Another low budget scope thread (things change)

[BigBL87]

It's not side focus but still has parallax adjustment (AO), this is the Mueller I have on my Savage Mark II. Very popular over at Rimfire Central as a budget 22 scope.

https://muelleroptics.com/products/mueller-apv-4-5-14x40ao-black/

 

[LoonWulf]

I think @Varminterror had a Whiskey that failed or he witnessed a failure on when they hit the market, but my memory isn’t always what it used to be.

Trying to hit the OP’s price point is tough, given the preferred features and wanting a suggestion that will last. My money would likely be on the FF2 E1 but I did veer off that road a couple years ago in favor of a Bushnell Prime or 3, which replaced the Trophy line. Unfortunately they’re over $200 now but mine was a very specific application.

Think that was a Tango, gotta wait for VT to confirm either way tho....

Bushnell offers some good options also, but im not real familiar with them. I had a 3.5-10x36 something or other for a week or two before my ffl buddy kapu'd it and the gun it was on.

 

[Axis II]

No, none of the whiskey3's have focusing ability. If thats a requirement, then the Athlon, or the previously mentioned Mueller, are probably a better option.

In the picture it appeared it did. Also had SF in the description. Glad I didn't hit the send button on Amazon. Just looking for a budget scope to throw on a loaner 22 rifle. Its light weight and a sporter barrel but terrible trigger otherwise it would be my squirrel gun.

 

[Axis II]

It's not side focus but still has parallax adjustment (AO), this is the Mueller I have on my Savage Mark II. Very popular over at Rimfire Central as a budget 22 scope.

https://muelleroptics.com/products/mueller-apv-4-5-14x40ao-black/

How happy are you with it?

 

[LoonWulf]

In the picture it appeared it did. Also had SF in the description. Glad I didn't hit the send button on Amazon. Just looking for a budget scope to throw on a loaner 22 rifle. Its light weight and a sporter barrel but terrible trigger otherwise it would be my squirrel gun.

Unless they came out with a new model the description is probably wrong, and the picture is probably a whiskey5 or the illuminated whiskey3.


EDIT: So i was wrong, there is a 4-12x50 whiskey3 thats listed with SF.

 

[BigBL87]

How happy are you with it?

I'm very happy. I would probably have gone with the APT (which is a little more expensive with a 30mm tube, "tactical turrets" and mil dot reticle but otherwise the same) if I could spend a little more, but for the price the glass is nice. Eyebox and eye relief are about average. I've thought about upgrading it, but I've managed .6 MOA groups with my current rifle/scope combination so I kinda don't want to mess with what works.

 

[Varminterror]

have you guys looked through the sig?

I think @Varminterror had a Whiskey that failed or he witnessed a failure on when they hit the market, but my memory isn’t always what it used to be.

I saw 2 failures in the Tango4 6-24x’s in the early production runs - the original gunmetal grey and black two-tone designs. Both were fellow shooters’ scopes, not my own, and both failed during PRS matches. Both had the parallax/illumination knob break free - you know, those matches where we crash our scope turrets into barricades…

No experience with the Whiskey3, and I have 3 Tango4 4-16x44’s which have been fantastic for me for several years, even banging into barricades.

 

[12Bravo20]

And no one mentioned the Primary Arms scopes. PA has a 4-16 SFP MILDOT scope for $160, but they have a 12% off coupon code right now. It has a side parallax adjustment and comes with scope caps. And the MIL-DOT reticle is definitely uncluttered.

https://www.primaryarms.com/primary-arms-4-16x44-sfp-riflescope-mil-dot-reticle

While I have not used this particular scope, I do have several other scopes from Primary Arms and have been happy with them. To me, they are better than the Nikon Prostaff line.

 

[Pew-Pew]

My $60 BSA works well. I ave a cheap Simmons on a .308, but haven't shot it yet

 

[12Bravo20]

I use to buy scopes as cheap as I could using entry level Simmons, Tasco, and Bushnell scopes. Once I started buying better scopes I noticed the difference right away. You don't have to go real expensive but you don't really want to use the bottom of the barrel scopes either.

