Help on scope for my 270

[spiff2]

So I am ready to put a scope on my winchester and have some general questions.  Would it be ok to put a fixed 4x or 6x on the gun or would it limit the capabilities of the rifle?  If I go with a variable is the 3x9 the one to get.  I am looking to spend around $150 to top off this gun.  What brand and models would you recommend.  I want function over fashion, so let me know if there are any sleepers I should check out.  Thanks.

[shaman]

Let me ask you a few questions and give some tentative answers:

What sort of conditions will you be hunting?  If this is the sort of woods I frequently encounter around home, you'll be hard pressed to get a 100 yards shot.  In that case, I would recommend a 1.5-4.5x scope or a 4X fixed. If you will regularly be taking 200+ yard shots, a 3-9X variable would be in order.

A 270?  I 'm guessing this is a bolt gun. This is going to be the sort of bread-n-butter situation most scopes were meant for.  Just make sure you give yourself the proper eye relief. When you throw your gun up with your gear on, the sight picture should be right there for you-- no head and neck adjustment necessary. Your eye should also be able to be far enough back that you don't get the scope hitting you when the rifle recoils. 

My taste in scopes runs towards the penurious.  I seldom pay more than $100 for a scope.  There are limitations going that route, but if the scope holds together for 25 years, I'm not going to complain.  Of the ones I've tried,  the Bushnell Banners have been the best for consistency. I have also had a couple BSA scopes that were surprisingly good. 

I had a buddy show up with a low-end Nikon last year that knocked my socks off.  It was not ultra-expensive, but it did have capabilities beyond any of my scopes.  When you're doing this on the cheap,  you're generally going to suffer three things:

1)  Durability.  I had a cheap Simmons that came with KYHillChick's Savage 110 package that just flew apart one afternoon.  I can't count the number of Tasco's I've seen do the same.  If I take in a rifle in that has a Tasco, I take it off immediately.
2)  Low-Light problems.  Early in the morning and late at night, on the edge of legal hunting is when you see if you have a good scope or not.  My best Bushnell Banner, although it works great every other time,  gives me mush in low light.  It cuts off about 10 minutes either side of legal hunting.  My buddy's Nikon was wonderful in this regard.  The night he brought it out, there was a fellow over on the next ridge trying unsuccessfully to drive his truck out of the bottoms.  We cranked the Nikon all the way and rested it against  one of the pillars on the front porch and it was like we were there.  I brought out my scope, and all we could see was the lights.

3)  Overall clarity.  Remember, you're looking through slabs of baked sand.  Some scopes demonstrate this more than others. Usually, one peak through the scope in the store will tell you if this is going to be a problem.

[Cut N Run]

I can only speak from my experience, so here goes.

I had a straight 4x on my .308 for 20 years and really didn't need more because of the terrain I was hunting (big woods mostly). Most of my shots were 50-75 yards. I joined a lease where longer shots were possible and found that I wanted a better view at distance. Two years ago I took a doe with a head shot @ ~185 yards, I couldn't even see that far where I used to hunt.

A lot depends on where you intend to hunt as well. With optics you get what you pay for and if you are looking for clarity at distance and a sharp picture you are better off getting a quality scope. That .270 is a flat shooter and has a very effective killing range. You would probably get a better quality scope with a fixed view 6X or 8X than you would with a variable. If you stand hunt from a fixed position in more open country, then a straight power scope would work well. If you hunt in tight cover or walk or drive deer, it may be helpful to get a variable scope that you could dial down as you need it.

I use Leupold's VX-III 2.5x8x36 on both my .308 & .30-06 and usually keep it set on 8x because I primarily stand hunt. I also own an older Nikon 2x7 that has good optics and a good warranty. I don't have much experience with other brands, except I will say stay away from the less expensive scopes as they will probably limit your abilities rather than help you rifle perform to its capabilities.

I saw that Nikon was offering a good warranty on scopes that were closer to your price range, so that might be a good place to start. They are on sale this time of year at B.P.S as well.

Good luck & let us know what you decide on & how it does.

