plexreticle
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Well that settles it, cheap scopes are good.
Scopes: Leatherwood Hi Lux vs NC Star vs
- Thread starter carbine85
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Well that settles it, cheap scopes are good.
My 50 Cal will not fit in my safe, so I had to build a homemade wooden lockable casket for it. When I haul it out, sporting it's fragile Walmart $70 Centerpoint stupid scope, and begin to punch holes in the 200 yard target, that brings a lot of crowd too. I don't have a clue where that scope was built, but it is just too dad gum stubborn to give up. I used cheap surplus powder in that also, and you can clearly tell a difference as you step up the loading charge, but that fool scope is always right on the money. I have the same cheapskate Walmart scope on the 7 mm08, and it tracks just perfect from 100 yards to 800 yards and back again. That always kind of amazes me, I'll have to admit. I keep expecting it to do something stupid, but always I am the dumb one, never the scope.
SlayerOfBunnies
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I seem to be in the minority, but I really like my Leatherwood scout scope. It seems to do its job and really - for $140, how far wrong can you go?
Docsleepy, all I can say is good for you.
I've tried NCStar, barska, BSA, Mueller, centerpoint, Simmons, China made Bushnells, tasco, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few red dots labeled by who knows who. All of them had problems of some sort. The Mueller was the only one that didn't outright break, it just is less than ideal from a turret side. The others, when mounted on mild rifles from .221 fireball to 30-30 have all broken within a year, some within a few trips. I've had sideways reticles, turrets that free spun, magnification adjustments that caused 2 feet of impact change at 100 yards, images that just turn black when something inside broke, and on and on. None of them held up to any turret use. If you dialed them in, they broke faster. If you put them on a mild rifle and set and forget them they lasted longer. No matter how it ended up though, none were ever satisfying. If all you do is shoot half a box at the range and at deer each year, it may last long enough and be worth the money. If you plan to shoot much, it doesn't take long to see the benefits of a nicer optic. Plus, once you look through a great scope (say something in the Zeiss line) you quickly see flaws that weren't apparent before. Believe me, I've tried to find a cheap option that was satisfying. I have yet to come across one. I could have had half a dozen Nikons, Leupolds, Sightrons, Bushnell elites, or Burris scopes for the money I've spent on "cheap optics" that were a let down.
Buy what you will but if you think for a second that a $50 scope is equal to a $300 scope, its your mind trying to justify what you didn't spend. I'm not suggesting you need to spend $1000 on a scope but spending enough to get out of a China made optics is typically a good investment, certainly one I've never regretted.
I've tried NCStar, barska, BSA, Mueller, centerpoint, Simmons, China made Bushnells, tasco, and I'm sure I'm forgetting a few red dots labeled by who knows who. All of them had problems of some sort. The Mueller was the only one that didn't outright break, it just is less than ideal from a turret side. The others, when mounted on mild rifles from .221 fireball to 30-30 have all broken within a year, some within a few trips. I've had sideways reticles, turrets that free spun, magnification adjustments that caused 2 feet of impact change at 100 yards, images that just turn black when something inside broke, and on and on. None of them held up to any turret use. If you dialed them in, they broke faster. If you put them on a mild rifle and set and forget them they lasted longer. No matter how it ended up though, none were ever satisfying. If all you do is shoot half a box at the range and at deer each year, it may last long enough and be worth the money. If you plan to shoot much, it doesn't take long to see the benefits of a nicer optic. Plus, once you look through a great scope (say something in the Zeiss line) you quickly see flaws that weren't apparent before. Believe me, I've tried to find a cheap option that was satisfying. I have yet to come across one. I could have had half a dozen Nikons, Leupolds, Sightrons, Bushnell elites, or Burris scopes for the money I've spent on "cheap optics" that were a let down.
Buy what you will but if you think for a second that a $50 scope is equal to a $300 scope, its your mind trying to justify what you didn't spend. I'm not suggesting you need to spend $1000 on a scope but spending enough to get out of a China made optics is typically a good investment, certainly one I've never regretted.
