of my league. I'm thinking two to four hundred tops. I'm not a hunter or an "operator"; this rifle won't be packed through the boonies in a snowstorm. It will be packed to the range in a padded case, and if my life ever depends on this rifle, something went way, way wrong in life.

It's funny, when I was a young man, in my circle of friends where I grew up, a really nice scope that most hunters I knew liked was a Leupold Vari-X 3-9x40 that could be had for $100 or so. Nowadays it seems that those are looked down upon as a budget scope, and everyone spends $1k or more. To each their own. Nice stuff is nice to have, but not everyone can afford it.

This is just something I've been thinking about, thought I'd start researching and learning what's good and what's not, and what would be appropriate for this old rifle, and in my price range. What really got me thinking was seeing a used B&L scope in the classifieds here, looked like a really good deal. Must have been, because it went quick. I made a commitment earlier this year to not spend any more money on guns and such, but somewhere down the road I might spend some on a scope.

Here's what I have on my Howa 1500 in .30-06:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/750712-REG/Vortex_VHS_4307_Viper_HS_4_16x50_Riflescope.html/?cnxclid=17025308971210074031519051161008005

Vortex has a lifetime, transferrable, no questions asked replacement warranty on all their products. They have scopes from $149 to $3500.

 

[Juniper9mm]

I always think Athlon, Burris or Vortex when I think of mid-range scopes. I've got all three, but am more partial to the Athlons. All are quality scopes at that level.

 

[CLT65]

What do you all think of an OLD Leupold M8 12x AO? This one seems like it should work nicely for this old rifle.

 

[P7M13]

I think your M8 is a better option to keep era with era on your aught six.
I have a Burris Fullfield E1 4.5x14x44 on my 7mm/08 mountain rifle and absolutely love it. 15oz and inexpensive.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B019KDSRBG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1