Like some others have said, the Meopta is a good scope for the price. I have had two different model IOR Valdada scopes and they are really good glass for the money. They are built like a tank, but a little heavy.
I used a 1.5-8x26 on my rifle in AFG for a year and it held up really well, kick my self for selling it. You can find the hunting models a little cheaper than the tactical models, if you don't need the tactical type turrets.
Look at the samplelist website and you can normally find some demo models for a good price.

There again if you are in dark timber, are you going to need more than 3X? At such a low power setting your exit pupil is going to be maxed out as to what your eye can utilize even with a 40mm scope. There is no way in %$*&^ I'm going to carry around a 28 oz scope.

If you are mounting it on a 15 LB rifle with an adjustable stock and shooting from a bench it doesn't matter if you mount a 72mm 3LB scope.

Except for the weight. You don't realize how the weight adds up until you add a 3 or 4 pound scope to a weapon. I loved my Nightforce but it was not practical for hunting in the south.

bill collector i was wrong on the weight of the nikon 2.5x10x56, it weights 23.5 ounces. the zeiss conquest 3x12x56 weights 25.5 oz, and the meopta 3x12x56 weights 21.5 ounces. thats only 6 ounces more than some 40mm scope and all three can be found in the 600 dollar range you ask about. personally i would not let a 1/2 pound from getting a better scope. i have several 30mm 56mm scopes and would be glad to let you look they 1 of them so you can decide for your self. their is a HUGE difference in the bigger glass.

3.5x15x56 nightforce is 30 ounces, the meopta 3x12x56 that has been recommanded is 21.5 ounces. and the smaller 3x10x40 some pepole are recommending are 15.5 ounces. the math tells me that that is only 1 lb, not 3 or 4 lbs . i think that the 30 mm meopta or the nikon 2.5x10x56 will be the better choose than the 40mm. and they are both in the price range bill collector is looking for. i only threw the 3.5x15x56 nightforce in because of lighted reticle and the old bullet proff models can befound for 800 or 900 dollars. as i said before i would not let 1/2 pound or 1 lb stop me from getting better optics

I don't doubt there is a big difference but I would think the quality matters more than objective size unless we are talking higher magnification. You can't use more light than the human eye can receive with a max exit pupil on lower magnification.

The discontinued Zeiss Diavari 2.5-10X42 was my idea of the perfect hunting scope.

r h clark, thats apples to oranges in this case. you are correct about quailty does matter over obj size,BUT the zeiss diavari 2.5x10x42 is a 1700 dollar scope. that is well out of the price rang he stated. the scope i was taling about were 600- 800 dollar range. both scopes we are talking about are 30mm tubes. with 56mm lenses in stead of 42 you get more light gather in capablity and a wider field of view. i get your point on max exit pupil and under stand it well. but if two cars got 10 mpg and 1 was 400 hp and the other was 500 hp , i will take the 500 hp. and every human eye cant be the same. my thing would be let him look threw several scopes and choose the best one four his price range

Always a good idea to look at a bunch. I was just using the Diavari as an example of a smaller objective scope that is just as bright as the larger objective scopes at lower power because of glass quality. I could have bought one a couple weeks ago for $1100 if I could have spent the cash just then.

Everyone should buy what fits their style of hunting. You like the large objectives on long range heavy rifles and in that situation I completely agree with a larger objective, because the rifle is already heavy and could even have adjustable cheek. Plus the larger objective is definitely brighter when you get above about 7X.

Again I just offer an alternative view. My favorite hunting scope right now is a Kahles Helia CL 2-7X36 with 4A reticle. It's just about perfect for my , under 200 yards shots on lighter weight rifles, where I'm just as likely to shoot a jumped deer at 10 yards as one feeding at the edge of a field at 150 yards.

i also have lots of light weight rifles that i hunt with. a rifle and scope are just a tool. i wouldnt not want to build a motor or rearend with just a cresent wrench . i have a rem 700 in 25-06 that i really like becuse it lite, it has an older kahles helia cs 2.5x10x50 on it. i think kahles is a great scope as long as you dont put it on a magnum rifle. the reason i say that is i broke a 3x12x56 kahles in 2001 it was on a 300 ultra mag with no break. that thing kicked like a mule. but customer service was great and so are kahles scopes

I picked up my illuminated Meopta as a display for $650.00!!! I'd have bought two more if they'd had em !

sharpshooter69, that was a great deal. my friend has a meopta 3x12x56 illuminate 4k i really like it and had planned on it being my next scope purchase. if you decide you want to make a 100 dollar proff on that scope please feel free to pm and i will come pay you!!! LOL

I have been very happy with my Zeiss conquest 3-9x50 with Z plex reticle.