Scopes That No One Likes To Admit They Own

[billt]

Who has invested in a cheap scope that has worked out better than you thought it would? Let's be honest, we all don't mount $3,500.00 scopes on all of our rifles. I know I've purchased a few cheap models, (Tru-Glo, Bushnell, and more recently Sniper, (made by Presma Inc.), over the years. And I have to admit, all of them have worked out much better than I expected them to.

Perhaps I've been lucky. But I've run into others that have purchased several of the Presma models, and most all of them rave about their performance. (Presma Inc. is one of the largest optics manufacturers in Asia). I have to admit, for the price, the clarity and repeatability of their scopes is pretty amazing.

How about you guys? What inexpensive scopes have you purchased that have pleasantly surprised you? And which one's have turned out to be nothing but a POS, that ended up at a garage sale for 2 bits on the dollar?

 

[forthehunt]

Cheap good scope? Vixen 44mm. Bought it on impulse for my farm gun but I like it so much, I transfered it to my daily plinking gun.

I don't mind saying I own it. I have always found Japanese optics to be top notch for a cheapie.

 

[Fx51LP308]

For me, a Bushnell 3x12 40mm SFP MOA scope, mounted on my AR Carbine. Not bad, but not an FFP.

For my 2nd build, I went with:

Monstrum G2 6-24x50 First Focal Plane FFP Rifle Scope with Illuminated Rangefinder Reticle and Parallax Adjustment​

 

[db2000]

The 4x32 that came on a Barnette crossbow. No idea what Chinese company makes it but it’s held up and held zero year after year. It’s not been in downpours but has been wet and snowed on. Never fogged up which surprised me. Illumination is pretty solid.

 

[gopherslayer]

Tru-Glo 6-24 Chinese Special. I’ve had 2 for 14 years. Paid $50 each on closeout from Natchez. I was told by another member on a forum that, according to his wife who works for Natchez, they were the highest return rate for scopes that they had. Mine must have been made on fried rice day instead of white rice day because they are still kicking along. Same deal with a Simmons 8 point 3-9 that sat atop a 30-06 loaner rifle. That scope is 16 years old and I paid $40. Those 3 scopes are the only shit scopes I have but they don’t die for some reason.

 

[Bakwa]

Cheapest I'll buy on purpose is SWFA.
I have a Nikon Monarch that came on a rifle I bought off a guy that I'm not unhappy with. For whatever reason I just can't bring myself to like any cheaper scopes.
I'm not wealthy by any means but over the past decade I've grown into being a major scope snob.
Having experienced good glass, solid mechanical designs, and ergonomic features, I just can't bring myself to tolerate most cheap scopes I get behind without feeling somewhat disgusted by them.

 

[fxdwgkd]

Have a bsa 3-9 mildot on my muzzleloader. Admittedly i do not dial the turrets, but she has never come iff zero. That is even after going down some cement stairs into my dads basement with it slung across my back when his dog took my legs out. Landed square on my back on the rifle and scope. Knocked one turrret cap loose, several scratches on scope and stainless barrel. Was nit a happy camper as i had not even hunted with it yet and was night before hunting season opener. Shot next day and was still on zero

 

[308pirate]

Made by this guy

Here

 

[gopherslayer]

Someone on here bought one of those just for shits and giggles. Can’t remember who. I don’t think they ever got the scope replaced under warranty.

 

[DukeGSP]

Vanstarry opticxs it's been on my 10/22 for a few years now and it won't be getting removed anytime soon. amazon special.

 

[billt]

Tru-Glo 6-24 Chinese Special. I’ve had 2 for 14 years. Paid $50 each on closeout from Natchez.......

I have that exact same scope mounted on an older Marlin Model 60. It has been an excellent scope. The lower pic is a Marlin 783 in .22 Magnum that wears a Tasco 3-9X Variable. That scope and gun is going on close to 50 years old.

 

[Cascade Hemi]

Leupold

 

[00jabo]

SWFA Super Sniper are a good if not great value. Can’t remember the details but SUPER SNIPER purchased the technical specs or patents from some high end optic company back some time ago (70’s -90’s???). Their products are built like tanks, have above average Glass, and function properly. I own 2 SS’s. They don’t have all the bells and whistles like zero stop but I like KISS concepts. They do their job and do it well.

 

[gopherslayer]

I have that exact same scope mounted on an older Marlin Model 60. It has been an excellent scope. The lower pic is a Marlin 783 in .22 Magnum that wears a Tasco 3-9X Variable. That scope and gun is going on close to 50 years old.

