I don't doubt that you're right. As I mentioned, I wouldn't chance a good hunt on a cheap scope. My cheap scopes are only used to punch paper. I often play with the horizontal/vertical adjustment due to different loads, with no problems. I have one on a 300 WM, probably close to 1000 rounds down the pipe, no problems. I bought the first cheapo just out of curiosity, then decided to try several different brands. Haven't been screwed yet. That being said, you have to fully expect that you get what you pay for.
NcStar scope good or bad??
- Thread starter adrigauthier
- Start date
I don't doubt that you're right. As I mentioned, I wouldn't chance a good hunt on a cheap scope. My cheap scopes are only used to punch paper. I often play with the horizontal/vertical adjustment due to different loads, with no problems. I have one on a 300 WM, probably close to 1000 rounds down the pipe, no problems. I bought the first cheapo just out of curiosity, then decided to try several different brands. Haven't been screwed yet. That being said, you have to fully expect that you get what you pay for.
Ar180shooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ottawa, ON
You can call NC Star crap because it is crap. Something like a Redfield isn't that much more expensive, but it's an excellent scope for the money. It doesn't have all the fancy HSLD tacticool features that the NC Star has, but it won't fall apart when you use it on anything other than airsoft either. Then there are other scopes like the Falcon Menace or Millet DMS. Sure they're not a Nightforce, but they're still decent scopes that don't cost an arm and a leg. OP was asking if NC Star makes a decent scope, and if it will hold up to a .308. The answer to both of these questions is no, at least not with any regularity.
Not trying to be facetious or anything here, but have you owned an NcStar? I've got a few, as well as several other cheapies on various guns from .22 to 300 WM and have never had a problem with any of them. BTW, you can tell from my previous posts here that I don't, for one minute, think they are a high quality product, or that I would risk my life or a memorable hunt on one, but they are a good, serviceable product in my experience, if you are willing to live with their limitations - unknown durability being the only one I have found so far.
That to me is a large issue.
I'm not staking my life on my optics.
I'm not always taking them on a memorable hunt
but, if I'm spending any amount of money on my rifle, ammo, targets and putting my time in, then I want to see them perform the best that they can.
Why would I throw $150 dollars away to something that has "unknown durability" when I can spend another $100 and get something that I know will work?
I relate NCstar to O'douls beer. Great for looks, might taste okay, you might buy enough to actually have it work, but in the end it's going to get flushed.
I do not own NCstar optics, however have put a lot of rounds through a few different models of a friends.
I can say I would never bring them on a hunt, or even to the range.
They were a pain to zero and once we did get it, it wandered.
eye relief was non resistant. How long till one of these things causes you to miss that chance coyote? Or god forbid, causes you to wing him without a chance to put him down.
You are speaking form experience with a product, and I respect that. And you are right not to own them if you are not comfortable with them. I may very feel that way at some point, but for now, they've never let me down, so I'll keep using them.
Sound more like Fitco than NC Star but who knows maybe I just got one that works
I have one of there MarkIII with the target turrets and its on a second 223 now and has been on one for 3 years I have used the turrets to shoot out to 800 YRDS and it always returns to Zero but I have seen some at a gun show looking through the boxes with a loose lens .
I have one of there MarkIII with the target turrets and its on a second 223 now and has been on one for 3 years I have used the turrets to shoot out to 800 YRDS and it always returns to Zero but I have seen some at a gun show looking through the boxes with a loose lens .
Ar180shooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ottawa, ON
Having a scope fail or loose zero while at the range is a pain, and if you're constantly battling with your equipment, it can ruin the sport for some. For around the same price point, you can get a Bushnell Trophy, or for about $100 more, you can get a Redfield. If you're just mounting it on a .22 and using it for casual plinking, you may get years of service out of it, or you may not. It's a coin toss, but I'm not much of a gambler, so I prefer to spend a little more on something I know I can rely on.
Haven't ever owned an NC Star scope. Looked at one at a gun show a few years back, put it down and moved on.
I to have had great success with NcStar optics on different calibers. It sure is funny how the "Brand Whores" that have never even used the product can condemn the product on pure hear say...............
I had an NCstar scope on my .17 HMR. Couldn't figure out why it was shooting 2-3 MOA. Replaced with a Bushnell 3200 - groups tightened up considerably (down to <1 MOA). I would not buy another NCstar scope. I imagine their red dots are similar quality (or lack thereof).
A potential option for a cheap, but decent, scope would be to see if any dealers have takeoffs from package rifles. For instance, the Savage package rifles came with decent scopes, and it seems like a lot of guys had them removed before they took the rifles home. Might be an option.
A potential option for a cheap, but decent, scope would be to see if any dealers have takeoffs from package rifles. For instance, the Savage package rifles came with decent scopes, and it seems like a lot of guys had them removed before they took the rifles home. Might be an option.
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
The year is 2012 and if you think you can buy a quality illuminated scope with target turrets for the price of a tankful of gas, you're sadly mistaken.
I'm the first to admit they aren't for everyone. I've never had ANY issues with any scope, cheap or expensive.