Benzy2 I think you make a lot of good points.
A lot of the scopes you mention I have never used. So I can't comment on their quality. Faced with the choice of extremely expensive long Eye relief scopes versus a $50 NCstar version, for a cheap Mosin-Nagant the choice was clear. Yes it is a pain to have to drag out a dime to adjust the cheap turret, but those things have held up and can still easily hit the 600 yard gone. My only regret is that they are not adjustable objective
The adjustable objective $69 Walmart centerpoint scopes have held up on every rifle I used them on from 223 to 50 BMG. They are my go to scope for most applications. Another scope that I've had good results with is the Sweet 22, 3-9 power adjustable objective. Although intended for 22 Long rifle, I have these on several hunting rifles including an AR 10. The silly turret mechanism is calibrated for the drop of a very slow 22 Long rifle.
Adding a bit of epoxy, paper and some markings made it easy to set up markings for long-distance shooting.
I've got a 32x swift reliant on
The 6PPC Benchrest. It is doing great.
I also use cheap reloading gear, primarily Lee, but with some trimming tools from other manufacturers. Since I get stuff so a dead gum cheap, I can shoot a great deal. Much much more than most hunters will even think of
I think I'm up to 800 rounds on the fancy Shilen benchrest barrel. Based on the number of bullets and primers I've gone through, I'm into about that same number on the Mosin, and probably coasting past 200 rounds on the 50 BMG.
This is my second barrel on the 7mm08. I built that myself, and I have probably 1000 rounds on the scope, and several hundred on the new barrel.
Others may not have such good fortune as I have experienced. I carry my rifles to the range in cheap Plano padded cases. I try not to bang rifles or drop them. I have a friend who had a $69 Walmart Centerpoint scope break the prism free in the middle. I'm not saying you are the same as him, but I found out he stacked his rifles and his pick up truck and drove them over really poor roads dirt roads, with no padding or concern for them banging against each other. I bought him a Plano plastic box and he hasn't had any further problems todate
Some of the guys who mentored me have multithousand dollar rifles, and they can shoot circles around me at hundred yard benchrest. My cheap savage actions can't keep up with a true benchrest action. But generally if the guy beside me has a Remington or a tikka or a AR style rifle, I'll be shooting at twice or three times the distance he's working at. Bottom line: People who don't have quite as much cash to spend should not be discouraged thinking they need an expensive scope. I have a grand total of 180 into my Mosin-Nagant and I can easily hit the target at 600 yards. Learning how to recrown, shorten a barrel, glass a stock, seat a bullet, are much more useful than high dollar scopes for people like me. Your money may vary!
A lot of the scopes you mention I have never used. So I can't comment on their quality. Faced with the choice of extremely expensive long Eye relief scopes versus a $50 NCstar version, for a cheap Mosin-Nagant the choice was clear. Yes it is a pain to have to drag out a dime to adjust the cheap turret, but those things have held up and can still easily hit the 600 yard gone. My only regret is that they are not adjustable objective
The adjustable objective $69 Walmart centerpoint scopes have held up on every rifle I used them on from 223 to 50 BMG. They are my go to scope for most applications. Another scope that I've had good results with is the Sweet 22, 3-9 power adjustable objective. Although intended for 22 Long rifle, I have these on several hunting rifles including an AR 10. The silly turret mechanism is calibrated for the drop of a very slow 22 Long rifle.
Adding a bit of epoxy, paper and some markings made it easy to set up markings for long-distance shooting.
I've got a 32x swift reliant on
The 6PPC Benchrest. It is doing great.
I also use cheap reloading gear, primarily Lee, but with some trimming tools from other manufacturers. Since I get stuff so a dead gum cheap, I can shoot a great deal. Much much more than most hunters will even think of
I think I'm up to 800 rounds on the fancy Shilen benchrest barrel. Based on the number of bullets and primers I've gone through, I'm into about that same number on the Mosin, and probably coasting past 200 rounds on the 50 BMG.
