Over the years of purchasing, selling, and trading scopes I've come across a few that have really impressed me. What are some of the scopes that you have had personal experience with that have left a good lasting impression on you. Hunting or target scopes is fine. Just looking for some of the most memorable scopes we have all owned. For instances, I looked thru an old model Tasco from Japan that really surprised me for the age of the scope. Another one that comes to mind is the older Burris Signature 4-16x44.
Most Memorable Scopes
- Thread starter fredhorace77
- Start date
The new Gen 2 is great scope, eye relief is crazy and glass is great but it had dust on the inside lenses and it is heavy. My NXS is old faithful. Always can count on it but I have had it for 6 years but the price is the same as I bought it. Even though more and more shooters are moving to ffp the price hasn't moved.
I remember my first "western hunting" scope. It was a Leupold VariX II 2x7x32. I thought it was amazing. Prior to that, all I owned was several Weavers. These days, my eyes are loosing resolution and brightness so just about any modern scope looks ok to me. The old Burris Signature series scopes seemed to be a winner years ago. My favorite today is the Leupold VX6 scopes. I have a Leupold MKIV on my long range rifle and it has always tracked perfectly. The cheaper scopes today do not seem to track very well compared to the Leupolds, Nightforce, Zeiss, Swarovski. You get what you pay for generally.
AckleymanII
Gold $$ Contributor
Leupold Vari X III in a 3.5x40 with A.O.
Killed hundreds of coyotes with this scope, durable and will take a beating, kept zero with a 1000 miles in a rifle scabbard on mules and horses on deer and predator hunts in the roughest Az. territory.
Killed hundreds of coyotes with this scope, durable and will take a beating, kept zero with a 1000 miles in a rifle scabbard on mules and horses on deer and predator hunts in the roughest Az. territory.
About 15 years ago I went to an auction sale where the home owner had died and his wife was selling everything and moving. I happened to pick up a Bushnell 3 x 9 air rifle type scope and glance through it. When it came up for sale I bought it and then had a talk with the mans widow.
She told me her husband had worked for Bushnell at one time and had been planing to do something with the scope I bought but that’s all she knew.
My reason for buying it was to this day I have never seen optics so clear in all my life, and I have had or looked through about all of them. I tried it on my custom 10/22 about 2 years ago but the elevation and windage knobs had to be taped to keep them from moving. I believe it was something that they were working on because of the knobs not working well, but the glass in that scope is totally awesome!!
She told me her husband had worked for Bushnell at one time and had been planing to do something with the scope I bought but that’s all she knew.
My reason for buying it was to this day I have never seen optics so clear in all my life, and I have had or looked through about all of them. I tried it on my custom 10/22 about 2 years ago but the elevation and windage knobs had to be taped to keep them from moving. I believe it was something that they were working on because of the knobs not working well, but the glass in that scope is totally awesome!!
hogpatrol
Silver $$ Contributor
The year, 1968. The rifle, a Remington 700 varmint in .22-250. The scope, a Redfield 32x 3200. A lot of groundhogs died of lead poisoning from that combo. Alack and alas, the new additions to the family dictated I trade it for more diapers and rent money. 
That scope was awesome though. I still peruse ebay and other sites to see how many are still around.
That scope was awesome though. I still peruse ebay and other sites to see how many are still around.The year, 1968. The rifle, a Remington 700 varmint in .22-250. The scope, a Redfield 32x 3200. A lot of groundhogs died of lead poisoning from that combo. Alack and alas, the new additions to the family dictated I trade it for more diapers and rent money.
I loved the 3200's and wanted one so bad when I was a teenager in the late 60's I couldn't stand it. Couldn't afford it either, so I saved up what little I could and got a Weaver K-10 with one of those new fangled duplex reticles. I really wanted a 700 Varmint Special, couldn't afford it either, so I had to settle for a 788 in 222, and man I thought I had me something, loved that little rig.
I didn't go wrong with it either, judging from all the critters it put down and all the fun I had with it back then. Good memories I will always have, that's for sure.
Alan
all I use to do was deer hunt with a 25-06 and Redfield 6X Wideview scope from the early 70`s,, I bought my oldest son a Model 7 308 when he was little and got a deal on a NIB Ziess Conquest 3-9x40 and hunting in the woods or early mornings or late evenings it was like I had a QBeam spotlight and it never fogged I dont care if it was raining or what,,I killed my biggest deer ever with that rifle scope at daylight one morning and with my old Redfield there is no way I could have made that shot,,at that minute I knew I would never again buy another cheap scope and would replace all that I had ,,what is funny you can buy that scope new now cheaper than I bought that one almost 15 years ago,,
I agree with the OP on the old Japanese Tasco scopes. Excellent glass. I have 3 of them from 3-9x, to 6-18x, and 6-24x. All have great glass all the way to the top and accurate adjustments.
On a more recent note. I recently picked up a Nikon Prostaff 7 in 4-16x42mm. It is a very nice scope for the money with glass that equals Leupold V3 or Nikon Monarch and easily bests Vortex Viper glass. Elevation and windage adjustment clicks are as solid as any quality made steel erector scope out there in the $500-$1000 price range. I think Nikon really hit a home run with the Prostaff 7 by making such a nice hunting scope that can be bought for less than $300.
On a more recent note. I recently picked up a Nikon Prostaff 7 in 4-16x42mm. It is a very nice scope for the money with glass that equals Leupold V3 or Nikon Monarch and easily bests Vortex Viper glass. Elevation and windage adjustment clicks are as solid as any quality made steel erector scope out there in the $500-$1000 price range. I think Nikon really hit a home run with the Prostaff 7 by making such a nice hunting scope that can be bought for less than $300.
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+1 on the sightron sIII line, I've got 2 of them and they are an amazing piece of equipment! Very excellent scopes for the money and extremely competitive with scopes costing up to $400 more
snert
Silver $$ Contributor
weaver T 10. My first "target" scope. Still rides a 220 Swift and still dials in with no issues. I have shot tree squirrels, woodchucks, deer and crows with that scope on 222, 22-250, 308, 22, and 220. Longest chuck 715 yards. Crosshair covered him, but he never knew it!
Agree on the Sightron SIII line for sure.
My Nikon M-223 series scope is memorable too; some of my work is at short ranges and the adjustable parallax feature won't give me a clear image under 80 yards - we're talking big time blurry here. After one 5 shot string to check it at 50 yards, it came off the rifle and went back on the shelf. Re-scoped the rifle with an old Swift that came off a model 700 I bought for a doner action for another project and it focuses down to about 15 yards, so I couldn't be happier with the Swift. We'll get around to contacting Nikon one of these days to see if they can do anything about it. Luck of the draw, I guess.
Anyone remember they Lyman super targetspot? I think it came in 10, 15, 30x?
My first scope experience was with a 30x mounted on the new family heirloom, a pre-64 win 70 in 243 with target barrel.
Great uncle used to use the scope on his 300 win mag too, so there isn't the return spring. Never understood what scope bite was until my first fixed mount scope on my 30-06... Oops.
-Mac
My first scope experience was with a 30x mounted on the new family heirloom, a pre-64 win 70 in 243 with target barrel.
Great uncle used to use the scope on his 300 win mag too, so there isn't the return spring. Never understood what scope bite was until my first fixed mount scope on my 30-06... Oops.
-Mac
I know the Super Targetspot well - I still have a Winchester 52 International with one on it, a 25x. When I want a bit less power, I substitute a Unertl 10x. Love them both; scopes with external adjustments in the rings aren't for everyone, but I enjoy the voyage into the past.
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