Best Budget Scope For 30-06
If you are an avid hunter who spends your time hunting big game or deer, you have certainly used the .30-06 Springfield cartridge. This hard-hitting cartridge prides itself in delivering great performance and accuracy at long range. It is a very popular cartridge that balances between performance, versatility, and affordability. This is the reason why pairing your rifle chambered for this cartridge with the best scope is highly recommended. But what if you are on a tight budget? Can you still get the best budget scope for 30-06?
We have reviewed the best budget scopes to show you that you can still get a great scope on a budget.
Here is a quick comparison table if you don’t have time for this short read
PRODUCT | IMAGE | MAGN $ OBJECTIVE LENS | PRICE |
#1) Burris Fullfield II Hunting Rifle Scope |
Magnification: 4.5-14X Objective: 42mm |
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#2) Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical First Focal Plane Riflescopes |
Magnification: 4-16X Objective: 44mm |
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#3) Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm Riflescope |
Magnification: 3-9X Objective: 40mm |
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#4) Simmons 8-Point 3-9x50mm Rifle Scope with Truplex Reticle |
Magnification: 3-9X Objective: 50mm |
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#5) Monstrum G2 1-4×24 First Focal Plane FFP |
Magnification: 1-4X Objective: 24mm |
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#6) Primary Arms SLX 4-14x44mm FFP Rifle Scope |
Magnification: 4-14X Objective: 44mm |
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#7) Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane |
Magnification: 3-9X Objective: 40mm |
The .30-06 Springfield
This battlefield cartridge was very popularly used in wars like the Vietnam war, the Korean war, and even both of the World Wars. Released in 1906 by Springfield Armory, the cartridge has withstood the taste of time and it is still quite popular with today’s hunters.
This cartridge delivers consistent accuracy and its terminal performance is quite deadly. This makes it an extremely effective cartridge for hunting.
The sheer number of scopes on the market makes it impossible for us to point out one scope and say it’s the absolute best. However, we have reviewed our favorites that are budget-friendly to help you get one that best suits your needs (and budget).
What Magnification Do You Need
Magnification helps you bring distant targets closer and closer. While you might think that high magnification is always the best, it is certainly not the case. Sometimes high magnification might mean blurry images which affects your accuracy. So what magnification is good magnification? Well, that depends on the distance you will be shooting at.
Close range- < 200 yards
The .30-06 is a powerful caliber. At this range, you can take down almost anything. A scope with a magnification power of 1-4X will help you improve your accuracy.
Medium Range- 200-400yards
The Springfield 30-06 is a very popular caliber for hunting. Paired up with a great scope and the results are amazing. At this range a scope with a 3-9X magnification range is ideal.
Long Range-400 yards and above
This is where the Springfield 30-06 caliber excels. If you marry a rifle chambered for this cartridge with a great scope, you can easily hit a target at 600 yards and above. A scope with a 9X magnification or higher is recommended.
Best Budget Scope For 30-06 Reviews
#1) Burris Fullfield II Hunting Rifle Scope
The best budget scope for 30-06 delivers on both value and performance. The Burris Fullfield is a scope that comes with high-quality glass and lenses for bright and clear images. The lenses are coated in Hi-Lume multicoating that helps in exceptional performance even at low light all the while eliminating glare. This scope’s eyepiece has a no-slip grip design that helps in ease of adjusting while out in the field. The scope’s interior is gas sealed for waterproof and fog-proof performance. The scope’s internal components are housed in a solid and durable one-piece tube that easily withstands heavy recoil and shock. With a 4.5-14X magnification range, it is a scope you can comfortably pair with a rifle chambered for the .30-06 cartridge. Key Features
Why you should buy it consider buying it: It comes with the Burris forever warranty and its glass is high quality.
