NcStar scopes ??

They are cheap Chinese scopes that are not very good but they are cheap.

I had one on a 9mm carbine, it holds its zero. no frills, but thats what i like about it.

Very cheap and the optics aren't the clearest but I use a 4 power on my HiPOint and I've used the same scope on a 22lr and it worked fine. Once it was dialed in it held its zero. I wouldn't get one for a precision scope though.

I would invest my hard earned cash in something with greater return on investment. What is your needs and budget for the optic? Without knowing this I would point you to the economy models in the Bushnell line, these have decent glass and have been reliable in my experience.

I have used one as a scout scope on a Mosin Nagant and had no problems with it at all.

they triple suck-a-dilly suck-you-suck!!!! I gave them 3... THREE CHANCES, to do somehting for me, even with a spotting scope. That's right, a SPOTTING SCOPE!!!! NO recoil worries, no finding zero, no shooting the square, etc., etc.
And it was still crap a doodie!!!!
Save your money, and your worries, and get anything else, except BSA.

RR, tell them what you really think. I completely agree (though I haven't bought 3 of the dang things). If you really want a low-budget tacti-crap scope, buy a Leapers, I have had mediocre (not to be confused with good or excellent) results out of them, and consider them to be amongst the "best of China" (< now isn't that a funny statement).

They're fine for rimfires, and I've known people who've used them on centerfire weapons, with varying results. Some cases, they've held up fine. Other cases, not so much.
If you're looking for a cheap optic which can hold up and has good repute, take a look at the Vortex StrikeFire for around $150.

I've got several of these

I won't buy any more. I bought these to try and save money. They work so so, just enough to keep me from throwing them away. When you compare them against decent optics, they just don't stack up. Given the price difference, I wouldn't expect them to be as good.

If I had it to do over again, I would take all the cheap scopes and trade them for one good one. I I would wait and save for the difference in cost even if it took me awhile.

At my age if I can't see it clearly, I won't hit it. Lately, it takes a better and better scope for me to see clearly. When I was younger it didn't matter as much. That is what makes the name brand scopes more valuable to me. They still work for me.

I dont know much about their regular scopes but Ive have one of their red dots on my 15-22 and had it mounted on my Bushmaster for an outing and its held up like a champ. I bought it used and paid $40 for it.

I do understand the general consensus on them is about 50-50 though so YMMV

do youself a favor and spend that $40 on something/anything else
they are 50/50 on rimfires, odds are against you on anything heavier
(have seen people try them)

BSA and NcStar are different companies, I have run the compact 2.5X "shotgun scope" BSA on a 357mag lever carbine, and it has done ok, but 357 in a carbine ain't got no kick, real tame vs 30-30

I made the mistake of buying an NCStar holo red dot sight. I couldn't see the dot in sunlight, at all, even on a fresh battery. Complete washout. It was absolutely worthless.

On the other hand, I have an NCStar spotting scope. It's actually very good, and I got it used for $80. I couldn't have asked for better for the money. NCStar generally has good optical clarity, to their credit. However, their ability to hold up under recoil is sometimes questionable.

As always, you should check reviews on any individual scope model before purchasing it. Some cheap brands, particularly Leapers / UTG, can provide you with a good $70 scope that will perform about as well as a $200 scope on a target rifle, at the cost of being somewhat less physically ruggged. If you're not planning to drag it through the brush, it will serve you just fine. If you're going to be subjecting it to real bumps and such, you should consider a more expensive option.

Just remember this formula


China + optics = FAIL

Part of the reason we are in the pickle we are in is because we continue to by this cheap Chi Com junk as another American Manufacturer goes under or moves off shore.

I am guilty and more than a dozen yrs ago I bought a bunch of Chi Com guns but its over for me. If there is still a brand or model made in the US thats what I'm buying.

I have an NCStar 3x9 on an AKM and have put about 1000 rounds thru it, including the rounds that took my only two deer this season. Dead on accurate, never loses zero, never fogs, and is pretty clear for it's size.

