High End Scopes Quality

[Zomboid]

A chap who I go clay shooting with did a manufacturing project with a Chinese firm. He sent over the specs and they sent back their work.

It was 100% spot on. Very high quality with the required finish. So he put in a bulk order.

What he got back was about 50% of the quality. It seems unless you absolutetly tell the Chinese exactly what you want and on repeat and keep checking they will cut corners somewhere in order to make their profits.

A lot of my scopes are second hand. Mainly because there's no way I could afford them as new and they are often discontinued. Seems to be the way to do it if you know what to look for.

[Muskett]

With CNC machining the way it is then similar products can see very similar.
Aircraft Grade Aluminium! What is that? Well there are several grades, and manufactures are just not going to tell you.
Top European scopes are the best, but wow expensive. The coatings and quality of materials are so much higher. Design so much better.

I agree it is harder to justify if those premium prices are worth it to you. You can only know if its worth it from field use and ten years down the line. I have some of each.

Scopes now are made to fit the target market. Thats with a profit margin, with only about 20% invested in the actual product manufacture. The rest in operating costs like labour, machinery and manufacturing facility, marketing costs, tax, distribution and margins. Thats consumer products for you, not a lot left for the actual product.

The scope market is pretty flooded, and plenty of competition. China has improved what it can do no end. Often having bought German, Japanese or Italian CNC machines.
I look out for who has just invested in the newest technologies and machinery. Old machinery is often passed along from say USA/Japan to somewhere else in Asia. Or a new factory with new kit. Not easy to know if its all new or just a rehash of something older.

Glass manufacture has completely changed in the last 25 years. Its lighter and easier to cut to any lens shape. Here design really matters. And then there is coatings, and their application to the glass.

I find the mid range stuff the most confused and the most a gamble. Best brands still seem to produce the best, but the gaps narrowing. Some models of scopes just seems to shine through the masses.
I tend to go for these, that seem to work well.