OK I know, I know. "Garbage, junk, don't waste your money, go without a scope until you can get something better, good doorstop"....
...In fact every BSA I've ever had broke in some fashion or another whether it was tracking, keeping zero, or staying clear enough to even use. Even the warranty replacements broke, and said to myself BSA - never again.
But I was still contemplating the "Tactical Midway model" for a few reasons, mainly because it so much resembles the Mueller target dot scope, and not hearing too many problems with either, even on springer air rifles that usually tear low dollar / expectation scopes in two within 20 shots. I PM'd several folks that I've seen it mounted on their rifles (Air, Rim, and Center fired rifles) and they responded with good comments. It was on sale for $109.00 for 2012 cyber Monday with free shipping, I figured I'd give it a try at least as a temporary optic. They list it for around $249.00, though it's eternally on sale for $150.00 on any given day.
The BSA Tactical Mildot has 6-24X magnification, 44mm obj, side focus, 1/4" adjustments @ 100Y, a focusable ocular, and a 30mm body. Included is a 3" sunshade, bikini style lens covers, and rings. The rings are complete garbage, of very low quality, and are so high, they are pretty much worthless and if buying this, plan on budgeting for new ones. With that said, that'll be all commented on concerning the rings.
It is a heavy scope coming in over 20oz, and beefy in all around girth, as compared in size to a $20.00 bill for scale. 15.25" inches long without the sunshade (18.25" with it). It is a second focal plane, and is actually true to Mildot ranging on 10X. All surfaces that offer adjusting has a nice texture to them for positive gripping. One thing that drew my attention is a curious fashion is that much like it's Mueller look alike, the tube seems to be independent of the main tube, as a seam is evident at the objective bell. Don't know why either manufacturers kept it like this.
If there is one feature I did appreciate, it's that the turrets are marked rather well, are not too big or too small, and the turret pillar is marked with stadia marks. The turrets are resettable to zero by removing the single T15 Torx screw (tool included), lifting the turret up to disengage the adjustment teeth, and lining up the 0 mark. Unlike other cheapie scopes I've had, there wasn't too much fooling around to get the 0 lined up. There is an O ring that helps to center the turret and keeping gunk out of the works. The adjustments feel and sound somewhat "positive" with just a little mush to it, and actually tracks rather well, and surprisingly returns to zero.
The side focus ranges from 10Y to infinity, with many well marked distances in between. The side focus knob operates smoothly, without feeling too loose or too sensitive. The small cap that covers the screw that holds it on is a little cheesy looking, but stays in place.
So the scope has "the look" and is surprisingly clear edge to edge up to about 20X were things start to grey up a little, but still not to the point of being unusable. No major distortions either, which was surprising. Eye relief seemed a little time consuming as when the power was adjusted to a higher setting, there was some eclipsing, when compensated for, the lower powers had eclipsed, so setting the relief was done on 12X, with just a little issue on 6X or 20X and above.
I haven't had it through too many temperature swings, so I can't talk to fogging up or resistance to the elements.
There are 60 "clicks" per revolution, 274 "clicks" from stop to stop in elevation (4 full turns + 34 clicks), 268 "clicks" (4 full turns + 28 clicks) in windage.
So to wrap it up it's not a Nikon, Vortex, Leopold, etc., but appears to be an acceptable scope in the $150.00 or under range as compared to others in the lower tier, even to a few in the middle tier. Looking through it side by side with a Sidewinder, the BSA actually had clearer glass and a sharper view while looking at targets from 100 to 400 yards and less observable imperfections showing in the glass when looking at a clear light bulb at point blank.
As said in the beginning, I don't really expect longevity out of it with regular use, but who knows. I've only had it on a .243 for approximately 250 rounds, back and forth between 100 and 400 yards - so far so good as a budget scope goes, with no real gripes about it as of yet.
So admittedly, I run a BSA at the present time and risk being flamed. It's a temporary optic that may surprisingly stay "temporary" for longer than I expected and hope not to use the lifetime warranty. I just thought to throw 2 cents in about it if anyone was actually curious about it. Though I wouldn't count on it for a serious hunt or serious competition, but for a casual plinking rifle or on a low budget build, it's really not too bad.
