hometheaterman
Member
- Joined
- Feb 28, 2009
- Messages
- 1,115
So I know I've asked on here about what kind of scopes most of you use. I know the results have always usually favored scopes like Nikon, Leupold, Burris, Vortex, etc. I also read a lot of bad on here and other sights about cheap Chinese scopes like Simmons, Tasco, etc. Even other cheap scopes that aren't made in China get bad press. I've used both and while the cheaper Simmons and Tasco's have worked for me There is a difference between a lot of $2-300 scopes and a $50 Tasco or Simmons. Now my Leupold VX-I is the exception to this as I couldn't tell a difference. However, most of the scopes in that price ranger there does seem to be a difference. After seeing so many guys online on various sights say they don't use cheap scopes as they fail often. Now I think most of us can all tell a difference between these cheap scopes and most expensive ones clarity wise, but it seems like most people just want it clear enough to use, and to hold zero.
I decided to ask around to most of the shooters I know and see what they use and like. The name that keeps coming up is Simmons and Bushnell Banners. I asked several guys I hunt with. 5 of them really like and have Simmons, one of them likes Bushnell Banners(he said he tried Simmons but it failed after a year so he no longer uses them), another uses a cheaper Bushnell. A couple of them say they have had a few Tasco's fail and no longer like Tasco, but have never had a problem with a Simmons. None of them use even scopes in the $200 price range other than myself.
So since all of the guys I hunt with use cheap scopes and most of them have good luck, I decided to ask a few other friends that both hunt and shoot for fun. The first one I asked said he had Bushnell Banner, a few Tasco's, and quite a few Simmons. He said he likes them all and Simmons seems to be his preferred choice. Now most of his Simmons are the White Tail Classic ones, but not all of them. He also has some old Redfields and likes them. He said he has had a few scopes fail over time, but not many and in general he has found them to hold up well.
Then I asked two others that are brothers. One mostly a gun collector that hunts, the other is a hunter and mainly just a hunter. Both of them said they prefer Tasco's.
Then tonight I got to chat with another guy that owns a lot of guns and shoots a decent bit. He told me he has had several he likes but that he has a Simmons he likes and he has never had a problem with it. He then told me he tried Konus or something recently as they had an over the counter replacement warranty and so far he likes them.
Another friend that is a hunter mostly and only has a few guns has a couple Simmons and has had them for quite a while and likes them. He has used Tasco and Bushnell and said he has been happy with them too.
I've talked to 2 others that have had Leupolds. One sold his to me cheap when it failed to hold zero. Another one had his fail to hold zero and traded it for a .22 rifle. So I no longer know anyone that owns Leupolds.
Now one thing I've noticed is that several of these guys either don't have the internet and don't use it, or they have it and use it, but don't surf gun forums and don't seem to care what others think too much.
So this really made me wonder. For you guys, do your friends, people you meet at the range, guys you hunt with, etc that don't go by what they read online still use scopes in the $200+ range. Or do they use cheap scopes from Simmons, Tasco, Bushnell, etc?
Sorry for the long post. I was just curious as I was really surprised how many people that I've always thought of as gun collectors, great hunters, etc, use and recommend cheap scopes. They seem to think my $220 Burris is on the high end of things. The other thing that made me wonder about this is when I went to Dicks the Burris for $220 was the second nicest scope they had. They did have one Nikon in a higher magnification for slightly more. Most of their scopes were under $100 though. Several gun shops I've been to lately I've noticed also seem to only stock cheap scopes with one or two mid priced ones. I just was surprised and wondered if others have run into this.
I decided to ask around to most of the shooters I know and see what they use and like. The name that keeps coming up is Simmons and Bushnell Banners. I asked several guys I hunt with. 5 of them really like and have Simmons, one of them likes Bushnell Banners(he said he tried Simmons but it failed after a year so he no longer uses them), another uses a cheaper Bushnell. A couple of them say they have had a few Tasco's fail and no longer like Tasco, but have never had a problem with a Simmons. None of them use even scopes in the $200 price range other than myself.
So since all of the guys I hunt with use cheap scopes and most of them have good luck, I decided to ask a few other friends that both hunt and shoot for fun. The first one I asked said he had Bushnell Banner, a few Tasco's, and quite a few Simmons. He said he likes them all and Simmons seems to be his preferred choice. Now most of his Simmons are the White Tail Classic ones, but not all of them. He also has some old Redfields and likes them. He said he has had a few scopes fail over time, but not many and in general he has found them to hold up well.
Then I asked two others that are brothers. One mostly a gun collector that hunts, the other is a hunter and mainly just a hunter. Both of them said they prefer Tasco's.
Then tonight I got to chat with another guy that owns a lot of guns and shoots a decent bit. He told me he has had several he likes but that he has a Simmons he likes and he has never had a problem with it. He then told me he tried Konus or something recently as they had an over the counter replacement warranty and so far he likes them.
Another friend that is a hunter mostly and only has a few guns has a couple Simmons and has had them for quite a while and likes them. He has used Tasco and Bushnell and said he has been happy with them too.
I've talked to 2 others that have had Leupolds. One sold his to me cheap when it failed to hold zero. Another one had his fail to hold zero and traded it for a .22 rifle. So I no longer know anyone that owns Leupolds.
Now one thing I've noticed is that several of these guys either don't have the internet and don't use it, or they have it and use it, but don't surf gun forums and don't seem to care what others think too much.
So this really made me wonder. For you guys, do your friends, people you meet at the range, guys you hunt with, etc that don't go by what they read online still use scopes in the $200+ range. Or do they use cheap scopes from Simmons, Tasco, Bushnell, etc?
Sorry for the long post. I was just curious as I was really surprised how many people that I've always thought of as gun collectors, great hunters, etc, use and recommend cheap scopes. They seem to think my $220 Burris is on the high end of things. The other thing that made me wonder about this is when I went to Dicks the Burris for $220 was the second nicest scope they had. They did have one Nikon in a higher magnification for slightly more. Most of their scopes were under $100 though. Several gun shops I've been to lately I've noticed also seem to only stock cheap scopes with one or two mid priced ones. I just was surprised and wondered if others have run into this.