Tasco vs. Bushnell

[Jaegermeister]

I'm getting a new muzzleloader this spring once the Winchester APEX comes out. I need to scope it on a budget so I've narrowed my choices down to a Tasco World Class 3-9 40mm or a Bushnell Banner in the same specs in matte black. They seem to be in the same price range.
I'll also look at some 2-7 power in that range as well.


Which would be the better choice? I know Bushnell recently purchased Tasco. Before you bash Tasco, I have a World Class 1.5 to 5x on my Remington 870 Wingmaster with a Hastings Paradox cantilever barrel. It is a great scope that has stood up to severe pounding from slugs -- lots of slugs.

I also have a cheap Bushnell Sharpshooter on my Ruger 77/22 that is 15 years old and still going, even after being dropped on the scope. I was going to upgrade it once it died, but it keeps on ticking.

Based on my experience, both Tasco and Bushnell are looking good. Tascos being stocked at Natches and others again.

I have a Simmons on my H&R Ultra Varmint that is a 6 to 18x. It was more than $125 but it is not that bright. I'd rather not go the Simmons route.


Any other options?
I posted this in rifles because you folks should have a good working knowledge of optics.

Thanks

 

[P95Carry]

I have too many longarms to have big bucks to spend on scopes and so..... Tasco and Simmonds have done me well ..... no real complaints on Tasco's .... remembering the ''value for money'' aspect.

Going by name alone I'd say Bushnell was #1 choice but ... in the end, I'd ''risk'' Tasco .. at least if you have a prob ..... it can go back and be fixed. Well ..... used to be the case!!

Only one I sent back was replaced with a new, better model.

 

[Quintin Likely]

I've got a Tasco 3x9x40 Mildot World Class on my .223 Savage 10FP.

Got a big ol' 4x12x50 Duplex Bushnell Banner on my Wally World Weatherby.

I like the Tasco better myself...low light, the Bushnell wins, but that's cuz the big objective on mine. But the Thrashco has served me very well, considering I paid $70 bucks for it and stuck it on a rifle that'll shoot sub MOA without too much effort.

 

[cratz2]

Between the two, I'd go for the Bushnell. I've gone through a couple of Tasco World Class and MAG IV scopes in 6-24x with adjustable objectives. Never had a problem - not the brightest or clearest scopes in the world, but I never had one go bad. I had a Bushnell Dusk & Dawn scope which is one of their Banner scopes, on a 22 Magnum that got a ton of use, probably my most used rifle. Recently I bought another Burris Compact 3-9 to use on it. Just seemed silly to have a bunch of nice scopes on rifles I rarely use and a cheapie on the heavy duty use one. But I have no complaints on the Banner. It's a 4-12x40 and I think I paid $80 or $90 for it. For the price, most folks would be hard pressed to complain. Not sure how long with would last on a muzzle loader. Not to say that it wouldn't, but that's not how I used it.

A lot of folks talk crap about cheaper scopes. I have Swarovski, Zeiss, Weaver, Leupold and Burris scopes. I like them very much. I like them more than my Tascos and Busnhells. I also have a couple of the Russian cheapies, the VOM/Kalinkas. One of the best values I ever had was a Simmons MAG44 6.5-20x44. Excellent optics, very bright up to about 16x, never lost it's zero. Cost $120. But as I said, I've never ever had a single problem with any of them. Only scope I've ever had fail was a $300 IOR Valdada fixed 6x.

Many of the scopes in the sub $100 range are going to be a crap shoot... you buy three, one will probably break quickly. But the other two will last nearly as long as that Leupold. And it'll get your bullet where it's going just as good as that Nikon. Just the folks that pay $500 or $800 a pop don't want to admit that Tascos and Bushnells and Simmons even work, let alone work well.

 

[P95Carry]

Well said Cratz .. as i can testify ... they can be and in my experience have been .... great value.

 

[Art Eatman]

What will be the primary use of this front-loader? At what ranges do you expect to do most of your shooting?

Absent long-range shots when hunting, or precision target shooting beyond 100 yards, I'm not sure there is much need for more than 4X or so, so a 2x7 would be about as good as it gets.

, Art

 

[BusMaster007]

I believe Bushnell now owns the TASCO entity.
I just received two catalogs from Bushnell in the same envelope - one Bushnell - the other, TASCO.
They're both good, inexpensive scopes.