NcStar Scopes. Well here is my report we shot 120 rounds of 45/70 this load will push a 300gr bullet at 1997fps from a 12" BBL. We shot 40 rounds for each scope all the scopes pass with flying colors. The only thing we seen was on the red dot scope the dail loosen up but this would be due to I was using a T/c do o mount and there is very little room to move the scope and it was hitting the mount. I think these scopes will do fine on just about any pistol you put them on. The rifle scope pass to we shot 90 rounds in the 338 Win. and 100 rounds in the 375 H&H. we shot about 60 rounds with each scope on 2 gun and when we got done all the scopes work fine not bad for a cheap scope. The edge to edge clarity I would say like a Weaver scope or a scope costing you $100.00 to $150.00.For holding zero through out the power range the 2-7x23 works great. The only thing is from 2-5 power you have 8" to 20" of eye relief and for 6 & 7 power you have 8" to 17" of eye relief. With the 4x32 we bore sighted it and I zero the scope in with 3 shot at 300yds and could hit a pop can 4 out of 5 shots at 300yds. It has a Limited lifetime warranty with $10.00 charge for shipping and handling. Not bad for the price. You send it back to the manufacturer. I was taking to the guy from NcStar to day he told me that the place building these scope make other brand name scopes He would not tell me there names. So when you buy a scopes like Weaver, Simmons, Redfield, and Bushnell. looked on the box and see were it is made. My Weaver and Bushnell are made in China. Just received some more of these scope I will have 5 4x32 for $34.00 + shipping 5 2-7x32 for $38.00 + shipping and 2 4x32 with red dot for $45.00 + shipping and 1- 6-24x50 for $75.00 + shipping. If you would like to buy one e-mail me at gunner7243@yahoo.com or check out my website. www.dustinbrass.com

"BEST", and CHEAP SCOPE, don't go together!

The best cheap scope is usually a used Leupold.

[ 06-10-2003, 02:40: Message edited by: TomP ]

The guys are right, Why put a "cheap" scope on even a cheap rifle. Even the best rifle will shoot poorly w/ a poor scope. Go to e-bay & watch for a deal on a new or used Leupold. I have bought several VXIII for right around $300.

The best *cheap* scope I would say is burris and I hope you mean cheap as in inexpensive.

The best scope for the money is a Burris. They are not expensive, but they are most definitely not cheap.

Any cheaply made scope isn't worth the box it comes in.

I'd rather have a rear aperture sight than a cheap, shitty scope. I can most definitely shoot better with the former.

I have mixed feeling about "cheap" scopes,

I have a Tasco 6-24x40 that has always worked for me, shot my first half-MOA group with it. My rifles are lining up to use this scope.

And I just got another Tasco 6-18x42 Varmint/Tactical with turret knobs...zero will change when adjusting the AO ---when AO is turned to 50m the zero change is about 3MOA...the rest of the adjustment(25m, 100m, 200m) seem fine. I have to remember not to use the 50m focus if I use this scope.

Buying scopes offered at lower price is sort of a "hit and miss" thing.

Ten years ago I bought a 7mm Weatherby Magnum. It came with a 3x-9x weatherby scope. I think simmons made them. I took the rifle to the range and sighted in. spot on 200 yards four shots in less that an inch and a half. I liked that a lot. Four days latter I was hunting Elk in Montana, I missed a Bull just a little over 200 yards. I when to a rifle range and the rifle was shooting a good foot high. So I resighted and continued on my way. Got another shot, missed, when I got home the rifle was off again. Seemed the internal springs were not holding in place. So I took that scope off and put a 2.5 - 10 x Ziess on that rifle, I sighted it in for 200 yards and its stayed sighted in since. I just bought the ziess because it was what I wanted for power range. A Leupold would have done just as well. Hell I got an old 300 Weatherby with a fixed 4x Redfield on it. That was tops in 1970 when I bought it. I shot that rifle the other day, I didn't shoot it for 20 years. Guess what It hit pretty much were I last shot it , it 1979. It needed a little adjustment, since my eye sight is better, thanks to surgery than it was then. You can never go wrong with buying good stuff from the start, its cheaper in the long run. I should have replaced that scope on that 7mm Weatherby with a fixed 6x leupold that I had laying around. I didn't want to fiddle with it. It just cost me a good bull. It was expensive, but no were near expensive as say a full boat sheep hunt. All the rifles I have bought since, if they come with questionable scopes they get replaced before I leave the gun shop. that goes for mounts too.

Leupold VX-I

I agree with Brad. The VX-1 is the same scope as the older Vari-X IIc. They're a real bargain.

Rick

As far as $40 scopes go, I had a bushnell 4x on my 10/22 that worked for 1000's of rounds until one day the rear lens decided to fall out. Suprisingly the replacement 4x has held up to 100's of shots on a Ruger M77 ultralight .308, which had been topped with a 3-9 bushnell that never grouped well, and made a strange clinking sound when you shook the scope. So, 2 out of 3 failures isn't so good.

The bottom rung of what I consider acceptible optics for a hunting rifle is either a Leupold M8 or VX-1.

