Budget scope for T/C Compass?

https://www.opticsplanet.com/bushnell-3-9x40-banner.html

Sometimes gets good reviews, otherwise if you can spend 50-75 more there are tons if deals on nikon scopes right now but they are discontinuing all riflescopes so you may be on your own if you need warranty work in a few years.

@LoonWulf is our resident specialist on such and has tested quite a few. You might try searching for his posts on scopes using the search function. Given the low recoil on what you have, your search will be a bit easier.

Natchez Shooters Supply often has some pretty good prices on reconditioned scopes from name manufacturers from time to time and often you can roll the dice and pick up used one via a pawnshop or gunsmith's shop. Paid $25 bucks for a Nikon bdc .223 scope once that is fine for what I needed it to do.

Everygunpart.com also has a bunch of used scopes fairly cheap taken from destroyed firearms.

Jacob McDermott said:

I’m honestly just not sure which scope or rings I would need for it

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Well, you have Weaver bases then Weaver rings are a natural and pretty easy to find. You could change scope bases and buy higher dollar rings but that is pointless for some types of shooting and scopes. Spending under $75 means every dollar going for rings and bases is not going for a scope.

The other question is what do you want to do with it, varminting at a distance requires a better scope and perhaps a variable than plinking. Are you going to hunt with it or shoot small holes at a bench? Do you like variable versus fixed? Long versus short eye relief, and so on. Do you want a bullet drop scope which is for a specific .223 bullet so that you can easily adjust for distance and bullet drop?

On a tight budget, I would recommend for the best feedback that you clarify what purpose that you want to use the rifle and you will get some good feedback.

Ok, that helps. If you are planning at shooting out to 500 yards or so and some varminting, a variable 3x9 or 4x12 scope would be a bit better for those uses. Avoid any of the tacticool scopes as they will generally be more expensive at a given price point. You might do well to go to a local gunshop and buy the scope there as some will mount them and bore sight them for you as a service. A high powered scope not mounted properly will just generate frustration as you don't know whether it is the rifle, base, scope rings, or the scope that could be causing inaccuracy.

This has an overview of scope features that might be useful, you can ignore the paid advertising on the scopes at the bottom,
https://scopesreviews.com/best-long-range-rifle-scopes/ and it will tell you what features that you might like on a scope so you can enter it into a search engine.

What I would do is go to Amazon and Optics Planets, do a search on scopes by price with variable features and then read the reviews. At $75 or below, you are going to find some complaints--obviously, I would pay attention to any negative reviews that are repeated on the same issue as that would be a problem. Once you have identified potential items, then find a local gun store (lgs) with that list and try to find comparables and whether or not the store will mount it and bore sight it for you. It is not rocket science to mount a scope but it helps to have someone experienced to do it the first time and a lgs would be more likely to take the return if damaged in installation etc.

I learned on iron sights and I understand your issues. The major problem adapting from iron sights to high powered scopes is something called lost in the scope so it will take a bit of practice to avoid it using high powers but nowadays, the variables are often cheaper than a fixed scope and only slightly less rugged for the most part.

Loonwulf lives in Hawaii so it will take a while for him to show up but he is a good guy and has actually tested quite a few budget scopes in the rain and humidity there.

Don't be alarmed if they move this post to scopes though.

It's a little over $75, but I trust Primary Arms more than most other scopes in the under $100 price range.

https://www.primaryarms.com/primary-arms-3-9x44-sfp-classic-rifle-scope-duplex-reticle

This Bushnell Trophy is also a small step up from the Banner line.

https://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-Tro...ents=p_72:2661618011&rnid=2661617011&sr=8-122

This Athlon Neos would be another good option, again a little north of $75 but likely worth it, same price as the Primary Arms I mentioned above ($89.99). I've never owned an Athlon, but I've read mostly good reviews and I actually I remember Loonwulf (since he was mentioned) having some praise for Athlon's stuff, even at the budget-minded end.

https://www.amazon.com/Athlon-Optics-Riflescope-Second-Reticle/dp/B01APT0IZC

Sorry to quote myself, but this is from Lower End Optics thread.

stillquietvoice said:

I mounted the Bushnell 6-18x50 yesterday and went out to the range. My first 2 shots at 25 yds to get on paperwork 3 in low and 2
5 left. Then moved to 50 yd line were I dialed in better putting 10 rds into 1 hole. I shot through some of my newest reloads with blc2, 50 gr bullets to check for overpressure. The loads were fine. At 100 yds I turned the mag ring to 14x and adjusted the parallax. There was some edge distortion nut not terrible.

