Scopes: What’s the Deal on the Deal?
Now that I have a .25 Marauder, capable of beaning targets past 100 yards, I need a scope that can keep up with its performance. One of my friends points towards the Leapers 6-24X56mm 30mm tube. OK. Then I talk to another savy guy who recommends the Bushnell 5-15X40mm 1″ tube Legend scope telling me that its 40mm glass is so good that it does with 40mm what it takes Leapers 56mm to accomplish. OK. But of course Bushnell has discontinued this scope. Hmmm.
So, which scopes are you guys happy with. I’m sure that between all of us, we have tried them all. So, which are you happy with. If you have had a bad experience with a scope or its manufacturer, post that too.
We should include rings in this discussion also.
Thanks in advance…
All Replies
My favorite scope right now is the Hawke Hk 4026 6.5x20x42.
I am really attracted to the size, side focus, its IR and reticle design.
You get a lot of features for your dollar and optic quality is very good for the price.
Thanks, Tony
Budget and intended use weighs heavy on optics purchase. Day, night, dust/dawn use, also. Scopes are sights first, optics second. Do you plan to take pictures/movies through it or hunt and target practice.? your price point determines which is a bargain or a good value.
Low and mid value scopes are great scopes until you actually look through a good quality scope. You haft to actually see the difference, don’t, you’ll regret actually doing that…. π―
I use a Bushnell Elite 4200 3-12×44 30mm side parallax, good scope, over priced now, Japanese glass-mil dot mil turrets.
I use a SWFA SS 10×42 30mm rear parallax, good scope. bargain priced now, Japanese glass mil dot moa turrets.
I use a Tasco 2-6×20 1inch 50yd parallax, Super bright good scope, 1980s used Vintage, Japanese glass plex iphy turrets.
There’s good and bad in all brands, regardless price point or model.
I recommend the Hawke and Bushnell, where glass quality is linear to dollars spent, typically more is better? π Most tend to look at the glass and forget about the sighting, until they start chasing POI and then realize glass is not the most important feature after all ?
Π‘Π°ΠΌ Ρ π
Steve, I’ve used cheap 50 quid scopes and was always disappointed with them. Years ago I used BSA scopes when they were pretty good, not so much now. At the moment I have a Hawke sidewinder 4-12×50 and an MTC Viper 8-32X60. There’s not much that isn’t made in China these days, but that doesn’t always mean they will be crap. Just most of the time… π I think the Viper is made over there, but the glass is Japanese. Same goes for the Hawkes..I think. Both have served me well, very repeatable, well built and sturdy. My Viper cost around 575 dollars I think, and the Hawke 369. Both have pretty good glass for the money, though surprisingly the Hawke glass is a little clearer than the Viper’s. BUT, I do a fair amount of lowlight shooting(when the rabbits come out) and the Viper is WAY ahead in those conditions, mostly due to the big 60mm ob(objective bell) I find the side focus wheel is way better than Ao, simply way more convenient and comfortable to adjust. I would always use a mildot ret as out to 100+ you will be using holdover(no, not that one!) and its a good system for calculating, plus a lot of the ballistic programs give you your hold over for you(not always accurate but close enough to get you in the ballpark) I’ve found that x10 is plenty of mag, even out to 100 and beyond, and thats shooting at little bunnies. Unless you spend big bucks, the sight picture deteriorates pretty quick as you go up the mag and eye/head positioning gets quite crucial/difficult. 30mm tube gives you more range for your turret clicks(you got more space in there for the mechanics). It has little or nothing to do with better light transference. Your glass always wants to be fully muti coated. That is ALL the lenses are multicoated, again, improves sight picture/ light transference. Parallax is where the ret seems to move relative to your target as you move your head about looking down the scope. When you focus the picture well, this is eliminated, which is why its called a parallax wheel and not a focus wheel.(well thats my interpretation of it, no doubt way over simplified)
You want to get as low a set of rings as you can. The closer you keep the scope to the bore of the rifle the better, for obvious reasons. Keep the rings as simple as possible, no tri rail or anything like that. Its just another piece that your scope sits on that could send it out of whack. I use the BKL double strap mounts. Not the cheapest, but seem to be good quality and really do a good job of securing the scope. Mine are high due to my Viper’s big OB and to sit the scope up high enough from the AF bottle(not so much of an issue now since buying MM’s etacreg)
Be honest. How many of you don’t know shit from shinola about scopes/optics? How many bought a scope because the salesman at PyramidAir or a friend told you to?
How much magnification? 1″ or 30mm? mil dots or duplex or range estimating? Japanese or chinese glass…multi coated? Side focus or adjustable objective? What is parallax anyway? High rings, low rings, tri rail? exit pupil diameter? Anybody dizzy yet?
58 views and just a few responses. Come on all you guys with experience; many will benefit from your experiences.
WOK, what have you had good luck with?
Tony, what is your preference for your AAA .25 Condor?
Y, what’s on your AA S410?
Tron, what do you have to say?
Thanks in advance for your perspectives.
Thanks dvu…I’m going to look into those models. Some of the Hawke models have japanese glass in them. That will certainly make a difference.
I have been use all kind of scopes before, I used to like the “Nikko Stirling 10-50×60 Diamond Sportsman 30mm Riflescope”, it’s a bit heavier than other scopes. It’s still a good scope if you don’t care much with the weight π
I also had both “Hawke 8-32×56 Sidewinder 30mm Riflescope” and “Hawke 3-12×50 Sidewinder 30mm Riflescope”, for some reason, the glass of “Hawke 3-12×50 Sidewinder 30mm Riflescope” seem to be better than “Hawke 8-32×56 Sidewinder 30mm Riflescope” and of course lighter too.
I am currently using “Bushnell Elite 6500 4.5-30×50 Tactical Rifle Scope” and “SWFA SS 16×42 Tactical Riflescope”, both scope are good and the glasses are clear. These 2 scopes are way better than the Hawke scopes.
Personally, you don’t need more than 16x magnification scope, when you go be on the 16x magnification, the glass seem to be blurry a bit.
So, who makes the Hawke? Is it another Chinese scope? I ask because I hear that the glass is mediocre.
Cyg…they discontinued the Legend…and I have been skunked trying to find one still on the shelf. Bushnell had me on terminal hold while I was trying to ask them why it had been discontinued and what replaced it. Tomorrow is another day. I’ll try again.
Did I miss the point? Are you telling me to look at the 3200 Elite series as a replacement for the Legend?
I’m happy with Hawke Sidewinders. For the $$, I think they are prety good!
+1 for the legend
they must have discontinued it cause there was no real reason to pick the 3200 “legend” other than the 3200 legend had “rainguard” …….you can get a wax, that motorbikers uses on their visor which makes the rain run right off, and prevent fog from forming
anyhow i have used that on cheap scopes and it has worked….comes in a little jar with cloth and all…wipe on wipe off….great stuff
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Check here for optics they usually have great prices!!!! I have one of those discontinued legends and it’s great! They have an ellite 5-15 with mil dot.
http://www.natchezss.com