Need a scope...?

Greetings! I just joined the Savage family with a left handed Model 10 Predator Hunter Realtree Max 1 in 223 REM. It's my first centerfire rifle, and kind of a "pre-retirement" gift to myself. I'll probably use it to punch holes in paper while my future son-in-law (a former Marine sniper) makes fun of me, but I don't care...I'm the retired guy! Anyway, I need a scope, and I want something pretty decent. I bought a Redfield Revolution 3-9x40 scope a while back because the deal was too good to pass up (kind of like the deal on the Savage), but I'm thinking I may want something different for this beast. What are your thoughts? Thanks!

You probably just opened up a hornet's nest...... Plus, there are plenty of variables to consider here. What is your budget? What range do you normally shoot at? If simply target shooting is your only intended purpose would a fixed power scope be OK? Or do you prefer a variable? Just things to consider before making a purchase, and will help the rest of us help you narrow down your potential options. But anyway, my personal preference is Sightron. I own several of them and regularly compare them against their competitors. Quality of the glass and overall quality of construction is on par with scopes costing hundreds more. Their customer support, should you ever need to use it is second to none. They have lifetime warranties on all their stuff. My last Sightron, an SIII FFP scope has a list price of about $1300. Tactical Wholesalers had them for $825. I'd start there.

Additionally, I recently picked up a fixed 6X from Primary Arms. For a cheap scope (about $130), the glass quality is very impressive.

Leupold is still pretty much the gold standard. Of course, if you just love spending money, you got your NightForce, Swarovski, Schmidt & Benders and what not. Burris, Vortex, Athlon, Bushnell, SWFA (SuperSniper) and Nikon all offer quality stuff for reasonable prices.

BUT, with all that said, Sightron is my "across the board" overall top pick. I've yet to hear of anyone who was not completely satisfied with a Sightron product, and the 5 I personally own are right there with the best.

Best of luck!!!!
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Best thing you can do for yourself to help narrow the field down is determine how much you want to spend, how much magnification you want/need, and what (if any) special features it needs to have (i.e. side focus, first focal plane reticle, MIL or MOA adjustments). Once you do that you'll have a much smaller selection to choose from and it will be easier for folks to give you some honest feedback on their experience with scopes that fall within those parameters.

The revolution is a very decent little scope. Not sure what you want "different"
Mr F laid out some pretty basic guidelines that should help narrow down what you're looking for.

Something I have found very useful in scope shopping is to print an optics resolution chart and take it with you to look through scopes at a retailer. It's a shame that big box sporting goods retailers that derive a significant portion of their business from firearm and optics sales don't go ahead and put them up in the store for customers. It would sure make upselling from most lower end optics much easier.

Since your retired, you probably have old eyes like me. So its nice to zoom in a bit more. A 4x16 Vortex FFP should be in your budget but not sure how much your willing to spend. Even a 6x24 may be nice which I have on my savage 10T 308. Have shot 1000 yards with it. But others have given you good advice too. Plenty of scopes in the EE section too to save a few pennies. Your max distance will help you narrow it down. Figure that out. One thing to note, I have a Burris 4-25x50 XTR II on my 338. Has a 34MM tube. Awesome scope. Hard to go back to my 308 and shoot with a 30mm tube. Big difference. Budget wasn't mentioned. Figure that out too. Go from there. Good luck.

Id just be using what you have until you've proven to yourself you need something else.
Theres always gonna be somebody telling you what they have and why you should have it also.
After awhile try the snipers outfit and see if you can do better with his. lol

A 4-16 or 6-18 will be plenty of scope for your 223. It will give you the magnification for those 300+ yard shots... and you'll be able to see your own bullet holes on the target inside of that.