This is my second barrel on the 7mm08. I built that myself, and I have probably 1000 rounds on the scope, and several hundred on the new barrel.
Others may not have such good fortune as I have experienced. I carry my rifles to the range in cheap Plano padded cases. I try not to bang rifles or drop them. I have a friend who had a $69 Walmart Centerpoint scope break the prism free in the middle. I'm not saying you are the same as him, but I found out he stacked his rifles and his pick up truck and drove them over really poor roads dirt roads, with no padding or concern for them banging against each other. I bought him a Plano plastic box and he hasn't had any further problems todate
Some of the guys who mentored me have multithousand dollar rifles, and they can shoot circles around me at hundred yard benchrest. My cheap savage actions can't keep up with a true benchrest action. But generally if the guy beside me has a Remington or a tikka or a AR style rifle, I'll be shooting at twice or three times the distance he's working at. Bottom line: People who don't have quite as much cash to spend should not be discouraged thinking they need an expensive scope. I have a grand total of 180 into my Mosin-Nagant and I can easily hit the target at 600 yards. Learning how to recrown, shorten a barrel, glass a stock, seat a bullet, are much more useful than high dollar scopes for people like me. Your money may vary!
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eastbank
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give a honest report back on your scopes after taking then on a multi thousand dollar hunt in 3 degrees below zero, rain so bad you can,t see 30 feet in front of you for hours staying in a tent, heat at 110 degrees above zero mid day, riding a horse for hours or a four wheeler or buggy over ground so rough you need two seat belts. i go so far as to pack a extra scope when i go on hunts where its going to be rough. now if you take a stroll for bambi in nice weather and stay home on rainy days and only travel over any truly rough terrain on foot the lower end scopes may be for you. this 2x leupold eer scope is over 40 years old and cost less than a hundred dollars then and has been on every thing from a .22 rimfire to a 375 JDJ and 444 marlin with out failing in all kinds of weather. its not pretty any more and i had to dig it out of a duffle bag stored in the garage for the last few years,but its ready to use at a minutes notice and still will be repaired or replaced free by leupold if and when its ever needed. if you want to put a 40.00 dollar saddle on a 500.00 horse ,its your horse go ahead.. eastbank.
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Outlaw Man
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Cool scope and story, Eastbank!
East bank -- very cool experiences!
As a born and raised city slicker trying hard to become a good redneck, I'd be mighty proud if I had had a chance to do all those things you just mentioned!
Nope, didn't even have a rifle six years ago when a certain feller got elected Pres., much less 40 years ago when you bought that scope. By the way, using inflation calculator I found out the same scope would be $481 due to inflation today. Mighty nice scope! I don't have any the cost that much.
Here's where the dumb old doc like me has an advantage over I really experienced guy like you. I don't have a horse, have no clue how to ride one! I don't have a dunebug, don't have a four wheeler either. So no way to wreck a scope on one of those either.
Friend of mine tried to teach me how to deer hunt by taking me to Ohio and allowing me to climb small mountains three days in a row and sit in 24° weather on the top of mountains in a tree stand, never saw a single deer. Stupid cheap Walmart scope survived that expedition, although I'm sure I fell several times trying to climb those hills. I'm a fat old guy.
Correction: I think in Ohio I had a shotgun slug gun with some middle-of-the-road scope. I think we hunted some in West Virginia with the rifle and I did see three deer running away from me at 275 yards for 2 seconds and of course I missed.
Got my two deer in South Florida in the prettiest tree fort you ever did see, all pumped to shoot up to 300 yards, stupid Deer showed up at 84 yards, still shook like a leaf. Tried to field dress those animals like my surgery friends do their profession, Feller took pity on me showed me how to do it a bunch faster.
If I even thought I could survive those experiences that you've been through, I would sure take extra scope, maybe even take two! I'd be hard-pressed, because the choice would be between taking two $69 Walmart specials that have never failed me, or just going ahead and taking the plunge and buy an RCO like my Marine son has on his M4. (by the way, I've still hit targets farther than he ever has!)
