Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Rifle scopes, iron sights and optics. Spotting scopes and target acquisition devices.

Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by JSS » 04 Apr 2019, 9:38 am

TassieTiger wrote:
JSS wrote:I can't believe it wasn't even tractor proof...........bloody cheap rubbish :lol: :lol: :drinks:


He shot it with a fukn arrow ! It should have been already dead before he found the key to the tractor!


Yeah bloody cheap glass...not even arrow proof :lol:
That was the best scope test so far, it was almost Mythbusters worthy. I think there was also a little bit of a "fvck you" to the scope maker thrown in there for harassing him so much too :lol: :lol:
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by solarpak » 06 Apr 2019, 2:54 pm

No No and No..............

CK
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by solarpak » 06 Apr 2019, 3:00 pm

I have seen it time and time again at the range mainly where new shooters have been led up the garden path - by reputable dealers who should know better- and sold them a scope which is more suited to a rimfire than the centre fire its mounted on.

Let me put it bluntly - if a scope offers a Lifetime Warranty - transferrable between owners- with replacement with no questions asked - buy it.

There are a few makes out there that do this and they will be what i recommend to any hunter or shooter who asks me for advice.

CK
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by TassieTiger » 06 Apr 2019, 4:57 pm

Think swarkovski offers “only” 10 year warranty...
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by JSS » 06 Apr 2019, 5:26 pm

Leupold is lifetime and doesn't matter how many hands the scope has been through. It's a proper no bullsh!t lifetime warranty. i've seen it in action and was amazed at some of the stuff they've done. I've seen a couple of scopes that were that old they would have been used to hunt dinosaurs and they were just replaced with new equivalent models free of charge because the parts didn't exist anymore to do the "lifetime warranty" repairs.
I don't know of anyone who compares to them.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by Wm.Traynor » 06 Apr 2019, 6:48 pm

TassieTiger wrote:Think swarkovski offers “only” 10 year warranty...


My experience with their Service Department has bee better than first class. My Swaro was sent back when it was 20 yo, for a simple fix but they replaced all the innards, no charge. :D :thumbsup:
Cannot say if they will do it again in another 20 but I'll most likely be dead anyway :problem:
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by KoalaGrundle » 06 Apr 2019, 7:03 pm

I have a $30 Chinese knock off of a Leupold 3.5-10x40mm mildot on a .22. It'll last as long as it lasts.. and then I'll get a real Leupold!

Also got a $30 Chinese brand 6-24x but it's more like 6-14x

Pays your money you takes your chances, and it's nice to be able to put something functional for cheap on a cheap gun
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by SCJ429 » 06 Apr 2019, 8:03 pm

Modern Chinese scopes are probably better than Japanese scopes from the 80s. I remember some woeful Nikko Stirlings and Tasco from that era.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by solarpak » 13 Apr 2019, 9:10 pm

Modern scopes have come a long way in the last 20 years.....and warranties are now being offered where the consumer is the biggest winner.
Makes like Leupold, Burris, Steiner, Styrka, and probably more offer a replacement warranty on defects and even accidental damage - thats transferable through the life of the scope.
Glass quality coming out of modern plants in China recently has increased to the point that its very close to quality Japanese glass and Euro glass . Chinese made Scopes such as the Hawke and Styrka makes offer excellent scopes built to high quality control - and even the top tier Hawke and Styrka models are around the $1000 price range.

But undoubtedly where quality glass comes in play is when shooting at very long range and in low light - use a premium make like a high-end Nightforce, Vortex, Bushnell, Zeiss, Swaro, Leica, Meopta etc....in these conditions and you will immediately notice the difference.

