Rifle bought, now help with scope

[todd]

Well, I did it! I purchased a Savage 12fv in .204 ruger. I have read all the post in here on optics and done some more research. Like I said I am going to use this piece for Prairie Dog's. I am looking at a 4-16x40, some where in there. There are hundreds of choices, but what I am really wanting to know is what company makes there scopes in the USA. I want a scope that is built buy American's, anyone clear it up for me?

[Rick in Oregon]

Todd: Everyone here knows I'm a loyal lifetime Leupold user and have a substantial quantity of their optics in my safe. There are not many scopes made in the USA, but to my knowledge, they are: Nightforce, Burris and Leupold. Many other companies are US owned, but expect to see "Made in Philippines or China, or Taiwan" (or other offshore locations) on the scopes.

There are some decent import scopes out there, but you asked for US made brands. I may have missed something, and if so, guaranteed someone will chime in to fill the void.

I say buy quality once and don't look back. If you only go PD shooting once or twice a year, look at a Leupold VX-2 in 6-18X with adjustable objective and any reticle you choose, such as Leupold's Long Range reticle. SWFA and Bear Basin have some of the best prices on optics.

[Guy M]

Another U.S. made scope is the very high end scope line produced by U.S. Optics... Amazing quality. I've been pleased to use one, but haven't ever come up with the cash for the purchase... Truly world class scopes:

http://www.usoptics.com/

Probably not what you're looking for on the typical varmint rifle, but if someone wants to buy American, and also wants one of the very best scopes avail in the world... They're worth a look. I've done a lot of shooting using a scope by US Optics - it was superb! Very heavy duty scopes. This isn't a good photo of it, but here's my hard-use rifle with the US Optics scope on it - being used in tough conditions:



Regards, Guy

[futuretrades]

i am in total agreement with rick, on the leupy's. made in the good ol USA and lifetime warranty,. their customer service is the best i have ever dealt with. fast turnaround and no B.S. I am also in agreement with VXII in 6-18x40 AO that rick mentioned. i have 2 of them mounted on my varmint rifles. on my 204 i went with the target model and LRV reticle, customized for my load that i shoot the most. one of these days i may go with come up charts like rick uses, but for now it's pretty hard for me to break old habits

also, don't forget to look at opticsplanet.com. they had the best prices, when i bought 4 different leupolds. and believe me, i did a lot of looking before my purchases.

[Guy M]

Hard to beat a Leupold for the price, quality and service... I've got one 3-9x that I'm still using, got it in 1974. It's never had a problem... Targets, varmints, predators and mule deer have all met their final bullet via the crosshairs of that old scope...

A couple of scopes that I have had to return to Leupold for service were handled very quickly, thoroughly and for free! Can't beat "free" for a price tag...

Have several Leupold scopes that I consider very good for varmint shooting:

6.5-20x Vari-X III on my oldest son's AR-15 varminter. Really nice scope.


4.5-14x Vari-X III - I like this one so much, I've got two of 'em! A favorite scope that has done duty on varmints, coyotes and mule deer.

And the pair of 4.5x14's. Top one is on my .308 Rem 700 - an excellent 600 yard rifle! Yes, I painted it green...
The bottom one is on my 7mm Rem mag, I had the "M-1" turrets added by Leupold's Custom Shop last year. Very nice.


12x fixed - okay - I know a lot of guys don't like fixed power scopes, but this thing is terrific! It's on my .204 CZ, which I've been using for rock chucks this spring. Used to use it on a competition rifle for 600 yard prone matches. Excellent optics and very repeatable windage & elevation adjustments. Here's the 12x w/target turrets:


All of the above have the adjustable objective, and all are 1" tubes. Reasonably priced, and very good scopes. The newest one is probably seven or eight years old and they've been used in rain, snow, and blistering sunny heat... Good scopes. I'd save up for the VX-III or whatever Leupold is calling it now. Or consider the fixed 12x... It really is quite a scope for varmint shooting.

Regards, Guy

[broncsandwhiskey]

Hey Todd,
I will not argue with any of these guys on the info they gave you but I will say that one scope brand that has done me no wrong and is made here the good ol USA and that's Burris. They are good optics at an afordable price if you are looking at the money end of it also. Which I think most of us are when it comes to setting up a rig like the one you are setting up. I have never had any trouble with the Burris line and run them on most of my rifles, I do run Leopold on a few also. My father-in-law uses Leopold only and he loves them but like I said for the best bang for your dollar in my opinion you cann't go wrong with a Burris. But what ever you choose I am sure you will be happy with. Good luck and Ride Up!!!

[DeFens]

Hi Folks! My first post here after lurking for a few weeks.

All of the above has been very good advice. If I might throw in a few more observations...

With the global economy being what it is, it's quite difficult to tell if ANY scope is fully manufactured in the USA. Nightforce is assembled in Orofino Idaho, but the optical elements are Japanese made by one of Japan's high-end optics factories. Leupold is known for having some optical elements made overseas, with assembly in Oregon. Burris is touted to be all US made, but I wouldn't doubt that some of the lens may be made in Asia.

Having a US warranty and a quality product is the main thing. I have Leupold and Burris scopes and rate them very highly. The best scope I own is an IOR Valdada, which is probably the clearest glass I've ever looked through. And, as one of the guys posts above, US Optics is all US made, but it is very spendy.

You can't really go wrong with a Leupold or Burris, with Burris perhaps being a better price point.

[Wrangler John]

Scopes are scopes - they're all the same to me. Quality seems to rely on price point, but this can be skewed by the exchange rate between dollars and foreign currency.

I did pick up a Leupold VXII 6-18X 40mm this month. It's substantially lighter and smaller than the usual stuff I buy, and works well on my Ruger #3 in .220 Swift. I wonder why I have been buying those 6.5-24X scopes when I seldom use more than 14 power for squirrels. I have never had any problems with a Leupold, and I have many - some 34 years old. These days I usually don't spend the money for Leupold, but this was a good price.

I only own two Burris scopes, and one fell apart from recoil. The windage turret completely left the tube, but Burris repaired it and had it back in two weeks. Just luck of the draw, some times things break.

Other than that, I have never had any problems with Bushnell Elite, Nikon Monarch, Weaver Classic Extreme, or even the old external adjustment Unertls. Considering that most American scopes use Japanese lenses or glass (Japanese make the finest optical glass and lenses no need to reinvent the wheel), the difference is internal parts and our desire to support American firms. Then some Burris scopes, for example, are assembled in the Philippines. Usually the picture quality of all most any premiere scope is good enough for me - when sighting through dust covered, sweat smeared, greasy prescription trifocal lenses they all work! When I popped the hood on my then new GMC truck, I found the diesel engine a creation of Isuzu and GM, and parts from Brazil, Japan, Canada, and gosh knows where else. Made in America isn't the same as it once was.