And I went thru two NCStar red dot sights that were complete crap. WOuldn't zero or wouldn't hold zero.

So you pays ya money and ya takes ya chances. I have Nikon and Pentax on my hunting/target rifles. But for plinking or plonking the NCStar scopes will likely do till you can afford better. Wouldn't trust their red dots, though.

Something else to consider, I've read a couple of places that a large percentage of low end scopes from Tasco, Bushnell, and others are made in the same factory.

You get exactly what you pay for in the case of NcStar optics.........:banghead:

i got a 2-7x32mm centerpoint scope, it has black, red, or green cross hairs comes in handy when its getting dark. on the front of the plastic it comes in it says it was torture tested by a .416 rigby, which is a very powerful rifle. i paid $65 for it at wal-mart but i went to the wal-mart in the next county and they had it for $55(mine did to). and it comes with rings. iam very happy with it. it holds zero on my WASR 10/63 from what i can tell. within a few inches of bulleyes everytime @ 100 yrds. depends on the ammo use. and i remove with the quick release i got alot. i would recommend that tho i seen alot of good reviews about it thats why i got it.

Do a search on the forum for NcStar, BSA, Barska, Leapers, etc. and you'll pretty much see the same discussions.

They work for a few people, usually on small caliber rifles or handguns (i.e. 22lr). I have a cheap WallyWorld Tasco red dot on my Ruger MK II and it works fine, but I wouldn't trust it on much else.

Chinese scopes are pretty bad for most people. They don't hold zero (as I discovered with my Mosin back before I sold it).

Since you are wanting to mount this on a 30-30, you really should get a better scope. There are good scopes out there that won't cost you an arm and a leg.

As has been said before, "buy once, cry once."


If you're planning to do any hunting with it, then please, for the animal's sake, get a good scope. Something made in America, Japan, parts of Europe.

If you're just target shooting, well it's your money and the worst that will happen is you eBay the scope for half what you paid and have to buy a good scope.

For an inexpensive scope I'll stick with BSA.

For that matter I believe all lenses are now imported. Even the big "L".

whats wrong with china? iam pretty sure something in that computer your on is made in china..lol your t.v, microwave, probaly your shoes, and god knows what else

i can do better with my china scope than with my iron sights, and iam pretty good with iron sights as long as my contacts dont get dry

I have an NcStar on my slug gun holding zero just fine it has no frills no illumination or anything like that. I give them atleast one thumb up.

ineedmoney said:

whats wrong with china? iam pretty sure something in that computer your on is made in china..lol your t.v, microwave, probaly your shoes, and god knows what else

i can do better with my china scope than with my iron sights, and iam pretty good with iron sights as long as my contacts dont get dry

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The Chinese have learned how to make many things cheap with a resonable amount of quality..........optics however aren't one of them

here's where I'm coming from!

You know how lifelong quit smokers are the most repulsed by the smell and mess of anyone? Well I'm that way with crappy Chinese scopes. Notice I single out china! That's cause there are decent cheap scopes, but there are no decent Chinese scopes

The Chinese have learned how to make many things cheap with a resonable amount of quality..........optics however aren't one of them

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Careful, be very careful. Go to your local camera shop and check the country of origin on the cameras and lenses.

Some Leupold target scopes cost in the neighborhood of $1000.00. Can you imagine what kind of chinese scope you would get for $1000.00

Think about it.

Some cheap brands, particularly Leapers / UTG, can provide you with a good $70 scope

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I recently saw a UTG in 4-14x40mm that is exactly the same as CenterPoint so I wouldn't be afraid to put it on a moderate powered rifle.

whats wrong with china? iam pretty sure something in that computer your on is made in china.

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No sir, I generally build my own (save for the laptop...which is ASUS) and always use good quality Japanese parts...just like most of my optics. It isn't that China is incapable of producing anything acceptable, it is that they are generally not asked to (people want Chinese goods because they are cheap, not for good QC).