I am looking at a range of European style 30mm scopes.

A number of top line american scope manufacturers now offer them Leupold and Burris to name two.

The question here is, there is quite a price difference between the American scopes and the European brands.

A comparable Leupold or Burris goes for up to a $1000 less then a Kahles or Swarovski, or Ziess?

Are the European models that muc better? Or is it all market hype,

Thanks,

John

I am looking at a range of European style 30mm scopes.

A number of top line american scope manufacturers now offer them Leupold and Burris to name two.

The question here is, there is quite a price difference between the American scopes and the European brands.

A comparable Leupold or Burris goes for up to a $1000 less then a Kahles or Swarovski, or Ziess?

Are the European models that muc better? Or is it all market hype,

Thanks,

John

Welcome to the forum ovenpilot.

To start out with I've looked thru a bunch of the top end European scopes. I was luck enough to be able to stop at Cabela's in Nebraska a bunch when I was driving truck. I've got to tell you they are certianly bright and sharp and well expensive.

I got disabled a few years ago and now being on a limited budget got to thinking about how am I going to put good optics on any new rifles I get. I've got to admit that being an old cheap fella I kinda railed at the thought of putting an optic that cost as much or sometimes even twice as much as the rifle it goes on.

So for now the quest I have is much like yours. Do I need the high end optics to have good usable scopes on my rifles.

at one time I used nothing but Leapold, but they simply prices themselves out of my market. Since then I've used Weaver, Burris, Simmons, Tasco, BSA and several others. I've both good and bad results.

I still have several Leapolds on rifles in the safe and at this point none are 30 mm tubes. I've found as far as hunting goes I gotten great results.

When I look at scopes I'm interested in how bright they are, how easy are the power adjustments to turn and in the end how much they are.

At this point in my life I have several favorites, several I own and one brand on a friends rifle. I have a couple of the Weaver Classics's that are excellent, there are a couple of Leapolds especially an old four power fixed that works well.

On two of my rifles, a Rem 700 mountian rifle in 280 and a Rem BDL 8mm Rem mag are inexpensive Simmons ATEC scopes that though under a hundred and fifty bucks seem as good as anything I've owned at three times the price.

I've got an old Tasco 8-32 Target scope that is used for accuracy testing on any new rifle and on my 243 Ruger #1 for squirrel hunting in the spring that with fine crosshairs and a target dot is very impressive for the fifty dollar bill I paid for it used.

Anyway the best I can suggest is that there are good optics for the money out there. If you can go to a sporting goods store that has a good selection of scopes and a stock that you can try them out with. Scope selection is a very personal thing and you just got to look and try til you find the right one.

Thanks for the reply Bob,

I too watch my cash so I have the usual assortment of Bushnell, Baush and Laumb and lover end Leupolds.

I bought a 4x weaver last year. Don;t like it. Fogs real easy.

I would like to get one real decent scope. 30mm seem to be the premiums. Just dont't know if the two to three time price difference between the high end Eropeans and the high end LEupold and Burris 30mm is realy worth it.

Don't have a decent sport shop with a lot of product to compare near by so I was kind of hoping some folks in this forum have purchased the high end euro products and can give me a real life product comparison.

Thanks,

John

My boss uses a 56mm Swarovski on his BDL in .300 Win. He sure seems to think they are worth the difference in being able to still see well at dusk. I've never had the opportunity to compare them, so i don't have any idea.
But, due to the cost, my rifles will continue to wear Leupolds.

Its pretty much like owning a Mercedes. You pay a lot more and it's flashy and "strange", which has its appeal, but a good Leup/Burris will do the job just as well.

I personally favor LEUPOLD[S] based on my experience with numerous forms of optics on the square-range and in the field. However, I have been positivly impressed with the dollar-for-deal value of the KAHLES American-Hunter Series. I have used both the 2-7X and the 3-9X's...and I will be taking delivery of a 4X-Fixed power scope, hopefully in March.

...I haven't been snagged by the 30MM-Bug...[YET].

- I am truly looking forward to wringing-out the Kahles 4X, and Leupold will continue to be the STANDARD[s], by which I judge all others-[as long as their customer service, and quality, remain on par with current-ratings]. I had positive experience[s] with the Burris-Scopes I owned-[pre-Marine-Corps-years], and the Burrris-Scopes that I have seen over the last 20yrs...seem to fill the niche they have dominted rather-well.

Swarovski makes an excellent optic, and some of their spotting scopes I have used, are AMAZING....and - I was happy to see that when they took over KAHLES-Optics, they didn't change the direction that KAHLES wanted to go with the American Hunter Series. Should you decide that you need-[or-want] a 30MM-tube, either Kahles[Euro] or Leupold[US] will be more than adequate or satisfactory.

- Just make SURE you get that tube mounted in quality bases and rings...by a certified-professional.

So what made you decide for the Kahles 4X over the Leupold? The Kahles is almost twice the price.

Trying to make the same decision.

If you ever look over the benchrest groups.... they are about 98% Leupold. Wonder why??? I think they are the best. I would choose a Leupold every day of the week.

I am all about the Leupold scopes. in fact that is all I have except in Bushnell red dot. Plus their customer service is great.

I wouldn't know about Leupold's service....I've never had to use it! I own two Leupolds, no problems with either.

I don't know about Burris' service either, as I've never had to use it, and I have five Burris scopes.

The only scope I've ever had to send in was an old Weaver 2-7x, and that's understandable.

I have Zeiss, Nikon and Tasco.
If the conditions are bad:light ,weather then the difference is unbelievable. Much brighter and sharper, no fogging.I use an EAW mount and a Suhler and the European product doesn't move at all.But in NORMAL use the difference is VERY small.If you want to upgrade the quality by 5% the costs will raise by 50% . So an honest advice buy a normal scope, not the very cheap ones and you will be very lucky.