Chinese Scopes

[onanymonday]

Are Chinese scopes acceptable quality for long range?

 

[FEENIX]

Are Chinese scopes acceptable quality for long range?

Welcome to LRH and enjoy!

That depends on intended use and range and the actual reliability of the scope ... do you have specific brand/model in mind.

Target only, maybe! Be prepared for the responses you're about to get. gun)

 

[onanymonday]

bought a 6-24X50 scope at a show. I couldn't find any identification except for made in China, but the scope seems to be good quality as far as workmanship and glass. It has the bells and whistles of similar scopes. I just wanted to know if the Chinese do make acceptable scopes or just automatically panned by the hunting community.

 

[Senderofan]

Not sure if it's a Chinese saying or not.....generally speaking...."You get what you pay for." I'm thinking if you did a side by side comparison....say with a mid level scope from Burris, Leupold or a Vortex .....you'd see a big difference in both quality of the glass and more importantly in the internal adjustments. I've seen a fair amount of guys in my part of the world....get really excited about their new NcStar scopes. After a couple of outings....they aren't so happy. It seems that the internal adjustments crap out or don't dial as the knobs indicate.

Good luck....This is all a learning process, for everyone....take what I have to say with a grain of salt.

Wayne

 

[onanymonday]

Wayne, I appreciate your honestly. I haven't been to the range but when I do I'll report on what i find.
I'll be with someone with a good scope and make the side by side comparisons.

 

[winmagman]

I'll be with someone with a good scope and make the side by side comparisons.

I don't think I'd do that!! The worst thing I ever did was to buy my first quality scope, I've been broke every since.

Seriously though, once you've used middle/high end glass it's hard to settle for anything else. Every time I go back to my rimfire scopes (tasco/simmons/bushnell) I think I've gone blind.

Chris

 

[Senderofan]

Wayne, I appreciate your honestly. I haven't been to the range but when I do I'll report on what i find.
I'll be with someone with a good scope and make the side by side comparisons.

I'm not trying to disparage you over your purchase.....just want you to realize you very well may be disappointed with your purchase. I have a couple of Nikon Buckmark scopes....that I paid less than $200 for each...for rimfire rifles...and have been more than satisfied. I also have a Vortex Viper 65.-20X by 50mm that I found a deal on for $280 new....that services an AR-15 very well. When it comes to my long range shooting.......scope quality goes up from Vortex PST and Sightron SIII's to Premier Heritage and Kahles. I've also owned a couple of NightForce scopes that served me very well out to 1,000 yards.

Ultimately, in long range shooting, you want the best glass / coatings along with the best internals that you can afford. If the scope cannot perform in terms of repeatability....you might as well use open sights. The $40 Tasco or NcStar, and I won a Tasco on a .17 HMR rifle, does not compete with a mid level scope in both optics and adjustment. You will be disheartened in the end.

Wayne

 

[novaman64]

Depends on the model. I have a Hawke Optics scope on my 7mag, it does good in terms of repeat-ability, the glass is decent, but it definitely doesn't have the clarity of higher end glass. But I was on a $500 budget for glass at the time, and it does great for what it costs.

 

[mullmann03]

I dont remember the brand, but a little over ten years ago my dads gunsmith friend asked him to test out a chinese made scope that some dealer wanted him to try out. After two rounds through the .338 win mag the scope was done. All the internal pieces of the scope came apart. It was very funny. The same identical scope works fine on a Ruger .22 and has never had one problem. Just an example of how cheaper products can still be useful when they are not used past there capability. Buy products that have a reputation of high quality and it will not be an issue.

 

[bruce_ventura]

Chinese factories are capable of making good quality rifle scopes that hold up to heavy recoil. Hawke Sidewinder scopes are a good example.

The biggest problem I see with most Chinese scopes is a high return rate (high defect rate). Chinese workers often don't follow work instruction details unless they are closely monitored. Failure to apply adhesive reliably is a common problem. Achieving low return rates usually requires optics companies to manage quality control on-site at the factory.

Optics companies source optics from multiple Chinese factories. Good quality on one model line doesn't guarantee good quality on another line.

I won't use a Chinese scope unless I have some evidence that the manufacturer has a good quality process in place at that factory.

 

[hybridfiat]

"You cannot go past quality"
That adage has held true for centuries.
Buy quality and buy ONCE. Buy cheap and always feel dissatisfied, but you have spent the money you could have put towards something decent so, lesson learnt you don't have the wherewithal to buy a better one.
Wait save and buy the best you can afford.