There was $800 in my SPR optics budget and
I was leaning towards a Leupold M1 and M3 (unlikely since the BDC is for a 55 gr bullet, and I will be shooting 69 to 77 grain loads) or Zeiss Conquest.  I've somehow taken some of my budget for optics and misappropriated the funds for a new reloading setup (Hornady AP Lock-n-Load) and Chronograph (Chrony Master Gamma).  So my $800 went to $300.  By the end of August (being the latest), I will have enough funds to buy the M1 or Conquest even if I purchase the Tasco SS now.

My criteria for my SPR optics are:
Side Focus Parallax
Mil Dot or another good range finding recticle
Exposed Target Turrets (do not see the point of target turrets protected by caps)
Minimum of 10x Magnification

The Tasco SS fits the bill and the funds are available.   Is the Super Sniper worth the $400 though?

I like mine. It is a rear adj. If you read the reviews linked to from SWFA, others do too. Is it a Leupold Vari X III 3.5-10 x 40 M3 LR? No, but the glass is good. The target knobs are accurate and repeatable. Re-zero is on the money. For $300, not bad.
Ed

I have used Leupold Mark 4 10x scopes on my long range tactical rifles for several years.  I just replaced them with high quality variable power scopes.  IMHO a fixed 10x is just too much power for a lot of situations you will run into, especially with a relatively short range rifle like a 223.  I have come to appreciate the increased field of view by dialing down in power for close range or moving targets.  I understand that the Tasco Super Sniper is a bargain, but I would just get a high quality variable instead.  Watch-Six

While I don't have alot of trigger time behind alot of different glass, I will say that I would go with Leupold. Over at Snipershide.Com, there have been a few reports of tracking problems with the SS. I would save up and go with the LR M1 or M3 for you KNOW that you will get a product that will hold up.

I recently busted my butt working overtime and saved up for a LR M3.This is the first time that I EVER spent this much on a scope! I will NEVER opt for a bargain brand or "cheap" scope again. I'm glad that I did. You damn sure can see quality in this scope.

If you go with the LR versions, you get a veriable scope so you can drop the power.

You might read up on the thread about the Bushnell Elite 3200 10x Tactical, for under 200 dollars THAT is a pretty nice little scope.

[url]http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=18&t=162090[/url]

It's fixed power so it doesn't really need a parallax adjustment knob, for focus adjustment though it is all done on the eye piece.

Here's a close up of the one I have on my 300WinMag as of now,
[url]http://home.bak.rr.com/varmintcong/Rem700/300winscope.jpg[/url]
Cheap enough I don't even feel bad painting the sucker.

Oh, and the Elite 3200s and 4200s used to be under the Bausch&Lomb line instead of the Bushnell line, quite a departure from the usual quality associated with the "Bushnell" name.


I'd say go for the Bushnell 10x as an interim scope, spend the remainder of the money that would have been spent on the Tasco scope towards some really sweet mounts/bases that will transfer over to an even nicer scope some day down the line.

I'm of the opinion that one can never have enough variety in scopes, every so often you find yourself wishing such and such rifle had a scope or some day down the line you find yourself not wanting to buy a rifle because you have no scope to use with it.    If you've got a few spares, hey that really limits the amount of excuses you have...

Looked at Nikon's Tactical 2.5-10x44.  Really nice piece of equipment, has all the criteria except for exposed target turrets.

Next questions:  How important is it to have exposed target turrets?  Pro and cons?

TIA

I have had the Tasco Super Sniper and I now have 2 Leupold 3.5-10X40 LR M1's. I won't go back. Although the Tasco is bright and clear enough. The fixed power was a pain at under 400yds. I also had problems with my Tasco but that was back in 1995 or 96. They may have fixed th problem by now.

I got a great deal on one of my Leupys at Cablea's Bargin Cave. If you live near one. You should check it out. I paid $499.00 for a Illuminated version.

Also check out eBay [url=http://search.ebay.com/search/search.dll?GetResult&SortProperty=MetaHighestPriceSort&query=leupold&from=R8&ht=1&combine=y&st=2]Leupys On eBay[/url]

Snipercounty.com [url=http://snipercountry.com/forsale/display_reverse.asp]classifieds[/url]

Go with the Leupold Long Range M1 scopes, a great deal for the $$. I would definitely get the target turrets, so much easier & faster to use. The greatest advantage is that they allow you to adjust your point of impact very quickly if you need precision shots at a known range. You will have to sight in you rifle at all ranges & chart how many "clicks" you needed to keep zero. Once you have done that, it works very well.

I HAD two and loved them both, but that being said:

I have 3 Leupold's now.  Two Mk4's and one M3LR.

Stick with your original budget and do not settle for less in the optics department.

The exposed target turrets are nice because you won't lose the caps and you can make adjustments NOW and not after removing caps.

I'm not sure I will buy another scope without them.

HTH.....YMMV

Fine.  Then sell me one. [:P]

TA30A2......?  Doesn't sound like it's all that @ 3-9 magnification.  Is there any parallax adjustment.  

Well, I'm in the process of buying a NIB Leupold M1 3.5-10x40 Mil-Dot from another board member.

After all that, went with my first choice anyway.

Thanks guys!

You won't be sorry. What I have noticed is the the Leupolds have spoiled me. I shoot other peoples rifles with Tascos and Simmons and think "what junk." You really see the difference after shooting the Leupold for a while and then looking through some the cheap scopes, You'll be so happy you spent the money for the good stuff. There are other good scopes out there, I had a B&L Tactical, (the expensive one) that I sold when I need money. I haven't had the chance to use a Nightforce or an IOR. But for the money you pay for the Leupold Long Ranges you can't beat the quality and the features.

What about springfield???


I havne't heard this one mentioned. I've got one on the way. IT's got the target knobs. It's got the variable power. It's got the mil dot, lit recticle, bubble level, etc.

I was looking at the Tasco line. I can't stand a fixed power scope. If you are constantly nailing paper at 100 yards, that's fine. But i plan on actually using my rifle for other than target shooting. It's nice to have a built in rangefinding capability and variable power.

My father's had a Springfield Govt. Mil Dot. 6-20x56 3rd gen. for quite some time now. He loves it, as do it.

I had a first gen 4-14x56mm Springfield.
I didn't like it. For one they are huge and they aren't any brighter than a 40mm Leupold. Thenthe one I had didn't have suffcient eye relief and would get me on recoil. I sent it back and go another, and had the same problem, I sent it back to SWFA and got the Tasco. The tasco was nice except went i tightened the Leupold 30mm rings, the focus ring would work and actually strip out, I sent it to Tasco, in Miami, they sent it back within a 10 days and it still had the same problem. So I sent it back to SWFA and got the Baush& Lomb Tactical 10x40mm. That was a scope. best one I've ever owned, better that the Leupolds I have now. Bright, clear and rugged. The only thing you could ask for was variable power. But the Military wasnt in to that back then. I sold it when funds got low and regret it to this day. So of the Tacticals I've owned i would rank them like this.

1. Bausch&Lomb
2. Leupold LR's
3. Tasco Super Sniper
4. Springfield Armory

Also I owned the first 3 about 8 years ago and they all have gone through revisions since then except the B&L which is no longer available new,  so I cant speak to their current quality. When I got the B&L the new Leupolds werent even available so the only option back then at that level was the Leupold MKIV's which were $300 more than the B&L.

The only forseeable reason I would consider a Springfield scope is to utilize the hands free BDC in the GE5090 4-14x40 model.  It's calibrated for a 69 grain match round at 3000 fps.  That is the approximate load I will be shooting from this rifle.