Buying a rifle/scope outfit can be a complicated and EXPENSIVE ordeal. Few of us can walk to "Acme Sporting Goods" and ask the person behind the counter, "Give me the BEST you have, COST no object." That would be the SIMPLE way to do it, wouldn't it? It has alway been funny to me to see someone plunk down $800.00 on a rifle only to purchase a $100.00 scope and $20.00 mounts to complete the outfit. After owning and actively USING riflescopes for at LEAST thirty years, that is hunting with them and doing range worth with them, I can safely tell you than your
equipment will only be as good as it's least expensive or most vulnerable component. UNFORTUNATELY this often comes down to ones choice of scopes and mounts.
After owning and using scopes on rifles from a .177 air rifle to a 6.2lb .375 H&H for over thirty years I can tell you there is more to selecting a scope than picking up your favorite mail order catalog and
looking at the SPECS! Sadly MANY of the catalog specs are misleading and are only to attract this type of consumer. Let's look at a couple of scopes. Take the BSA 3-9X50($69.99) vs. the Zeiss VM/V 3-9X40(1199.99). MANY would have you believe that the 50mm objective scope is brighter, RIGHT? While the BSA 50mm objective scope WILL have a bigger exit pupil, the QUALITY of light will be the BSAs downfall. In NO way is one to think that the BSA is a better "low-light" scope because of its
larger objective. ALSO...The BSA has a larger "field of view" at both 3X and 9X than the Zeiss ZM/Z. SO...The BSA has a larger objective AND a wider "field of view" than the Zeiss ZM/Z and is $1130.00 LESS so that makes it the best buy...RIGHT? Some, unfortunately would say, YES!
How many of you have owned a hunting rifle that quit working, that is one that wouldn't go bang and place its bullets to the desired target with reasonable accuracy? How many have even SEEN or HEARD of an average priced sporting rifle($400-$500) in average or better condition that wouldn't fire its ammunition downrange with a reasonable amount of accuracy? I NEVER have! NOW... How many of you have owned SCOPES that wouldn't hold a zero, performed poorly before sun up or at sunset, had a non-functional windage/elevation adjustment, or used a scope with insignificant eye relief? I'd venture to say MOST of you. So what IS the weak link on a hunting rifle? The scope/mounts!
So what makes a good scope? That really depends on the user and what's important to them. PERSONALLY, I want it ALL! That is great optics, light weight, more than adequate eye relief, w/e adjustments that function properly, and non-mushy mechanicals that hold their zero all wrapped up in a strong tube! But I don't really expect to get a "bargain." Do you not think I have run the gamut of riflescopes looking for a "bargain?" Of COURSE I have! Thirty years, fifteen brands, and over a hundred individual scopes later I can tell you that bargains simply don't exist! From $29.95 to $1500.00, I've tried MOST price ranges. You may not always get what you pay for, but don't expect to GET what you DON'T pay for! Guess which riflescopes have, and I hate to use this word, FAILED on me? What do I mean by FAILED? That really means in my case failure to hold a zero OR adjustments that don't adjust. It really SHOULD come as NO surprise that these scopes were the very least expensive models I have bought! Does that surprise anyone? For me at least, that "breaking point" seems to be about $150.00. Less than that and your odds of scope failure dramatically increase. Now I'm just talking scope mechanics here. Maybe a scope has "91% light transmission." If it can't hold a zero or adjust properly, it really doesn't matter at all. All this jabber about % light transmission is just that. I have NEVER seen a single independent testing of riflescopes to determine % light transmission, EVER. THAT means a manufacturer may simply state anything they want! Some would have you believe a 91% light
transmission Bushnell is in the same league optically as a 91% light transmission Swarovski Pro Hunter 2.5-10X56! Who is correct? Are we talking about the same thing here? OBVIOUSLY not! While light transmission numbers MAY be useful WITHIN a brand or product line, they are USELESS when comparing BRANDS!