Please be gentle
...In fact every BSA I've ever had broke in some fashion or another whether it was tracking, keeping zero, or staying clear enough to even use. Even the warranty replacements broke, and said to myself BSA - never again.
But I was still contemplating the "Tactical Midway model" for a few reasons, mainly because it so much resembles the Mueller target dot scope, and not hearing too many problems with either, even on springer air rifles that usually tear low dollar / expectation scopes in two within 20 shots. I PM'd several folks that I've seen it mounted on their rifles (Air, Rim, and Center fired rifles) and they responded with good comments. It was on sale for $109.00 for 2012 cyber Monday with free shipping, I figured I'd give it a try at least as a temporary optic. They list it for around $249.00, though it's eternally on sale for $150.00 on any given day.
The BSA Tactical Mildot has 6-24X magnification, 44mm obj, side focus, 1/4" adjustments @ 100Y, a focusable ocular, and a 30mm body. Included is a 3" sunshade, bikini style lens covers, and rings. The rings are complete garbage, of very low quality, and are so high, they are pretty much worthless and if buying this, plan on budgeting for new ones. With that said, that'll be all commented on concerning the rings.
It is a heavy scope coming in over 20oz, and beefy in all around girth, as compared in size to a $20.00 bill for scale. 15.25" inches long without the sunshade (18.25" with it). It is a second focal plane, and is actually true to Mildot ranging on 10X. All surfaces that offer adjusting has a nice texture to them for positive gripping. One thing that drew my attention is a curious fashion is that much like it's Mueller look alike, the tube seems to be independent of the main tube, as a seam is evident at the objective bell. Don't know why either manufacturers kept it like this.
If there is one feature I did appreciate, it's that the turrets are marked rather well, are not too big or too small, and the turret pillar is marked with stadia marks. The turrets are resettable to zero by removing the single T15 Torx screw (tool included), lifting the turret up to disengage the adjustment teeth, and lining up the 0 mark. Unlike other cheapie scopes I've had, there wasn't too much fooling around to get the 0 lined up. There is an O ring that helps to center the turret and keeping gunk out of the works. The adjustments feel and sound somewhat "positive" with just a little mush to it, and actually tracks rather well, and surprisingly returns to zero.
The side focus ranges from 10Y to infinity, with many well marked distances in between. The side focus knob operates smoothly, without feeling too loose or too sensitive. The small cap that covers the screw that holds it on is a little cheesy looking, but stays in place.
So the scope has "the look" and is surprisingly clear edge to edge up to about 20X were things start to grey up a little, but still not to the point of being unusable. No major distortions either, which was surprising. Eye relief seemed a little time consuming as when the power was adjusted to a higher setting, there was some eclipsing, when compensated for, the lower powers had eclipsed, so setting the relief was done on 12X, with just a little issue on 6X or 20X and above.
I haven't had it through too many temperature swings, so I can't talk to fogging up or resistance to the elements.
There are 60 "clicks" per revolution, 274 "clicks" from stop to stop in elevation (4 full turns + 34 clicks), 268 "clicks" (4 full turns + 28 clicks) in windage.
So to wrap it up it's not a Nikon, Vortex, Leopold, etc., but appears to be an acceptable scope in the $150.00 or under range as compared to others in the lower tier, even to a few in the middle tier. Looking through it side by side with a Sidewinder, the BSA actually had clearer glass and a sharper view while looking at targets from 100 to 400 yards and less observable imperfections showing in the glass when looking at a clear light bulb at point blank.
As said in the beginning, I don't really expect longevity out of it with regular use, but who knows. I've only had it on a .243 for approximately 250 rounds, back and forth between 100 and 400 yards - so far so good as a budget scope goes, with no real gripes about it as of yet.
So admittedly, I run a BSA at the present time and risk being flamed. It's a temporary optic that may surprisingly stay "temporary" for longer than I expected and hope not to use the lifetime warranty. I just thought to throw 2 cents in about it if anyone was actually curious about it. Though I wouldn't count on it for a serious hunt or serious competition, but for a casual plinking rifle or on a low budget build, it's really not too bad.
Please be gentle
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