Cheap Scopes.

ShadeTree

Handloader
Mar 6, 2017
3,515
3,019
Yeah I know you often get what you pay for but overall, I've had plenty good results over the years with cheaper lines of scopes. Mainly Tasco back in the day.

2020 I bought a Konus 1.5-5 x 32 for on my Rem 760. $49 on ebay at the time. Run about $100 now I think. Reticles are etched into the glass so they're supposed to be virtually shockproof. Anyways worked good, held zero, did what it was supposed to if you adjusted the turrets, etc. Killed a buck with it in 2020 and a buck and a doe in 2021. Noticed this yr messing around with it, that it developed some fairly substantial parallax somewhere along the way that it didn't have before and I couldn't get it out with any adjusting on the focus ring.

Called Konus. they do not make that scope with the 30-30 reticle anymore, but instead make the same scope with the cross hair inside of a diamond shape. Lifetime warranty they told me. Send it to them and they will replace it. That's not a bad deal for a cheaper line of scope. It's on the way to them now. I'll give it another go.
 
I must say I'm surprised to see that such a cheap scope has a lifetime warranty, and even more surprised that they honored it. Good on them for that!
 
I must say I'm surprised to see that such a cheap scope has a lifetime warranty, and even more surprised that they honored it. Good on them for that!

Yeah. The knock I have against it is the crosshairs are too fine for my liking. Hard to pick up in low light against dark backgrounds. I've had plenty of other scopes cheap or not, that I've liked better for that reason. I wouldn't of been against replacing it because of that even if it hadn't acted up, but if they're gonna replace it for free I'll try another one. Perhaps the diamond border around the crosshair will show up much better.
 
I’ve had great experience with Athlon, as well. The Midas is a great scope for $600, it’s what I have on my 6.5 PRC and daughters 7-08. I’ve had one their talos scopes on a 308 for about a year, for $225 bucks it does really nice job, and one day all of a sudden it wouldn’t focus. I downloaded an RMA and sent it in and about 10 days later a brand new one was on my porch.
 
Super Sniper is my cheap line of scopes
Mine too! I only have one, a 6x SWFA Super Sniper. It's on my former SWAT rifle, a Krieger barreled Remington 700 in .308 Win. Great combo. Those SWFA SS scopes are only $299 for either the 6x or 10x the last time I checked. Sturdy rascals too.

Scotty talked me into trying one. He was right. :)

Regards, Guy
 
Mine too! I only have one, a 6x SWFA Super Sniper. It's on my former SWAT rifle, a Krieger barreled Remington 700 in .308 Win. Great combo. Those SWFA SS scopes are only $299 for either the 6x or 10x the last time I checked. Sturdy rascals too.

Scotty talked me into trying one. He was right. :)

Regards, Guy
I have more than one, but they are not on any primary rigs.
I loan out guns and optics for locals getting started hunting, and they are among those I loan out.
 
Super Sniper is my cheap line of scopes
I put one of their 20X on my 204 Ruger for exterminating little critters. I just can’t warm up to it. 2 things that stand out , one it is a dark and second it’s a little fuzzy. Hind sight I should have ponied up for the 16X instead.
 
I put one of their 20X on my 204 Ruger for exterminating little critters. I just can’t warm up to it. 2 things that stand out , one it is a dark and second it’s a little fuzzy. Hind sight I should have ponied up for the 16X instead.
I use the 10x and 16x
 
I’ve had great experience with Athlon, as well. The Midas is a great scope for $600, it’s what I have on my 6.5 PRC and daughters 7-08. I’ve had one their talos scopes on a 308 for about a year, for $225 bucks it does really nice job, and one day all of a sudden it wouldn’t focus. I downloaded an RMA and sent it in and about 10 days later a brand new one was on my porch.
Athlon is decent for budget options yeah. There are some okay-ish Vortex scopes too, usually my go-to if I need something on the lower end
On the off-note, what Scope covers you guys use? My local store has a ton of options, usually I've been running with cheap-ish Butler Creeks, but recently thought about getting something better. Any advice in that regard?
 
