Illuminated hunting scope $400 or less

[Osage1978]

I've got a new rifle coming & will be shopping for a scope though I'd get some opinions on scopes people have actually used or are using first hand, please no suggestions you haven't actually tried but "think" are good. Rifle is Ruger American Predator 6.5 grendel, will be 95% coyote rifle & deer hunting the other 5%

Here's what I won't compromise on

(1) illuminated reticle
(2) somewhere between 3-12 & 4-16
(3) needs to be bright enough for last light hunting , brighter the better
(4) $400 or less.


I've looked at everything I can think of lately and am more confused than when I started

 

[Rez Exelon]

Not sure if they are still sub-400 most places but the Riton 3 series is a wonderful value for the money IMHO. I've got multiple of their optics. The current line up on their website has their 1 series illuminated around 300ish and their 3 series at 550ish. (the 5 and 7 series go up a lot from there). They could be found +/- at regular retailers though.

 

[Osage1978]

Not sure if they are still sub-400 most places but the Riton 3 series is a wonderful value for the money IMHO. I've got multiple of their optics. The current line up on their website has their 1 series illuminated around 300ish and their 3 series at 550ish. (the 5 and 7 series go up a lot from there). They could be found +/- at regular retailers though.

I've been studying those actually, couldn't find any reports of how they performed in low light. My eyes aren't great so I really need one to perform under those conditions

 

[Aries]

I have I think 3 of them, and they seem like good scopes to me. My eyesight isn't great so a good scope and great scope may not appear that much different to me. Do you have an objective test I could try and report back to you?

 

[swampratt]

I have looked through a couple and I ended up not seeing a critter at the dark thirty hour because the lit up t cross hairs washed out the picture.

So a good test would be to look about 150 yards at a line of trees with a critter standing at the edge of the trees and see if you can still see the critter or even still see tree trunks.

I am done with illuminated scopes and just like a thicker reticle.
Like a Nikon Buckmaster.
Maybe higher end scopes are more fit for this task.

I do not like to shoot at last light at deer.
What if it takes off after the shot. You spend all night looking for it.
Coyote. Yea take the shot

 

[Ready_fire_aim]

I have looked through a couple and I ended up not seeing a critter at the dark thirty hour because the lit up t cross hairs washed out the picture.

So a good test would be to look about 150 yards at a line of trees with a critter standing at the edge of the trees and see if you can still see the critter or even still see tree trunks.

I am done with illuminated scopes and just like a thicker reticle.
Like a Nikon Buckmaster.
Maybe higher end scopes are more fit for this task.

I do not like to shoot at last light at deer.
What if it takes off after the shot. You spend all night looking for it.
Coyote. Yea take the shot

I’m with ya there! I own a couple illuminated reticle scopes and honestly don’t care much for em.. at dusk you’ll want the brightness turned down low as possible, at that point it’s kinda not accomplishing much.

However! One situation I do like my illuminated reticle is shooting closer shots at low power zoom, it’s almost like a reddot

I use an illuminated reticle on my coyote gun

 

[Ready_fire_aim]

Vortex hog hunter is a good one right in your budget

 

[Rez Exelon]

I've been studying those actually, couldn't find any reports of how they performed in low light. My eyes aren't great so I really need one to perform under those conditions

Basically on any IL scope I usually have it turned down to the lowest setting if I use it. I rarely turn it on so I'd have to dig it out to really comment with authenticity.

Thinking about it, another I'd highly recommend is a Sightron SIII series. If you look on eBay some can be had for around 500-600 and the are super solid. The illumination on them is super dim --- like dim enough I called to check if I had a bad unit, but that's how they are designed to prevent washout.

 

[Seadog]

Primary Arms has scopes that fit in your criteria of price magnification and illumination.

https://www.primaryarms.com/

 

[Osage1978]

Basically on any IL scope I usually have it turned down to the lowest setting if I use it. I rarely turn it on so I'd have to dig it out to really comment with authenticity.

Thinking about it, another I'd highly recommend is a Sightron SIII series. If you look on eBay some can be had for around 500-600 and the are super solid. The illumination on them is super dim --- like dim enough I called to check if I had a bad unit, but that's how they are designed to prevent washout.

What I mean is how bright is the scope itself, how much light gathering.