What would you buy?

thorneracing · Sep 22, 2014

I am in need of buying new binoculars, but I also want a new gun as the old 284 Winchester is harder to find bullets for. So the question is if you could only buy one of the items what would you buy?

I am looking at the purchasing either the new Swarovski HD binocular or a nice gun that is set up well.

Which one would you buy?

Thanks

DeerMadness · Sep 22, 2014

Browning A - Bolt your desired cal with a Leopold VX- 3L 4.5-14 ?56mm. Illuminated reticle with side focus.Sweet set up for a couple grand.

carterj16 · Sep 22, 2014

everything good but do the VX 6 3x18

nvthrt · Sep 22, 2014

If I was starting over I'd spend every dime I had on the best optics I could afford and pack a 30-30 till I could upgrade lol.

Cornhusker · Sep 22, 2014

If I was young and having to start over it would be with the best optics I could afford and if I could afford them it would be Swarovski. Saying that I did it the opposite of that 35 years ago. If you use optics correctly the best you can afford IMO make most western hunts more productive and enjoyable. I think a relative cheap production rifle today with a good brand is usually pretty accurate.

nvbones · Sep 22, 2014

Swaros. You can buy a budget rifle that will outshoot a lot of customs these days.

jester · Sep 22, 2014

Bino's...period!
High end glass always seemed to up in prices. .
good rifle prices seem to stay flat!! Compared to each other!
Jester

RELH · Sep 22, 2014

nvbones what is your first hand basis for saying that.Have this been your first hand experience, or are parroting what you have heard from others. I have own both customs and factory and have found that you have better odds of getting a more accurate rifle with a custom then you do picking one off the rack.

I have several factory rifles that will shoot under 3/4" down to 3/8" but they were exceptions to most factory rifles you can get off the dealer's rack. I am very picky about my rifles. If it won't shoot under 1" and I can not get it to shoot under 1", I will get rid of it. My customs are more closer to that 3/8" group then they are to the 1" groups with full bore hunting ammo.

RELH

BIGJOHNT · Sep 22, 2014

Buy both. Most manufacturers are building good long range rifles. I just read a test on the Browning long range hunter. But almost everyone makes one. Then buy the best binos you can afford. If its Vortex or whatever. Then in the next few years you can move up to some high dollar binos. The ok binos should be good for ya for a few years and you still have a good rifle. Most young hunters cant tell or appreciate high end binos until they mature a bit any way. Then you should appreciate them.

ElmerFudd · Sep 22, 2014

The difference good pair of binoculars that you enjoy looking through makes is way more important than the difference between just an average rifle with decent scope and a high end rig. You use the binoculars far more.

eelgrass · Sep 23, 2014

New binoculars. You can't shoot what you can't see.

Eel

Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded.

Blank · Sep 23, 2014

Exactly! I'd hunt with a slingshot if I had to, as long as I had good glass.

cosmic_cowboy · Sep 23, 2014

What kind of gun is your 284??
Savage 99? Love 284 one of the most under rated cal. ever.
CC

ElmerFudd · Sep 23, 2014

This is just an add.... if the only gripe on the .284 is ammo availability, consider buying some reloading equipment after the binoculars. Brass will be available, especially with the popularity of the 6.5-284.

huntin50 · Sep 23, 2014

LAST EDITED ON Sep-23-14 AT 09:36AM (MST)[p]It depends on how you like your current gun. What scope you have on your gun. How far away are you planning on shooting, what type of big game hunting? etc.
I have leica binos,Swarski spotter, and a A bolt stainless stalker 300 win mag. That is a good set up for my hunting plans.

If you are going to glass along ways away, a good spotting scope is what I would choose.

My 15 yr old boy has 300 dollar nikon monarchs, a votex scope 4x16x50, on a browning abolt 270. For the type of hunting he does that is a perfect set up for the money.

Good glass is better at low light conditions, and decreases eye strain. If your not on the mountain in low light conditions, cheaper bino's are probably OK.

If you hunt thick timber often, you don't need a long range gun.

If you spend hours glassing more open country, invest in optics.

Buy what you think you need the most. You are getting opinion on what others have needed and purchased, for their type of hunting. Good luck.

sagebrush · Sep 23, 2014

Get both. Browning X-Bolt in 7MM Remington Magnum with a Leupold VX3 4.5-14X40 with the CDS and Cabelas Euros 10X42. You will have an out of the box tack driver with all the things you like about your .284 plus readily available ammo AND good glass for about the price you would pay for a set of Swarovski binoculars. That's my set up.

I've had 4 A-Bolts and 2 X-Bolts and every one of them has been capable of sub-MOA accuracy with factory ammunition. I did have to try several factory loads before I found the one each rifle liked. All of them seemed to shoot Hornady ammo pretty well. My current set up likes HSM ammo tipped with the 168 gr Berger Hunting VLD.

fullthrottle · Sep 23, 2014

I agree with the cabelas euro's. Best glass for the money without question. Compared side by side with the swaros very, very little difference. You almost have to committed to saying there is a difference just because the swaros are double the price

YELUM · Sep 23, 2014

I thought nvthrt's statement was funny as heck, but it is also exactly how I feel. You'll pull the trigger a dozen times a year, but can use the glass 12 months a year.

Yelum

YBU

BIGJOHNT · Sep 23, 2014

Ok lets make this simple ! Sounds like you have a gun and ammo problem . Fix that first, unless you plan on using your sling shot. If your with in sling shot range no need for bino's
.

sjhgraysage · Sep 23, 2014

My two cents
Buy a great binocular first.
I have a Swarovski binocular and I would rather leave my rifle at home than go without my binocular.
I have harvested plenty of game with an off the shelf rifle with a decent $300 or so dollar scope on it.
If used for big game hunting only, you could by a reloading outfit with dies for the .284 win and find 100 new unprimed brass and shoot for very long time before needing to get more brass. As long as primers, powder and bullets remain somewhat available.

Free advise, doubtless worth exactly what you paid for it

thorneracing · Sep 23, 2014

Thanks for everyone's imput. I have a decent Nikon scope on the 284, which is a lever action Winchester, but I'm not into reloading. I like the gun a lot mostly because my dad gave it to me and will keep it for generations to come. It's a tough decision. I think that I need to just get both both of them and solve the problem.

Thanks again for great advice

nvbones · Sep 23, 2014

RELH, I didnt mean to offend. I was simply saying rifles like tikka t3's are known to shoot under an inch and are 5-600 dollars. Im sure your odds of getting a custom rifle that is a tack driver are better. But you cant buy 5-600 dollar binos that will compete with the swaros. And im sure not every custom rifle that is expensive is guaranteed to shoot.