Yep, if I was going to do all those rigorous and manly pursuits like you do, I'd probably buy me the RCO. my kid told me that one day the drill sergeant got ticked with them and took one of those m4s with the scope attached and threw it on the ground hard as he could. I'm sure one of my cheap cheap scouts would not of survive that!
On the other hand, since I only have 120 in the Mosin-Nagant, it looks to me like the $50 scope fits it right well and it does hit things all the way to 600. There's a place for every man's budget, isn't there?
As a born and raised city slicker trying hard to become a good redneck, I'd be mighty proud if I had had a chance to do all those things you just mentioned!
Nope, didn't even have a rifle six years ago when a certain feller got elected Pres., much less 40 years ago when you bought that scope. By the way, using inflation calculator I found out the same scope would be $481 due to inflation today. Mighty nice scope! I don't have any the cost that much.
Here's where the dumb old doc like me has an advantage over I really experienced guy like you. I don't have a horse, have no clue how to ride one! I don't have a dunebug, don't have a four wheeler either. So no way to wreck a scope on one of those either.
Friend of mine tried to teach me how to deer hunt by taking me to Ohio and allowing me to climb small mountains three days in a row and sit in 24° weather on the top of mountains in a tree stand, never saw a single deer. Stupid cheap Walmart scope survived that expedition, although I'm sure I fell several times trying to climb those hills. I'm a fat old guy.
Correction: I think in Ohio I had a shotgun slug gun with some middle-of-the-road scope. I think we hunted some in West Virginia with the rifle and I did see three deer running away from me at 275 yards for 2 seconds and of course I missed.
Got my two deer in South Florida in the prettiest tree fort you ever did see, all pumped to shoot up to 300 yards, stupid Deer showed up at 84 yards, still shook like a leaf. Tried to field dress those animals like my surgery friends do their profession, Feller took pity on me showed me how to do it a bunch faster.
If I even thought I could survive those experiences that you've been through, I would sure take extra scope, maybe even take two! I'd be hard-pressed, because the choice would be between taking two $69 Walmart specials that have never failed me, or just going ahead and taking the plunge and buy an RCO like my Marine son has on his M4. (by the way, I've still hit targets farther than he ever has!)
Yep, if I was going to do all those rigorous and manly pursuits like you do, I'd probably buy me the RCO. my kid told me that one day the drill sergeant got ticked with them and took one of those m4s with the scope attached and threw it on the ground hard as he could. I'm sure one of my cheap cheap scouts would not of survive that!
On the other hand, since I only have 120 in the Mosin-Nagant, it looks to me like the $50 scope fits it right well and it does hit things all the way to 600. There's a place for every man's budget, isn't there?
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That aint fun it is torture if true and I would rather buy a steak
eastbank
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i spent 30 days hunting in south africa and botswana last year and 25 days this years hunting in the same places in africa and i did take several extra leupold scope along,i didn,t need them and i gave one away to a good friend there. if you go to guns shows,leupold,burris and redfield used scopes can be found at very good prices. i saw a used 2x7 leupold sell for 135.00 at the york gun show in june this year, if the man making the deal didn,t take it i would have. the point being you can buy a leupold use it for years and sell it for a profit if you want to while having peace of mind knowing it will get fixed for free or replaced if it fails. i have had the good luck to having a very good career and making a few good investments over the years and if i had not i still would have leupold scopes,tho not neer as many. i have been retired nine years and will hunt as long as able. here are eight of my extra leupold scopes, the rest are on rifles. eastbank.
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Badlander
Member
I like my Leatherwood Scout scope on A 30-30. Has been working great for 3 years or so.
Since you have had some good success with the leatherwood scout scope I went and took a look at it---it looks suspiciously identical to my NC star scout scopes that I have on (two of my) my Mosin-Nagant. Paid $50. Other than the incredibly cheap Tourette's, they have worked well. If you're going to take something like this into the rain, put a dab of dielectric grease on the threads of the turret covers.
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