Inexpensive Scopes

My experience with a purchase of an "inexpensive" scope wasn't great. It was my first .338LM and instead of buying a more expensive scope, the guy at the gun store convinced me to try this Hawke Sidewinder. Well, the picture wasn't anywhere as good as the Bushnell Elite 6500's that I had on my other two rifles at the time so I put an Elite 6500 on it and sold it to my buddy at a serious discount. He put it on his .300WM and a few shots in, he was seeing black. Something had shifted inside. In for warranty it went. Got a replacement, this one went super blurry after about 10 rounds. Back for warranty again! Can't remember if it was the 3rd or 4th time but the last time he didn't even mount it, had the gun store give him a refund. I had bought my CADEX at that point and a Vortex Gen II Razor HD in 4.5-27x55 and let him use the Bushnell Elite 6500, which held-up just fine.

That was the first, and last, cheap scope I bought, and it wasn't even that cheap!

Cheapest scope I have presently was free, and is on my .22LR. It came on a Savage rifle/scope combo that my buddy got and he wanted something better, so he tossed me that one. It seems to work OK, think it is a Tasco 1-9? Could be 2-12, it's been a while since I had anything out to shoot.

This is it on the 22, next to my 2nd cheapest scope, a Leupold VX3i LRP:
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For an AR-style app, I really like this Eotech:
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Good thread.

I have a Burris RT-6 (1-6x24 variable-power) on my Colt 6920 AR-15. It has a ballistic reticle that‘s specific to 5.56.

I still haven’t bought an optic for my Smith & Wesson M&P-10 Sport (16” barrel).

@Astro14 That 1-8 Strike Eagle is nice. How are you liking it?

My S&W M&P-10 Sport and Colt 6920, and the 6920 with the Burris RT-6

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These are a few of my other inexpensively scoped rifles that have held up well over the years. Several are mounted on heavy recoiling rifles. All so far with no issues, as far as holding zero, repeatability, clear focus, etc.

Most have had the rings hand lapped, with scope rosin applied. (Except for the Leatherwood Hi-Lux, which came out of the box ready to mount. Much like this latest "Sniper" model did that I just mounted on my DPMS AP-4 .308)..

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Colt 6940 Monolithic Upper Receiver 5.56 MM (Leatherwood Hi-Lux ART M-1000)

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Bushmaster BA-50 .50 BMG (Bushnell 3200 Elite)

CKUfaRd.jpg


Savage 12 FT/R .308 (Bushnell 3200 Elite)

Snn8CAm.jpg


Kimber 8400 Police Tactical .300 Win. Mag (Bushnell 3200 Elite)

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Savage 110 FCP-K .300 Win. Mag. (Bushnell 3200 Elite)
 
These are a few of my other inexpensively scoped rifles that have held up well over the years. Several are mounted on heavy recoiling rifles. All so far with no issues, as far as holding zero, repeatability, clear focus, etc.

Most have had the rings hand lapped, with scope rosin applied. (Except for the Leatherwood Hi-Lux, which came out of the box ready to mount. Much like this latest "Sniper" model did that I just mounted on my DPMS AP-4 .308)..

jqydqFH.jpg


Colt 6940 Monolithic Upper Receiver 5.56 MM (Leatherwood Hi-Lux ART M-1000)

AbcbrkM.jpg


Bushmaster BA-50 .50 BMG (Bushnell 3200 Elite)

CKUfaRd.jpg


Savage 12 FT/R .308 (Bushnell 3200 Elite)

Snn8CAm.jpg


Kimber 8400 Police Tactical .300 Win. Mag (Bushnell 3200 Elite)

hFq2yoP.jpg


Savage 110 FCP-K .300 Win. Mag. (Bushnell 3200 Elite)
That FCP-K is a great rifle! I had the 10 FCP-K in .308 and it was a tack-driver. Here's it when I first got it with a 6500 on it:
FCP-K-01.jpg


And just before I sold it, with the VX3i-LRP on it that went on the 700 5R Milspec:
CadexFCP-01.jpg
 
That FCP-K is a great rifle! I had the 10 FCP-K in .308 and it was a tack-driver. Here's it when I first got it with a 6500 on it:
View attachment 94929

And just before I sold it, with the VX3i-LRP on it that went on the 700 5R Milspec:
View attachment 94930

It's really hard to beat some of the Savage bolt guns for good accuracy, without breaking the bank. The same goes for the Bushnell Elite Series. Great scopes for the money.
 
