really really cheap scope... really

Status
Not open for further replies.
sappyg

sappyg

Member
Joined
Nov 6, 2010
Messages
1,439
Location
South Carolina
lately i've been jonesing to scope an old Savage Arms model 121. this is the 1st rifle that i ever fired. back in the day it lived under the seat of my uncle's truck and was a true beater in every sense of the word. it has a lousy trigger but i still think a cheap scope could breath new life into it.
i've looked at all manner of scopes on the web from $7 to $70 but i'm not into spending much more than $25- $30 including rings. anybody have have any good luck with these uber cheap Tasco or Barska RF scopes?
 
cheap scopes...

Years back I bought a Barska off of Sportsman Guide. 1st and last.

WallyWorld Tasco 4x on my grand son's 22 works pretty good and was cheap.
 
The only cheap scope I could recommend is the Centerpoint 3-9x32. I have had two of them for ~6 months. They have relatively clear glass (a bit fuzzy around the edges), AO, an illuminated recticle and have kept their zero after ~3000 rounds of 5.45x39 and .22lr. Here is the seller I picked mine up on via flea-bay http://cgi.ebay.com/2-NEW-RIFLE-SCO...116?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b542181c Two scopes for less than $46 shipped.
 
I tried the Tasco 4x and found it too cheap. Fuzzy, distorted image and no clicks on the adjustments. Wasn't even worth the $10 I paid for it. The old Tascos I've looked through on used guns are pretty decent though.

I've got a Centerpoint that I am happy with though.
 
Just use $75 as a base for low end scope purchasing & you'll be a lot happier. Scopes for $25 are made for rimfires or airguns.

But if I had to go low, and by low I mean under $50, I would possibly give these a try:

http://www.opticsplanet.net/bsa-optics-25x20mm-deer-hunter-scope-dh25x20.html

http://www.opticsplanet.net/konus-konushot-rifle-scopes-7232.html

http://www.opticsplanet.net/barska-4x32-contour-mossy-oak-riflescope-ac10844.html

...Fixed power scopes have less internally that can go wrong than variable power setups.
 
Sometimes, the sad fact is that it's better to just do without, than to squander money on junk. Talking about a $25-30 scope AND rings is waste of your money and our time. Learn to shoot irons and enjoy them. ;)
 
I never had any problems with the $30 tasco scope I got from Walmart, but when I broke it and upgraded to a $60 Simmons (also from walmart) the performance was worse than the cheaper scope, the crosshair broke of it's own accord within 2 weeks, and the power selector dial seized up within days. Needless to say I returned it and got another Tasco. That sat on my .22 until I sold it. You should end up walking out of the store with a scope and rings for under $35 including tax, and it'll last a bit, but keep in mind it IS a cheap scope.

Sometimes, the sad fact is that it's better to just do without, than to squander money on junk. Talking about a $25-30 scope AND rings is waste of your money and our time. Learn to shoot irons and enjoy them.
Click to expand...

I think your response was much more of a waste of time than the OP's question or the discussion of inexpensive gear. While in many cases you get what you pay for, you can also find good deals for a low price from time to time. Next time take the High Road and simply don't respond. Not everyone has the desire or eyesight to shoot with irons.
 
thanks for the suggestions. to be more specific the rifle is an old single shot 22 lr with a cocking piece on the bolt. it takes the standard 3/8" base found on most 22 lrs. i have a 3x9x40 bushnell laying around that i might try but it might look out of place on this little 22. it's a neat gun and super basic.
 
That bushnell would work quite well on your Savage. It might look a little big, but personally, I think it makes the rifle look like a "real varmint gun" lol. When I see a little .22lr rifle with a nice big scope on top all I can picture is tree rat funerals (the after-service reception is usually held in my stew pot :evil:)
 
I have a four or six power fixed bushnell scope I just took off a Springfield, the tube has some scratches but everything else is fine. If you pay the shipping cost you can have the scope.
 
a paper towel tube and some dental floss is probably better than the BSA i bought and i wouldnt have wasted 40 bucks.
my advice is use the iron sights unless you can drop about $150.
I bought a cheap tasco before i learned better and all it did was have me gut shot a deer at 50 yards with a 30-30. i had to use the irons to finish it off.
 
If you hit the gun shows, at least around here, you can find swifts used pretty cheap. They aren't leupolds, but I've had good luck with them.
 
Sometimes ya win,..sometimes ya lose.

I have an old 2x7 Tasco that has been on a Glenfield Carbine version of the Marlin Model 60 since 1973. I still holds a solid zero and it and the carbine have had more rounds sent down range than I care to count. Likewise,..an old 3x9x40 Tasco on a Remigton 760 in .308 is STILL getting it done since about 1977...........I guess I'll keep both,.....

Some of us are just luckier than others I guess.

:)
 
eBay for used Weaver K model steel tube. If the seller shows it as good and solid, it is likely nearly indestructible. Something around 3X~6X should work fine. If you want to buy a used TASCO, look for one made in Japan. It'll be older and be aluminum tube w/o any frills, but also pretty durable and OK glass.

Have had good luck mostly with used scopes. A few have been bad, but some I got for $15 plus shipping. BARSKA have not been well received in many of the review sites. So I'd find something that I'm interested in, then type the make and model into your favorite search engine with the word review or talk and see what you get? You'll soon see if it's holding up well. I also a have 2 good used Kassnar's that work fine. They were made in Japan too.
 