It was 42 degrees when I went out and had a 10 to 15mph wind from 10 to 11 o'clock. So I didn't shoot longer range. The clarity was real good I could see the 223 holes with out issue. I changed mag to 16 and scanned the 300 meter berm and could see small rocks with clarity. Overall a pretty good piece of glass for 100 dollars.

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stillquietvoice said:

Sorry to quote myself, but this is from Lower End Optics thread.

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I'm a big fan of having adjustable parallax, especially when target shooting is one of the considerations. I think the 4-12 Bushnell Banner wouldn't be a bad option if the budget can be bumped up to $100. The 6-18 may be a little high on the low end depending on the use, with varmints it's kind of nice to have 4x or below on the bottom end, easier to shoot off hand. Then again, that's just my experience, some may have less of an issue shooting 6x off hand, I just find I have too much wobble at that magnification. 4 or 4.5 is about my limit.

Bushnell is a great range level scope.

I got 2 if the Banner series in 4-16x with an illuminated reticle for $50 each.

3-9 and 4-12 Trophy lines are also available for $50-75 online if you dig.

If you step it up a tad, Nikon Buckmasters are great for around $100. I'm biased to Nikon so that's my pick.

Look for a Nikon Pro Staff 223 BDC reticle on closeout.

https://www.cabelas.com/product/NIKON-P-TACTICAL/2852259.uts?slotId=0

$99 and free shipping.

Jacob McDermott said:

Was also looking at a Simmons 8 point scope 3-9x50. Would that be good? Anyone know what I would need for it.

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Personally, I'd favor the Bushnells, PA, or Athlon over the Simmons based in reputation. That being said, I have a Simmons 1-6 on my AR and it is definitely worth more than I paid for it ($90 on sale, currently runs $180). I've just heard of more QC issues with Simmons scopes comparatively.

If you did get the Simmons 8 Point, you'd need 1 inch rings, probably high for the height with the 50mm objective but that would depend in the brand of rings.

I think you'd be fine either way, especially considering you're trying to stay on a budget. With it being short action you shouldn't run into TOO much trouble with scope length and action length. If it were a long action I'd lean heavier towards a one piece base.

Jacob McDermott said:

Should I switch to a one piece rail or is the two weavers just fine?

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Weavers are fine..
BTW - I wouldn’t waste my money on a cheap scope, cause all you’ll have is a piece of crap and life’s too short for that.

Jacob McDermott said:

Hey all I purchased a t/c compass in 223/5.56 and am looking for help on the scope situation. A lot of people are advising me to put a moa 20 base on it but I don’t think I’ll be shooting anything that far tbh. It comes with drilled and tapped receiver comes with factory installed Weaver-style bases (the two little individual ones). I was just wondering what scope would fit that and if there are any good scopes under and around $75 that’ll do the trick. I recently dropped $400 on a scope for my 308 so trying to save some money now lol. Any suggestions?

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Cheap scope recommendations seem to be the the topic of more optic threads than any other. On one side you’ll have people like me saying don’t buy cheap scopes. On the other side Billy Joe Bob has had a $50.00 scope for ten years that he used to place second at Camp Perry. You will also see numerous posts recommending the Burris Fullfield II as the least expensive scope to purchase. Far be it for me to cease beating the expired equine so my advice is, get a Fullfield or something more expensive.

Weaver bases are fine. The only downside IMO is there will be a number of scopes that won’t be able to be mounted due to their dimensions and you won’t be able to position the scope exactly where you want it. A one piece picatinny base eliminates such issues. A 20 MOA base may be required if used in conjunction with a cheap scope because the scope may not have enough adjustment range, otherwise no.

Jacob McDermott said:

Could I use this on the compass? It says it comes with 20mm mounts. Would I need anything else or just the scope and mounts? Not too familiar

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You could, I’d run from it.

Jacob McDermott said:

Was also looking at a Simmons 8 point scope 3-9x50. Would that be good? Anyone know what I would need for it.

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It wouldn’t work for my 61 year old eyes at 500 yards.

cdb1 said:

You could, I’d run from it.

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Most of the economy scopes mentioned are made in China ... I really doubt if there is a mountain of difference between most of them .. some are made in the same factory.... different stickers and boxes ..
I have bought several different.. lower priced Chinese scopes ....some are basically “no name” or odd name ... some carry a well known name .. I really can’t tell a difference...
They work for my purpose....
Don’t get me wrong .. GREAT glass costs and is worth every penny ... but for a beater .. and a fun range gun .. the Chinese scopes work ..

https://opticsoasis.com/sonicking-3-9x40-rifle-scope-amazing-for-the-price/

I actually have two of these .. both are mounted on a couple of 336 Marlins .... they work perfectly