Good hunting scope, Help!

I may be looking in all the wrong places, but I can't find a good thread with long range scope recommendations.

I'm looking for a decent, name-brand scope with at least 12x magnification to use on a flat-top AR for hunting wild hogs. Leupold, Nikon, Burris, etc. I would like to get a decent one for under $400 if that's possible. I've looked at the Leupold website, but there's so many to choose from, I don't know where to start. When I looked for advice on a Type I optic, there was an abundance. Am I missing something?

What do you guys recommend?

Thanks

Well, I'm no optics expert but I've seen enough of these threads to know that the next several posts are going to ask you some more specific questions about your goals/requisites...

I agree with Jersey Transplant. #1, we need more info. #2. If you are thinking 300yds on piggies with an AR, better make it an AR10.

For scopes, I use a Weaver 3x9x38 on my deer/ pig rifle. On one of my AR's I have a 4power fixed. I run a 4x fixed Simmons on my 30-30. My 7mm mag has a 3x9x40 Leupold. My .243 has a Nikko Sterling 4x12x50. Of all the scopes, I prefer them in this order: Weaver3x9, Nikko Sterling, Leupold, Simmons. In tight brush, I like the Simmons best. No muss, no fuss. It does the job on the shorter rifle. The farthest shot is with the Weaver; 450yds on a hog. I have punched paper out further witht he Nikko Sterling, but no animals at over 400yds.

The Weaver was around $180. The leupold was like 400. It's no better than the Weaver, especially on a night hunt. I feel the Weaver takes in light better. The Nikko came with the rifle, so no ideas on cost. I think they run mid 200's in cost. The Simmons was under a hundred bucks, and by far the best value dollar for dollar. Spot on, never loses zero, clear enough for some night hog hunting. I have 2 mounted, one on an AR15, one on the 30-30. Kills dogs to 200yds all day long. I rarely shoot hogs with the small rifle.

End result; decent prices for some good scopes are absolutely available.

How far are you planning on shooting? Up to 400 yards

Will you be planning on using this in low light situations? Possibly, but only on rare occasion. Mostly it will be for broad daylight.

Are familiar with a Mil Dot reticle or do you prefer a standard Duplex? I've never used a mil-dot reticle, but I think I would be okay with either...

Do you like illuminated reticles? I don't know why I wouldn't....

For Hog or Deer hunting I think a 12x magnification is a little overkill. I have a 3-9 leupold rifleman that came on my 30-06 and it does pretty well. I think anything over that would be for extremely long shooting, shooting paper really far away or varmint shooting. All I know is that I have a cheap Tasco 3x9 on my .270 deer rifle, and it's not enough to punch out much past 100 yards for me...

In optics you tend to get what you pay for but I think $400 is a good place to start. I'll leave it to the rest to make specific suggestions as I do not have enough experience. Great!!!

and unless you are looking specifically for a hog hunting scope I would assume this will get moved to the AR optics forum.[/size=2] Didn't I say it was for hogs?

#1. Really? I thought the .223 would be okay for 300 yards...
#2. I'd love to have a AR10, but I have a Remington 700 .270win, and I thought if I don't like the new scope on the AR, I could always throw it on the .270.....
#3. I appreciate the input on the ones you have. I'll do some research on them.

Go to the AR-15 board (you're in the Outdoors board now); there's an Optics forum there. Lots of info in the tacked threads.

WKY hunter pointed out he's looking to shoot to 400 yards........ a .223 is not ideal for a hog at that distance. People are soft compared to wild pigs. We have trouble effectively killing them at 400yds with an M16. It's just a fact; that little bullet is not nearly as powerful as the .270. If I had a choice on shooting a pig at 40 yards, or 400 yards..... either way I'd take the 270 over any 223.

WackyHunter (Or is is West Kentucky??? Either way, same thing!!!) a 223 does not leave much of a wound channel. You will not see much blood trail, if any at all. You will be whacking piglets, or straight up neck/ head shooting hogs to stone cold kill them. And that's a tough order at 400yds on even a slowly moving critter. A pig feeding; his head is moving a bit. Out of respect for the animal- You are hunting, not doing a depredation shoot..... be lethal, and as quick and clean as possible with it.
FWIW, I have taken .223 FMJ bullets from the shields on 200+lb boars on several occasions. We had a recurring beast of a pig who liked to rip sprinkler pipe out of the ground for water. The rancher swore up and down he shot it with a mini 14 more than once. He and I were talking while on a duck hunt and he said "Come find him and get him off my sprinklers. Grapes are dying." That stinky bastard was 250lb with the guts removed. When we skinned him, he had what looked like tumors. We cut them open; they were .223 FMJ and .22lr. Not one of these was thru the ribcage. There was a .223 in the backstrap, about 3" from his spine. Some ruined meat, but the hog took it and kept rolling with it.

This is the God's truth; pigs are TOUGH animals. Deer are TOUGH animals. Shoot them well, or they WILL run. In the worst case, they suffer. Almost as bad, they are crippled, and become coyote fodder. Maybe they die, maybe they are crippled and are rendered a shell of the former creature they once were. Show them respect, use a hammer big enough to pound the nail. And drive the nail home where it is supposed to go, so it is quick. (You will also waste less valuable meat this way).

I feel differently when a farmer is looking at a crop of peanuts or soy getting steamrolled by 75 pigs every night. That's a whole other story. Shoot away.

thanks for tip, been looking for a red-dot...

Leupold rifleman, vx1, or vx2 in 3-9x40 or 4-12x40.

on a budget minded note, I picked up a Vortex Crossfire last year, and I am very pleased with it. took off my Bushnell elite 3200 and put on the Vortex, I prefer the Vortex, low light was excellent for the money, and the glass was very clear

I have a Savage 16 300 WSM with a Bone Collector Trophy w/ 0-600 DOA and it is awesome. It took some time to zero but it is the best scope I have. The only problem is I haven't been able to shoot anything with it yet except targets. However, its able to put a shot group together at 600 yards w/n a small group.

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