For the money I have been very pleased with the Primary Arms and Swampfox Optics scopes I have. Though they don't compare to my Bushnell Elite 4500 6-24 MIL-DOT scope. So yes you definitely get what you pay for when it comes to scopes.

I am actually running a Primary Arms 4-14 FFP MIL-DOT scope on my Savage MkII BTVLSS and am quite happy with it.

 

[CowboyTim]

Imo that used to be the case, but now to get a better quality fixed power than a variable you need to spend more, or buy used.

Hawke sells a suprisingly decent 4x32 for $80, not at the same level optically as my Meopta Artemis, but fairly close to the now discontinued 4x38 Weaver.

 

[LiveLife]

Asking for a friend (lol, it's true this time)

I told him to maybe look at lower end Bushnell ... Are ... Bushnell ... ok in this price point?

* Must be variable such as 3-9x40 (40 is about max)
* AO is very much preferred
* prefers anything but china but ... minor issue
* uncluttered reticles
* Budget as close to $100

Late to the party but didn't see whether a selection was made ... Bushnell Dusk & Dawn 4-12x40 AO for $99 shipped (Made in Korea?) may be the scope that meets all of the criteria requested - https://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-614124-Adjustable-Objective-Riflescope/dp/B00J2RGEXE/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1539740862&sr=1-4&keywords=bushnell+dusk+and+dawn+scope&th=1&psc=1

Not sure whether the scope is made in Korea but Bushnell scopes come with lifetime warranty and members posted Bushnell has been fulfilling warranty with new or upgraded scopes in recent years.

Both Bushnell Trophy and Banner Dusk & Dawn scopes I have are made in Korea. When I did low light 100 yard comparison with Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40, Leupold American Marksman 3-9x40, Bushnell D&D 6-18x50, both Trophy and D&D scopes did well - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...mendation-for-308.842282/page-2#post-10944780

Bushnell Trophy remains my primary scope for various ARs and PCCs I have and D&D 6-18x50 is reference scope I use for testing (along with Burris 6.5-20x50 which is made in Philippines) and I have been happy with both Bushnell scopes - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...izing-22lr-on-the-cheap.898035/#post-12124035

 

[danez71]

* Must be variable such as 3-9x40 (40 is about max)
* AO is very much preferred
* prefers anything but china but ... minor issue
* uncluttered reticles
* Budget as close to $100

Late to the party but didn't see whether a selection was made ... Bushnell Dusk & Dawn 4-12x40 AO for $99 shipped (Made in Korea?) may be the scope that meets all of the criteria requested - https://www.amazon.com/Bushnell-614124-Adjustable-Objective-Riflescope/dp/B00J2RGEXE/ref=sr_1_4?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1539740862&sr=1-4&keywords=bushnell+dusk+and+dawn+scope&th=1&psc=1

Not sure whether the scope is made in Korea but Bushnell scopes come with lifetime warranty and members posted Bushnell has been fulfilling warranty with new or upgraded scopes in recent years.

Both Bushnell Trophy and Banner Dusk & Dawn scopes I have are made in Korea. When I did low light 100 yard comparison with Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40, Leupold American Marksman 3-9x40, Bushnell D&D 6-18x50, both Trophy and D&D scopes did well - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...mendation-for-308.842282/page-2#post-10944780

Bushnell Trophy remains my primary scope for various ARs and PCCs I have and D&D 6-18x50 is reference scope I use for testing (along with Burris 6.5-20x50 which is made in Philippines) and I have been happy with both Bushnell scopes - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...izing-22lr-on-the-cheap.898035/#post-12124035

Thanks for all that. Appreciate your time and effort.

I got the Bushnell Trophy for Christmas however, I forgot to ask for rings to mount it, lol.

It is made in Korea but didn't come with lens covers .

I saw some affordable rings on Bushnells site (I think they're Weavers) & I'm thinking I'm going to try one of those neoprene bikinis. Birthday coming soon and although I'm eager to try it all out, I have other life stuff going on to keep me busy. I'm also considering a KAW linear compensator - I've never had a muzzle device.


Do you know much about red dots? I've never had one except a reflex on a Crossman. I have a Ruger 9 PCC that I don't know how I want to set it up. Reddit or short scope like a lot of shot guns are.