Jim

[berudd]

For 150 bucks, the new Redfiled 3x9X40 sounds like a great option.  Google about it to read what people are saying.  I asked myself the same question and had some trouble finding a 4x in that price range.  Under and over, sure, but not at that price point. 

[spiff2]

So if shooting under 200 yards most of the time is a fixed 6 dollar for dollar a better scope?  Ie. is a $200 3x9 less quality than a fixed 6 because of more parts?  Thanks for the input.

[metrx]

You wrote "if shooting under 200 yards most of the time"...better stated would be, "I get shots out to 200 yards".  If this is accurate, I would absolutely go with a 3x9x40.  I shoot a 30.06 and have a 3x9x40.  Most of my shots are in hardwoods, under 75 yards, but occassionally I get shots out to 150ish.  You want the versatility of being able to shoot at as many distances as possible, as long as those shot distances are reasonably attainable where you hunt.  I prefer a heavy duplex crosshair.  Nikon, Bushnell, heck, even Cabelas Pine Ridge line isnt bad for the money. (I have one on my inline muzzleloader)
Good luck 

[Dan Salmon]

I used to worry about not being able to see a deer well enough to shoot at and had to have high magnification scopes.  After sitting down and looking at the deer that I had shot, all had been shot with 3x or 4x no matter the distance.  It seems that under the stress of the moment, I never needed to dial up the magnification to "see" the deer better.  My .30-06 wears a 4x Nikon Monarch and the last 3 deer that I've seen through that scope have tasted really good!

[shaman]

The thing between fixed and variable scopes is you get a clearer image for less money with the fixed, and this is because there are fewer elements in the lens.

. . . well, sort of.  Popularity enters into it.  Most guys want a variable scope.  As a result more of the variables are made, and more of the variables go on sale.  The fixed scopes are hardly ever the best bargain.

Most of my scopes are variable.  Most of my scopes hardly ever get moved. I learned my lesson early on that cranking the magnification in and out was not a good idea. 

[mightyfofaad]

ORIGINAL: spiff2

So I am ready to put a scope on my winchester and have some general questions.  Would it be ok to put a fixed 4x or 6x on the gun or would it limit the capabilities of the rifle?  If I go with a variable is the 3x9 the one to get.  I am looking to spend around $150 to top off this gun.  What brand and models would you recommend.  I want function over fashion, so let me know if there are any sleepers I should check out.  Thanks.

You haven't said where you hunt ... deep woods of the northeast such as PA, NJ or NY or open country as you might find in TX, NM or CO. If you hunt "in the wood", there is no such thing as a 200 yd shot. That's why you seldom hear of a wood shot greater than 70 yds. Simply put, there is just too much between you and a deer at that distance.

Furthermore, if you flush a bedded deer at 25 to 35 yds, a fixed 6 power scope in low light will greatly hinder your ability to quickly acquire that deer, or, see close up obstacles such as brush & branches ... you'd be much better off with open sights.

However, if you're hunting the woods one day, and working the edge of a cornfield the next, a 1.5 X 4.5 variable makes sense. I would not move up to a 3 X 9 unless you know your shots will always be beyond 100 yds such as you'd find in TX or NM ... of course you'd probably be hunting Mulies there. [:D] In other words, open country or big farms.

Too many of my students think a scope will replace practice which leads to skill. Magnification can be a valuable aid when shooting stationary game at a distance. However, it can & often becomes a detriment when shooting moving targets, close up.

Back in the "old days" while in the Army, we trained by shooting at pop up targets from 30 to 440 yds (1/4 mile) with nothing but the iron (open) sights on our M14s. I never missed one of those 1/4 mile shots. Practice brings skill & confidence. Too much scope won't replace that.

[Cut N Run]

^Good point. I learned to hold my 4X so I could hit where I wanted consistently out to 300 yards, even though I never got the chance in a hunting situation.

I ended up shooting a deer farther with the iron sights on my muzzleloader than I did on my scoped .308, until I started hunting more open territory. Confidence is your shooting ability is everything in making lethal shots.

Jim