US Optics. A little info?

[shooters]

Can someone fill me in on US Optics? I've heard they "use" to be an excellent scope, but went way down hill with the B Series...not too many use them anymore and very few at competitions. Now, there's an uproar about them moving to "China made." This coming after the SHOT show. So, I find out a few things literally hours after I ordered a B-25. Are they still well built worth the $3600 or have they in fact gone down hill, not (Nightforce, S&B, March, Premier) quality? Just a little nervous about my purchase that hasn't even shown up yet. I was pretty excited about putting it along side my ATACR....now not so sure. Any reassurance or advice...I could always send back I guess.
Thanks

 

[MudRunner2005]

I haven't heard anything about them in years, I know they used to get rave reviews...But no idea about anything they produce now. Didn't know they moved production to China... That sucks.

S&B is still living on 20+ year old technology, with slightly any advancements. Overpriced, IMO.

 

[shooters]

No other with experience with USO?

 

[sp6x6]

I dont have one,but always have.In general they are heavier than I prefer,but have shoot threw them and read 1000's of good things about them.Their shop is in a town 15 miles from me.Real hardcore hunter I know is running one now ..When I next bump into him Im going ask how he likes his,might see him at wolf meeting

 

[Basher42]

I could be wrong here, but I think the Chinese optics would primarily involve the new "TS" series of low powered variable optics, which have an MSRP much lower than other USO products.

The B series is still well-liked by those who like the USO product line, but they've acted somewhat like Leupold in that they've sat on their laurels, enjoying the successes of past achievements for too long. Their reticle choices are dated (to some), as are a number of their features, so many feel they're no longer "relevant." That's highly subjective, if you ask me.

For instance, I recently acquired both an SN3 3.2-17x44 with ERGO parallax adjustment, because I'd always wanted one and I knew they were bomb-proof and had forgiving parallax once set. It has a GAP reticle, the "grandfather" of the G2, G2H, and G3 reticles found in Bushnell products today, and I feel it's a perfectly serviceable reticle. It may not be the hottest thing in PRS circles, but it still works great and is uncluttered.

Likewise, I have an ST-10 ERGO, also with GAP reticle, on it's way to me. Both are optics I lusted after quite heavily back in USO's heyday when they were one of the prime players in high-end precision optics, making full-custom scopes. I couldn't afford either then, but I can now, so I plan to enjoy them for years to come.

The changes made to the B series were viewed as improvements in many ways, but the form factor was still large and heavy for many. Time will tell if the new SK and TK models will change things for the better.

As for your recent purchase, I think you did alright. I, personally, rarely buy an optic new, due mainly to price. I make an exception from time to time, but it's pretty rare. Used B25s can sometimes be found on SnipersHide for $2500-2800, so you could have saved some cash there, but USOs are still built like tanks, and they'll still honor their lifetime warranty to make sure you're fully taken care of.

 

[dig]

While I have no experience with the new models. The older models where built like a tank and optics quality was on par with S&B. Don't have to worry about breaking, ok maybe your back from carrying. Service from them has been excellent. I am sure you will be pleased. Let's us know when you get it, love to hear about the comparison.

 

[KyCarl]

I have a B-17 with the IPHY system. It's still pretty new to me but it seems to be fine?
No heavier than my ATACR really?

 

[Capt RB]

I had the st100 on a M40 clone with an issued stock. If you forgot to bring something to bang your shelter stakes in the grond you have no worries. It won't lose zero!
I felt they lagged behind my S&B much more than the price discrepancy in the glass department. Then they got better.
I considered the SN3-17 but ended up deciding to spend less for an shv.
USO is a long optic. Today's trend is for shorter optics in the competition circuits. Makes the rifle easier to move in and out of barriers obstacles and tight shooting positions that MD's are now making commonplace in prs type events. Since this is the market for USO they need to figure it out or they will be out.
Reticles they can do whatever you want even if it isn't on their site. They have that kind of flexibility. Making a shorter scope like the S&B super short or the new ZCO, TT, ATACR, Mk6 etc which is where they want to play is a must not a should.

 

[shooters]

Does the USO B series have anything over the ATAC?

 

[Capt RB]

Does the USO B series have anything over the ATAC?

The only ATACR I have used is the 7-35. Hard to compare to something I was looking at 3 years before that was for a much different purpose. I compared the USO at a show inside to others and felt at that mag range it was a better option than the nsx I was considering. In the end the dollars were coming out of my fishing budget and it was May so fishing took center stage and I bought a SHV for less than half of either above. I don't shoot in the summer much beyond the pistol indoors. I generally have 1 alpha scope and the rest are $300-850. My PMII is the 3-12 version the Marines used.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

I've had now and have had scopes from many of their generations. It's a sad tale of inconsistent quality seemingly precipitated by changing leadership.

