Opinion: Buying philosophy for optics

[I Dont Care About You]

I'm at a roadblock and would love some opinions/thoughts/direction from those with more experience.

• purchased a Tikka T3X CTR in .223 to learn how to shoot, own/maintain a gun, etc.

Honestly, at your level and for what you want to do with the rifle, the optic really doesn't matter much. A $300 Tasco 3-9x40 will be fine and will last you for decades.

The thing you are most in need of is shooting practice. Save the expensive scope for the future and spend the money on ammo right now. You need to learn to shoot. The fine details of the image a scope produces is totally irrelevant to that goal.

We had a pair of $100 Tasco 3-9x40 scopes on our gopher rifles for 20 years and they were a solid performer. They got drug around gopher fields and chucked into the back of the truck more times than I can count. They never lost zero and never failed.

 

[Tokay444]

Buying philosophy - Never look through anything you can't afford.
Buy once, cry once.
Most scopes under $3000 aren't worth looking through.

 

[savagelh]

Buying philosophy - Never look through anything you can't afford.
Buy once, cry once.
Most scopes under $3000 aren't worth looking through.

That's about the stupidest statement ive read on here and there has been some doozies.

 

[HOSSONE]

I’ve only had what most would consider low and mid grade scopes used in hunting and target situations. As many have said a cheaper scope would work fine but a higher quality scope is much nicer. I would suggest the best you can afford. One reason being the user experience and the second being resale. No one wants to buy a cheap used scope if you ever wanted to get rid of it. Another piece of advice I would give in the world of optics in regards to meeting a budget is it’s always better to buy the lower end of a higher quality product than the more expensive end of a lower quality product.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

No one wants to buy a cheap used scope if you ever wanted to get rid of it.

That's not true. I had no problem selling a 20yo $100 scope for basically what I paid for it. I sold off all my older scopes for near what I paid for them. Sometimes inflation has a beneficial effect.

 

[Tokay444]

That's about the stupidest statement ive read on here and there has been some doozies.

Go be poor somewhere else.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

Go be poor somewhere else.

Have you ever met any gun owners.

 

[savagelh]

Go be poor somewhere else.

I'm sure I'll be here long after you're pretty in pink.

 

[Jahnj0584]

I'm sure I'll be here long after you're pretty in pink.

You genuinely think good scopes only start at $3000? This is quite the insane take. How are your eyes? How much are your glasses?

 

[HOSSONE]

That's not true. I had no problem selling a 20yo $100 scope for basically what I paid for it. I sold off all my older scopes for near what I paid for them. Sometimes inflation has a beneficial effect.

lol.....that's true.

 

[HOSSONE]

We had a pair of $100 Tasco 3-9x40 scopes on our gopher rifles for 20 years and they were a solid performer. They got drug around gopher fields and chucked into the back of the truck more times than I can count. They never lost zero and never failed.

Yup, some of them work well. My buddy who was not easy on his gear had the lowest Bushnell 3x9 on his 30-06 and it performed well for years.

 

[HOSSONE]

Go be poor somewhere else.

 

[Tokay444]

You genuinely think good scopes only start at $3000? This is quite the insane take. How are your eyes? How much are your glasses?

Yes. I don't wear glasses. If you've never looked through a $6000 scope, see rule number 1.

 

[Tokay444]

Have you ever met any gun owners.

I don't really waste time with ones who don't understand quality.

 

[SuperCub]

I don't really was time with ones who don't understand quality.

LOL ...... What that mean word does?

.

 

[Tokay444]

LOL ...... What that mean word does?

.

7.

 

[SuperCub]

Most scopes under $3000 aren't worth looking through.

LOL ...... 7.

.

 

[cosmic]

Well - There are other parameters to scope quality/price other than glass clarity and magnification, which the OP needs to consider. Can the scope hold point of impact? Does it wander when changing magnification? Does it track properly with turret adjustment?
If I were just getting into the game, I'd get a used Bushnell 3200 or 4200 with modest magnification (say 3-9 or 4-12), and AO. Out of pocket would be 350$ or less, and he could spend the savings over a new scope on ammo or reloading equipment.

 

[I Dont Care About You]

I don't really waste time with ones who don't understand quality.

LOL, I am 100% certain you are one of those snooty people who have all the best gear and still can't shoot for sh!t. Honestly I don't care about the illusion of quality based upon price. I care about being able to hit a target at really long ranges and I guarantee I've shot to way longer distances than you have ever even contemplated.

 

[4star60]

You get what you pay for is nonsensical overly simple garbage.