It's really hard to beat some of the Savage bolt guns for good accuracy, without breaking the bank. The same goes for the Bushnell Elite Series. Great scopes for the money.
Agreed completely!

Only reason I moved away from the 6500's is that I decided I was going to go FFP on everything (hence the Leupold LRP) as I wanted to teach myself how to range with the scope.
 
This is a Remington XP-100 in .35 Remington I picked up several years ago. I stocked in a brown coffee laminate from Fajen Stocks, that I picked up on a closeout. It has a Burris 2-7X mounted in Leupold rings and bases. (I always hated the cheap looking "Buck Rogers" plastic stocks those guns came with).

That scope has held up really well. That pistol produces a lot of muzzle flip, but the Burris never moved, or lost zero in several hundred rounds.

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I did something similar on an old Rem 788 in 223 rem. I chose a Monstrum 6-24x50 on amazon in the $200.00 range. I have had it for about 3 years and it seems to be doing OK. My only complaint is the image quality is poor at the 24 power setting. I seldom need that much magnification. It is just a gut feeling but I would not trust a cheap scope such as it on a hard kicking rifle. My 223 does not put much stress on a scope. If it fails in 5 years I would consider that i got my moneys worth.
 
It is worth looking at Primary arms. I’m not sure who makes their private label scopes but they are pretty good. I bought one to start and followed up with several more after. 4-14 for AR. I bought the scopes with illuminated dot. Normally I use Leupold and night force. These are excellent quality and great value. For me there is not much reason to have more than a few of the expensive ones.
 
It is worth looking at Primary arms. I’m not sure who makes their private label scopes but they are pretty good. I bought one to start and followed up with several more after. 4-14 for AR. I bought the scopes with illuminated dot. Normally I use Leupold and night force. These are excellent quality and great value. For me there is not much reason to have more than a few of the expensive ones.
I bought a couple of Primary Arms weapon lights a couple of years ago. They are beautifully made, very bright, with good switches. I wouldn't hesitate to buy from them again.
 
Get a good scope and pay the price once or you can get a bargain scope and replace it every few years! Kind of the old you can pay me now or you can pay me again and again!
 
Get a good scope and pay the price once or you can get a bargain scope and replace it every few years! Kind of the old you can pay me now or you can pay me again and again!

I keep hearing this type of analogy for everything from tools to tableware, to riflescopes. 95% of the time it's B.S. in most cases. I have never had to replace an inexpensive scope on a rifle in over 50 years of shooting....... But I don't put Tasco's on .458 Winchesters either. (Although the Bushnell on my .50 BMG is still going strong after over 300 rounds).

If I drop an expensive China plate on the floor, it's going to shatter as bad or worse as a Corningware Corelle plate from Wal-Mart.

All of my inexpensive tools that I've purchased over the years have held up fine. And if they do break, they have a lifetime warranty same as the "off the truck" brands.

All I have to do is drive to the store that's 5 minutes away, and open 7 days a week, to get a replacement. And not have to wait for smiling Jack to come around with his truck....... But I don't use 12 point sockets with 4 foot cheater bars on the end.

Are they, "as good"? That depends on your perspective and application. In my case they're better than they need to be for my purposes. Because they work, and they continue to serve their intended purpose. They just cost less.

I get the part about, "wanting the very best". But that in itself doesn't mean that if you purchase anything but, you're going to live to regret it.
 
Would depend on the threat but typical HD shooting is short range.
I would recommend a suppressor, even if you want to stick with irons.

A 5.56 indoors is truly deafening. Worse if it’s a short barrel.

A .300BLK indoors, with a suppressor, is quiet, and you won’t lose your hearing, either temporarily (auditory exclusion) or permanently ...though there is a school of thought that says the loud report is a good counter/deterrent in the event of multiple assailants.

So, in an HD situation, the loud report from a rifle might reduce the number of bad guys you have to engage.
 
I would recommend a suppressor, even if you want to stick with irons.

A 5.56 indoors is truly deafening. Worse if it’s a short barrel.

A .300BLK indoors, with a suppressor, is quiet, and you won’t lose your hearing, either temporarily (auditory exclusion) or permanently ...though there is a school of thought that says the loud report is a good counter/deterrent in the event of multiple assailants.

So, in an HD situation, the loud report from a rifle might reduce the number of bad guys you have to engage.
I stage ear pro around the house. I prefer an SBS for home defense.
 
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