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Thread: Cheap scopes vs expensive scopes on springers.

  1. #31
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    Quote Originally Posted by Portzy View Post
    Both Konus Pro's, the 3-9x32 AO and the 2-7x32 fixed focus ones and yes, the info was gleaned from JSR's website.
    I've had a 2-7x32 non AO on an HW95 in .177" and I currently have the 3-9x32 non AO on an SMK xs20 ('95 clone). I've had no problem and both run about 11 ft/lb. They needed re-parrallaxing though.

  2. #32
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    I have seen a few favourable reviews of Konus scopes, here is one from a guy i trust to be honest and impartial.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg-QyVj3GnY

    He's done a few on Konus products, if i had not just bought a Nikon Prostaff efr i would have considered Konus.

  3. #33
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    Simmons WTC

    Quote Originally Posted by WILBA View Post
    I have old simmons pro are on my springers. Yes they are old and have duplux recticles but they take vety harsh recoil and wont break. Can pick them up for £100-120.
    At a shooting show back in the early/mid '90s (probably either Stoneleigh or Birmingham...) I stocked up with 6x Simmons Whitetail Classic Granite 3.5-10x40 and 2 of the x50. They are all very well used, a couple (accidentally) abused and all still very much as functional and consistent as the day I got them. Most have been fitted to Webley Omegas & Eclipses. One spent a couple of years on 'extended' loan ('till I remembers he had it and asked for it back) on a friend's Patriot springer. I think all have the Webley-specific Sportsmatch mounts (with the cross-pin). Seem fairly bullet-proof to me.

  4. #34
    look no hands's Avatar
    look no hands is offline Even better looking than a HW35
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    Quote Originally Posted by buttloaves View Post
    I have seen a few favourable reviews of Konus scopes, here is one from a guy i trust to be honest and impartial.
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dg-QyVj3GnY

    He's done a few on Konus products, if i had not just bought a Nikon Prostaff efr i would have considered Konus.
    I would have been interested in the Konus range if they had made all of their scopes available with a mil dot ret, I'm slowly replacing my older 30/30 ret scopes with mil dots, I think scope makers need to think about fitting their scopes as standard with mil dots now, not sure what the lenses are like on them though.

    Pete
    Far too many rifles to list now, all mainly British but the odd pesky foreigner has snuck in

  5. #35
    look no hands's Avatar
    look no hands is offline Even better looking than a HW35
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    Quote Originally Posted by ashf9999 View Post
    At a shooting show back in the early/mid '90s (probably either Stoneleigh or Birmingham...) I stocked up with 6x Simmons Whitetail Classic Granite 3.5-10x40 and 2 of the x50. They are all very well used, a couple (accidentally) abused and all still very much as functional and consistent as the day I got them. Most have been fitted to Webley Omegas & Eclipses. One spent a couple of years on 'extended' loan ('till I remembers he had it and asked for it back) on a friend's Patriot springer. I think all have the Webley-specific Sportsmatch mounts (with the cross-pin). Seem fairly bullet-proof to me.
    I have to admit that the WTC range where a well built scope with excellent lenses but where hugely over priced for what they where at the time (1990's) but that was down to AGS being greedy, I had a friend of mine who went to the States on holiday and bought all 3 WTC's back with him (didn't need the 4x40) for the same price as one of them over here, AGS where over priced on all their products, you could get a new Bushnell Trophy or £50 less than the equivalent WTC and they where just as good, so I started using them instead.

    Pete
    Far too many rifles to list now, all mainly British but the odd pesky foreigner has snuck in

  6. #36
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    Quote Originally Posted by CapitalBee View Post
    I've had a 2-7x32 non AO on an HW95 in .177" and I currently have the 3-9x32 non AO on an SMK xs20 ('95 clone). I've had no problem and both run about 11 ft/lb. They needed re-parrallaxing though.
    That's interesting, I think i will take a second look. Thank you.

  7. #37
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    Most expensive scope I've paid for was a £250 Sightron SII 4-12x40AO HHR. I saw a review where they tested it out on a Diana 52 so figured it would be fine on my tuned 80 .20. Sightron themselves even confirmed it was ok to use.

    Within 150 shots the reticle had started to spin. It was a pita to get it replaced too (crap retailer) so in the end I decided I'd only ever use scopes I can afford to break (£100 or so). I've used various 2nd hand scopes and most have been fine. Sold most on because I wasnt using them and they had value elsewhere. However the Tasco AG 4x40 s always going to be attached to my .22 80!

    As for Konus - no trouble with them I've found. I'm using a HW80 .177 with a Konus 3-9x32AO and I've had a 3-12x50AO on another springer. I know it says 7.5joules in the blurb but they are very solid. The Konus 3-12z50AOIR I used to own felt like a crowbar. Sold it on because it was so damn heavy and the field of view was narrow.

  8. #38
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    Thumbs up

    15+ years ago i never dared spend more than £100 on a scope for my springers after reading about them wrecking scopes. I still stick too that rule now but it's because none of them ever did and I find them adequate for sub 12 ranges. May have just been lucky but if it ever does happen it wouldn't be a big deal

  9. #39
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    While this may possibly ruffle a few feathers, it’s my personal, honest opinion.

    I know that things like “pride of ownership” “bling factor“ and the “if it’s expensive, it must be better” effect, make some people find their shooting more enjoyable... So for them... Yes... A more expensive scope might be worth getting. And If you shoot in competition and you’ve spent lots of time perfecting your “soft hold” and you’ve already spent a lot of money having your gun tuned. A comparatively tiny increase in accuracy is well worth the extra cost.

