Team, I bought a Konus 1.5 -6 x 44 M30 #7285 scope and wanted to offer my thoughts after 140 rounds.
<ul style="list-style-type: disc">[*]<span style="font-weight: bold">Why I chose this scope: </span>Features to budget - Konus rep is good, optics on my 20-80 spotter are great for the amazingly low price. Etched reticule. Bubble level internal to the scope. Choice of blue or red lighting on center dot. [*]<span style="font-weight: bold">What it's mounted upon: </span>Bushmaster Carbon 15 Type 97R (this is a feather-weight all carbon-fiber AR clone that takes AR mags, has a hard-chromed bolt, and a pencil-style fluted SS barrel)[*]<span style="font-weight: bold">Scope Rings: </span>30mm Extra High Weaver Tactical 6-screw rings[*]<span style="font-weight: bold">Performance at the range </span>(the part you've been waiting for)Holds zero perfectly, nice views above 2.5x, cross-hairs and center-dot a little weighty but OK for a "tactical carbine" (whatever in the hell that means to a guy who isn't a soldier or a cop). Box test: Zeroed in 3 rounds, move 8 clicks up and 8 clicks right and aimed at central target. Bullets landed on upper right target of sight-in target. 16 clicks left put the rifle exactly on left upper target. Adjusting for elevation and windage equated to perfect box test result and repeatable zero.[*]<span style="font-weight: bold">Pros: </span> Glass clear. Reticule sharper than an office full of Corn Lobbyists. Clicks loud, no mush. 1/2 MOA so not much effort to get on target quickly. Repeatable. Blue dot very nice to look through for extended period at night. 44mm diam means 1.5x views, while distorted, are easily seen in snap shooting. Clean reticule. Sturdy construction. Locking turrets prevent unintended scope adjustments, bubble level to help you avoid cant. Glass at high mags just beautiful. Locking fast-focus eyebell, with so much eye relief that mounting on an AR is difficult. Sturdily built! Inexpensive, for the features.[*]<span style="font-weight: bold">Cons: </span> edge distortion quite evident below about 2.5x. Confusing markings on the turrets: resettable zero belies the point of having one when there are 8 hash marks between numbers on the scope but scope is plainly marked "0.5 MOA click" - Shouldn't there only be one hash mark? Reticule is a "30-30" style, with which I am less familiar. How can I use this to gauge object distance/size? I (sort of) know mildots and MOA. Since there's no holding for windage I'll have to dial it in, which should be quick (but maybe kind of broad) at 0.5 MOA/click.[/list]
Would I do it again?
There appear to be other choices out there that don't have some of the limitations of this Konus. None of them, however, are less than $300 north of the price point of this very nice rifle scope. When I first conceded my diminishing vision would require magnification on my battle rifles, I decided that I'd sell my least favorite rifle and a bunch of other gear and fund the purchase of new optics for the remaining three. This project ended up happening in stages and I first picked up two Vortex Viper 2-7x33 scopes on sale for a blistering $162 from SWFA. I didn't have the money to buy #3, and when I finally did, the Vortex were sold out, with comparable scopes in their current lineup selling for hundreds more.
So the answer is, "maybe." I'd possibly look at a <span style="text-decoration: line-through">Sightron</span> <span style="font-weight: bold">That's a MILLET, I alwsys confuse the two</span>