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Update on this. To their credit Konus returned me a new scope, and considering today's delays on everything, they did it in a timely manner. Not their fault, but I don't like this new scope. My gripe against the old one was that the center crosshairs were too thin.

They don't make that scope anymore which was a 30-30 reticle. Now they make the same 1.5-5 scope but with a diamond outline bordering the center. If possible I believe the center crosshairs on this scope is even finer. With that heavy diamond outline it would work great or fine for a shotgun turkey scope which is what it's intended for, but I don't like those ultra-fine crosshairs for my use.
 
I’ll go out of my way to make a purchase from a company that has stood tall and took care of my issues. Even though I may have had an issue with their product, stand up customer support builds brand loyalty
 
I recently returned a Crimson Trace scope that had something on the lens. The scope functioned perfect but on low power you could see a couple of spects of something. Being FFP as you dialed up the magnification it went away. In return they sent me their top model as the one I had was long discontinued.
 
I will stick to Leupold for all my hunting rifles and pistols. They make scopes that are not real expensive and always work. For fun guns I have Burris, Weaver, Bushnell and even Simmons. Leupold also make more expensive scope but I tend to use the old Varri-X II, Vx3i and have a VXI. On my 50bmg rifles I run Nightforce NXS and they are not cheap but then nothing for a 50BMG is cheap. So people tried the Super Sniper scopes and they lasted from 3 to 25 shots so they are not for me. I put a old Leupold Varri-X ii on one of my 50's until the back ordered Nightforce came in. Must have shot 100 rounds and now that scope sits on a 257R rifle and works just fine.
Just my experience and opinion
 
I like Leupold scopes. Probably at least 40 to 50% of my rifles have them mounted. Over the years, I had three Leupold scopes turn toes up. Two at the range and one on a hunt. Every time I sent one in for repair, I was back, usually in less that two weeks and working perfectly. If I need another scope, no guessing what brand i'll buy. leupold.
Paul B.
 
Well since this one didn't work out, I was thinking I'd try to come up with a Leupold 2-7. Older gloss style. Would fit the era of this rifle better and should be an upgrade on the actual scope.
 
Well since this one didn't work out, I was thinking I'd try to come up with a Leupold 2-7. Older gloss style. Would fit the era of this rifle better and should be an upgrade on the actual scope.
Boy- good luck finding one of those. I was waiting to find one on this forum, for my friends 250 Sav., Model 99 for a couple years. A "VX Freedom" just dosent look right. You can check out Vintage gun scopes n Montana. They are doing cool things with older Luey's, Weavers and Redfields, but they are PPRICY. CL
 
Wow, um, some people clearly have a different definition of 'cheap' than I. Mine is a Nikon 4-12, which I now see they no longer make. Actually, from their website, it doesn't look like they make rifle scopes at all, now.

What I like about it:
I can see through it.
It makes little things look bigger.
It has a BDC, but I've never shot far enough for that to really matter.
 
Mine is a Nikon 4-12, which I now see they no longer make. Actually, from their website, it doesn't look like they make rifle scopes at all, now.


Nikon is out of the rifle scope business . from what I read , they didn't want to take a chance of being held liable if their scope was used in a shooting .
 
Boy- good luck finding one of those. I was waiting to find one on this forum, for my friends 250 Sav., Model 99 for a couple years. A "VX Freedom" just dosent look right. You can check out Vintage gun scopes n Montana. They are doing cool things with older Luey's, Weavers and Redfields, but they are PPRICY. CL

Plenty of them on Ebay and GB. I've been watching some for a month or 2, but was waiting to see how this new scope worked out. They generally run right around $200, depending what kind of shape they are in, can be higher.

Nikon is out of the rifle scope business . from what I read , they didn't want to take a chance of being held liable if their scope was used in a shooting .

Wish they still made them. Bass Pro used to run sales on them and a pretty good scope for the money in my opinion. I've used some on other people's rifles I was working with, and I have a Pro-Staff 3-9 that came on a rifle I got. Unless it would go belly up for some reason, I'd imagine that scope will stay here. I like it.
 
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