The only time it would be acceptable to put a cheap scope on a rifle is if it is going on a 22. Anything more then a 22 and a "cheap" scope stands a very good chance of breaking. Just ask my buddy who has replaced his "Deal of a lifetime scope' on his Mosin 2 time salready, and he still thinks he can go with another cheap scope. You would think that after breaking the first 2 scopes becuase of the recoil that he would learn.

By now he could have just gone out and bought a middle of the line scope and been happy as could be with none of the frustration of having to replace and rezero the thing over and over. Plus dealing with the cheaply made scope companies is not a fun adventure in and of itself.

I bought a simmons scope once........that was all it took to teach me not to look for "cheap" optics. Since then I have bought all Leupolds. They have all worked without fail. I will put in another vote for the Leupold Vari-X I as the best entry level scope going. I bought a "new" vari-x II 4-12 a few weeks back. More $$ but an outstanding deal.

[ 06-12-2003, 02:39: Message edited by: Iron Buck ]

Much depends on what caliber rifle you've got the scope mounted on. Almost any scope will suffice on a light recoiling rifle used at the range. I don't think the comparison of one company with another is just. What we should be comparing is models. I had to return two Bushnells last year, both made in China. These were a 4x12 Sportsman and a 4x12 Sportview. My first impression might be that Bushnell makes a lousy scope. I bought a Bushnell Elite 6x24 (Bausch & Lomb) and mounted it on a new Remington VLS in 6mm Remington last month. It's terrific, one of the best scopes I've owned. So what can we say about Bushnell? Nothing really. You simply get what you pay for. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

While used Leupolds might be better, there is nothing wrong with used Lyman All-American fixed power scopes either!!

right on for the el paso weavers. they may be inexpensive but they ain't cheap. and you know what? i'll bet the new weavers are good hunks of glass, too, at least the fixed powers.

Leupold is the best cheap scope

Another vote for a used Leupold and their guarentee extends to second hand owners, no questions asked...buy a used one and send it in and they will go over it, fix it and send it back to you as good as new....I buy mostly used Leupolds, always have..I have a pacel of 3X's.

Mucked around with Stirling - forget it! Have a Tasco world class 3-9x40 on my CZ 527 in 223 which is good, but when I look thru my Leupold that sits on top of my Ruger MkII, all becomes clear! Don't waste your time, get a Leupod. Have also noticed that the Leupod will withstand more drops and knocks without losing zero than the Tasco. ALSO, when changing power settings, the Leupold holds point of impact MUCH better than the Tasco.

To paraphrase Elliot on "Just Shoot Me": "I understand cheap, and I understand good, but put them together and it's just gibberish."

I recently bought a pair of old Weaver steel tubes. I got a V-8 for $15.00, it isnt crystal clear but its not bad. The eye relief is better than my brothers $300.00 burris. Best $15.00 I ever spent on a scope, it now resides atop a 99 savage and makes nice 1" groups or better.

The other was an old Weaver K-V, one of the first variables, I had to have it because I liked the Post recticle, cost me $65.00, its crystal clear. For those not farmilliar with them, the K-V is a 3-5 variable which has the power adjustment inside of a cap like the crosshair adjustments. Its kind of humorous really, as you adjust the power it goes out of focus past 3X and then back in again at 5X. It makes a nice brush gun scope.
When it comes to hunting stuff I dig nostalgia. Im really liking these steeltubes, enough so that my next new scope will be a Weaver V-9. They must be built as strong as they look to be that old and still function flawlessly. And ya gotta love that blued finish.

Here is another vote for Leupold. I've only managed to break one, -was fixed and returned within weeks.

They stand behind their products.

packrat

If anyone thinks I'd spend a lot of money to fly to the Brooks Range for sheep or to Afognak Island for elk & then use a cheap scope on my rifle, they're just plain nuts. The cheapest part of a hunt is a quality scope and quality bullets. Like was posted above, a lousy rifle at least will shoot better with a quality scope. You can take you're cheap scope & stick it. That's my opinion, period. All of my scopes are Leupold's too. Bear in Fairbanks

[ 06-28-2003, 22:53: Message edited by: Bear in Fairbanks ]

Anybody know much about BSA scopes?

I have an older Redfield Golden Five Star 3-9x40 that sat on my .300 Wthby for many years. It was nice and clear, and held zero through thick and thin. It accounted for many a wild hog, many running shots at various ranges. It was on the rifle when I dropped it, slipping on some ice in Montana. It scratched some of the black finish off the front bell, as that is where it landed, but it was still zeroed.

I have no idea if the new Redfields are as good.

I have used BSA scopes on .223's and .22 rimfires, and they shoot very well at the range or for ground squirrels. I don't know if I would count on them in low light or on a heavy recoiling rifle, but then again, I haven't tried them on one, either.

[ 08-02-2003, 00:18: Message edited by: Calif Hunter ]

BSA scopes are fighting hard to be the worst of all. E

I've learned the cheap scope lesson almost as many times as the cheap boot and cheap holster lessons!

You can spend too much on a rifle but you can't spend too much on glass, IMO.

Everyone surely has a Brand X scope around somewhere, but plinking is all I do with mine!

Redial

Where can I get a GOOD horse cheap? Like cheap and horse, cheap and scope just don't go together!!

Bushnell Elite 3200. Good for up to 375 H&H.

s