The Problem With Buying A Good Scope

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fsa46

fsa46

Member
Jun 25, 2016
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Connecticut, United States
The problem with buying a good scope is that you now realize the scopes you have on your other firearms aren't as good as you thought. I've use Leaper scopes on my airguns and rimfire for years and they have served me well. However, after buying a Hawke Sidwinder TAC 30 4.4-14 x 42 scope for my Marauder the others just don't cut it. I know I'm comparing apples to oranges when it comes to prices but damn this is one sweet scope.

At 70 and eyesight on the decline, this scope makes it a pleasure when shooting my Mrod. I'm hoping I have continued good luck with it and if I don't we'll see how good the lifetime warranty really is.
 
The real problem is the good stuff cost more. Lol. I hate that its the case but with optics probably more than ANY thing I can think of you get what you pay for . I've personally owned scopes from UTG and other NoName scopes up to the 30mm European stuff. And the simple fact is that decent and I mean DECENT optics start at around 200$ and do nothing but go up from there .
There's some bargains out there for sure at pretty much any price point but a buddy who I am lucky to personally know who has forgotten more about guns and optics than I will EVER know kinda told me a rule of thumb that if you spend as much on the glass as the gun your always gonna be happy.Thank you for that RifleDude .
Think about it , a big box break barrel that is only capable of so-so accuracy doesn't need a top notch scope because the gun as a tool won't be improved .
On the other end take a really nice PCP or Springer capable of great accuracy and put on a scope that won't track , focus , hold zero, and looks like your looking thru a pane of glass covered in snot ...Probably not gonna be able to see what the gun can do .
Life's too short , I can't go below Leupold anymore . I've literally spent a triple handful of dollars last couple years buying lesser scopes and keep them a week or three and sell them . Trying to find a really nice scope for a bargain price and its a fools errand . But a good one once and don't look back .
 
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"JoeWayneRhea"The real problem is the good stuff cost more. Lol. I hate that its the case but with optics probably more than ANY thing I can think of you get what you pay for . I've personally owned scopes from UTG and other NoName scopes up to the 30mm European stuff. And the simple fact is that decent and I mean DECENT optics start at around 200$ and do nothing but go up from there .
There's some bargains out there for sure at pretty much any price point but a buddy who I am lucky to personally know who has forgotten more about guns and optics than I will EVER know kinda told me a rule of thumb that if you spend as much on the glass as the gun your always gonna be happy.Thank you for that RifleDude .
Think about it , a big box break barrel that is only capable of so-so accuracy doesn't need a top notch scope because the gun as a tool won't be improved .
On the other end take a really nice PCP or Springer capable of great accuracy and put on a scope that won't track , focus , hold zero, and looks like your looking thru a pane of glass covered in snot ...Probably not gonna be able to see what the gun can do .
Life's too short , I can't go below Leupold anymore . I've literally spent a triple handful of dollars last couple years buying lesser scopes and keep them a week or three and sell them . Trying to find a really nice scope for a bargain price and its a fools errand . But a good one once and don't look back .
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I didn't know before but sure know it now. Well said Joe.







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yea going to have to agree, sadly. Sure some basic hawkes are ok on springers but tbh you need to go up to 500-1000 for something decent. 

last scope I bought was a nikko sterling wide view. 4.5-14-50. 200 euros and unusable at 9-14 mag. Its great at 8 tho. Got a sightron incoming for 500-600ish and if thats not good enough im going to have to save up for next summer and get a 1k-2k scope. Then again friend of mine runs a hunting store and i was checking out some 3.5k glass he had in store and sure it seemed nice but no way or shape worth the cash.

Need to find the sweet spot for airgunnig glass / range / mag. 
 
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When you take AO into consideration ( without it is a deal breaker ) there are a few scopes I personally have owned I would buy again under 500$ .
SWFA fixed powers for sure , Leupold 3-9 EFR, VX2 in 4-12, Nikon EFR 3-9, Leupold fx³ 12 power, possibly one of the midrange weavers IF I could look thru it in person . And honestly for me that would be about it . I've never owned a Sightron or Clearidge scope . But I can check every other brand off my been there - done that list . And wouldn't buy them again unless I was in a real bind financially. For what many of the brands scopes cost that are at least useable a very small amount of money more and you can start buying optics you can try enjoy .
For me a scope when I put my head behind it first time should give me that " Oh Wow " thought in my head ...If not I'll pass from here on out
 
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Well said Joe. I've shot Leupolds my entire life and I'm kind of one of their cult followers. They are expensive and tough. Problem I see is they get in a rut with their reticles. They have about 3-4 reticles that are common and anything else is special order, translating to wait time and a prostate examen price. I love the H-58 reticle but have never seen it on a scope that was not special ordered. Also every time I ask for it I get this blank look like what the hell are you talking about. like you, I keep trying different brands and then selling them. So far the Athlon Argos 8x34x56 is the only scope Ive taken a liking to. It's NO Leupold, but not bad and I personally believe worth more then the price. At least it doesn't insult you. Just my 2 cents worth
 