Ar180shooter
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Ottawa, ON
No "brand whoring" here. I've handled them, and decided that they lack in quality for the price point. This is because they include lots of features like target turrets that cost extra on most other scopes, in lieu of QC and better made components. You can get a half decent scope for $200, but it's very simple and doesn't have many options (Redfield). If you notice, I've mentioned Redfield in virtually every post this thread. That's because, IMO, they're a great scope for the money, and an immense increase in quality over NC Star, but are in the same price range. Sure, they don't have illuminated reticules or target turrets, but it won't fall apart from regular use on a centre-fire rifle. FYI, I've owned and used everything from Trijicon, Swarovski and Kahles scopes down to low end Bushnell and even "mystery" $20 gunshow special scopes (a fixed 4x that I still have on my Marlin 795
).No one of any credibility runs NC star products. No one who's serious about their discipline runs NC star products. No one who offers a wide range of optics offers NC star products.
Here's a question for all the NC star champions here. If I offered you any NC star optic or any Leupold/Zeiss/Nightforce/US optics/Vortex/Schmidt and Bender/Premier model, which would you take? I very highly doubt you would choose an NC star.
TDC
Here's a question for all the NC star champions here. If I offered you any NC star optic or any Leupold/Zeiss/Nightforce/US optics/Vortex/Schmidt and Bender/Premier model, which would you take? I very highly doubt you would choose an NC star.
TDC
Of course if they were the same price or even close I would choose the nightforce ETC but they aren't I would not by a basic 40mill 3-9 over a bushnell sportview But I wanted to play with turrets on my 223 so bought a MKIII 30 mill tube in 4-16 power and it works great I have a 6500 tactical on my 300 ultra and it is a better scope but I did not want to pay out as much for another 6500 as they are around $899.00 as opposed to $147.00 that Marstar sells the NC star for Show me a scope with target turrets and a 30mill tube thats even close to that .And as far as a scope failing I have sent back more than one bushnell for repair and a Leupold for that matter . I use my 223 to shoot coyotes and gophers not bench rest competition.
I do shoot competitive black powder though and my money tends to go there
I believe buy the best you can afford and then there is no regrets .
Lets not be Snobs now.
An optic with 30mm tube and target turrets thats worth anything and dependable is not available for the low prices NC star charge. There's a reason for that, you can't get quality for cheap.
No one has to justify their Leupold/Nightforce/Zeiss/USO/Premier etc optics, because everyone knows they're quality and will last. Its only the cheap brands that people feel the need to justify. Brands like NCstar, Norinco, Tapco, ATI, Voodoo, etc. Do you see a trend here?
TDC
- Location
- Peace River, Alberta
NCStar=bad news
Greg
Greg
I am not an NcStar champion, and if you offered me any higher grade of scope for the same price, I would definitely take you up on it. however, if someone tells me they can't afford a name brand scope and that they have the choice between cheapie and not shooting, I'd definitely say go cheapie. Same thing with a choice of gun - if they have plenty of cash, go with the custom M14, drilling or target bolt gun. If you don't have cash and you have a choice between not shooting and an SKS, Mosin-Nagant or Savage/Stevens/Mossberg/Marlin cheapie, get the cheapie. In the end, it's all a question of having fun. I would never let a brand choice keep me from enjoying my hobby. An awful lot of freezers are filled every year with guns with Tasco scopes on them. A lot of moose are killed using Lee-Enfields bought for $19 from Eaton's (although I guess those are starting to go down in numbers as time goes on).
My old man was a bit of a gun snob. Owned nothing but high-end guns with good optics on them (at the time, Bushnell was a higher-end brand) such as bushnell, weaver and redfield. I don't think he ever killed a moose. My uncle had a Globco 303 semi (I think it's an SVT-40 chambered in 303) with a tasco scope on it, and he never failed to fill up his freezer several times a year with it.
Once again how can someone comment on a product they have not used. The credibility of someone comparing NcStar optics to Leupold/Nightforce/Zeiss has to be taken with a grain of salt. NcStar optic have their place and most people know what they are buying. If the product fails take advantage of the lifetime warranty get a new one and sell it or keep it.
Budget is a bullsh*t excuse for being cheap or poorly informed. Its called patience and saving your money for quality gear. Aside from a few on this board, most of us saved for our high(er) end gear. Its called prioritizing your activities and your finances. You may need to liquidate other gear you don't use or don't use as much to fund that new optic/stock/rifle you really want. The excuse of low budget translates into low personal discipline and piss poor planning.
No doubt there are those who have plenty of high end guns and gear and fail to fill the freezer or win a match. That speaks more about the shooter than the gear. The best gear doesn't make a shooter any better, but it does eliminate itself as a variable. Enjoying the hunt, plinking, or competing is the end goal. However, that end goal is but a pipe dream when your gear sh*ts the bed on you. Broken gear or unreliable gear does not translate into enjoyment no matter how you work the numbers.
Single ply toilet paper works in a pinch, but eventually you'll end up with sh*t on your hands..
TDC
