Need opinions on less expensive scopes ie Bushnell Banner, BSA Platinum, Simmons Pro Hunter. Any opinions/reviews? Regards

Out of the choices you have listed there, I would have to say the Bushnell would be the best choice what are you putting the scope on and what are you planning on doing with it?

There are very few scopes better than the Bushnell Banner. There are no scopes better than the Bushnell Elite series.

If you buy less than the 3200 Bushnell you may not be happy.

Needs to handle high volume and hard recoil.

If thats the case you need to spend some more money, the Nikons or Bushnell Elite would be the minimum for high volume heavy recoil.

i know barksa makes a 6.5x24 power or something very close to that for around $100-200 but i don't know how good they would be, i know one is rated for use on a 50 bmg, i ahve a 3-9 barska which i think is a very very good scope for the money, it is only on my 204 which doesnt kick at all but i have had no problems with it

The Bushnell Banner will handle anything the Elite will. I like both. I have both.

Thank you for replies.

I have several Bushnell Elite 3200 series scopes. IMO, they represent the best value on the market. The eye relief is good, the eye box is large, adjustments are finger operable, & they don't shift point of aim. I have a 3X9 version for sale right now on another website, as I sold the rifle to which it was attached. You have to spend significantly more money to get anything better. The only other scope in the Elite price range that I would own is the Nikon. That's my opinion; I'm sure others will disagree.

Have used Bushnell Banner Scopes and for the price, don't think that you will find a better scope anywhere.20 years of using the, have not had a bad one yet or have not had one to defect.

you don't have to be rolling in it to afford a 'good' scope. Consider what a lower priced rifle costs, ie savage, remington sps...
i think that is what you should be spending on a scope, considering that if you get a real good one that you feel some king of pride in owning, it will last you through several cheap rifles, and almost certainly outlast a lower 'quality' scope.

There is no way you should put anything less, than the best you can possably afford on a 'hard kicking" rifle, why would you chance it?

I agree with randomblunt, a good rifle with a cheap scope is not a good combination. You do not have to spend a fortune to get a good scope that will stand up to a heavy kicker but on the other hand spend enough that you won't be disappointed. Nikon, Burris, Bushnell Elite, Swift Premier are a few to look into. You want a good scope that will stay on zero after shooting with a heavy recoil gun. Do yourself a favor and get a quality scope not a cheapo.

Do some serious shopping. Gunbroaker,E-bay,gunshows,gun club "yard sales".etc,etc.

You can geta good quality used not abused scope for little money. Look for the Leupolds. The models that started out at $300-$400 should go for a $100(or so)discount. With the better quality second hand scopes you also don't have as much to worry about.

Look for excessive ring marks. That's a sign that a bafoon mounted it and/or used it,pass on these. Also check the edge of the objective and eye piece for dings. That will be a good indication that it was dropped or bumped hard. Plus all the "obvious" things.

A better quality scope will take alot of abuse.

The most important thing to remember when shopping for a used(or new) scope or sight is, YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR. If you pay $79 for a scope......your gonna get $79 worth of scope. -----pruhdlr

It's been over a decade since I bought any inexpensive scopes. After going through four of them I concluded I had been penny wise, but dollar foolish. I won't buy a cheap scope because I feel that when it comes to scopes you pretty much get what you pay for. I know guys who dissagree with me and that's ok. We'll just have to agree to dissagree. There are expensive scopes that have failed, and cheap scopes that have succeeded, but they are exceptions. I think when you average it all out, you stack the odds in your favor by going with the more costly scope. Here is some really good advise: if you can't afford an expensive scope, go with a fixed power model. The reliability factor goes up a bunch this way. If you want super performance on a hard kicker go with a high dollar fixed power scope. Good luck.

Over 45 years of hunting, target shooting and working with and on guns I've found there are some good low dollar scopes. I've got several Simmons in the safe along with a Bushnell. One of the best low dollar scopes I've used has been the Cabela's 2 by 7 Pine ridge scopes and these are under 70 bucks.

I've also a few Leupolds and they are great scopes, but pricey. Over the course of 45 years I've had a few scopes fail, but both inexpensive and expensive. The big plus of some of the higher cost scopes is the warrentee, but Cabela's has as good a replacement policy as Leupold does.

I'm shooting a nice little Simmons 3 by 9 by 50 on my CZ Varmint rifle right now and it's as good as anything in my safe and both accurate and repeatable and for 25 bucks used from a friend it is a real bargain.