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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by TassieTiger » 14 Apr 2019, 12:37 am

Well - I have one on the way for poos and laughs.
I intend to ensure it is tested to at least what the original you tube guy did and more...oh so much more lol
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by JSS » 14 Apr 2019, 7:41 am

TassieTiger wrote:Well - I have one on the way for poos and laughs.
I intend to ensure it is tested to at least what the original you tube guy did and more...oh so much more lol


So you're saying you also have a tractor and some arrows on the way :thumbsup: I'll send you down a couple of sticks of dynamite.....If it's not dynamite proof it's just no good :wtf: :drinks:
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by xDom » 14 Apr 2019, 8:55 am

I remember when I was looking for a spotting scope for the range. I checked out this x 60 $165 model, Celestion, I think?
After that I tried a x 40 Kowa, costing $400.
The difference was remarkable. The cheapie was no where near as clear as the Kowa, which I ended up buying.
I’m guessing it comes down to the quality of the glass.
Wouldn’t scopes be the same?
I’m not suggesting spending $ thousands but I wouldn’t think a sub $50 scope to be much chop?
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by TassieTiger » 14 Apr 2019, 9:36 am

JSS wrote:
TassieTiger wrote:Well - I have one on the way for poos and laughs.
I intend to ensure it is tested to at least what the original you tube guy did and more...oh so much more lol


So you're saying you also have a tractor and some arrows on the way :thumbsup: I'll send you down a couple of sticks of dynamite.....If it's not dynamite proof it's just no good :wtf: :drinks:


Don’t have a tractor but I’ve got a borrowed 5t excavator that should leave a scratch.
Tikka .260 (Z5 5x25/52)
Steyr Pro Varmint .223 - VX 3
CZ455 .22 & Norinco .22 (vtex 4-12, bush 3-9)
ATA 686 U/O 12g & Baikal S/S 12g.
Adler a110 reddot
Sauer 30-06 - VX 3
Howa 300 win mag. SHV 5-20/56
Marlin SBL 45/70
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by JSS » 14 Apr 2019, 10:22 am

TassieTiger wrote:
JSS wrote:
TassieTiger wrote:Well - I have one on the way for poos and laughs.
I intend to ensure it is tested to at least what the original you tube guy did and more...oh so much more lol


So you're saying you also have a tractor and some arrows on the way :thumbsup: I'll send you down a couple of sticks of dynamite.....If it's not dynamite proof it's just no good :wtf: :drinks:


Don’t have a tractor but I’ve got a borrowed 5t excavator that should leave a scratch.


That'll work just fine.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by Sergeant Hartman » 14 Apr 2019, 12:09 pm

Don't drive over it... the tracks spread the load around. Use the bucket and try and smash it or crush it on.concrete or your container roofs
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by elnino » 17 Apr 2019, 11:18 pm

I used to work for Carl Zeiss and I can tell you that although the optics in the better scopes are better it's not in line with price. A top of the line scope still only contains a few $ of lenses. Build quality, lens coatings and precision is where its at but still amazingly inflated pricing.

Having said that, I have a 'Tasco' 3-9×40 that i paid about $40 for ex China about 10 years ago and it is quite acceptable in terms of adjustments and holding center. Many cheap eBay scopes will not adjust properly on each plane (they interact) so it is a gamble.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by bladeracer » 18 Apr 2019, 6:54 am

elnino wrote:I used to work for Carl Zeiss and I can tell you that although the optics in the better scopes are better it's not in line with price. A top of the line scope still only contains a few $ of lenses. Build quality, lens coatings and precision is where its at but still amazingly inflated pricing.

Having said that, I have a 'Tasco' 3-9×40 that i paid about $40 for ex China about 10 years ago and it is quite acceptable in terms of adjustments and holding center. Many cheap eBay scopes will not adjust properly on each plane (they interact) so it is a gamble.


Do you mean that they don't tend to maintain a consistent zero through the magnification range?
I haven't seen any measurable change over normal hunting ranges but it could potentially be a problem at long ranges perhaps.