1 of Mine is on a Marlin 60 SS laminated stock from a whitetails unlimited banquet. Good spot for it. I have the other on my Savage heavy barrel laminated thumb hole 22lr. Shooting sun 1” 10 shot groups at 100 is fun as hell at a public range. I get the weirdest looks but it’s a great way to get into the groove shooting. Some day the Savage will get a decent scope.

 

[GhostFace]

I put one of these on a PTR

 

[Poorboyr]

Arken……

 

[stemikel]

Swamp fox 1-10. Really nice scope for the price

 

[FWoo45]

I’ve got a VX-R on a BCM under my desk as a footrest.

 

[Lange Carabine]

I picked up a 1st gen Riton RT-S Mod 5 2-7x32 off flea bay 3ish years ago and put it on a Cetme C just to see how long it would survive.
To my surprise it held up just fine for 1500 rounds or so on the Cetme and i ended up moving it to a 6.5 Grendel upper i cobbled together recently.
It tracks about as close to perfect as it can get, and the glass IMO is on par with the Nikons i own, not great but not bad at all for a cheap chinesium scope.
That said i dont think id buy another one though.

 

[WindstormSCR]

A Barska 1-4x LPVO that lives on top of my AR. It's surpised me with box test results, and the 1x is actually better than several higher-end LPVOs I've used with nearly zero fish eye or abberation. The mount it came in wasn't great, but once I stuffed it in a burris pepr mount I've had no reason to replace it.

 

[st1650]

I’ve got a VX-R on a BCM under my desk as a footrest.

VX-R are great for what they are.
also have a Mark ar 3-9 mil/mil with illum and a Weaver 1.5-6x32 that are used as spare

 

[hafejd30]

Made by this guy

Here

For those who haven’t seen it. CS Tactical review on the mighty Counter Sniper from years back

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

The cheapest scope I own was $1299. Sorry don't have this problem.

 

[db2000]

The cheapest scope I own was $1299. Sorry don't have this problem.

That is cheap. It’s called “New Poor”. These guys are “Old Poor”. That’s actually better.
ZCO or better on everything or GTFO.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

That is cheap. It’s called “New Poor”. These guys are “Old Poor”. That’s actually better.
ZCO or better on everything or GTFO.

Have 2 ZCO , need to get a 3rd.

 

[flyfisher117]

Define cheap.

Shit I hate to mention that I even own a Vortex PST II anymore. Before I know it I'll be told I won't be able to see targets. It won't track true. And it will fail, not if but when, and that "best warranty you WILL use"

 

[jimmy917]

Several Simmons. Most came on used rifles. One went from a 30-06 to an AK, with the intent to just kill it. As much as I want to hate them, they have all performed flawlessly.

 

[rottenruger]

Who has invested in a cheap scope that has worked out better than you thought it would? Let's be honest, we all don't mount $3,500.00 scopes on all of our rifles. I know I've purchased a few cheap models, (Tru-Glo, Bushnell, and more recently Sniper, (made by Presma Inc.), over the years. And I have to admit, all of them have worked out much better than I expected them to.

Perhaps I've been lucky. But I've run into others that have purchased several of the Presma models, and most all of them rave about their performance. (Presma Inc. is one of the largest optics manufacturers in Asia). I have to admit, for the price, the clarity and repeatability of their scopes is pretty amazing.

How about you guys? What inexpensive scopes have you purchased that have pleasantly surprised you? And which one's have turned out to be nothing but a POS, that ended up at a garage sale for 2 bits on the dollar?

I bought a $325 Sightron scope a few years back that is every bit as good as my $600 +/- Vortex scopes. Very nice scope with a nice reticle.

 

[IHFarmer07]

Simmons, tasco

 

[MK3XXX]

Mueller 4.5-14x Tactical, mil reticle and moa turrets bla

 

[Huskydriver]

Almost bought a NF atacr once... Glad I came to my senses and I didn't go cheap

 

[nikonNUT]

Way back in the day I had a Tasco World Class Plus 36x50. Think I gave 250.00 for it and wish it was still in my possesion. Danm good piece of glass!

 

[Gohring65]

I no longer own one, but the Bushnell fixed 10x for 199$ could get you to 1000 yards and was repeatable. It was a low budget scope that one could actually probably take to war. Lol

 

[flyfisher117]

Mueller 4.5-14x Tactical, mil reticle and moa turrets bla

I still have my APV.. Back in the day the APV and APT were the reccomend rimfire scopes on a budget lol.

 

[M4orturnate]

Primary arms glx hud dmr. If the reticle wasnt so bad it would be a decent cheap scope. Bought it before i new anything about long range

 

[MK3XXX]

I still have my APV.. Back in the day the APV and APT were the reccomend rimfire scopes on a budget lol.

Yep thats why I have mine too. Now people putting ZCO’s on rimfires, times have changed

 

[Roksliding]

Bushnell Dmr something and it’s a really nice scope actually!!

