OT.. Need an inexpensibe, but good 4x12 rifle scope

Whereas I know we have some hunters on here, I was wondering what your thoughts were on an inexpensive, but reliable rifle scope?

(quoted from post at 17:10:04 08/25/14) Whereas I know we have some hunters on here, I was wondering what your thoughts were on an inexpensive, but reliable rifle scope?

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#1 You get what you pay for - and not one hair more.

#2 With one or 2 exceptions, it is too high-powered for a deer rifle, and too big and heavy for a varmint rifle.
Certain areas of Texas have rather strict antler requirements, and some folks use a higher power to look over the antlers before a shot. Binoculars work better for that. Leaving scope turned up high will cost you some shots simply because you can't find the deer in the scope.

#3 1-4 or 2-7 (or better yet fixed 2, 3, or 4x) are all the magnification you need. They are simpler, cheaper, and more reliable (fewer parts)

What rifle?

I have have a BSA on my rimfire (.17 HMR) that I'm very happy with, right around $125 IIRC.

Triple that for the Bushnell I have on my .308

I would tend to agree, you get what you pay for, but given inexpensive optics, and what you can get out of them, I believe one can make good use of some lower end optics. Somewhere in the mid 90's, I ordered a 3rd generation scope mount for my M1A, and bought a 3-10x44mm Simmons scope from the sportsmans guide, I think refurbished, $80 or so. Now that rifle obviously calls for a much better scope, the same manufacturer did make some nice ones too, someday.... however it has performed flawlessly, and I mean absolutely without hesitation to state same. Several 250 yd whitetail deer taken, many other at less, and all kinds of other varmints, wood chuck, coyote, even a darned muskrat that undermined the culvert, some quick draw kinds of raise up and fire, for a heavy lunker, it is extremely dependable in all kinds of situations. A friend and I back in '97 set up with rests lengthwise on a 500 yd long field, confirmed with a range finder, he with a 300 win mag and I with the M1A, he had a Leupold, forget what model, still has it. Out at 400+ yards was a network of old woodchuck dens, field was in alfalfa a long time, he hit one, and it turned inside out, we had hand loaded for both rifles and I believe he was using the same 130 gr hollow point, darned things were accurate, IMR 3031 I believe and I forget the grains now, its written on one of those little cards somewhere. I used a military shelter half rolled up, and placed onto a bucket, had one get into the cross hairs and I took a shot, I went out there, and low and behold, there it was in the hole, my longest shot with a very inexpensive simmons scope and I have a witness to that effect, I don't tell fish stories, incredible I thought, figured there is just no way at that range. I knew without graduations on the cross hairs where to raise up to and knowing the general size of the woodchuck, known range and the air being still. Zeroed at 100 yards, and last season I took a whitetail with a perfect heart shot, was in half, I know at 250yds, to raise up 3" over the spine, that will get me in the vitals and I have no graduations/tick marks to use, I can very accurately hold that gap, its worked several times from a solid rest. I often place the crosshairs on live targets and practice my etiquette in preparation for a real shot, it helps me tremendously. I can recall one time while walking in, there was a chuck at close range, near where we set up, raised up and got him, as well as another like that near our pond, same with that muskrat, swimming across the surface, turned it inside out, but stopped the carnage on that culvert right quick. I recently bought an inexpensive Simmons for the Marlin 783, 22 wmr, have yet to try it, but for the price you can't beat it, and I would think it should perform. The mount on the M1A is solid, I can check every year and its not moved at all, that simmons has no issue with .308, its surprising, but I know from experience it is possible, sure I'd like real optics, range finding, illuminated reticule, red dot etc. but you work with what you have and that simmons never let me down all those years.

For me it depends on how serious if shooting I'am going to do. For my plinkers I use BSA and Bushnel. For serious shooting(hunting) I use the older Weavers (K6) or Burris or Leupold. If they weren't so expensive I would get a Carl Zeiss.

Is tasco still in business ? Or someone buy them out ?
I have a few of those and they have been fine on 223 and 243 for varmits. I'm not banging around in the woods though. I did have trouble with one once and sent it back to them and got a NEW one at N/C sent back to me.
I think I have a bushnell too and it is ok too. I never had any serious shooting to do so I never antied up to buy a good scope.

Your title is an oxymoron. Can't use those adjectives in the same sentence.

