BSA "Tactical" Scopes?

[Driftertank]

Have a PTR-91F, and eventually I want to put an ACOG on it. But in the meantime, I'm broke.

I was looking at some cheaper optics options the other day, and came across a BSA Tactical 4X mil-dot scope that should make a decent cheap stopgap...IF it can stand up to the abuse a .308 would give it. I have a 2-7x BSA scope on my 10/22, but that's not really in the same league as a .308 roller-delayed MBR.

Anybody have any experience with BSA tactical series scopes? Are they worth using as a range scope? Will they stand up to the moderately high recoil impulse of a .308?

 

[Broken11b]

I had one that came with a 308 when I bought it. It held zero for about 60 rounds before it was replaced with a Leupold. It worked, but the light transmission was terrible, fogged up, and really not clear at 500 yards. It also ran out of elevation.

But it was free and held it's zero.

 

[Driftertank]

Would it be worth $60 in your esteemed opinion? Better options in a fixed-power, mil-dot scope?

 

[Broken11b]

Well, it's worth 60. and Its cheaper than an ACOG or Leupold. Shoot the crap out of it while saving up for a good optic.

 

[Driftertank]

Thank you, that's exactly what I wanted to know. Next year's tax return is slated for the ACOG.

 

[fireside44]

The illuminated mil-dot reticle is what my reservist friend threw on his Savage 110 300 win mag. It has held zero for over 100 rounds. The illumination is worthless though, all the settings are too bright, unless you are shooting at lights or the sun.

Setting the scope to maximum magnification seems to net you parallax issues. I have seen some more of their simpler target/tactical scopes that didn't suffer from that issue, although that was after it was sent back to the factory.

They work okay for the cost, some of them anyways, that's about it.

 

[KSCCHTrainer]

Not a BSA "Tactical", but I do have a BSA "Contender" 3.5-14 X 42 with their "Contender" ranging reticle on it mounted my Mosin 91/30 using an Advanced Rifle Parts no-gunsmithing mount.

I've put 5 - 600 rounds downrange, ranging anywhere from real light loads using IMR Trail Boss to full power surplus "Heavy Ball" and it's still holding zero nicely. It has a side focus parallax adjustment knob that works. At the higher power, the eye relief changes enough to have to re-position your cheek on the stock and the glass is nowhere near as good as a high end scope, so the image gets quite a bit darker.

It has decent turrets with 1/8 MOA clicks and they can be reset to read zero with no tools once you have things zeroed for your ammo. The clicks are a bit mushy, but the numbers on the turrets are pretty accurate and resettable if moved to compensate for field conditions. YMMV.

It will do until, as you say, next year's tax time rolls around and you can pick up the ACOG and it certainly performs much better than say, an NC-Star under the same conditions .

Frankly, mine cost more than the rifle, and even with it's few warts, I'm not displeased with the performance. Using this scope, the rifle has produced some 100 yard groups you can cover with a dime.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

You get what you paid for, applies to everything, BSA is cheap made, cheap quality.

 

[ArmedBear]

I had a BSA. It held zero for more than 60 rounds. After a couple hundred, it quit holding zero.

I think the $60 would be better spent. On almost anything. Like pizza and beer. Or a cheap hooker. Just not on a BSA scope.

Nikon makes some scopes that are more than $60, but a hell of a good value. Or, Cabela's sells some house-brand scopes that may not be the best, but Cabela's has a good warranty on their stuff, IME.

 

[Uncle Mike]

Cabela's sells some house-brand scopes that may not be the best, but Cabela's has a good warranty on their stuff, IME.

...and you'll be using that warranty too!

We do pretty good with the BSA line, not too many returns although we sell quite a few of them. Like any other manufacture, BSA does make some models 'better' than others models in their line-up, but for a PRC made POS, they aren't bad!

The Contenders and Cats Eye models have a pretty good track record, at least with us.

The only complaint I have with the BSA units, keeping in mind where it is made, and what it is, is the 'eye box' tends to be short and narrow and the image flat, also, I don't know why, but a 40mm objective size brand "A" scope set at 4x and a 40mm objective size BSA brand scope set at 4x, viewing a target at the same distance.... the BSA scope will have a significantly smaller field of view than the brand "A" scope.