Quality of BSA scopes?

[heypete]

I'm looking to replace the 3-9x50mm Tasco scope (with giganticly thick crosshairs) on my Rem 700 BDL in .30-06 with a 6-24x40mm BSA scope that my friend is offering for about $80.

I've never used BSA products before, but it seems to be fairly well built. Thin crosshairs with a small dot at the center. Seemingly solid tube, no rattles when shaken, screw-on lenscaps, etc. The only issue I can see is that the turrets are exposed, and don't have protective caps to prevent inadvertent readjustment.

Anyone with experience with BSA scopes care to comment?

[Father Knows Best]

This is gonna sound harsh, but I wouldn't put a BSA scope on any of my rifles if someone paid ME $80. I'm certainly not gonna pay out $80 of my own.

BSA scopes are pretty bad. The optics on the best ones aren't great, but you won't necessarily notice it just looking through the scope, especially if your comparison is a Tasco (not much better). Where you'll really notice the problems are when changing magnification -- the zero will change with the mag. The windage and elevation adjustments will be coarse and inconsistent. Even if you manage to get the scope zeroed, it won't hold the zero. recoil and weather will cause the zero to move around.

You also don't really need or want a 6-24x scope. Something that tops out in the 10-14x range is more than enough, will be lighter and will offer better field of view for the same price and weight.

Cheap optics are never a good buy. If you don't want to spend much but want a solid, serviceable scope, go down to Wal-Mart and buy a Leupold. You'll spend $150-200 instead of $80, but it's money well spent. My local Wally World has three or four Leupolds in the case right now.

I also highly recommend Burris scopes. The Fullfield 2 series from Burris sells for $200 or so and is a top quality scope made in the U.S.A.

[CB900F]

Heypete;

I also won't have a BSA on one of my guns. I helped a friend zero his newly purchased package .22 a year ago. It wore a BSA as part of the package. I don't know what mystery substance they used to imitate glass in the thing, but E (possibly even F) - gad, was it BAD. It literally made my eye hurt.

900F

[CentralTexas]

Their red dot BSA scopes aren't bad for about $35, in combat I'd use my Aimpoint or EOtech but for the average plinking they are really good.

[TMM]

i have a BSA Sweet 17 for a .22lr rifle, it shoots low when the dial is turned to 300yds, and shoots lower when turned to 100yds. it's weird. i'm shooting at 120 feet.

fairly clear picture, with the adjustment and all. too bad it dosn't work. heh.

~TMM