Expensive vs. cheap scope thoughts

[louisvanhovell]

2 weeks ago I bought a s/h 2.5-10x56 IOR scope for my .308 Heym. It will probably mostly be used for high seat hunting in Europe (also at full moon) and a bit of stalking.

Although I have hunted with fac air rifles for a long time, I am quite new to centerfire shooting and all the accessories.

I'm doubting if I made the right decision to buy the IOR. There's no question that it has excellent glass. But, it's still expensive and quite heavy. The weight is not the main thing that I would like to get your opinions on here, but I'd be more interested to read if you think it is indeed worth buying something like a IOR instead of using for instance a Falcon scope, which is very good as well and 5 times cheaper. Or perhaps you think that I should in fact have gone for an even more expensive Zeiss/Swarovski/Leica.

A nitwit question I know, but you've got to start somewhere. I will take a few scopes out tonight at dusk to compare the light gathering capabilities at low light conditions.

Thanks, Louis

Ps. "expensive" and "cheap" in the topic title are relative of course, I understand that.

[clakk]

My Redfield scope at dusk is so put in the shade by my S n B 8 x 56 ,the schmidt is far superior at light gathering as is my Leupold Vx 1 .Your doing the right thing try different scopes at last light and buy the very best you can afford .Scopes and bino,s are something that make such a difference to your stalking good luck

[Twistedsanity]

I want one of the scopes they use on the TV, you know the ones that they pull out of a bag and clip on the rifle and it's 100% accurate without any zeroing whatsoever

[JohnfromUK]

I'm not much of a rifle shot, but the idea (as I understood it) used to be that the cheaper scopes are probably OK in no/low recoil situations (i.e. air and .22 rimfire etc.), but you need a better grade (read more expensive) scope to hold it's aim under repeated recoil. I may be 'out of date', but the idea makes sense to me.

[team tractor]

I have a hawke sport hdon my hmr. It struggles last light.

I also have a Panamax on my 22lr and I can see for a good 10-15 minutes past my eye sight . It's £130 and fantastic.

I use a weaver v classic on my 223 but I might swap it for another Panamax. Honestly it's fantastic.

I've just bought a leupold vx3i for my 243 and although awesome it's not all that much different in the dusk to the Panamax.

£650 scope vs £130.

 

I haven't the money for £2000 scopes so I can't compare but I have looked through them and I can't see much difference. Silly I know.

I'll add that Dougy on here has a sightron and I love it.

Edited May 31, 2017 by team tractor

[kyska]

I have a hawke sport hdon my hmr. It struggles last light.

I also have a Panamax on my 22lr and I can see for a good 10-15 minutes past my eye sight . It's £130 and fantastic.

I use a weaver v classic on my 223 but I might swap it for another Panamax. Honestly it's fantastic.

I've just bought a leupold vx3i for my 243 and although awesome it's not all that much different in the dusk to the Panamax.

£650 scope vs £130.

 

I haven't the money for £2000 scopes so I can't compare but I have looked through them and I can't see much difference. Silly I know.

I'll add that Dougy on here has a sightron and I love it.

It's most likely my eyesight but I also can't see too much difference between my zeiss and my vx-1, very little tbh.

[welshwarrior]

The key is last for me or moon light when shooting boar that's why my hunting rifles wear S&B 8x56 or a Ziess. Day time there's often little gain with high end glass so it hard to compare unless at dusk.

[louisvanhovell]

Very useful feedback/info there gents, much appreciated.

@ team tractor, I shall have a look at the Panamax, it sounds good. I have MTC's and Falcons, I'm happy with them but the MTC's aren't great at dusk.

I think I will keep the IOR anyway and enjoy it as much as I can. It is a good scope. It will probably hold its value pretty well, so I can always sell it eventually and either up- or downgrade, depending on the circumstances.

[Old melv]

My advice if you want to keep using cheap scopes don't look down a top of the range one.

[Walker570]

All of my scopes are Hawke, bar two ..an old original Jap Tasco still killing things and a similar old variable Weaver on my 22RF which sorted 20plus bunnies yesterday no problem. When I can't see with the Hawkes it is time to go home and pour a Scotch.

[Dekers]

Scopes and reticles are very personal. Nobody can tell you if you need an expensive or cheap scope except yourself.

 

And don't always expect expensive is good and cheap is poor, there are some very adequate scopes available at very competitive prices, if YOU feel that paying 5X as much for something a fraction better may be of use to you then fine.

 

Personally, I use medium price scopes on all my guns these days. I have tried Expensive scopes and have found no benefit for me, even down the range where I use my field rifles with inexpensive scopes I achieve more than acceptable results out to 600 Yards.

 

There is no question that QUALITY scopes can have benefits, it is simply a matter of whether you need those benefits (sometimes tiny) or can afford them!

 

ATB!

Edited June 1, 2017 by Dekers

[Vince Green]

Horses for courses, even cheap scopes are pretty good these days but you can tell the difference.

 

as Dekers says though, that difference costs a lot of money. It depends whether you feel you need it

Edited June 1, 2017 by Vince Green

[iain]

After using cheep scopes I bit the bullet and bought Swarovski scopes for my centre fires. I got them all second hand in private sales and would never go back to the lower end. But I run 2 opti mates on my rimfires and am very happy with them. If you buy a second hand scope from one of the top makes you won't lose much if you sell it on. For my two pennies worth I would always buy the best I could afford. A good scope will outlast you. If shooting living things then you owe them the best most painless end possible. The last thing you want is a wounded one because the scope lost zero or you took a chance with a poor sight picture.

[geordieh]

Bought a ZOS about 16/17 years ago 30 mm tube 3-12x56 with illuminated dot ret been on 222,223,243 rimfire never lost zero and good at dawn and dusk, was told at the time ZOS was used by Chinese army how true this was not a clue but I still have it,never had any problems with it.It cost me £12 posted from Shanghai

[Newbie to this]

A friend bought a cheap Chinese made scope for his .22lr semi and it does not hold zero it's all over the place. He paid £29.99. He regrets buying it and is now looking at a Leapers scope rated for .22lr.