New Rifle/Optics or Old Rifle/Expensive Optics Help Me Decide

never bought a "high end" scope... never noticed. put a nikon or leupold on there for $250-350 and never know the difference. unless you are using it for 1000 yard shots or something then pay $1200 for a scope

New bolt gun and new mid level scope. Or keep what you got since it's worked for 20 years and go buy a new bow completely rigged out and ready to hunt or a new 3-1/2" duck gun.

just put a new scope on the ole war horse.

most older rifles are better anyway. Especially early 50's models and older

I sold high end guns/optics/equipment for several years.....
don't waste the money on a new rifle and iffy optics, just buy optics. 30mm Swarovski or Schmidt and Bender and thank me later. Also, don't go cheap on the mounts, buy the best you can afford... at least the leupold brand mounting systems.
your gun im sure is fairly accurate, you can't shoot what you can't see. If you want to compare before you buy go to the store at night or late evening and ask them to go with you outside to compare. Also helps if said store has a dark alley or isn't brightly lit around the area....

After having a $30 Bushnell Sharpshooter on my Model 70 for about 25 years, last year I put a Luepold VXII 33mm 2-7. (It was around $200ish using Cabela points.) It was a step up in glass quality and I will probably use that combo until someone inherits it from me.
If the rifle is reliable, keep it and top it with the scope you want.

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Is the 30mm that much better than the 1in?

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Yes. If you can afford $1200 save up a little more money and drop the money man. Used them both, one of the perks of working where I did... Had access to everything and was able to shoot tons of rifles...

Time and time again we sold entire set ups with rifles that were cheaper than the optics... Most rifles shoot well and if they don't its typically the shooter, ammo and or optics. shite, couldn't count the number of times I'd put a 30mm Swarovski or Zeiss on a Tikka... what would burn my arse would be someone spending $1300 on a Sako or a Weatherby Accumark and stick a damn $300 scope on it.... Doesn't work well that way. Buy a good scope and put the best mounts you can afford on it. It will make all the difference in the world. I didn't use Schmidt and Bender in my reference b/c they are in the 2k range. They are better than the others no doubt, but 2k on a scope is a big pill to swallow for most. We generally put them on Accumarks, Sakos, Dakotas and some custom guns that came through like Jarretts and such.

The ole 7600 definately shoots straight and it would be hard to retire the ole boy.
With a budget of +\- $1200 what's my best couple options on glass. I'm mostly concerned with low light conditions and reliability. Long range shots are not an issue.

Most of my family and friends have Leopold and Nikon. They all love what they have but I want better. Are is there better I that price range?

Swarovoski

Swarovski Z3 Riflescope at Cabela's Quantity: 1 Price: Reg: $1,349.99 Sale: $1,059.99 each

4x12 -50

with ballistic turret

only a 1 inch tube but a great piece of glass