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To be fair , when you decide to jump over the mental 500$ hurdle a lot of guys have ( or whatever your squeal point is ) the options expand quickly !! There are a ton of great scopes past that point . You start at the Ziess conquest line and go up , ANY Swarovski , Kahles , SB , The more expensive Leupolds, SWFA HD line and you truly get into that HolyCrap range of optics !!! Something that'll make the guys at the range holler ....You guys come look thru this dudes scope !!!
 
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WOW, when I said good scope I meant in the $500. range compared to the $100. to $150. range. I couldn't be happier with the Hawke I have for under $500. . I have to agree with Joe on the fact the gun has to be worthy of a higher end scope. If a gun isn't an accuracy candidate why waste your money.

I even have a couple rimfires that will eventually be sporting new optics. The problem right now is this darn Mrod 25, I'm just having to much fun to play with any of my other toys. lol
 
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Can't agree more. I have 4 Nikko Sterling Diamond 10-50x60 Sportsmans and 1 Leopold VX III 6.5-20x40 EFR Target scope on my air rifles, I've also purchased my share of $500 and under scopes (including the Nikko Targetmaster) only to use them for a few weeks and sell them at a loss. Got spoiled 30+ years ago looking though great glass on my dads rifles. I'm currently drooling over a FT scope that is 2x the cost of my Nikkos and Leopold!

fsa46,

What ever you do, don't look though a $1500+ scope at high magnification. It will break you for the rest of your life. Kinda like getting to have a Ferrari for a day. A Ford Mustang would never be the same again. 



 
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"JoeWayneRhea"The real problem is the good stuff cost more. Lol. I hate that its the case but with optics probably more than ANY thing I can think of you get what you pay for . I've personally owned scopes from UTG and other NoName scopes up to the 30mm European stuff. And the simple fact is that decent and I mean DECENT optics start at around 200$ and do nothing but go up from there .
There's some bargains out there for sure at pretty much any price point but a buddy who I am lucky to personally know who has forgotten more about guns and optics than I will EVER know kinda told me a rule of thumb that if you spend as much on the glass as the gun your always gonna be happy.Thank you for that RifleDude .
Think about it , a big box break barrel that is only capable of so-so accuracy doesn't need a top notch scope because the gun as a tool won't be improved .
On the other end take a really nice PCP or Springer capable of great accuracy and put on a scope that won't track , focus , hold zero, and looks like your looking thru a pane of glass covered in snot ...Probably not gonna be able to see what the gun can do .
Life's too short , I can't go below Leupold anymore . I've literally spent a triple handful of dollars last couple years buying lesser scopes and keep them a week or three and sell them . Trying to find a really nice scope for a bargain price and its a fools errand . But a good one once and don't look back .

Spot on!
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I've been thinking about this for a few days and here are some of my thoughts. Growing up my dad built myself and my brother a couple of nice sporters, restocked, rebarreled,reblued and even some quality checkering. We both have these beloved guns going on 43 years. My dad was a gas plant operator and wages back then were pretty low so normally he'd shop around and find a Weaver or Redfield, probably in the $60-$100 range back then. I've updated my 270 but my brothers '06 if I remember right had a fixed 6X. We both deer hunted with my dad a few years and never realized we needed anything better even though there were probably tons of scopes on the market that really shined.

I guess that's where the term "ignorance is bliss" comes in. Now my thoughts as a middle aged air gun nut. I'm shooting guns in the $1200-$1600 range though I did start with a couple of Marauders and a S500 and then the next level etc. Personally the highest priced scopes I own is the Hawke Sidewinders and had a Optisan Viper which I sold a couple of years ago. I'm not pushing the Hawkes by no means and I'm getting ready to try a fixed power SWFA. My max practice range is 100yds and probably 120-130 on the larger pest. I can't see where where putting a $1000-$1500 scope on would make a difference. Now....if I was in competition shooting 338 Lapua at a 1000yds then Hell Yea!! I'm thoroughly a happy camper in the under $500 range and if the SWFA works out $300. Just keeping it real and killing some time.
Jimmy
 
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Jking the difference is like a Marauder and a Limited edition Daystate ...Both will kill a squirrel stone ass dead . But one will make you make an excuse to shoot it and take it out to show your buddies .
Great scopes , I mean the really spooky stuff , honestly give me the same feeling as when I drive my buddies 7 series BMW ...Simple excellence .
Lighted recticles in 93 different colors , sloped sunshades , ultra tricky crosshairs , dials with more numbers than a textbook , and last but not least the word " tactical" attached to the scope sells ..Its a fact ....But when you look thru a 8X56 European scope with just a duplex recticle Its literally like the first time you saw a HD TV .......Every single time !!!
As long as they hold zero, track , and you can adjust out the parallax they all do the same thing . Both are tools , one is a great tool
 
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"fsa46"WOW, when I said good scope I meant in the $500. range compared to the $100. to $150. range. I couldn't be happier with the Hawke I have for under $500. . I have to agree with Joe on the fact the gun has to be worthy of a higher end scope. If a gun isn't an accuracy candidate why waste your money.

