On our little adventure today we had 2 different brand scopes in the budget end of scope brands. I thought Id give my thoughts on them since we had them side by side. So the 2 scopes were a nikko stirling gold crown air king 4-12x 44 and a bushnel ar223 ar optics 4-18x40. Well the nikko stirling is by far the better scope. Theres a night and day difference in clarity the parralex adjustment on the bushnell never can get the focus as crisp as the nikko. they both hold zero tho but over all the nikko is the better scope out of these 2 budget models.
went to order 2x more air kings but they are out of stock. Been having a look at what else is around in the lower end of scopes and have come across Zerotech. I'm thinking I might get one for a start to replace the bushnell that's on the grendel. If it goes well Ill look at another one to put on my browning 22 hornet and fit the dnz mounts at the same time.
I have something of a pile of scopes. Mostly 4x 32 kind of size. I'll have rummage and see if anything suits ya.
Hawke optics are the another worth looking at. Air-rifle rated so you know they'll take a beating. Distributor is up in Whangarei.
I've had hawkes before and they are pretty good actually got my eye on one at the moment. Its funny when you start asking around about the lower end scopes in other places there's always someone who comes in with the "they are
**** i only have nightforce or s&b "etc. Not really comparing apples with apples and you'd be a bit upset if a sub $500 scope was better than your $3000+ scope...
Yeah. I do have a leupy that's worth a bit of coin.
But honestly it's not like I look through it and say wow...it does the job I expect of every scope (and actually has a small "eye box"), and sure it might (or might not) take a bit more of a beating, last a bit longer...remains to be seen.
A lot of my optics are older Japanese glass (nikko, tasco). Got a WW2 vintage german which is still clear and holds zero. A bushnell (?) that needs reassembling and a few others besides
Ive manged to buy rifles for most of my spare scopes got a really nice hendsolt that came off the ar, a ziess knock off not sure what thats like but its clear to look through think theres a couple of cheap vari nikko stirlings and a 3x9 tasco from memory as well. I think there might even be a laser dot thing as well..need to have a bit of a clean up in that drawer
Well there are no nikko stirlings in stock anywhere, the models I'm after anyway. I've gone and bought a tacvector to try, german glass so that sounds good for a start. If it goes well ill sell the bushnell
Scope turned up today. Ill try and fit it this afternoon some time. Initial thoughts on it are its a heavy chunky scope not that it bothers me as I dont have the luxury of a money tree out the back where i can throw endless amounts of money at a scope. Its very clear to look through way better than the bushnell its replacing. The click adjustments feel good as well. Cant wait to test it on the range or at the farm..
What type of scope did you get?
Its a tac vector paragon 3-15x50. just got back from the range doing final sight in with it. I use a collimator for initial setting up. got it dialed in nice and easy on the grendel. nice and clear as well quite happy with it. might look at one for the hornet now as its a bit over scoped for what I use it for but its what I had sitting in the draw, a simmons 6-24x50 I think that one is.