Scopes... question about this one

[CosmicGrooves]

What do you guys think of this? This seems like a good deal, but then I don't know anything about scopes. This will be for my SGL21 so that taken into consideration. It says good for low-light usage? Is this a night scope or are there better night scopes?

Thanks for any input you can give on this.

TASCO 3X9X40 PRONGHORN SCOPE
A popular choice for hunting whitetail and big game in lowlight conditions. Features a 30/30 reticle, matte finish.

Specifications, Magnification: 3-9x, Field-of-View: 39-13ft. at 100yd., Exit Pupil: 13.3mm at 3x / 4.4mm at 9x
Lens Coating: Magenta multi-layered, fully coated, Focus Type: Eyeball , Parallax Setting: 100yd.
Objective Lens Diameter: 40mm , Eye Relief: 3in., Reticle Type: 30/30, Windage/Elevation: 1/4 M.O.A. Adjustments
Tube DIA: 1in., Weight: 12.1 oz., Length: 13ft. , Finish: Black Matte
3X9X40 TASCO SCOPE.........ITEM # TAS-SC......$39.95

 

[scythefwd]

That isn't a night vision scope. Low light means dusk and dawn. What are your goals for this scope? Really small groups? Or point and click shooting? My suggestion is to go to a gun store and look through the different scopes there. A fixed power scope will generally cost less for the same quality of build.

How much is your budget?

 

[CosmicGrooves]

Not sure about my budget, but this package on classicarms looks nice

COMPLETE PACKAGE OF SCOPE WITH MOUNT AND RINGS
ITEM # AK-SMP..............$69.95

That includes the scope above along with a UTG side rail mount.

I'd like magnification to make 200 yards look good and a night scope would be cool too, but not sure of their prices. This is for my SGL21 so I don't need 1000 yards scope or anything. It would be cool to hunt a boar at night, though.

 

[Sav .250]

If you "not sure" about what it can do, save your money and do some more home-work. The more you can learn about a subject, the better informed you are. Good luck.

 

[hogshead]

If you can afford a better scope it will be money well spent. aka You get what you pay for.If you can try to go to a gun store and actually look through some different scope. You can see the difference then. Of the cheaper scopes I like the tasco best.

 

[scythefwd]

Night vision scopes start at more 400 dollars (I wouldn't trust one under 800).

Looking good in the scope and magnification are not related. Magnification just makes stuff look a little bigger. Looking good depends on the quality of the lenses and the coatings used on the lenses.

You aren't expecting great accuracy, so that scope should do.... but don't expect it to compare to a 130 dollar scope. I don't trust the tasco brand, and that is who makes my spotting scope.

One more thing on magnification.... My friend uses a 10x at 1k meters for competition. 4x is enough to hit at 200y and keep it in the kill zone if you do your part.

 

[jmr40]

I would classify that scope as a bottom rung budget scope. It will hold up for a while, but will quickly cause you problems and will never be as clear optically as a quality scope.

At around $150 a Nikon Prostaff is about the least expensive scope that will hold up and have decent glass in it.

 

[rangerruck]

that is a bottom end scope, effective for centerfire bolt actions, not for lots of usage, and not for heavy recoilers.
a better scope that is low end by Tasco, is the air rifle rated scope, that is all steel, with steel rings/mounts, and focuses down to 10 ft, and it has prllax adjusting AO up front;
http://www.opticsplanet.net/tasco-3-9x44-titan.html

these can be a fan freakin tastic scope for the money, or you could get a dog; remember, they are still put together in China, reguardless of where all their parts come from. I have had several of these, and anytime I see one in a big box store, i get it, even if I don't need it- I think of future usage, because they are so stout and yet so cheap, and they are air rifle, break barrel rated, so they have to be able to take some serious recoil. And since the focus can be brought down so low, the glass on these are pretty darn good as well.
But again, they can be hit or miss, usually do to mfgrg process.

But still, I would never choose even one of these, over a nice Nikon or Pentax, if I had the money to get one of those; they will be superiorly made, put together, and use better made parts. Also they will both have unconditional wrrntys.

 

[elmerfudd]

Too much money. That's your standard $30 Walmart Tasco.
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=13142994
http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5684956

 

[greyling22]

as long as you are looking at cheap scopes, I hear good things about the center point scopes at walmart, for a whole lot more money the nikon prostaff is nice, and I like the simmons 8 point. On an AK, I like a smaller scope like a fixed power 4x, especially a cheap compact one. ex: http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/SCP086-34.html they fit the gun better.

The bushnell banner dawn and dusk scopes are supposed to be pretty good for the money and they are designed to be a slightly dimmer light scope.

general wisdom that you will run across on the internet is that any scope less than 150 bucks is garbage, and nothing under 250 is worth having. this is wrong, to a degree. you can get DECENT glass for $50 bucks, and it will hold up for a while, but you would be foolish to put a $50 scope on a $1500 rifle and take it on a $15,000 alaskan moose hunt. On the other hand, it is also foolish to put a $2000 swavarski 20x scope on an sks to hunt coke cans.

 

[CosmicGrooves]

Great info eveyone! Thanks for the tips.

 

[Jacka L Ope]

It says good for low-light usage?

To get an idea what that means, be at the shop at about sunset and peer outdoors with the various makes and models.

 

[Art Eatman]

3X and a 40mm objective lens is plenty good for low light. (Not saying the quality of the lenses in a $40 scope is wondrous; just talking about power and diameter...)

 

[HGUNHNTR]

The quality of the glass, and lens coatings will play a much more important part in brightness than the objective lens size. Take a look through a 36mm Kahles scope and a 50mm tasco and you'll see what I mean. The more clean and free of impurities the glass is the better it can transmit light. Also take into account number and quality of lens coatings. To get cleaner more pure glass costs money. I could put some celophane over a toilet paper tube and claim that it is good in low light. Those statements mean nothing if they aren't quantified and explained.