Scopes

[Incitatus]

I wonder about scopes generally.  I onlt have one for my Contender, a Tasco 1.5-4, though I have a number of different ones for my rifles.  What makes me wonder is the range of prices for what, based on the specs, is the same thing. 

What makes a Leopould worth 20x the cost of an NCStar?  Or is it worth that much of a premium.  Is it the value of a brand name?  I am curious about what the opinion if of folks who have had more experience with scopes cheap and expensive. 

I have an NCStar formy Ruger 1b in 223, A monster zoom that cost around $180.  As far as I can tell, it is a well performing tool.  I was eyeing pistol scopes by the same maker and thought "what the heck, how bad can they be".

Thoughts?

[Keith L]

I used to buy cheap scopes and was always disappointed by them.  My main reason for good glass is that hunting is at its best when light is lowest, and better glass is brighter then.  Also Leupold will always stand behind their product, and fix it forever.  The cheaper ones you won't be able to even get them fixed.  Also some of the cheaper scopes are not solid mechanically, and will come apart sooner than later when shot.  My time in the woods is to short to have it wasted by crappy glass.

[Slowpoke Slim]

My 2 cents worth will be close to Keith's.

Optics is one area where you almost always get what you pay for. Maybe not every, single time. But far more often than not.

I guess it depends on what your scope demands are. Cheap scopes suck. They "work" but they suck. If you're just trying to gaze through one at a shooting range, at a black and white target down range, it will "work", that is one thing. If you're trying to hunt with one in changing light conditions, it can be vastly different. Light transmission is only part of it, it's also color transmission, contrast, is that gray smudge a deer or an old tree trunk?

Also, when you're at the range and the scope goes south, you cuss a little maybe, and pack it in and go home for the day. If you're not shooting a match, it's really nothing lost. If you're on a hunt, or especially a big game hunt, and your scope goes south, man, that's an entirely different set of headaches. A "bad" or broken scope will take your rifle out of action.

In response to your example of the Leupold-vs-NC Star scope, I will have to say I've never looked through an NC Star brand scope. However, if it's really 1/20th the cost of a Leupold, I think I can live without one.

I DO have some "cheap" scopes (under $100), but they have their places. I've bought a couple of Burris scopes and a Pentax on discount for under $100 that will do nicely for rimfires, etc. I'm not an "optics snob" or anything, but I did start off as a young lad with "cheap" scopes. I can afford better scopes now, still not Swarovski or Zeiss, but pretty decent glass in Nikon, Burris, and yes Leupold. I like to shop around. Don't be afraid to look through a bunch of scopes in a store. Take them outside and look through them at dawn and dusk if they'll let you (most will, but they will come with you of course).

My brother hunted with a junk scope until I forced him to use my rifle one year with a Leupold on it (I had taken my deer opening morning, and put my rifle in his hands, and took the bolt out of his gun and told him he couldn't have it back until nightfall). All he had to do was hunt with it ONE time, and he was convinced.

I have Burris Full Field 2's/ Black Diamond, Nikon's Pro Staff/ Buckmaster/ and Monarch, and Leupold Vari-x 1's, 2's, and a fixed power, Weaver Grand Slam, and a TC fixed power. The only scope I've ever broken was a Bushnell that broke internally on the 3rd shot from a 30-06 ( I think it was a "Banner"?).

Life's too short to shoot with a piece of junk scope.


Oh, I forgot to add, handguns scopes all seem to cost more than their rifle scope equivalents do. I don't know why either, but they do.

[Keith L]

I was at a gun shop one day when a guy who just spent a couple thousand dollars on a custom rifle for a hunt in Alaska was going to put a $40 scope on it.  First class guided hunt, first class gun, junky scope and rings.  It was a recipe for disappointment.

[Ladobe]

Keith and Chris covered most of the important points very well, so no need to harp on them.  Like your "scope snobs" moniker Chris because I know I've been accused of being one by arm chair experts who have never looked through 99% of them.  Sometimes I guess they have the right name though, I have my opinions.  Anyway, I'll add a couple of thoughts.

