When do you decide to step up into a high quality rifle scope?

[MannyGlocks]

I find there's a 'diminishing return' return factor to take into account with scopes.

Does your life depend on it?

How often will you use it?

Me, I find Vortex excellent - no not Nightforce or Trijicon excellent, but well beyond 'el cheapo' scopes.

Plenty good enough for me and I can afford better, but the dollar increase doesn't exceed the benefit when comparing this brand scope to more expensive ones...

 

[erslll]

If you can afford it, you will not regret it.

 

[Otter]

Overall I have not found a more expensive scope that made my group sizes smaller or make me shoot better. I do think more power helps...at least it does me. For me to shoot small I have to aim small.

I decided to step up to higher end optics when 1) I had a rifle capable of shooting small groups and 2) when I could afford one. If you don't have a rifle capable of small groups I think a person is wasting their money. And to spend a lot of money on a great scope and then not seeing any improvements could really be a disappointment.

The first rifle I had that would shoot small groups was a custom 6mmBR, capable of consistent 1/4 inch groups at 100 yards. The first scope on it was a 5-20x Nikon Monarch I paid $400. Next up it got a 36X Weaver picked up used for $300. No change in group size. After that I bought my first "high" end scope for me, a 8-32X SIII Sightron for about $700. Group size improved marginally, but wow, so much clearer than the Weaver. Was a pleasure to shoot that scope compared to the Weaver. Smallest 5 group agg I ever shot was with the Sightron. It now wears a 10-50X SIII Sightron ($900) and again group size pretty similar as before.

I have a few other rifles similar to the 6mmBR, and one has a Nightforce Competition 15-55X scope ($2300) and the other has a Vortex Golden Eagle 15-60X ($1500) scope. Neither of them shoot better now than they did with the previous scopes, that included a Sightron SIII, Nikon Monarch and Sightron SII. The NF and Vortex are excellent scopes and the Nightforce is the clearest scope I've ever used. But I just don't think they improved my groups that much. On the other hand I have no regrets spending the money since I appreciate quality.

I find all scopes these days have pretty good glass. I still use the Nikon Monarchs all the time and while the Nightforce is clearer, I don't feel hindered by the Nikons while at the range. One place I do appreciate the difference though are the days I hunt sage rats. The more expensive scopes are easier to look though all day and I don't seem to have some much eye fatigue.

My eyes are not great any more, so while I do think a high end hunting scope will provide a minute or two more shooting light at the start and end of the day, I have not been able to notice it.

I shoot at Tri County and hear guys talk about doing things to improve group size all the time, with scopes being one of them. Yet not a single one of them bother to put out any sort of wind indicators. I can cut my group sizes by probably 40% with any scope just by putting some surveyor tape on dowels and putting 3 or 4 of them between me and the targets. A 5mph shift in wind from left to right isn't really noticeable at the bench without wind indicators, but that change can increase group size by 1/2 inch.