scope prices

[jamaldog87]

what is the difference between  a prine ridge scope, Tasco prongforn and the simmons 8-point besides prices?  i know you get what you pay for but a lot of scope's seem the same to me.

[alsatian]

You will probably get more answers if you post your question in the Optics forum.

Generally, more money for a scope buys you better optics, better customer service during repairs, and more robust field performance (scope does not break as easily).  I have heard that the difference in quality of optics can best be seen by laying the scopes down side-by-side at the retail shop and looking first through the one scope and then looking through the other scope.  In this side-by-side comparison pay attention to the sharpness of the images produced by the two scopes, particularly out at the edges of the field of view.  Also pay attention to how bright the image may be, although this may be difficult to compare in a well-lighted retail store where all images are liable to be bright.  Another quality that the extra money may buy you is eye relief.

If I were you I would ask the question "Why are so many other people paying more money for these expensive scopes?  Is it because they are all stupid and I'm the only smart one?"  There is a reason people pay more money for scopes.  Again, I recommend you post your query in the optics forum to get more responses.

[Don Fischer]

I don't think that price and quality go up at the same rate. You can buy an awful good scope for around $200. The bottom of the line Leuipold as I understand it is their old top of the line. They are great scopes. Many other scopes are very good scopes and while perhaps not the same quality as some very high priced scopes, they don't lag anywhere near what the price suggest's they do.

Most lenses are made in Japan, some still in Germany. But relating to camera lenses, the best come from Japan. I doubt that the overwhelmingly vast majority can tell the difference in scopes side by side if the reticules and the brands are conceled. I have three very old scopes; a 1-4x Redfield, a 2 3/4x Redfield and a 3-9x Bushnell Banner. All are pushing 30yrs old and no problems with them. My 25-06 has a 10yr old (aprox) 3-9x Tasco World Class, No problems and it cost me $89. The image thru all the scopes is more than good enough for hunting. Were I a target shooter, I'd look for something with finer cross wires, but the optics I have are fine. I just wonder how much of the price of some of the very expensive import scope is import taxes?

I would go back to Redfield right now if I was sure that they still backed them the way Redfield did. They used to be as good as Leuipold. The only scpoes I ever had fall apart were 1 Tasco but not World Class and 1 cheap Weaver and an off the wall bread I don't even know where I got. A Redfield broke the cross wires once in a bad fall, fixed and back in two weeks for free. The same scope broke the cross wires when I mounted it in vertical split rings, fixed and back in two weeks. In the vertical rings, you have to unscrew the eye piece to get it on the back ring. Redfield fixed it and installed it in the ring for me.

[victorcharlie]

Don's right, $200 will get a very good scope...Leupold VXI, Bushnell elite 3200, burris fulfield II, or Nikon Buckmark.  For the money, it's hard to beat a Nikon Prostaff at under $150......

A lot of fellows use the Simmons branded scopes but I can see a big difference when viewed side by side with any of the above.

The pronghorn and eight point are the entry level for both brands.......I'd try to put just a bit more money with it and get the prostaff.

[jamaldog87]

i see. well i know the high end scopes are better and last longer but as far as low end scopes go, i like the simmons line. Most don't cost much and do what there claim to do. For were i live(FL) if the scope can't stand up to sand, water, or rain then it no go for me.

[victorcharlie]

Ok......guess we must not have understood the question..........

[jro45]

I have found that the cheaper line of rifle scopes used on powerful rifles are sent back to the factory for repair. Then returned and cost is about $10.00, cheap enought. When put back on the rifle it has to be sighted in again. [ witch isn't bad ]  Then the cheap scope lasts for a while then needs repair again. It a cycle, round and round.

So I give up on the cheap scope and invested in really good scopes Burris and Leupole. There is a few others also. If you look around you can find the scope magnification you want also like I wanted a 4X16 and all Leupole had was 4.5X so I went to Burris and found it 4X16 and Burris was a little cheaper also.

[jamaldog87]

i found some info on the 8-point. this is what a shoot book had to say about them: the simmons 8-point series is aimed at the entry level or budget-mined shooter who needs a reliable scope at an affordoble price. When i do get some more cash i know a lot of gun shops were i like have used scopes for 20-50$. i once saw a ziess for 30$ and a old 3-9 Leuipold  for 20$ i didn't get them because they were name brand but those to looked like they had seen better days so i got the new simmons.

[Don Fischer]

Ya should have bought the Leupold. Even if something went wrong with it, Leupold would have fixed it or replaced it. Thats just the way they are!

[jamaldog87]

way get something fix that has the same power as a new scope? if it was a Weaver Grand Slam or Swarovski (which i saw one used for 350$) i would get it. Right now anyway it's going to be used on a .22LR or airgun so it will last a very long time on there. when i do get a next rifle i will buy a better scope. I once had a Leupold 6-12 on my b4-2 airgun.

[Thebear_78]

Come hunt up here in alaska for a few seasons and you will quickly understand why so many of us use Leupold scopes on ALL of our guns.  For the money I think its hard to go wrong with the leupold VxII line of scopes,  I have had everything from simmons to nightforce and think the leupolds probably the best bang for your money.  I have had a few burris FFII 3-9x40s and they have been excellent scopes too.  I really wouldn't drop below the burris though. 

There is nothing worse then blurry, or fogged glass when hunting, and the cheaper scopes just don't stand up to the elements.    The last thing I want is to be 15-20 miles off the road system and have a scope malfunction due to poor quality optics.

If you get another chance at a $20 dollar leupold buy it, send it in to leupold and you will have 15 times a better scope than your simmons.

[jamaldog87]

that way i ilke steel open sights in my guns. If the scope goes bad then i still have my open sights. But yeah  alaska and Africa  you need a good scope like leupold or ziess. Here it more sand and salt that will mess up a scope. My simmons has stand up to the sand and salt-water mud of were i hunt so to me it's a very good scope. it's has not fog up in the rain.