    On a springer, With a solidly clamped one piece mount, there’s little creep and consistency will be slightly improved, but all the shock goes through the scope and that’s not so good for it’s longevity. With two piece mounts, creep is more likely, and will reduce the shock by a fraction. But having the mount possibly moving around isn’t brilliant for consistency .

    I’m quite happy to put my Sidewinder on any PCP with no worries. But on my TX200 I’ve got a £75 Mountmaster 3-9x50 AO on a one piece Sports Match mount, Because I don’t shoot it in competition, and at 40 yards, my groups are only a couple of millimetres larger than the ones I shot with my Sidewinder, while I was waiting for the Mountmaster to arrive by post.

    I might have to replace the Mountmaster once, or twice over time if the gun shakes it to bits, and I might have to zero it more often, but I’m not going to risk losing a £400+ scope, when I don’t shoot in competition, and never shoot pests, or game beyond ethical 12FtLb range.

    Like I said... It’s only my opinion... Others will differ... And even some who agree, will still use expensive scopes, because of peer pressure.
    Where be your gibes now? Your songs? Your gambols? Miserable bugger!

  10. #40
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    The best IMHO are cheap formerly expensive scopes.

    Unfashionable ex-firearm use Leupolds (eg 4x28, 4x33, 6x40).

    80s Japanese ones with less sought after brand names, but probably from the same factory or at similar quality levels. Not Optima or Venom. But the others. 80s ASI, Nikko Sterling, Kassnar, Original, etc etc. Lower-spec Tascos. Japanese or Filipino Simmons. 70s/80s Bushnells.

    Once you get into Tasco TR (£100-150) or Leupold 4-12x40 or 6.5-20x40 (£200-250) territory, you are buying exceptional build quality and glass. If you don’t need/want 30mm tubes, or IR, or complex reticles, that’s what you need/want.

  11. #41
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    HFT addict

    hi,
    I have used Optisan, MTC, Sightron and even Bushnell Elite Tactical on my Walthers, never had any problem.
    Keeping zero and adjusting focus and return to the old value, without problems.
    But for a beter quality the pain will be in the wallet, the joy is for a lot longer time;-)
    Best,
    HJM

  12. #42
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    I'm using a discovery VT-2 on my HW99 in two piece mounts - not probs so far! Decent scope for the money.

  13. #43
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    Hawke 3x9 40 mm AO

    I have used this Hawke scope on a Benjamin Trail NP & now on my HW95L with no scope problems so far. Good luck.


  14. #44
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    Quote Originally Posted by Geezer View Post
    The best IMHO are cheap formerly expensive scopes.

    Unfashionable ex-firearm use Leupolds (eg 4x28, 4x33, 6x40).

    80s Japanese ones with less sought after brand names, but probably from the same factory or at similar quality levels. Not Optima or Venom. But the others. 80s ASI, Nikko Sterling, Kassnar, Original, etc etc. Lower-spec Tascos. Japanese or Filipino Simmons. 70s/80s Bushnells.

    Once you get into Tasco TR (£100-150) or Leupold 4-12x40 or 6.5-20x40 (£200-250) territory, you are buying exceptional build quality and glass. If you don’t need/want 30mm tubes, or IR, or complex reticles, that’s what you need/want.
    Plenty of this^ I would add Hakko to the better scopes list.
    One thing everyone forgets is that early springers had harsher actions. Some were harsher than others. HW77 started to show improvements, and with the custom tuners more was found out with exactly what was going on.
    Today, modern springers shouldn't be harsh. AA are very gentle.

    In the beginning 1980, Jap scopes tended to be good for the money. Loads of branded scopes from the same factory too, but not all similar scopes were the same. Lens quality, coatings, and features might change and not always to the better.
    Then there was a time where things got poor chasing the price/profit, 1990. Simmons WTC were excellent because everything else had got so poor. Amongst it all were some gems, TR, and Euro Tascos.

    The market got flooded.
    Leupolds were always high quality, still can be.

    Enter Chinese manufacturers and they started badly; the stuff was junk. Elsewhere Jap machinery was sold to other places and most weren't any better for the move.
    Manufacturing has got better, design too. Lenses have leaped forward in quality and affordability. Now China can make an ok scope. But so can a long list of others. It now comes down to design, and quality of components and choice of finish/materials. The better scopes have higher cost components and done better.

    I've had good results with Bushnel scopes recently. I still have a few Tascos and B&L from the old days; Leupolds too. I've seen every "low cost" scope model bust at some point. Most due to being made of soft aluminium and brass, though some because of poor cross hairs because they were wire not etched like most are now.
    Top end scopes don't do "soft" and most are still about.
    Lastly at 12ft/lbs ranges then "good" glass is generally enough. But in more complicated lighting and at longer ranges then "good" might be wanting; best glass will shine through. Quality does show.

  15. #45
    harvey_s's Avatar
    harvey_s is offline Lost love child of David Niven and Victoria Beckham
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    I'd agree with a lot of what's written here...
    I've got some lovely older scopes (Tasco TR, Jap platinum Nikkos, B&L era Jap made Bushnells and Philippines made crinkle finish WTC Simmons) and they're all excellent scopes with bright glass - but unappreciated by many because they all use the old school duplex reticles...any many of today's shooters want mil-dots, half mil-dots, AMX et al.

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