My hunting partner has a 16 year old scope on his Ruger 77 MK II that appears to have lost it's zero - he likes at least 14 magnification on the top end, liked BDC, z600, or similar reticle and doesn't want to spend more than $600.

I was thinking Nikon or Vortex would be the best bang for the buck - any suggestions? He needs to pull the rigger on a Purchase Monday - any suggestions?

The $600 is a problem
Look at GunBroker, you might find a used Leupold or Zeiss there, but maybe timing is an issue.
I personally would go for optical quality over magnification, but that's just me.

I have a 3.5-10X Zeiss on mine.

You can get a Leo VX3, 4.5-14 from Bruno's for 610. In stock with the Boone and Crocket reticle
Or the V2 -18x for less

Mark

These are great bang for the buck.
http://www.natchezss.com/Optic...ex%20Reticle%20Matte

love the price change on the Natchez Burris

was $299.01 now $299.00

Vortex.
I just got a pair of their binoculars and they smoke my leupold scope of the same power as far as clarity and focus.
my next scope will definitely be a vortex.

Binoculars using both eyes more clear than a scope using one eye, fancy that.

14x for elk? Have the big ones been shot already? A 3-9 Zeiss Conquest might be found for about $600 and I would not be above using even a Leupold VX-1, which is claimed to withstand recoil. But hunting rifles can get knocks as well and the bigger they are ...

Elmer Keith found a 4-power Weaver on a 338 mag worked for sheep at 600 yards and thought 2-7 variables the biggest needed for American big game.

Thanks for the info so far, I agree on the high magnification not really required for hunting but the scope isn't for me and he liked the high power on his last scope.

I have a Pentax clone of the Burris on a 243 and love it for the cost it was a steal. But it really doesn't compare in clarity to a 3x9 Conquest for almost the same price.

Thanks for any quick suggestions He may be shooting one of my rifles this trip.

I only buy Leupold or Zeiss. Yes I have a Hensoldt and a Swaro but for this guys rifle I like the 4.5-14 Leupold I just got or a 4.5-14 Conquest if he can afford the cost, weight and bulk of the scope. The optics are superior.

Your hunting partner is too needy, you need to just dump him. I'm available. Address and phone number inbound by PM.

He went with a Nikon monarch that arrives Friday, I offered him either of 2 scopes I had that fit the bill, a Minox 3-15 x42 or the 4.5 to 14 Pentax, but he naturally wanted to buy his own. I gave him most of your suggestions - thanks again.

I have a Zeiss Victory Diavary 3-12 on my 300wm and it's very tough and fantastic glass, tried a Nightforce 5,5-22 for a few month and long story short I sold the Nightforce I put my Zeiss back on

What size Nikon Monarch did your friend get, specneeds? I bought the 4-16 because a 3-12 with BDC was unavailable. Tell him to handle it carefully; I put mine down a little hard after slipping in the mud and knocked it 12MOA out of line. Not thinking to boresight it at the time, I missed a chamois facing me later in the day and detected the problem straight afterwards.

I will see tomorrow when he comes to the range to sight in i. Will be whathwould expect the 4-16 will be his choice. He had to wait for hes rings go be overnighted since he wanted to eliminate them as the error source as well. I did something similar about 8 years ago and went with the 3-9 conquest in Leupold dual dovetails on my 7 RM. That has been a good set-up with no issues.....but I didn't do it the week of leaving for an elk hunt.

He went with the 4-16 nikon with bdc and got his bull at 330 yards across a steep canyon. After glassing at extended ranges all week when we stopped at cabelas on the way home he picked up a set of 15x Vortex viper binoculars - he really does like high magnification.

Glad to hear he got his bull. By the tunnel vision of my 4-16, I'm surprised he was able to find it in his scope. My Monarch is certainly clear enough, which helps in using it as the spotting scope - but this introduces ethical issues, so really should not be our main concern.