Huskemaw also, but it too just works

 

[hlee]

I have a bushnell sportview scope that was bought 30 something years ago at Walmart, and it topped the Marlin 30-30 that I carried while deer hunting during the formative years of my life. I would never trust it to track, but it has always held zero. It’s not worth selling, but it has been on nearly every rifle I’ve ever owned. Other than me being a borderline pack rat, I can’t say why it hasn’t been put in a dumpster. Then again, it has served as a passable fill in when I had a new rifle and no other optic.

 

[VSP968]

Leupold

I have retired all of these and no, they’re not for sale.

25 years ago, MkIV’s were the shit… 25 years ago.

 

[Archer0826]

VX-R are great for what they are.
also have a Mark ar 3-9 mil/mil with illum and a Weaver 1.5-6x32 that are used as spare

Agree, was thinking of offering him another footrest for the VXR

 

[Glassaholic]

I have been boycotting China (or CCP really) pretty hard the past couple years, but I needed a good MPVO scope with 42mm objective for a comparison I needed to do, the only thing decent I could find that had low enough and high enough mag was the Athlon Helos BTR2 2-12x42 and I've got to say I am super impressed with this scope optically. Mechanically the turrets have some slop but aren't horrible and have a nice distinctive click that scopes 3x its price would benefit from (I like to hear my clicks). I highly recommend the 2-12x42 to anyone looking for a nice MPVO without wanting to break the bank.

 

[FuhQ]

Arken……

I have 4 of them... For the money, they're impressive scopes.

SWFA is another one that is an excellent value for the money.

If you can find an old Bausch & Lomb Elite series 30mm tube scopes before it got bought out by Bushnell, then you have a great scope. I used to have one of the Firefly reticle models, and it was an amazing scope.

The old Simmons Whitetail scopes made in Philippines were not terrible. Same with the Nikon Monarchs...Surprisingly clear for the money.

Some expensive scopes I've NOT been impressed with for the price: S&B PM-II (glass), Bushnell's upper end (value for the $$$), Leupold (all models), Swarovski (the glass is great, just not a lot of features for the money), Konus (terrible build quality & QC), any NF scope over $2,500 (not worth the price), and I'm sure there's a few others I'm just not remembering off the top of my head.

 

[FuhQ]

@Huskydriver You're only laughing because you know I'm telling the truth. The people who dispute things like this are the ones ashamed they spent so much, to gain so little. Everything is overpriced these days, and optics have gotten retarded. No rifle scope should cost over $2,000...Period. The manufacturer's profit margins keep getting fatter every year, while they refuse to pay their employees any more money with inflation. The same thing is happening in the construction industry... How do I know? Because I work in it everyday for a company that does the same bullshit. "Uhhhh, uhhhh, uhhhhh but COVID.....Broke.....Can't afford to give you a raise.... Blah blah fuckin' blah..." Every business has been playing that bullshit card for 2+ years. But yet, they survived the 'RONA by being "essential", and kept making money, and got all that sweet sweet government money...And yet, none of us peons that kept working and making them the money, instead of getting $1,000 a fuckin week on unemployment like some lazy pieces of shit (which is more than we make working after taxes), kept working, and we never saw a fuckin extra dime.

 

[CO00Z]

I've got a Swampfox Tomahawk 1-10 on an AR. I really like it. There's a Sig Tango 4 4-16 that we ordered for someone who never picked it up. That scope has been used on every stray rifle in the shop for the last 4 years. Now it's on my Sig Cross until the scope I ordered gets here. I also have a Diamondback Tactical 5-25 on my Kidd 10/22.

 

[FuhQ]

@Huskydriver Exactly what I thought you would say. No response, just bullshit like usual.

 

[Huskydriver]

@Huskydriver Exactly what I thought you would say. No response, just bullshit like usual.

 

[FuhQ]

View attachment 7839599

The world, and life...

 

[KeithStone]

 

[st1650]

I have been boycotting China (or CCP really) pretty hard the past couple years, but I needed a good MPVO scope with 42mm objective for a comparison I needed to do, the only thing decent I could find that had low enough and high enough mag was the Athlon Helos BTR2 2-12x42 and I've got to say I am super impressed with this scope optically. Mechanically the turrets have some slop but aren't horrible and have a nice distinctive click that scopes 3x its price would benefit from (I like to hear my clicks). I highly recommend the 2-12x42 to anyone looking for a nice MPVO without wanting to break the bank.

It’s on my list ... just wish it was 5-6 oz lighter

 

[TheHebrewHammer]

My father outshot me with a Cabela's 1-4, I had a Steiner M5Xi 3-15 at 800 yards. I threw my father's scope out.