I have a 4x32 Barska that I got 5-6 years ago for $20 that has worked surprisingly well. This is an exception though.

CDNN and SWFA often have discontinued scope models at very good prices. I would check their websites. Really cheap scopes are generally worse than worthless.
 
I really am a person who loves a bargain and I care nothing for brand names.....but I have to say, when it comes to scopes, really cheap = truly crap and an exercise in frustration. Similarly with skimping on base/rings, but a little less so. You *may* be very lucky and get a good one....but chances are, sooner than later, you'll be chasing a wandering zero around (or worse).
 
I bought a cheap tasco before i learned better and all it did was have me gut shot a deer at 50 yards with a 30-30. i had to use the irons to finish it off.
Click to expand...
You probably gut shot the deer because you pulled. It's easy to blame the scope, but I've seen a lot of guys blame the scope, when it clearly wasn't the scopes fault. Not that it can't happen, but more often than not it's the shooter. That being said, I've used one of the $30 Tasco's from Walmart with good luck. It's actually pretty clear, has stayed zereod ever since I zeroed it, and infact just works great. Is it as clear as my Burris FFII or other similar scopes? No, but it's not all that bad either. It's certainly better than several more expensive scopes I've used and it's always held zero. That being said, on my main hunting rifles, I'd like to use something a little nicer, but I have used that Tasco with decent luck. I've actually killed the two biggest deer of my life with it. So for a .22 I don't see a reason to spend a ton more. The scope just flat out works. However, maybe I got lucky who knows. I will say that 98% of the guys that I hunt with have cheap optics under $100 most well under $100 and hardly ever do they have an issue. I've learned to appreciate better glass, but for a .22 you don't need glass that's all that great. I think cheap scopes get a lot worse rep online than they actually are. I've had 2 of those Tasco's one I only used for 2-3 months then sold it, but it worked great also. I've had 2 Simmons, one has worked great and had great glass. It's been through a ton of abuse and never given up on me. The other didn't get as much abuse and it had decent glass and worked decently, but I will say it didn't track anywhere near correctly. Once sighted in though, it stayed zeroed.
 
i dug up the bushnell and laid the rifle on the floor with the scope to get a perspective... not bad. still a bit long and the objectives are fairly large for the piece. it's really nothing more than an old farm gun. believe me when i say the trigger is like squeezing a sponge. :D
looks like my price point is going up a bit. i found a simmons 4x 22 mag scope around $33 with rings that looks interesting. any thoughts here?
BSA is out for sure. i did do a search before making the thread and that is why i did not mention BSA. the old range master where i shoot use to comment on Tasco world class scopes as being top notch but that was 10 years ago. Barska seems to get mentioned a lot so it's worth asking. i'm open to other suggestions.
thanks for all the replies.
 
Honestly, in that price range, the only way I would go is to look for an old used scope. Something like a Japan made Tasco fixed 4x or an older Simmons from the Philippines. I would avoid anything from China if possible. I picked up an old Japan made Tasco for $10 at a clearance sale at a gun shop. I wouldn't trust it on a hunt of the life time but for .22lr plinking it does just fine.

The stuff in the sub-$50 price range today is very bad. I would rather spend the $50 on better iron sights. It's one of those where too many corners are cut and the scopes tend to cause more problems than they solve. There comes a point where too cheap loses functionality. That is why I would look for an older used scope as they at least started with a bit of quality.
 
anybody have have any good luck with these uber cheap Tasco or Barska RF scopes?
Click to expand...
In a word...NO. Have had both, and trashed both (forget about BSA too). Irons, any irons...even ones duck-taped on, easily trumps all of the above. The only uber-cheap scope that I will consider is a Bushnell...the glass isn't great (as expected) but they hold together fine and hold zero well, which is an improvement over most others in their price range. I have a CenterPoint on my 10/22, but I can't recommend it because I had to buy two to get one that worked properly (couldn't zero the first one)...perhaps I got a lemon, but either way i'm going to replace it (likely with a Sightron S-II Big Sky) before long.

:)
 
I'm inclined to agree with the sentiments of some on this post that there's a big difference between "cheap" and "inexpensive."

For the additional cost of a moderate dinner out, you can get a factory refurb Nikon Prostaff 4x scope for $70 from Natchez (comes with 90-day warranty). I will venture to guess that the optics will surpass anything you can get at this price point for a new scope. It comes with all the accessories that a new model would (rimfire scope rings, scope bra, documentation), if that's a consideration.

I put one on my TC Contender with 14" SS .22LR match barrel. I LOVE IT. :)

.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

H
  • Locked
Has anyone actually had cheap scopes fail?
2 3
Replies
70
Views
4K
Hesenwine
H
S
  • Locked
Cheap scope bases
Replies
17
Views
1K
R.W.Dale
R
O
  • Locked
Cheap fixed power scopes
Replies
6
Views
389
Dr.Rob
Dr.Rob
S
  • Locked
Scope Recommendation for Marlin model 60?
Replies
6
Views
664
travisd
T
M
  • Locked
Scope game
Replies
1
Views
335
dakotasin
D
Back
Top