I would look at a place like Cheaper then dirt . Or maybe Midway reloaders supply dot com
Cheaper then Dirt

I have Bushnells on my .30/30 and .25-06. The 4x32
on my .30/30 did get messed up a few years ago -
Bushnell fixed it free of charge. It's 27 years old
now. Never a problem in 13 years with the 3.5-10x38
on my .25-06.

Bushell makes a good middle of the road one. Have one on
my 22mag. Had a bsa on my 204. Was good out until
250yds or so then you couldn't adjust it enough to take the
blurr out. If you're shooting long range, don't cheap out.
You'll do like me and eventually get a better one anyway. For
anything less than 200ish yards, and not big recoil, bsa and
bushnell are probably your best value.

if you can wait a few days to get it.. then

leapers

is a decent cheap scope. i use 4x24 and 6x24 on short range stuff and even crossbows.


otherwise.. decent scopes are bushnell..

going on down, simmons

and then tasco is likely at the bottom of the list.. though you can get those locally like at walmart.

The best cheaper scope for the money is the Simmons Aetec Scope. I have 3 of these on .223, .243 and 308 rifles. All hold their 0 and can be adjusted for wind and range then back to 0 if you keep track of the "clicks".

The problem is finding a new one - Simmons dropped the line a while back - it was better than their more expensive scopes. On a good day you could buy these for $130-$150 and anything comparable was $300+.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Simmons+Aetec+scope&_sop=7&_osacat=11748&_from=R40&_mdo=Business-Industrial&_trkparms=72%253A1205%257C66%253A2%257C65%253A12%257C39%253A1&_pcats=12576&_sc=1&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=Simmons+Aetec+scope&_sacat=0


http://www.chuckhawks.com/simmons_AETEC_scopes.htm

(quoted from post at 19:50:45 08/25/14) The best cheaper scope for the money is the Simmons Aetec Scope. I have 3 of these on .223, .243 and 308 rifles. All hold their 0 and can be adjusted for wind and range then back to 0 if you keep track of the "clicks".

The problem is finding a new one - Simmons dropped the line a while back - it was better than their more expensive scopes. On a good day you could buy these for $130-$150 and anything comparable was $300+.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=Simmons+Aetec+scope&_sop=7&_osacat=11748&_from=R40&_mdo=Business-Industrial&_trkparms=72%253A1205%257C66%253A2%257C65%253A12%257C39%253A1&_pcats=12576&_sc=1&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313&_nkw=Simmons+Aetec+scope&_sacat=0


http://www.chuckhawks.com/simmons_AETEC_scopes.htm

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I occasionally find used Leupold 3x and 4x scopes in local shops for $100-$150. I snap up every one I can. The old 4x I bought new for my m600 Rem in .308 is knocking on 40 years old and bright as the day it was new.

(quoted from post at 10:10:04 08/25/14) Whereas I know we have some hunters on here, I was wondering what your thoughts were on an inexpensive, but reliable rifle scope?

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Hate to say it but I've got a couple of Barskas from S'man's Guide and they really are cheaply priced but, so far, have done the job without a whimper :shock:

Try here - http://www.sportsmansguide.com/productlist?k=barska+scope

I have a couple of those mounted on a .22 Mag and a .17 HMR. Good little scopes - never tried them on anything with some recoil.


Millit also makes some good midrange scopes. I have a couple of their scopes mounted on two of my AR15s.


http://www.opticsplanet.com/millett-1-4-x-24-dms-multi-coat-rifle-scope-bk81002.html

They also make some close to the power range specified by the OP:

http://www.opticsplanet.com/millet-tactical-riflescope.html

Can't go wrong with a Bushnell Banner. I have two of them that are both pushing 30 years old. Sold a ton of them when I was dealer. Never sent a single one in for repair. Other than the Simmons Atec stay away from anything with the Simmons name on it that is a cheaper scope than the Atec. Don't know how their newer stuff is. Have had little personal experience with some of the scopes mentioned below but I have had a lot of experience with the Banner and they are quite good for the money. Other than the very cheapest suff about anything you buy will be superior to the best we had 40 years ago.

Tasco went out of business about ten-fifteen years ago and Bushnell bought the name. The last few years they were in business their quailty dropped off the cliff. I have had no experience with the Bushnell made Tascos.

I have a couple of Burris scopes. Good stuff. The last I knew they were the only optics company that still made every single part, including the lenses in the USA. I don't if that is still true now that Beretta owns them.

(quoted from post at 13:10:04 08/25/14) Whereas I know we have some hunters on here, I was wondering what your thoughts were on an inexpensive, but reliable rifle scope?

