cheap glass
- Thread starter sirley
- Start date
Buy cheap, buy twice.
Will a cheap scope work? yes, maybe. How much recoil can they take? who knows? Maybe the zero will wander, maybe it won't.
I bought a Leupold Vari-Xll about 18 years ago. It has been on 2 rifles and I have never had to touch the dials after it was sighted the first time.
You may get lucky and get a good cheap scope that will hold it's zero and you may never have a problem with it. My experience with the cheap scopes my buddies buy is that they have to be zeroed ever year and may be off as far as 6 înches.
Will a cheap scope work? yes, maybe. How much recoil can they take? who knows? Maybe the zero will wander, maybe it won't.
I bought a Leupold Vari-Xll about 18 years ago. It has been on 2 rifles and I have never had to touch the dials after it was sighted the first time.
You may get lucky and get a good cheap scope that will hold it's zero and you may never have a problem with it. My experience with the cheap scopes my buddies buy is that they have to be zeroed ever year and may be off as far as 6 înches.
Go for a Burris Fullfield II Watch E-bay and it might take you a few weeks, but you'll get a great price. I've bought 2 off auctions and never spent more than $150US on them. I set thet as my limit and didn't bid over. first one took 6 different auctions and the second took about 10. Great glass, holds zero lifetime warranty.
- Location
- AB foothills
Maynard is correct, if you buy cheap optics you get exactly what you pay for, cheap optics. Dont waste your money, save it.
I'm another 3200 Elite fan. I have a few in 3-9x, and a couple in 2-7, as well as a B&L 3000 series, and really like them. That being said, if the cost of an Elite is stretching the budget, the Legend series will do the job, and I know of lots of Banners which have been dragged through the bush and bounced around in pick-ups for years,and are still doing the job reliably. I'll go out on a limb here, and suggest that unless you come across an obviously great deal on used glass, a good option would be to shop carefully for something new. Sellers of used "bigger name" scopes sometimes expect, and often get, prices not too far off new. Just as an examples of new prices, at Higginson Powders, a 3-9x40 Elite can be had for $244, a Legend for $173, a Trophy for $118, and a Banner for $96.
legend
As for cheap optics I have a Legend on my 300 wsm. So far so good.
1) Holding zero solidly
2) reasonble clarity
3) Head position very critical for a good picture. I have a 3200 and it is much
easier to keep the full field.
Note: Every low end Bushnell I have owned has broken down some sooner than others so I'll reinforce the "Save your money and buy quality" The cost of those Bushnells is a lot more than a couple of good ones would have been.
As for cheap optics I have a Legend on my 300 wsm. So far so good.
1) Holding zero solidly
2) reasonble clarity
3) Head position very critical for a good picture. I have a 3200 and it is much
easier to keep the full field.
Note: Every low end Bushnell I have owned has broken down some sooner than others so I'll reinforce the "Save your money and buy quality" The cost of those Bushnells is a lot more than a couple of good ones would have been.
cz452shooter
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Sparwood, BC
I have 3 3200s and am happy with all of them. One is on my 7mm and the others on my .22's. The 3200 seems to hold zero quite well even with the recoil of the 7mm. I would go for at least this scope.
sirley said:
Yes, they'll handle the recoil. They're decent spoes, but you'll probably want to upgrade in the future nevertheless; then you'll be stuck with a crap low end scope that no one wants, and have to spend even more for the scope you should have gotten in the first place. +1 on the 3200. Similar quality to the Leupold VX-2, for a lot less cash IMHO
- Location
- The Police State: Ontario
Do not put a cheap scope on a heavy caliber rifle.
I had a 12 gauge shotgun someone had scoped with a lower line Tasco, and since the thing was already installed I left it on.
Around 1 box of 2-3/4" heavy loads later the scope was destroyed and could no longer focus at all.
I had a 12 gauge shotgun someone had scoped with a lower line Tasco, and since the thing was already installed I left it on.
Around 1 box of 2-3/4" heavy loads later the scope was destroyed and could no longer focus at all.
Not to say that an expensive scope won't fail, but the odds are the cheapies will go first or faster than. (I won't touch another Tasco World class, even on a 22). 3200's and Fullfield II's are great starting scopes, the 4200's and VX II's are sweet. Zeiss Conquest is a bit nicer, if you can afford it, as are the new VX III"s. Nice optics on both, but not flippin' cheap. Some nice used ones with good optics include Vari-X II's, Burris Fullfield, or even the old Bushnell Scopechief VI series. One new one that is kinda intruiging for the price is the new Simmons Aetec made by Meade. Lots of features in the 250 range.
Bottom line, yes good optics are expensive, and worth it IMHO.
Bottom line, yes good optics are expensive, and worth it IMHO.
Foxer said:
I've heard nothing but good things about Muellers, even when compared to scopes twice or sometimes ever three times the price. Also the Leupold Mk3 and Mk4 knock-offs that keep popping up here from time to time are also surprisingly good. Amazing glass and clairity from such a cheapie