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#2) Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical First Focal Plane Riflescopes
At the intersection of value and precision, the Vortex Diamondback stands majestically. It is very popular for its performance and splendid features. For starters, it comes with impressive extra-low dispersion glass and fully multi-coated lenses that work together to deliver bright and clear target views. The glass-etched reticle that is on the first focal plane is responsible for keeping accurate sub tensions throughout the zoom range. Additionally, this scope is fitted with a precision-glide erector system that ensures magnification changes are as smooth as possible even under harsh conditions. What’s more, the tactical turrets on this scope are exposed and a side parallax knob is fitted to ensure you can easily take on a target at extended distances. You can easily focus your reticle with the fast focus eyepiece on this scope. The is the best budget scope for 30-06 on the market when you cannot afford the high-end scopes. Key Features
Why you should consider buying it: It is a Vortex scope that delivers value at a budget-friendly price. |
#3) Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm Riflescope
If you want legendary performance and dependability from a scope, the Leupold VX-Freedom is what you are looking for. It is a lightweight rifle scope that delivers great performance even in harsh conditions. As one of the best budget scope for 30-06 in its class, the VX-Freedom comes with an advanced optical system that is the best in reducing glare especially in harsh light, and also excellent in light transmission. This makes the target views very clear and bright. You get that clarity you need for you to ethically take down the target. It is also fog proof and waterproof which makes it a very durable scope to own. Key Features
Why you should consider buying it: It is a very durable scope that comes with premium features. It is also very dependable and delivers incomparable dependability. |
#4) Simmons 8-Point 3-9x50mm Rifle Scope with Truplex Reticle
At the corner of high-performance and budget-friendliness stands the Simmons 8-point. It is the perfect example of the best budget scope for 30-06. For starters, it comes with a 3-9X magnification range and a 50 mm objective lens for maximum light transmission into the scope. This delivers high-quality images even in low light conditions. Its optics are fully coated which is great for high-contrast images. This scope is fitted with a QTA piece for quick target acquisitions and a windage and elevation adjustment system that ensures 0 stays locked even in harsh conditions. Key Features
Why you should consider buying it: It’s a budget-friendly scope that comes with comfortable eye relief |
#5) Monstrum G2 1-4×24 First Focal Plane FFP
This is one scope that will without a doubt surprise you with its performance. For starters, It comes with a first focal plane rangefinder reticle that has easy to read ranging information and BDC marks. This information does not change with magnification but remains the same throughout the magnification eliminating guesswork. This allows you to make accurate and faster corrections regardless of the target’s range. What’s more, the dial-controlled reticle comes in red and green illumination that helps you increase visibility in any light conditions. The scope is made with aircraft-grade aluminum that gives it durability and strength especially in harsh conditions. It is a close to medium range scope that is one of the best budget scope for 30-06. Key features
Why you should consider buying it: It is a high-quality scope that comes with a budget-friendly price tag. |
#6) Primary Arms SLX 4-14x44mm FFP Rifle Scope
This is another scope that comes with impressive features and high performance. Its main unique feature is the ACSS Orion reticle that has the ability to range game like mule deer and coyotes. It comes with a BDC that eliminates guesswork which allows you to take accurate and faster shots even at extended ranges. What’s more, the scope comes with a side parallax knob that ensures the reticle stays parallax-free and the views remain sharp even at long ranges. The scope is fog proof, waterproof, and shockproof. Key Features
Why you should consider buying it: It comes with the proprietary and impressive ACSS Orion reticle that among other things, has the ability to range mule deer and coyotes. |
#7) Vortex Optics Crossfire II Second Focal Plane
If you are looking for the best budget scope for 30-06, the 3-9X40 Crossfire II is what you want. It comes with fully multi-coated lenses that are also anti-reflective for clear and bright target views. With a generous eye relief and a super forgiving eye box, you can be sure to quickly sight your target. A fast-focus eyepiece makes it easy for you to quickly and easily focus the reticle while the finger adjustable capped turrets can be reset to zero after sighting. This scope’s one-piece main tube is made with aircraft-grade aluminum which is a good material for durability and strength. Key Features
Why you should consider buying it: This scope is one of the many scopes from Vortex that delivers great performance with a budget-friendly price tag. |
Factors to Consider When Choosing The Best Budget Scope for 30-06
While a shoe-string budget might not get you a premium scope it might get you a great scope for your .30-06 rifle. Here are some factors you should consider:
Objective lens
An objective lens allows light through the scope for bright images. A huge objective lens allows maximum light through the scope resulting in really bright images, especially under low light. However, a huge objective lens makes the scope heavy.
40mm to 50mm of the objective lens is ideal for your .30-06 rifle especially for hunting at extended ranges.
Durability
Another factor to consider when looking for the best budget scope for 30-06 is durability. Buying a scope on a budget does not mean the scope should not be durable. Durable scopes are made with high-quality material like aircraft-grade aluminum for strength and are also purged with gas and sealed for fog and waterproof performance.
Glass and lenses
Granted, “cheap” scopes do not necessarily come with premium glass. Glass quality is one of the reasons scopes from companies like Nightforce or Schmidt & Bender are expensive.
However, you can still get a budget-friendly scope with great glass quality and lenses for clear and bright views. A scope that has fully multicoated lenses is even better as its vies are crisp clear.
Eye relief
The best budget scope for 30-06 comes with generous eye relief. Generous eye relief is especially important for people who wear glasses or use a rifle with heavy recoil. You do not want an injury to your eye while using the scope. The more the eye relief the safer the scope is easy to use.
Final Thoughts
Getting the best budget scope for 30-06 is a step in becoming the hunter you want to be. The other step is ensuring you practice every so often to make sure you improve or take your shooting skills to the next level.
We have compiled a list of our favorite budget scope to help you in your search to get the best!