Thread: Optics questions

I've been through a bunch of scopes from super cheap ($35) to the bushnell 6500 on the RRA varmint in my avatar pic. Just spent some time looking thru a Nightforce 8-32 at Buddy Walters' shop over here...Here's the questions:

1)Does anyone think 30mm is worth the extra $$$ - does it really truly make a difference?

2)Has anyone ever bought a scope of Brand X and it kick *** - then go buy another of the same brand (different model equal or greater quality) and get it home and it suck?

3)Has anyone bought a particular brand that has absolutely positively never failed them - and done that with different models? Well enough to reccommend to someone?

4)has anyone found the 'sleeper'? By this I mean a scope that should not be good, but is , doesn't cost much, and performs above its pay grade??

P.S. the nightforce is nice but that is waaaaay outa my budget...

have you tried a konus?(sleeper) i sell the crap out of them at M.E.

My wife's uncle has one (I don't know the power or model) on his suppressed 308 bolt gun...he swears by it. I have seen a lot of Konus in the display cases in shops over this way. That's one brand I have no experience with.
I have a Nikon omega (yes i know it's a muzzleloader scope) that to my eyes is as good as anything else I've ever had. Have had 2 other Nikons that are so- so at best.
Thanks for the info. It's interesting that brand has popped up again on my radar.

I have a buris temberline 4.5x14 that is bright and clear . the only thing I don't like is the adj. are way fine less than an 1/8 of an inch and has less travel than others.
I also have a nikon the cheap one in 3x9 it to is clear and bright ,bought it from wallyworld .I looked at 3 this was the best ,there was a diff. in the same brand and grade.
the burris was $199 the nikon was $149 both work well for old eyes and are bright enough to hunt past sundown

I asked Buddy over here what he thought and he is a big Nikon fan. I kept thinking 'maybe I'm buying the wrong one - get the next better one'. That didn't work. And you see what I mean about some of them being inconsistent. I noticed the same thing you are saying about same brand same model.

I have purchased 2 Burris products. The first was a 3x9 Fullfield that someone bought and then returned to wal mart (this was @ '93). It was red tagged at like $85 (i'm sure it was a mistake)- I bought that quick. That one is great. Have a 2.75x scout scope on a Puma 92 lever gun. It's quick and it works but when it starts getting dusk you are done - no late shot possible with it.

so far the score is:

Burris Timberline 4.5x14 +1
Nikon $149 wallyworld model +1
Konus sleeper model +1

Originally Posted by zach

have you tried a konus?(sleeper) i sell the crap out of them at M.E.

+1 Love my 8-32 power.

I use a Leupold 3.5 x 10 VXIII on my hunting AR15. I think it's a pretty nice scope.

M4- how did you come about yours? Did you find it by chance or was it a recommendation from someone?

Jack- that's a fine scope, no two ways about it.



ok, so the score is now:

Konus +2
Burris +1
Nikon +1
Leupold +1

If anyone had a bad experience with something we'd all like to know about that too. Not to bash the optics makers but to keep folks with hard earned $$$ satisfied in the future.

Here's my personal scorecard - 1-10 scores


Burris 3x9 fullfield 8.5
Burris 2.75 Scout EER 6.5
Bushnell 4x12 adj obj econo??? 3.5
Bushnell 3x9x50 3200 firefly 7.5
Bushnell 4.5-30 6500 md ret 8.6
Leupold 6x 7.5
Leupold 2x pistol 7
Nikon 3x9 omega bdc 8.9
Nikon 4.5x14 coyote special 6.5
Nikon 3x9 buckmaster 5.9
Weaver 2-7 pistol 6
Simmons 2.8-10 aetec 6.5
Simmons 4x pistol FAIL
Tasco 3x9 x50 2.5
Tasco 30mm red dot 6.5

Leupold, I have 6 of them. Use them on hunting rifles, precision rifles, and handguns. You can't go wrong with them. Nightforce is an awesome scope also, I have one of them.

1b375,
I came real close to buying a Leupold this last time. I think if I had it to do over I'd get something in a mark IV. But my budget couldn't stand it. I bought the Bushnell 6500 because of the warranty on it. According to them it (and any other ELITE product) is under their 'no questions asked' deal. Called them to verify this and confirmed it. For the 1st yr if for any reason you don't like it you can get a refund or replacement(!).
I haven't had the 6500 long enough to make the decision yet. So far it's OK. After looking thru the Nightforce and spending some real outdoor time with it
there's no question it's superior......3x the price superior I don't know. I figure worst case I get my money back and move into a Leupold.

Konus +2.
Burris +1
Nikon +1
Leupold +2