Here it is on th little CZ rifle.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Preditor%20masters/Freefloating-05.jpg


Here's a Simmons's AETEC 2.8 to 10 on a Remington 700 Mountain rifle. These are Simmons top of the line scopes and this one was about $150 bucks at Walmart a few years ago. I have two of these and they are my favorite scopes with a good field of view and just plain excellent optics.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Preditor%20masters/ATEC-1.jpg

Here's a BSA 6 by 24 that I bought new for a hundred bucks. It's not as bright as most of the really expensive scopes, but does well on this heavy barrel Rem 700 243 and with an illumnated mildot reticle works very well for it's intended use.

http://i136.photobucket.com/albums/q172/faucettb/Preditor%20masters/Leapold2pcandrings.jpg

Bottom line is most of the scopes are on the market because they work and lots of them are being sold and used everyday. You'll read posts by folks that say they are junk and don't work, but on the whole most do. I'd recommend the Cabela's as a best buy simply because if it breaks they will replace it. I had one of the 2 by 7's that was a couple of years old and broken when I took it out of the box. Cabela's replaced it and thanked me for doing business with them.

I'd like to be in the position where cost was no obstacle, but I'm not so I'm out shooting what I can afford and I'd rather be out shooting than looking at scopes I simply can't afford.

nice collection, but i would rather halve the ammout of rifles and mount them with swaro's, kahles, or zeiss, or would we feel to much like a rich snob?
i hear about gun envy, but why not encourage a little 'glass' envy eh?
i've been eyeing up swarovski's z6 1.7-10x42 for a few months now, i might sell the shotgun and buy a new rifle for one.(all on hire purchase of course).

My rule of thum is to put at least the same in glass as the metal costs. It doesn't matter how accrate the rifle are If your aming point is shifting, lenses fogging and shooting light dissapearing the same time as the sun touches the mountain tops.
If you can't afford atleast a Bushnell Elite or a Leupold VX-II, I would rather waint, or look for something used.
And dont forget quality mounts, since you're talking about lots f heavy rounds steel is the only option!

That's interesting, but none of these scopes shown above shift the aiming point, nor do the lenses fog and they have been working very well for many years. If you simply can't afford expensive scopes I'd certainly rather be out shooting a good less expensive scope instead of sitting around wishing I had the dollars and waiting. There are good scopes out there for lower bucks.

Your rule may be a good one if you've got lots of dollars, but lots of folks simply don't want to nor can afford a 500 dollar piece of glass on a 500 dollar rifle. Over almost 50 years of shooting I've had very few scopes fail and those that did included such brands as Leupold and Weaver which are supposed to be good scopes and some that I also use.

As for the mounts over the years I've used several aluminum mounts that worked as well as steel mounts. Weaver aluminum bases come to mind that have worked for years on many different rifles with simply inexpensive aluminum rings.

Though I prefer Leupold bases and rings there are several rifles with Weaver bases and rings and the fine Millet windage adjustable rings in the safe that also have worked for years for me with no problems.

I'm glad your rule of thumb works for you, but after running a small gunsmith business for near 30 years my experience leads me to believe that it may not always work for everybody and that's the reason so may less expensive scopes are sold and are being used with very few problems.

If you want a good scope with a lifetime warranty that won't fog up ON THE OUTSIDE of the glass on a rainy or snowy day....Bushnell Elite Series. There are a whole boatload of brands that won't fog up on the inside; that's a given in this day and age, kind of like power steering being a standard feature on a car. Fogging up on the outside is a whole different story.

Good thought, Mainer.

See in the latest Natchez Closeout flyer that they have a bunch of offbrand scopes they claim are built to Elite 3200 standards, including the Browning brand scopes. Might want to check them out at www.natchesshotterssupply.com

I agree with rwa. In the past I have used Leupold and Bushnell Elete 3200 scopes on almost all my rifles, with good results even on "kickers" like the 300 H&H and the 270 Wby.

I had the Swift scopes recommended to me by a friend, so I spent a little over $100 on a 1.5 x 4.5 scope for a BLR in 358 Winchester. This rather light weight rifle has a nice sharp recoil to it, and I quickly discovered that the scope would not hold a zero. Bottom line - I wasted my money. At least I discovered this fact at the range, rather than out in the mountains on an expensive hunt.

While price and quality are important considerations, one other critical factor needs to be taken into account, the length of the scope. Modern scopes are becoming shorter. This is fine for a short action rifle, but if you are mounting such a scope on a full length bolt action rifle, it is likely to be too far forward, even with extension rings.