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To go on what rifle, what caliber, hunting what and where? A 4x12 is pretty high powered for most hunting other than varmints and I believe the higher powered scopes encourage otherwise responsible people to take "Hail Mary" shots that end up often wounding the game. There isn't much big game in the US that isn't readily taken with a scope of 7x or under. What you can actually do with a 12x scope you can't do with a 6 or even 4x scope isn't worth writing about.

The older Burris scopes were very good scopes for the money. I do like the older Weaver scopes and they were made in USA. I have a 1917 Enfield that is rechambered for 300 H&H with a weaver K4 on it. To me the scope makes the rifle. I have seen cheap rifles with good scope that are tack drivers and seen guy put cheap scope an expensive rifles and complain that they can't hit anything?

I disagree with the people that say you cant get a decent quality scope at a budget price or, "You get what you pay for". There are now and there always has been scopes that are worth more than they are priced at, same goes for scopes that are priced way too high for what they are. There is no quality/price union that assigns prices for scopes, the free market sets prices. Its up to the consumer to do research and find a quality scope that is worth more than they are paying, no matter if its a $50 WalMart scope or a special order from the local gun shop that costs a grand or more. Shopping for value covers all price points, in all products, not just scopes.

You can get a good quality scope for a low price now days, optics are just like anything else. Look at glasses, years ago it took hours and hours, if not the better part of a weeks paycheck to get a good pair of glasses. Now? I can get online and have a pair mailed to me for about a hours pay. And they will get here tomorrow. Rifle scopes are the same way.

With that said, I cant really recommend a specific scope because its been a few years since I bought one (new) and manufactures change the way they make things pretty often. A good Bushnell this year may be junk in a year or so. It helps to check them out and compair them but you will pay more for that privilege, if you mail order you will save money but you have to rely on internet opinions like here or one of the gun forums. Thats why I mentioned manufactors changing things, if you take opinions, find out how long ago the scope was made by the person recommending it before you take it as gospel. And remember, a Ford guy will always try to get you to buy a Ford, even if its a Pinto.... dont be a sucker for someone elses bias.

FWIW, I have a $60 BSA on my .22 target rifle that keeps me in the money at matches. Want to have fun? Play mind games with the other guys on the line, put tape over your scope name, it drives some people nuts trying to mentally rank you before you even shoot. Want to mess with them more? Ask the local pawn shop for a few price stickers and put that on your scope, let people know your kid kicked over your rifle last night and you had to stop and buy a scope on the way to the match. The point is: if people [i:e3516973d6][b:e3516973d6]think[/b:e3516973d6][/i:e3516973d6] a scope is junk and wont shoot, when they get behind the rifle it will perform just like they think. On the other hand, if you buy a scope that you [b:e3516973d6][i:e3516973d6]know[/i:e3516973d6][/b:e3516973d6] is top quality for its price point you will shoot well.

Have fun and happy scope shopping.

I have a Bushnell Banner 4x12x40 on a .308 I have as a plinking/coyote gun.

It does what I need it to do and didn't cost that much.

I normally leave it set on 4 power for "predator control" and use 12 power for target shooting.

If he is deer hunting here in PA, the 12x is a big help as we have to count points. A cheap 12X isn't as much help as a decent 4X, it is all about the quality of the glass.

Bang for the buck, I'd look at Nikon. Even their cheap scopes have fantastic clarity.

For the money Nikon makes a good scope. Not the cheapest, but very affordable. It is clear and has held up well.

My oldest scope is a Redfield from the early 80's. Dropped the gun down a flight of concrete steps, broke the stock, smashed the turret cover on the scope, and some cosmetic scratches. It drove the scope back a bit in the rings. Re-aligned, tightened, and zeroed in and has held ever since. That was 10 years ago and still on.

My "floater" on my homeowners policy paid for a new stock and scope, but I kept the old one and it is still working great.


Gene

I stored my guns in my basement years ago when I lived in southern Wisconsin. In 1996 we got 13 inches of rain over night which flooded our basement. Most of my rifles had bushnell scopes with the exception of 2 leupold scopes and one redfield. The Bushnell were sportview, banner and a few of their more expensive scopes. Can"t remember all the models. All the Bushnell scopes leaked water. My leupolds and Redfield scopes were still functional. I know this is an extreme situation which most scopes would never be subjected to but the Bushnell scopes were the only ones that leaked.

+1 on the Weaver. Got one on a 22-250 shooting
varmits over 800. Wonderful glass for the price.