Barska Tactical Mil-Dot 6-20x50.

[creakindoor]

I admit I have never considered a Barska Riflescope.
I guessed their low price reflected the quality of the product.
In the July issue of Gun Mart the Barska Tactical scopes receive a glowing review.
The 6-20x50 is highly praised, so I decide this is just the scope for my .17hmr.
I ordered one from the US via that well-known online auction site.
In the 2 weeks it took to arrive I had misgivings about this scope, but reading the review reassured me that everything would be all right.
Scope arrived today. On opening box I can see that the parallax/ focus wheel is covered in oil/grease. Wheel is very stiff & difficult to turn,
not surprising if all the lubricant has leaked out.
Scope finish is poor. At a glance it seems ok, but close inspection revels tiny marks & blemishes…oh dear!
Things look up when I peer through the scope.
At the low to mid settings (6-12) the optics are very sharp & clear. But like all the cheap variables I have looked through, at the top (20x) the picture is fuzzy & blurred.
The best feature is the mil-Dot reticle, as good as any ret I have seen, including scopes costing several times as much.
So far a bit of a mixed bag.
With the scope mounted on my .17hmr it was off to zero in.
Zeroing in was a piece of cake, half a dozen shots & it was done.
With the mag set at 12x & the parallax wheel set at 100 I was putting bullet on bullet at 100yds, perhaps this is going to be ok after all.
May be in time the parallax wheel will loosen up, who knows I might come to love this scope.
On getting home I had one last look through scope OMG!!! The sight picture is covered in black spots Large & small.
Grease or oil from inside the tube is splattered over the internal lenses. Scope is now back in its box.
As a final insult despite taking great care tube is marked by mounts,
an indication of the poor finish not me being ham-fisted.
I have emailed seller asking for a refund.
Oh well you live & learn.

http://www.barska.com/tactica_r.html

UPDATE: Scope returned & full refund given.

[darrell81]

and the magazines give them such a good right up.but i spose they have to as the dealers advertise in the magsat last an honest review

[Smig]

Hi
just wanted to update folks as I read this thread and was put off Barska's. I recently bought a 22lr from South Yorkshire Shooting who swear by them, so much so that I gave in and had a look at this same model. Well I bought it and find it's a great piece of glass, one of my shooting mates has a S&B but is now swapping it for this model. I guess there are always good and bad in any batch but maybe if the suppier had been local it may have turned out different for you?

[redcarrich]

hi i am supprised to hear about the scope as i have a barske euro on my cz and it is clear great quality and was a fantastic price guess yours is just a faulty one