My SN3's in 3.8-22x are frickin good scopes. Fantastic clarity, perfect clicks, dead nuts tough.

My TPAL series 10x37mm ST-10's were the same with slightly better optical quality to my eye than my SN3's. Extremely expensive for a fixed 10x though.

My B-17 was quite good in some ways but not quite up to the older standards in others. The turret lock was a particular annoyance, seemed like a poorly engineered afterthought. The click values were dead nuts though. That said, I do know someone who imported the B-series to his country for a while and he was finding the B-series to be no bueno in the click consistency department.

I'd put their older optics up against Nightforce, S&B, Vortex Razors, Khales etc... any day of the week for click values (and yes, I've owned most of those too) and in many cases for optical quality. The new B-series, I'd stick those alongside Burris XTR II. As well, the new tool-less turret is in fact not entirely tool-less and came loose on me multiple times in matches. The windage turret now has pinch screws on the cap which also came loose on me at a match and during a class causing no shortage of havoc. I hate pinch screws on turret caps. So, Iit feels like they cheapened their optics a bit with the B-series a bit but didn't reduce the price accordingly. It's still a pretty good optic but 3k? Naw.

What was actually bad? Only my ER-25's. I got them around the time USO changed ownership recently and it looks like they pumped out a ton of iffy ER-25's which I got a couple of. Return after return didn't get them fixed but did cost me hundreds in shipping and so I eventually got rid of those and brought in Vortex Razor 2's to replace them which gave me too many turret related problems and were heavy as hell. So, in the end, I found some older USO's with the ERGO parallax (because I prefer objective bell parallax adjustment) and those now live on in the collection.

I'm a USO fan but that doesn't stop admitting the fact that they've been hit and miss for a while now.

 

[shooters]

I've had now and have had scopes from many of their generations. It's a sad tale of inconsistent quality seemingly precipitated by changing leadership.

My SN3's in 3.8-22x are frickin good scopes. Fantastic clarity, perfect clicks, dead nuts tough.

My TPAL series 10x37mm ST-10's were the same with slightly better optical quality to my eye than my SN3's. Extremely expensive for a fixed 10x though.

My B-17 was quite good in some ways but not quite up to the older standards in others. The turret lock was a particular annoyance, seemed like a poorly engineered afterthought. The click values were dead nuts though. That said, I do know someone who imported the B-series to his country for a while and he was finding the B-series to be no bueno in the click consistency department.

I'd put their older optics up against Nightforce, S&B, Vortex Razors, Khales etc... any day of the week for click values (and yes, I've owned most of those too) and in many cases for optical quality. The new B-series, I'd stick those alongside Burris XTR II. As well, the new tool-less turret is in fact not entirely tool-less and came loose on me multiple times in matches. The windage turret now has pinch screws on the cap which also came loose on me at a match and during a class causing no shortage of havoc. I hate pinch screws on turret caps. So, Iit feels like they cheapened their optics a bit with the B-series a bit but didn't reduce the price accordingly. It's still a pretty good optic but 3k? Naw.

What was actually bad? Only my ER-25's. I got them around the time USO changed ownership recently and it looks like they pumped out a ton of iffy ER-25's which I got a couple of. Return after return didn't get them fixed but did cost me hundreds in shipping and so I eventually got rid of those and brought in Vortex Razor 2's to replace them which gave me too many turret related problems and were heavy as hell. So, in the end, I found some older USO's with the ERGO parallax (because I prefer objective bell parallax adjustment) and those now live on in the collection.

I'm a USO fan but that doesn't stop admitting the fact that they've been hit and miss for a while now.

Well that's not good news. I wish I would have looked into things a little more. I've had a few messages with about the same experience from others. I wonder if their move to Montana has changed things up quality control wise.

 

[BallisticsGuy]

I wouldn't trip on it. Wait till it comes in and do a tall target test and optical resolution test on it. If it doesn't make snuff, send it back. Other than my er-25's I wasn't dissatisfied.

 

[devildiver]

I was at SHOT show this year and spoke with them directly about their production. I also own a USO B-25, which I use for competing in the PRS & NRL. I have no issues with my B-25.

Their B series scopes are still made in their facility in Montana. The new scopes are from their "import" line and is probably made by Japan Optic or some similar manufacturer. If i understand the process right, the guys at USO designed the optics and then have them made abroad.