Defense of lower cost rifle scopes (Centerfire)

[Tarasdad]

Still holding a couple of "steel" Weavers from the 70's.

I have a couple as well, a K1.5-4.5 on my AR and a T-10 that will go on my SIG Cross when it finally gets here. Darned fine scopes for their age - heck, there are scopes sold today that can't touch their quality! They are just a teensy bit on the heavy side though.

[sportacus]

Tarasdad,
First one was a 2.5x 7 on a Rem 760 in .243.  Bought the rig at a shop in Opelika, AL.  Was a little skeptical at first of .243.  No worry.  It crushed small Southern whitetails if you but the bullet behind the shoulder. I hunted with that rig for 16 years and passed to my nephew in 1991 when I left for Germany.  He still has it and hopefully will be the rifle my great nephew takes his first deer with. Had a fixed 2.5 I put on my brother's 336C in the early 80's.  He has moved on to  bolt guns but still does a zero check every year before deer season.  One inch dot at 100.  He fires one shot that touches the dot, the puts the rig back in the case. Lots of hunting memories made with those American  Weavers.

[boltman13]

My Ruger 77 in 30-06 wears a Simmons 8 Point compact 2.5X8.  It still shoots to the same point of aim after 12 + years.  My other 2 hunting rifles wear Weavers a Grand Slam and a 44.  Neither has let me down.  Now my target rifles, that's a different story.  Vortex GE, Sightron Gen III, and Vortex Viper.  If I could I would have March's but oh well.  Shooting at small targets at 600-1,000 yards will sort out quality glass from wana be's.

[sportacus]

Read through this thread again and took away a few more nuggets.  Have a friend who has a $1400 6.5 PRC with a $1800 Leupold on it.   Impressive looking rig that should be a tack driver.  Shoots 3" groups at 100 with factory and handloads.  He just can't shoot.  Jim and I gently tried to give him some tips on his technique and he will have none of it.  Blames the large groups on the rifle. Hardhead.  "Better to be good than look good."   

[Txhillbilly]

I've been shooting / hunting for 50 years. The first 20 years, I fell into the low cost scope camp. I would never spend more than $300 on a scope for any rifle and thought I was good to go. While I had decent results using budget scopes, after I bought my first used Swarovski hunting scope, I realized just what I was missing in using a quality scope.

It's true, High end scopes don't make you shoot any better. You have to have the ability / technique / knowledge in order to be a good shooter. But, if you have those skills, you're kidding yourself if you don't ever spend the money on higher quality optics.

We are living in some great times today when it comes to quality optics. While I love my S&B, IOR Valdada, Nightforce, Steiner scopes, there are plenty of scopes on the market in the $1000 - $2000 range that give you close to Alpha class scope performance.

[autoxforfun]

I've been shooting / hunting for 50 years. The first 20 years, I fell into the low cost scope camp. I would never spend more than $300 on a scope for any rifle and thought I was good to go. While I had decent results using budget scopes, after I bought my first used Swarovski hunting scope, I realized just what I was missing in using a quality scope.

It's true, High end scopes don't make you shoot any better. You have to have the ability / technique / knowledge in order to be a good shooter. But, if you have those skills, you're kidding yourself if you don't ever spend the money on higher quality optics.

We are living in some great times today when it comes to quality optics. While I love my S&B, IOR Valdada, Nightforce, Steiner scopes, there are plenty of scopes on the market in the $1000 - $2000 range that give you close to Alpha class scope performance.

Tx, I agree 100 %  We put a lot of time into reloading and working to be better behind the rifle.  So to get there and look thru a great optic makes the whole experience so much better.  Like you said, there are some really good optics in the $1000-$2000 range and when considering our total investment are well worth it. 

[Txhillbilly]

Another thing that most shooter's never look at is Used or Discontinued optics. I've bought two S&B PMII 5-25x56 scopes used in perfect condition for about what a new Leupold Mark 5HD cost. That saved me close to $3k over what both scopes cost new.
I also bought a brand new Athlon Cronus when Athlon came out with the Cronus BTR and saved $700, along with finding a Steiner T5xi scope brand new on Amazon for $1100 off list price.

You just have to look for the deals, there are plenty of them out there.

[RetiredChief]

One caveat: While I do recommend buying the best scope, one needs to take into account their eye sight.  Before buying that 1K->3K scope go to a store and look thru it and compare to 300->400 dollar scope.  Before my eye surgery (replace both my lens) any scope above 300 bucks would have been a waste of money.
My first rifle and scope.  Winchester model 100 308 semi-auto – Paid a whopping $150 new.  Scope was a Redfield 2x->7x widefield probably about $100 new. Still have both, although I did replace the scope.  Great deer rifle and occasionally still use.

[Cold Trigger Finger]

 Most of the time I would be more than happy with a wide fov fixed 3 power with a lighted dot reticle with a few elevation dots or bars or something. That absolutely , positively COULD NOT and WOULD NOT MOVE FROM ZERO. 
  Regardless of what happened to it. The dot would ALWAYS REMAIN WHERE I SET IT  !!!
 I would pay good money for a scope like that.
  And beins I have a rifle with me when I'm out and about. In the winter . In Interior Alaska . Where it will have to do that even at 50 below zero. After mishaps that may be somewhat sever.
 
  I don't know what scope to get. But I need to get one. And I can't stand the thot of it  going crook !