Quality is quality, junk it junk.......sometimes, it is a costly and
difficult experience to learn this lesson.
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Quality is quality, junk it junk.......sometimes, it is a costly and
difficult experience to learn this lesson.
..............Only Barska I have is a 20-40 x 60mm spotting scope. It was on sale at Big 5 Sporting goods. I told the guy at the counter I'd buy it if I could try it and see if it would focus at 40x. He said go ahead so I opened the box, unwrapped it and set it up on it's tri-pod. Pointed it out the store window and sure enough it DID focus at it's highest magnification. The focus required a light touch as it seemed that even the finest turn would have it fuzzy. However it did focus and the price was right. Be nice to have a fancy Kowa, and if I win the lottery I may still have one yet :-)
The only way I could recommend a Barska would be if you could try it first, and I guess I could say that about most any cheap piece of optics. In this day and age of computer automated lens grinding, what counts the most is internal construction and erection, and that's where most the expense is these days. When I was in the Navy I absolutely coveted the "Big Eyes" binoculars used by the lookouts on the bridge wings :-) Twin 80mm objectives and they weighed a ton so they sat on a spindle mount, but you could see clear into next week with'em.
..............Buckshot
[smilie=w:The joke around some of the auto garages for years is " Detroit gets them close and the mechanic
has to finish them." Sometimes it is true and a bit funny with cars but no so good with scopes.
Some scopes are just meant for your grand son's red rider.:kidding:
I have a barska varmint 4-16x40 on my marlin 917v. When I shoot into the sun on 16x it gets fuzzy. I just bought a 5" shade from barska for less than $20 shipped. I'm hoping it helps with the light refraction. But it looks awesome and I have hit grey squirrels in the head at 85 yards with it no problem
Put one on a new ar and the bullets grouped nicely but walked all over the paper...would not buy another.
I had one on my FAL when I first got it. It survived exactly four shots before the crosshairs were at about a thirty degree angle. Junk.
I've got a BSA sweet 22 scope that I like, although I don't have it mounted on anything right now.
Bushnell makes some great scopes for the money, anything cheaper and I think you are throwing good money away.
I took my 4x Bushnell rimfire scope off my Henry .22 last spring after i bought a new Barska 3x9 scope i believe was actually ment to go on a hunting rifle (*shudder*) for $39. The glass is very poor, but the higher mag lets me reach out a bit further with my .22 on gophers, although i would never put it on a hunting rifle. The glass in the Bushnell is way better, in fact one of the best options for a .22 IMHO for the $30 it costs with mounts.
Didn't think this post would get close to 7000 hits when I started it. I did get a Barska and put it on a marlin 30/30. So far so good.
Luck of the draw, IMHO,I have the 6.5x24 on my 17Hummer and have no problems with it after 2 years,spend what you can afford...GT27
I have a barska varmint on my marlin 917. If the sun is shining I get a blur over 14x. I got a shade off thier website but I haven't gotten to shoot it. The shade lookes awesome though so I hope it helps!
Oh... But before without the shade hitting a grey squirrel in the head at 85 yards wasn't a problem. And I got second place in a 100 17hmr shoot on a sunny day shooting south!
I have been in an "Optics Upgrade" mode for my rifles for the past 3 years or so. There have always been Leupolds involved, but they now make up the majority shareholders of my centerfire rifles bearing optics as navigation tools. The scoped rimfires will be next, not many of those.......then I'll plunk down some serious shekels for a spotter. All Leup/Redfield/Burris is the mission statement, and only ~20% of my fusils use glass. I have yet to attach optics to a handgun, the concept seems like a camper shell on a Maserati to me. Once I got the cataract in my shooting eye fixed, things have been pretty decent downrange ever since. I had some worries about that previously.
^^^^^ Al's statement here reflects MY opinions and situation so precisely that I could have written his post!
My rifles have Leupolds, with very few exceptions. They serve very well, and I've NEVER had one fail in any regard.
ALL the "serious hunting rifles" carry Leupolds, with NO exceptions. Having a scope fail miles back-of-beyond is an event I'd prefer to avoid, thanks. My Leupolds are an investment in the near-certainty that my scopes won't let me down.
Al :
All Leup/Redfield/Burris is the mission statement.
I'm in full agreement. No more cheap scopes for me either ! ! !
I'd also add the Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x50 Firefly Reticle Riflescope to the list. They are fine scopes also. I can't think of a better scope for early morning and late afternoon hunting than the " FireFly ".
Hello, I have a barska scope & spotting scope. They get the job done well for the money. They don't compare to my Zeiss conquest, but sometimes the budget dictates something that's "ok for now" & barska is there. Have had 0 issues with 2 riflescopes &1 spotting scope been using 5+ years.
[QUOTE=Ben;
I'd also add the Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x50 Firefly Reticle Riflescope to the list. They are fine scopes also. I can't think of a better scope for early morning and late afternoon hunting than the " FireFly ".[/QUOTE]
YES! One of the exceptions to my "Leupold campaign) is indeed a 3200 Firefly 1.5-4.5X on my DSA FAL. It's a wonderful device, particularly in poor light...and the HEAVY crosshairs are very quick to pick up even when not lit-up.
Have 2 Leapers Generation 5 scopes.One on airgun 3x9 x and 3x12 on 30-06 cast bulletgun.Cheap but wotk great
Most be nice. but would never be able to afford one.
Take a look at the SWFA site. I'm not about to drop more than $500 on ANY rifle glassware, but some very serviceable, bright, and clear Leup scopes can be had within that price point. Those $1200-$1500 optics are for goobermint buyers, or people that water their houseplants with Dom Perignon.
Well, I couldn't afford a really nice scope so I opted for a Barska 8x32x50 and mounted it on my AK-47. I couldn't get the scope to zero in 'cause I ran out of left windage. First I thought it was the scope but then I mounted the side plate on my rifle and probably didn't get it exactly straight. I purchased an UTG 3rd generation quick mount to attach the scope. There's the problem. The scope mount. It is not centerline adjustable. So now I've got a UTG 3rd generation quick mount to sell for $25.00. I finally saved up enough to buy a centerline adjustable scope mount for the AK and have it mounted with the Barska on top. I just haven't had time to get to the range to get it set up again. Hopefully that will be in the very near future. There's nothing wrong with the Barska. It zooms and the optics aren't too bad. I can live with it for now. BC