No doubt brand name does affect cost to a point, and I'm not so sure some companies don't try to ride on their name a little too much sometimes.  But they earned their rep in quality and service and so have a right to charge more for it just like in any other business IMO.  However, a few very good quality handgun scope models have been made by lesser name brand companies as well.  Never could figure out why/how these gents turned out an excellent model line and discontinued it when the rest of their offerings both before and after are not top drawer like those models were.  Examples are Tasco's Pro Class and Simmons Gold Medal Match.  I used them both for years as they were about all that would stand up to heavy use on a serious handcannon (along with some of the early Burris models).  I preferred the TPC though. 

NcStar I had put in a class with say BSA, not even up to Tasco or Simmons standards in general.  An assumption I made entirely on cost (being a scope snob).  Still mostly feel that way because being old school I too think a scope should be at least equal to and better yet surpass the firearm it will be mounted on.  Many of my firearms wear glass costing more than the firearm did, some way more.  Anyway, I got my arm twisted by a friend into buying an NcStar 3-9 Compact Sniper scope with illuminated reticule sight unseen 4-5 years ago.  $59 I think.  Tell you what "scope snobs", I am impressed with it.  Even so I've never considered buying other models from them.  Old habits die hard I guess.

For current model pistol scopes still in a reasonable price range I'd go with Burris, Nikon and Bushnell Elite.  Never did like the Leupold handgun scopes I owned, sold them all a long time ago.  That's fair though... I like Burris handgun scopes but not their rifle scopes.  I mostly buy Leupold and Nikon for those.

Now if somebody would just get to offering 24X-36X handgun scopes for my long range specialty pistols.  The optics is all that keeps them from realizing their full ballistic potential.

Larry

[Hopalong7]

I'm in total agreement with the three responses above!  ;)Walt

[Lone Star]

I've owned scopes from Tasco and Simmons to Leupold and Zeiss.  The one thing I can say is that you will never be dissappointed in the performance of a quality scope.  You very well may be dissappointed in the performance of a cheap scope.  Buy a cheap scope and you 1) don't have a decent scope and 2) you don't have your money either....

Is a Leupold worth 20X what a NcStar is?  Actually, comparable scopes are not 20 times the price, but even if they were let me ask you this:  if the buck of a lifetime comes into view on a rainy day and your NcStar scope fogs up - how much would you be willing to pay at that moment to have a quality Leupold mounted on your firearm?



.

[MnMike]

OK, I am a cheapskate. I use Lee reloading equipment. I drive a small car and a small pickup. I shop at Wally World. I don't buy designer anything.

That said, I use a older, pretty good, Redfield scope on my main deer rifle. I use a pretty good TC scope on my Contender deer pistol.

I also have way too many other firearms or barrels (for Handi Rifle or Contender) that I scope with cheap optics. These are guns I shoot for target-fun or varmits. I have had no failures with these. I do look through these before I buy. I rejected a Simmons because the edges were totally out of focus. I have had luck with Tasco, BSA, and Barska. If I could afford it maybe I would top every gun with a Ziess, but I doubt it.

mike

[yooper77]

I highly recommend Leupold scopes over any other.

They are worth every penny and your will never be unhappy about them.

If you don’t want new, look at the auction site and purchase them used, they are 100% warranty covered no questions asked.  You can find fixed powers and variables for seals, if you are patient enough.

I have purchased very old worn Leupold for under $100 and mail them to Leupold just to have a brand new sealed in the box arrive at my door step.

I do have a Thompson Center 2.5-7x28mm pistol scope and it too is 100% warranty covered, I bought it used for a 3rd of the going price.

yooper77

[Keith L]

If I could afford it maybe I would top every gun with a Ziess, but I doubt it.

mike

You don't need to go to Ziess.  But Burris, Leupold, Bushnell Elite, and Nikon have good optics and a range of prices.  I am with Ladobe, Nikon or Leupold for the rifles, Burris or Bushnell for pistols.  I have just never bought cheap glass that I didn't soon regret.

And while you are at it, don't skimp on the mounts.  There is some real crap out there.  Mounts that wiggle under recoil, that torque the scope tube, that don't hold well.  Research and find ones that you like.  Stay away from the ones on the end cap at Wally World.