I just bought a $30 3-9x40 scope so I might try it at 100m by shooting a ten-shot group at 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9-power and see if there's any measurable wander in the zero.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by elnino » 18 Apr 2019, 7:14 am

no, I mean as you adjust elevation, windage is affected and/or vice versa. makes it basically impossible to sight it in.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by bladeracer » 18 Apr 2019, 8:16 am

elnino wrote:no, I mean as you adjust elevation, windage is affected and/or vice versa. makes it basically impossible to sight it in.


I haven't encountered that problem with even very cheap scopes. How much variance are you talking about?
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by elnino » 18 Apr 2019, 8:24 am

A lot! The best way to test it has to hard mount the scope to something and try different zoom/elev/wind adjustments and see if the objective moves in the crosshairs. Mine is fine but once again - Luck of the draw.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by bladeracer » 18 Apr 2019, 3:26 pm

elnino wrote:A lot! The best way to test it has to hard mount the scope to something and try different zoom/elev/wind adjustments and see if the objective moves in the crosshairs. Mine is fine but once again - Luck of the draw.


I would think the best way to test it is simply to shoot while making various adjustments and see if the bullets go where they're supposed to. If they do then it really doesn't matter if there's a perceived problem.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by elnino » 18 Apr 2019, 4:21 pm

Hard mounting it just takes out the variables
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by bladeracer » 18 Apr 2019, 4:53 pm

elnino wrote:Hard mounting it just takes out the variables


I disagree, having tried hard-mounting rifles to try to sort problems. Fixing it to a surface simply changes the way it reacts giving you data that may not replicate the real world usage.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by bladeracer » 18 Apr 2019, 5:03 pm

elnino wrote:A lot! The best way to test it has to hard mount the scope to something and try different zoom/elev/wind adjustments and see if the objective moves in the crosshairs. Mine is fine but once again - Luck of the draw.


I would say you'd be extremely unlucky to get a scope that exhibits this problem. I've never seen it myself. I have around twenty scopes currently, and had a few 35 years ago, all at the cheaper end of the spectrum. Have you actually seen this yourself?

It occurs to me that you might be describing a parallax issue?
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by elnino » 18 Apr 2019, 5:08 pm

I have seen it personally and there is also a guy on YouTube that grabbed a heap of eBay scopes and shows this exact behavior. not a parallax thing.

When I say hard mount scope and test, I mean not even fire a round. just adjust the turrets and watch the creep.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by bladeracer » 18 Apr 2019, 5:56 pm

elnino wrote:I have seen it personally and there is also a guy on YouTube that grabbed a heap of eBay scopes and shows this exact behavior. not a parallax thing.

When I say hard mount scope and test, I mean not even fire a round. just adjust the turrets and watch the creep.


This may be possible, but if it has no actual effect at the target it doesn't much matter does it?
After doing this test on all these scopes did he then follow-up by actually shooting with them?
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by elnino » 18 Apr 2019, 6:08 pm

No, he didn't. I guess technically it does not matter if you are one to just zero and leave it but it will take a lot longer to get there and make adjustments unpredictable. I'll dig out the vid...
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by elnino » 18 Apr 2019, 6:17 pm

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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by bladeracer » 18 Apr 2019, 6:47 pm

elnino wrote:No, he didn't. I guess technically it does not matter if you are one to just zero and leave it but it will take a lot longer to get there and make adjustments unpredictable. I'll dig out the vid...


My scope turrets get a real workout as I'm constantly testing ammo and shooting at varied ranges, on different rifles. As I said, I've never seen this problem, even dialing up and down 93MoA on my Bushnells.
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Re: Would you put a $36 optic on your hunting rifle?

Post by bladeracer » 18 Apr 2019, 6:55 pm

elnino wrote:Found it... https://youtu.be/cYciPnyQHRE


I've seen that before.
I somehow doubt he bought random samples and just happened to get a collection of such crappy examples. I've never seen that stuff in any scope. I have a Chinese Bushnell that the reticle moved to about 35-degrees off plumb, but it's still tracks okay and maintains zero and accuracy.
It might've been good to use a variable as his final reference as well since all of the junk scopes were variables.
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