Any problems with a Tasco Varmint 6-24x42 on a .308?
- Thread starter schmidt64
- Start date
Ok I gotta chime in!
Years ago I picked up a Remington 700 VTR in .308 and had a left over Tasco Varmint 6-24 that I threw onto the rifle. Shot VERY nice. But I wanted something slightly better so I bought a Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn I think with the same magnification. On the third shot the scope would literally go out of focus after ever shot from there after. Sent it into Warranty, waited the couple months, and got the scope back. Sold the scope and threw the Tasco back onto the rifle. Stayed on the VTR for hundreds of rounds before I sold the rifle. This is not the first time I bought a $200-$400 scope, had it fail, and ended throwing throwing a left over Tasco Varmint onto the rifle. Finally picked up a Vortex Crossfire in 6-24 and wasn't let down so I gave the tasco to a friend to throw onto his .22!
That being said, find a used Vortex Crossfire for around $200 if you want that 6-24 power or a Bushnell Banner in the same will get you by. The Vortex bounced between multiple rifles before finally settling onto my father's Remington 700 in 7mm Rem Mag. It's sat there now for a couple hundred rounds and has never needed to be sighted in after the fact.
My Savage Axis came with a Bushnell scope from the factory. Everyone told me to get rid of it immediately. I've abused the rifle to the point I should feel ashamed. And I have yet to sight the scope in since I first took it out of the box.
Sometimes you just get lucky with a cheap scope. Not saying to go out looking for the cheapest. Just buy what you can afford and enjoy your rifle.
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I agree with this ^ the Japanese Tasco scopes were a very respectable scope at a cheap price, the China ones are not in the same league. I have had a Japanese tasco mounted on a 25-06 for over 20 years and it is still working great. I agree with others tho, use what you have and see how it goes.
- Location
- Richmond, BC
I've heard stories of Tasco scopes spontaneously exploding in fear as you reach for the trigger.
Northman999
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Yukon
I've had a couple of older 3-9x40mm Tasco Pronhorns (80's manufacture, 80's price was around $279) that have lasted decades on a .338 win mag and a .270. Nothing wrong with that generation of Tasco's, period.
The new Target/Varmint ones are not as tough, but they're selling for $90 - $110 in 2014 dollars, so what do you expect?
Tasco still warranties them immediately (I just got a new 6-24x42 sent to me, no questions asked, after my M-14 rattled one up pretty bad.), and lots of guys get lots of mileage out of them. I've had three on rifles for a few years and only the one on the M-14 had an issue, and M-14's are known to be rough on scopes.
You still need to be aware that a $100 Tasco isn't a $350 VX-2, but I'm okay going afield with my 6.5 x 55 wearing a $100 Tasco.
The new Target/Varmint ones are not as tough, but they're selling for $90 - $110 in 2014 dollars, so what do you expect?
Tasco still warranties them immediately (I just got a new 6-24x42 sent to me, no questions asked, after my M-14 rattled one up pretty bad.), and lots of guys get lots of mileage out of them. I've had three on rifles for a few years and only the one on the M-14 had an issue, and M-14's are known to be rough on scopes.
You still need to be aware that a $100 Tasco isn't a $350 VX-2, but I'm okay going afield with my 6.5 x 55 wearing a $100 Tasco.
If you have a Chinese Tasco, especially a high-magnification one, that is working well on a .22 rifle...leave it there and consider yourself lucky. You still need a scope on each gun, and you certainly aren't going to find a cheaper one for the Axis, so leave well enough alone and follow one of the numerous suggestions in this thread to get a newer, and hopefully better, scope for your centerfire.
I think half the problems that people experience with Tascos occur when they flip them from rifle to rifle...it's like trying to move a house of cards!
I think half the problems that people experience with Tascos occur when they flip them from rifle to rifle...it's like trying to move a house of cards!
I just found a picture of my Savage 10FCP-SR wearing the same Tasco Varint scope as the rest of my .308 rifles:
So that scope has probably survived thousands of .308 rounds. Why did I ever give that damn thing away?!
So that scope has probably survived thousands of .308 rounds. Why did I ever give that damn thing away?!
I got one on sale through Lebarons last year. I wanted a higher-magnification scope to do paper shooting. It replaced the 3-9 Leupold the rifle came with. Going from a relatively high-end scope to this... sucked. The focal length is terrible - your eye needs to be within 1/4" of 'right' or the sight picture disappears at high magnification. Light transmission is terrible, and the crosshairs are too thick to use on anything smaller than 4" groups at 200 yards. If I missed an opportunity in a hunt because that scope is so picky, then it's truly wasted money.