 

[Walkalong]

You don't have to go real expensive but you don't really want to use the bottom of the barrel scopes

A wise man.

 

[LiveLife]

Do you know much about red dots?

Very limited.

I was planning to buy Bushnell TRS-25 on high rise mount to use on my ARs/PCCs but after seeing several torture test videos of red dots from Amazon, decided to try (Water bottle pound test at 5:20 minute). I set up to co-witness with Magpul BUIS and they have worked well for me. I paid $20 that came with high rise mount but I guess price went up to $30 - https://www.amazon.com/FieldSport-Micro-Sight-Precision-Green/dp/B00Y3SZEJC

 

[BigBL87]

As far as red dots, the Bushnell TRS 25 is the absolute cheapest I would go.

I would personally bump up a bit to a Sig Romeo or Primary Arms Advanced Micro Dot. One has shake awake so it turns off automatically when not in use and turns on when you pick it up (Sig), and the other has leave-on 50,000 hour battery live (Primary Arms). The Holosun 403 is another I'd put in that similar price range that has a good reputation, has 50,000 hour battery life as well.

 

[Mike J]

As far as red dots, the Bushnell TRS 25 is the absolute cheapest I would go.

I would personally bump up a bit to a Sig Romeo or Primary Arms Advanced Micro Dot. One has shake awake so it turns off automatically when not in use and turns on when you pick it up (Sig), and the other has leave-on 50,000 hour battery live (Primary Arms). The Holosun 403 is another I'd put in that similar price range that has a good reputation, has 50,000 hour battery life as well.

I have the TRS-25 but I would view the others suggested as a step up due to the shake awake or extended battery life. There was once when I pulled my AR out & the TRS-25 had either gotten left on or bumped on. Either way it was dead.

I have been seeing the Sig Romeo 5 with shake awake on gun.deals for $100. I did a quick search on the other 2. The Primary Arms was around $130. The Holosun around $150. I guess it just depends on what you want.

 

[BigBL87]

I have the TRS-25 but I would view the others suggested as a step up due to the shake awake or extended battery life. There was once when I pulled my AR out & the TRS-25 had either gotten left on or bumped on. Either way it was dead.

I have been seeing the Sig Romeo 5 with shake awake on gun.deals for $100. I did a quick search on the other 2. The Primary Arms was around $130. The Holosun around $150. I guess it just depends on what you want.

Ya, I had a TRS-25 when I first got my AR. It's nice for what it is, but more than once I forgot to turn it off and killed the battery. If it's what someone can afford, I'd recommend it, but the battery saving features of the others are a HUGE plus to me and price-wise the gap has closed with the TRS-25.

IIRC, the Primary Arms is basically a rebranded Holosun, so whichever someone can find cheaper is what I'd go with between those two. I like the idea of 50,000 hour life over shake awake just because I feel like there's more that could go wrong with shake awake, but that preference isn't enough for me to pay more for it.

One thing to consider, if you qualify as a first responder/law enforcement you can get 10% off at Primary Arms. I qualify as a probation officer, so their definition on that is pretty wide.

 

[12Bravo20]

Swampfox Optics has their Liberator II tube red dot with shake to wake feature for $169 or their original Liberator without that feature for $129.

https://www.swampfoxoptics.com/shop-all

Plus if you qualify, Swampfox has one heck of a MIL/LEO discount (30% off) when you buy directly from them. The discount is well worth it. Swampfox has a no questions asked 50,000 round guarantee and excellent customer service if you should need it. The 50,000 round guarantee is for all of their optics and scopes.

I have several tube type red dots to include the Bushnell TRS-25, several from Primary Arms, a couple from Sig Romeo MSR optics and two Swampfox Liberators. For red dots in this price range, I like the Swampfox Liberator the best. The Sig Romeo MSR is a close second. I prefer the push buttons on the Liberator over having to turn a dial for brightness adjustments. Plus both have cleared glass than the PA red dots and the TRS-25

 

[Stumper]

Referring back to the original post. The Bugbuster scope is rated for spring-piston air rifles......that means it is about as recoil proof as a scope can be. Perfectly capable of handling .223 in an AR.