Welcome to the addiction and that is a fine rifle to get started with!
These guys have given you some great advice.
There are 1000s of scopes out there from cheap to oh my gosh! If the paper shooting bug gets you good that could drastically change your needs. The .223 is not a typical long range caliber, but I have seen it used, so another caliber could be justified. But a greater magnification scope would be a must! I have gone out with some friends who routinely rang steel at 1200 yards & they have some 50+ magnification scopes that would fetch a VERY PRETTY penny!
Now obviously I don't think you need something like that but I would suggest something with an upper midrange magnification. Maybe a 4.5x14 or even up to a 16 or 18 on the top end. Anything from 3 to 6 on the bottom end would work for punching paper at 100 yards. But should the need or want arise, a 14 magnification on the top end can get you out several hundred yards.
A scope is kind of like a shed/shop or a gun safe, no matter how big of one you get you typically want/need more! [emoji57]
But the main thing I would make sure of is the clarity. It doesn't matter how much it will zoom in if it fogs up or just won't get sharp.
My first centerfire was a Svage Edge in .223. I purchased it on sale for $250 I believe when I started chasing coyotes. But I put a $700 Leupold 4.5-14x40 VX3 and it has generally served me well.
So there are a few things for you to consider and it really comes down to your wants and needs. Good luck!
Keep us up dated on your progress and decision!


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If you answered the 3 questions we could be of much more help.
1) how much money? Don't forget quality mounts and rings. They are just as important as the scope.
2) what are your goals as far as range and/or hunting applications?
3) what type of reticle do you prefer?

Thank you, everyone, for all of the input. The rifle came yesterday and it feels great. As for a budget, I was thinking in the $200 range, meaning I'll probably talk myself up to $275-$300 or so. But that's got to include the rings. The rifle came with the bases attached. I ain't complaining! My main purpose will be to kill time...meaning targets (there's a 200-yard range about 20 minutes from where I'm moving), but I could see using it to accompany my son-in-law and grandson when they go hunting. That would be more for wild pigs, which are our biggest problem here. I have little experience with scopes, and usually shoot 22's with open sights. I'm moving up! After this I'm trying reloading! So, any more advice on that scope?

I would personally just wait for sales on Midway USA and just try to get the best you can. I have a BSA FFP 6-24 with a mildot reticle on my 22-250 and it is alright for what it is. It cost me $140 on sale. I have a lot of better scopes, but in that price range , this is what I have experience with and it is decent for a gun with little recoil.

For target shooting there is no such thing as too much magnification. Go as big as you can and get a mildot... IMO.

Personally, if you are looking for a durable scope that will always work and be good enough for hunting and great for target... I would get a SWFA SS Fixed 10 power. It won't be enough magnification to get tiny little groups, but it will allow you to reach out reliably and consistently. Good glass and great turrets and the Milquad reticle make it worth the extra money. It goes for $300, and worth every penny.

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Originally Posted by Ardsley

Thank you, everyone, for all of the input. The rifle came yesterday and it feels great. As for a budget, I was thinking in the $200 range, meaning I'll probably talk myself up to $275-$300 or so. But that's got to include the rings. The rifle came with the bases attached. I ain't complaining! My main purpose will be to kill time...meaning targets (there's a 200-yard range about 20 minutes from where I'm moving), but I could see using it to accompany my son-in-law and grandson when they go hunting. That would be more for wild pigs, which are our biggest problem here. I have little experience with scopes, and usually shoot 22's with open sights. I'm moving up! After this I'm trying reloading! So, any more advice on that scope?

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The best rings I've found in the lower price category would be Weaver and Burris. SWFA has decent prices on both. Good deals can also be found on Amazon, Natchez, Midway, Cheaper Than Dirt, Brownells, Ebay, Optics Planet, Primary Arms and Mounting Solutions. I've dealt with all of these outfits, and have had ZERO issues. As for the scope, since you narrowed down your budget a bit, I'd stick with a straight power scope and get better quality glass as opposed to bells and whistles that you may not need, want, or ever use. There are some very nice scopes out there in the 4, 6 or 8X range that are super clear and incredible values. OR, if you think you want a variable, your best bet in that price range is to keep it simple. Something like a 3-9X or 4-12X is a pretty safe bet, or at least a good place to start looking.

Brands worth looking into are, in no particular order, Sightron, Vortex, Primary Arms, Weaver, Konus, Athlon, and Bushnell. I'm sure others will offer other brands to look at as well. Any scope you look at in this price range will be Chinese, or maybe Filipino. Don't let that scare you. Get the features you want and go with the one that has the best warranty. Use the internet to shop around and find a good deal. It's not uncommon to find decent scopes for 50 or 60% of list price if you are patient and shop smart.

Hope this helps... Best of luck!!!

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