Eye relief is also important, especially if you are mounting a scope on a tough application such as the Ruger #1. Here I selected the Leupold 3x9 VXII because it has 4.9" eye relief.

otpics discussions do stir up some ire sometimes don't they? i've used pretty much all the under $500 scopes and have drawn my own conclusions, however, i like to tinker with different bullets and loads for a given chambering and i may change a rifles zero several times a year and to be honest i find most scopes come up short in the click adjustment dept. i have a couple zeiss conquests and they are flawless, i have a 3x9 3200 that is also very reliable in that regard; just the same i have another elite 3200(a 5x15) that the last time i had it out i turned the windage an honest 80 clicks at 100 yds and moved the point of impact less than 4" it's gonna go back home for a visit. the burris short mag on my 300 savage is awesome for what it costs and it looks right at home on that short action remy. i have a redfield low pro wide view 3x9 from the 80's that was on my 280 that was giving 1 1/2" groups, i thought that the rifle should do better so pulled the scope off and put a zeiss on it... the image quality is out of this world, at 100 yds instead of merely holding on the orange bull i can pick a bullet hole and literally "stack 'em" with the same load. one obround hole.
now that i think about it i have a 5x15 bushnell legend that cost $100 buck less than the 3200 that gets to go to kansas city and the glass quality is just as good and the click adjustments have been very predictable and consistent.

what does all this mean, i'd say that you pays your money and takes your chances. i would and personally from now will always buy the best scope that i can afford. it all depends on what you expect from it.

The above responses will fall on deaf ears until Bulwinkle walks out and the zero on your cheap scope fails because of previous recoil. You never know when this will happen but it will happen. If the scope is used for hunting purposes then you certainly would like to have confidence in the equiptment that you choose. A cheap scope on a good rifle might end up a missed shot. You could achieve that with open sights.

IMO Sightron offers the best quality glass and best adjustments of any scope manufacturer for the money. They also back every scope with an Over the Counter-Lifetime Guarantee. I had a small bubble show up in mine although there was no accuracy loss on my very high recoil Savage 10ML. I sent them the scope on Monday (North Carolina) and on Wednesday had a brqnd new scope on my doorstep. Nice to know that every scope is a potentially new one. Ebay offers 3-9x42 Sightron II scopes much of the time for much less than $200. If patient can find the deal of a lifetime but even if you paid full retail for one you have a bargain IMO

Had a fellow at the gunrange this past week that had a cheaper model Bushnell fail. He said it was an older model that had been transferred from one rifle to another through the years and he couldn't remember exactly when it was purchased. It was presently mounted on a AR15 clone of some type. He fiddled around holding up the other shooters for some time trying to get his F1 Chrony just right to record. After all the time spent with this and setting up the rifle rest, etc., he looked through the scope to find the reticle made an "X" instead of a "+". Had to tear everything down, pack up and go home.

Suggested to him he could send it back to Bushnell for repair or replacement, but he thought the mailing costs would be more than the cost of the scope.

Had a personal experience in the past with an older model Redfield and a Simmons ATEC having the reticles just flat disappear in the scope. Back then, Redfield charged me for the repair, while Simmons mailed back a new scope at no cost.

Guess you just never know when a particular scope will go South on you.

Your lucky about the Simmons Kdub, once RCBS sold them, Weaver and the Redfield name to Meade Optics the service has went down the tube and I own two of the AETEC's and two other Simmons and a couple of Weavers. Went thru the ringer with a new broken Weaver last year with their warrentee department. Instead of fixing or replacing it they want you to buy a new scope, though at a discount.

One of the folks with a great warrentee on lower priced scopes is Cabela's. They will replace their products with no problems and no hassles. So far I've had really good luck with some of the lower power scopes their selling, but anything can break.

Used to buy nothing but Leupold til thay simply priced themselves out of my market. So far the AETEC's have stood up to two 8mm Rem mags for a bunch of years. I really like them, but if they ever break I probably won't go with a new one, I've heard several horror stories about the construction of the new ones.

I've got a friend whom buys used Leupolds at guns shows and whenever he sees them advertised. He sends any problem scopes back to Leupy and they repair them for free no matter how bad a shape their in and then he resells them. He sure helps keep the price of used Leupolds up.

I have bought and used several of the Bass Pro EPIC line of scopes in several powers and have been very satisfied with them. They also have a good warranty as Cabelas. Since I have a local Bass Pro shop all I have to do is take it back to the store for a replacement but I have not needed to to this yet.