I have only owned a couple different scopes so I don't have much perspective. Is there really that much more value in buying a $1000 scope versus a $250 one? I can think of a lot of other things I could do with the extra $750.

Are they better yes. Will they help you kill more deer? Maybe. Are they worth it for 95% of hunters in Alabama? Not in my opinion. My scope let's me hit my target at 300 yards in legal shooting hours. All I need.

Always remember you get what you pay for.

There is a huge difference in a cheap scope vs a quality one. Clearity, eye relief, low light transmission, waterproof, shockproof, fog proof just to name a few.

I was always one to spend at least the same amount on a scope as I did my rifle. Basically the best I could afford on my budget I would get. I have found a couple brands that are perfect for me and don't break the bank. Others may spend more.

I bought a Zeiss Diavari about 12 years ago and I really like it, but I don't think I would pay that much for another one. There are a lot of very good scopes in the $500 to $700 range that I think would be very close in quality, probably not enough for my old eyes to tell the difference in.

This is the advice I have always given regarding scopes.

Decide how much you are willing to pay for a scope, add 50% to that and go buy a scope in that price bracket.

And don't be afraid to buy a used scope.

I think,with a few exceptions, decent dependable scopes start around $400. After that you are paying for features and small increases in optical quality. I wouldn't spend $1000 just because I had it to spend. I would be looking at features and qualities I wanted that made it worth spending my money.

What are you wanting to do with the scope? What are your hunting conditions?

Example: You don't need high magnification, target turrets or a ranging reticle if you hunt woods 99% of the time and shots are mostly under 100 yards.

I would rather spend $1000 on a scope, and $300 on a rifle, than I would spend $1000 on a rifle, and $300 on a scope.

same thing my dad always said...

IMO, once you get past the $400-$600 range you're paying for very small improvements in quality.

There are a lot of opinions out there.for example you go to a bow shoot,you see people with the exact bow you have.but just to be showoff,s they have a stablelizer 2 ft long that cost more than there bow,s.
Im talking about there bow,s are matthews or hoyt,s very expensive but they pay as much or more for the stapelizer,s. So back to your scope questions my advice is the leopold varix 3 or a nikionprostaff.they are in the 300$ range.there is no sense buying a 1000$ scope.
they wont be nothing different but buying someone,s name.these are just my thoughts.like the stabelizer,s they spend a 1000$ for dont hardly help no better than your standard hunting one.

This

My advice is a $200 to $300 scope will do the job 99.9% of the time that the $1000 will do. If you however go and get a $1500 scope or a set of bino's you will have spoiled yourself and it will be hard to settle for less than the best.

That much more value in a $1000 scope vs a $250....absolutely not, IMO. You wont have 4 times the success, kill 4 times as many trophy bucks, or whatever your goal is. Some would justify it by saying that if I hunt with it 10,000 times and one time it makes the difference, it was worth the $750 extra. Its all about your outlook.

In my couple decades of hunting, I have not missed an opportunity yet because the scopes I use did not perform well enough. There is no right or wrong answer to the question really. I am like you in that the value is not there for me but for the next man it makes perfect sense. I limit myself to to the $200-300 range, generally catching them on sale when I buy.

Even my vx-ii, elite 4200, fullfield II, etc provide a much brighter picture than my eye does with out the scope. I often wonder how you can safely hunt when your eye cant make out the target due to darkness, but you can point your gun in the direction and get a bright picture. How does everybody get around this issue?

One person mentioned a good set of binos which seems the safest and most logical. I believe that most hunters use their scope to examine the target in low light conditions.

Over the past few years, I have upgraded all my scopes to Zeiss Conquest. Even bought a pair of Zeiss Conquest 8 X 30 binoculars. Prior to that I always used scopes I could afford that I bought back in my college days.

The Conquests are not $1000 scopes but I noticed a significant improvement in light gathering and clarity. One of the biggest benefits to me is the ability to stay zeroed in. Last day of the season two years ago, I accidently dropped both rifles down a flight of wooden stairs. Went to the range and both scopes were still spot on. Don't think that would have been the case with a cheap scope.

Always thought a $300 dollar scope was sufficient until I bit the bullet and bought a zeiss for $600. Then I ran across a deal on a Swarovski so now I'm ruined. There is a difference in contrast and clarity for sure but there is a HUGE difference in the coatings.

I have a stand on a greenfield that faces SW. With a $300 scope the sun glare makes seeing deer in the field (late afternoon) extremely difficult. With the Swarovski there is almost no glare. I've hunted that stand back to back afternoons and carried both gun/scope combos to verify this and would not gave believed it if you told me before.

Ask yourself this one simple question:

How much do you spend on hunting over a 12 month period?

Now that amount is for one year. A scope will literally last you a lifetime. Spend a little more on a scope and you will not regret it. Plus, you will still have it years down the road.

Very good point. They all look good under perfect conditions. I've been gradually moving up in glass over the years and have never regretted the expense.

A tasco silver antler scope looks good at noon on a sunny day looking at a target 30 yards away.

no !!!!

I agree completely. But these will be better than the $250 ones.

If your scope will hunt as late as you want, what else do you need?