Back to our $920.00 rifle/scope outfit. Since the scope/mounts ARE the most likely component of this outfit to fail, why not spend a little more here and a little LESS on the rifle! Why not a spend $400-450 on a rifle such as a Remington 700 or Weatherby Vanguard, two rifles with EXCELLENT reputations for accuracy and dependability and the REST on mounts and optics! I can practically promise you rewarding range sessions and a successful hunt provided you do your part!
equipment will only be as good as it's least expensive or most vulnerable component. UNFORTUNATELY this often comes down to ones choice of scopes and mounts.
After owning and using scopes on rifles from a .177 air rifle to a 6.2lb .375 H&H for over thirty years I can tell you there is more to selecting a scope than picking up your favorite mail order catalog and
looking at the SPECS! Sadly MANY of the catalog specs are misleading and are only to attract this type of consumer. Let's look at a couple of scopes. Take the BSA 3-9X50($69.99) vs. the Zeiss VM/V 3-9X40(1199.99). MANY would have you believe that the 50mm objective scope is brighter, RIGHT? While the BSA 50mm objective scope WILL have a bigger exit pupil, the QUALITY of light will be the BSAs downfall. In NO way is one to think that the BSA is a better "low-light" scope because of its
larger objective. ALSO...The BSA has a larger "field of view" at both 3X and 9X than the Zeiss ZM/Z. SO...The BSA has a larger objective AND a wider "field of view" than the Zeiss ZM/Z and is $1130.00 LESS so that makes it the best buy...RIGHT? Some, unfortunately would say, YES!
How many of you have owned a hunting rifle that quit working, that is one that wouldn't go bang and place its bullets to the desired target with reasonable accuracy? How many have even SEEN or HEARD of an average priced sporting rifle($400-$500) in average or better condition that wouldn't fire its ammunition downrange with a reasonable amount of accuracy? I NEVER have! NOW... How many of you have owned SCOPES that wouldn't hold a zero, performed poorly before sun up or at sunset, had a non-functional windage/elevation adjustment, or used a scope with insignificant eye relief? I'd venture to say MOST of you. So what IS the weak link on a hunting rifle? The scope/mounts!
So what makes a good scope? That really depends on the user and what's important to them. PERSONALLY, I want it ALL! That is great optics, light weight, more than adequate eye relief, w/e adjustments that function properly, and non-mushy mechanicals that hold their zero all wrapped up in a strong tube! But I don't really expect to get a "bargain." Do you not think I have run the gamut of riflescopes looking for a "bargain?" Of COURSE I have! Thirty years, fifteen brands, and over a hundred individual scopes later I can tell you that bargains simply don't exist! From $29.95 to $1500.00, I've tried MOST price ranges. You may not always get what you pay for, but don't expect to GET what you DON'T pay for! Guess which riflescopes have, and I hate to use this word, FAILED on me? What do I mean by FAILED? That really means in my case failure to hold a zero OR adjustments that don't adjust. It really SHOULD come as NO surprise that these scopes were the very least expensive models I have bought! Does that surprise anyone? For me at least, that "breaking point" seems to be about $150.00. Less than that and your odds of scope failure dramatically increase. Now I'm just talking scope mechanics here. Maybe a scope has "91% light transmission." If it can't hold a zero or adjust properly, it really doesn't matter at all. All this jabber about % light transmission is just that. I have NEVER seen a single independent testing of riflescopes to determine % light transmission, EVER. THAT means a manufacturer may simply state anything they want! Some would have you believe a 91% light
transmission Bushnell is in the same league optically as a 91% light transmission Swarovski Pro Hunter 2.5-10X56! Who is correct? Are we talking about the same thing here? OBVIOUSLY not! While light transmission numbers MAY be useful WITHIN a brand or product line, they are USELESS when comparing BRANDS!
Back to our $920.00 rifle/scope outfit. Since the scope/mounts ARE the most likely component of this outfit to fail, why not spend a little more here and a little LESS on the rifle! Why not a spend $400-450 on a rifle such as a Remington 700 or Weatherby Vanguard, two rifles with EXCELLENT reputations for accuracy and dependability and the REST on mounts and optics! I can practically promise you rewarding range sessions and a successful hunt provided you do your part!
