Hey guys. I know very little about scopes. In fact, I'm not a fan..... preferring iron sights. But, I unfortunately have to admit that my eyes aren't what they used to be...... and I am gonna have to break down and buy a scope. It is for a Remington model 1903 bolt action 30-06. I don't wanna spend a fortune.... but I don't want complete junk either.

Most of my shots will probably be 100 yards or less, maybe up to 150... you can't see beyond that pretty much anywhere around here... all fairly thick woods.

Any suggests for a scope that'll make some deer dead but not break the bank?

Not a scope snob, lol, but I think pretty much any middle of the road brands will be fine, Nikon, etc....probably stay away from the budget lines....I like fixed power but most folks want a variable...a 2x7x power is more than enough, IMO

Vortex is exactly what you need.

I put a cheap Tasco walmart special 4x on my sons 30-30, I think it was the Japanese one, not chinese, That scope was perfectly fine on that rifle, especially since a hundred yard shot would have been a long one, frankly, a 2.5 would have been just as good, especially near dark where we did our best work, lol

Vortex is what I’m about to go with comes with rings and a cover

My absolute favorite scope on any of my deer guns is a Leopold vx2 2x7 x 32 shotgun scope. Its light very clear light transmission and I dont need any higher magnaftion for shooting deer in my area. Its no longer f made but I think they have similar in th vx freeedom line.

Yes mid 40s is whens my eyes started geting bad. Even have no line bifocal now.

Is that rifle drilled and taped?

Yotetrapper30 is your rifle already drilled and tapped for a scope mount? If not, you can literally buy a Savage Axis 2 combo that comes with a scope already on it for less than 400 dollars. It would cost you more than that to put a scope on your rifle by the time you paid to have it drilled and tapped, bought a base and rings and a lower end vortex scope. Obviously if it is already drilled and tappped you would only need a base rings and scope and that would be less than 200 bucks. The Vortex is about the cheapest thing out there anymore that is worth carrying home and even their cheapest models have a no questions asked lifetime warranty.

I forgot I have had gemrreat luck with Burris full field 2 scopes and they have been my go to cheap optic for years. Its been a while since I have bought one but im assuming quality is still the same. The 3x9 x40 on my daughters 7/08 had been on it 14 years and it was on one of my muzzloadera a few years before that. Its looking rough and seen a lot of use but still functions perfectly.

x2

short sweet and too the point with a wonder warranty



the sig buckmaster is a ithe rgood one for the price


if you want something that works more like iorn sights , meaning you have a wide field of view, more compact and lower powder if check out some kinda LPVO. I have like 7-8 from the monstrum brand . their Chinese as all get out. but they hold zero and for less then $100 you get some pretty clear glass only deal is the you probably won't like about do the reticle designs they have

Honestly most scope now days are pretty decent for basic deer hunting if you not just slamming you scope into every tree you see and taking backcountry mule trains for a once in a life time elk or something lol

but if you really just wanna do a one and done ... Loopy rifleman . ok m not a loopy guy , they just don't make anything I really want in my price range but it's proven scope for what you'd want lil more money tho



aalo is you gun set up for a scope ? meaning does it have a rail or dove tails ? for the scope rings. if you could post a pic or two of the top.of the receiver and the gun it's self it could help

also not sure how your stock it's but to comfortably shoot a scope you might need to add some cheek height... big on the might , alot of people don't especially for shooing a deer or two . that's being said I know some guns end end up with you needing to have you chin on the stock to look though the scope . you can get a cheek rose that just slips on the stock and makes shooting it a lot nicer with a scope for less then $30 ...and it's leather

Angela,
Don't be afraid to look on the used market. If you have a gun shop in your area that deals in used firearms, often they buy estates, strip the scopes and mounts and sell them. Don't be afraid to look at the used Tasco World class series, or some of the newer Weavers coming on combos on Savage rifles. I own about 15 of the Tasco's and have never had one break, even on trapline guns. I just bought one of the newer Weavers last summer, used, and couldn't believe how clear it was {3x9) $40, and was in a camo pattern. Truth be told, even some of the imports today are better than the scopes of days gone by. You can spend upwards of $5000 on a scope that has features you sure don't need in a deer stand.

Top Six Scopes for Model 1903

Let me know if you need some help securing the funds and I’ll pass the hat.

Duhnams has their vortex on sell this weekend. Copper head is 99 bucks.

Ive had Nikon (great scopes, but not made anymore), Leupold, and Burris. Burris is my favorite. Never cared much for Vortex when looking through them at the store. Not knocking them, just dont care for the,m . If they seemed the best for me, id buy them. Go look through several and go with the one that your eye likes the best...

Vortex 3-9x50 diamond back

I would stay away from the 50MM stuff. They typically need high rings and a 1903 has a LOT of drop in the comb already. I have heard good things about Vortex but I have never owned one. I don't believe you can go wrong with any of the name brand 3-9's. I have always been a Zeiss, Sworo or Leupold guy. The Leupold Freedom may be worth researching too but again, I have never used that model only the VX-II and III's.
As someone else mentioned, if your 03 isn't already drilled for a scope, you would be better off retiring it and looking at replacing it.

Vortex

Can't beat the warranty.