I even have a couple rimfires that will eventually be sporting new optics. The problem right now is this darn Mrod 25, I'm just having to much fun to play with any of my other toys. lol
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I knew you would like it! ;)

Thurmond
 
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"T3PRanch"
"fsa46"WOW, when I said good scope I meant in the $500. range compared to the $100. to $150. range. I couldn't be happier with the Hawke I have for under $500. . I have to agree with Joe on the fact the gun has to be worthy of a higher end scope. If a gun isn't an accuracy candidate why waste your money.

I even have a couple rimfires that will eventually be sporting new optics. The problem right now is this darn Mrod 25, I'm just having to much fun to play with any of my other toys. lol
Click to expand...
I knew you would like it! ;)

Thurmond
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So much so I think I'll be getting another, as soon as I decide which .177 I want hanging on my wall.
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It's true that every time I try a scope that is better than what I'm used to, I suddenly wake up to all the issues with my other scopes. Hawke scopes aren't even that good but compared to an extry-level leapers 3-9x42, they are a step up sometimes.

The issue I am having is balancing my need to have the largest LDC in the room with choosing one that is the best fit for what I actually do. 

To many of us here, 100 yards is the longest range we would regularly attempt to shoot at. That's the absolute minimum many rifle scopes are made for. We assume that a scope capable of clarity at 800 yards will be better at 30 yards but this isn't always the case. Some of the long range scopes are fairly poor at air rifle distances (or at least, not noticeably better). They are heavy too. 

I guess what I am saying is that some of us would be better off choosing scopes with specs that are designed for rim fire and air rifles and then using the extra cash to buy better quality glass instead of the most impressive sounding specs. Good glass makes more of a difference to me than higher magnification. Being able to see fine details is far more helpful for precision than large and blurry. It's like the difference between SD and HD tv's. 

For hunting at 50 yards, I should be more tempted by lower power scopes with a wider view for what I do but then... It eats at me when other people have better sounding specs.... If I was smart, I would be looking at high quality AR scopes or other small and light scope designs made for quick target acquisition. 

With really good glass, I can easily see targets at pcp rifle distances at 4x or 6x. Unfortunately, there is no way to find out the glass quality from looking at the specs so we use what's in front of us. I never get headaches but I get a migraine every time I try shopping for scopes. It's really no fun at all.



 
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Zebra I agree totally . What amazes me is when I'm shooting with my main shooting Buddy and we usually end up shooting mainly from 40-60 yards and his 6-24 or 8-32 power scope Isnt capable of seeing about half the holes . And almost never if its a piece of cardboard or any thing but solid white background.
My scope is a fixed 12X and I can see just fine ...The extra magnification is useless without good glass .
 
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"JoeWayneRhea"Zebra I agree totally . What amazes me is when I'm shooting with my main shooting Buddy and we usually end up shooting mainly from 40-60 yards and his 6-24 or 8-32 power scope Isnt capable of seeing about half the holes . And almost never if its a piece of cardboard or any thing but solid white background.
My scope is a fixed 12X and I can see just fine ...The extra magnification is useless without good glass .
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Now that one I can agree with, I have to admit I am one of those drink wine from a box kind. I have a centerpoint on my 50 cal BP and HATE sighting it in because I cannot hardly see the holes even at my 75 yard normal sight in. 
At the gun show I got to taste some of the good stuff and watched the rounds all the way to the target and could see so clearly the impact points. 
Now............ I am going to have to buy a more expensive scope........ I blame it all on you Joe its all your fault. That is what I am going to tell my wife too, Its all his fault :) speaking of which Hey Joe you got an extra scope I can borrow for a few years
Or maybe an extra Air Conditioner I can put in our doghouse I may need it
 
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Sometimes I just put a go pro close to the target and link it with a ipad or my note4. But I usually only shoot around 50 yards with my air guns. I think the go pro is rated 600+ yards to connect. And I have assorted scope brands and I guess Leopold is my favorite but I have a number of Hawke scopes that do the job also. Or swipe your wife's iPhone and just FaceTime your target?(for those that can't see the pellet holes) ;) 
 
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