Anyone against this optic for the price range?

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Coots

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I know these may seem like a big zoom range. But without getting to personal, I have an eye disease and my peepers aren't near as good as a normal persons. So the closer I can get to the target with the scope, the better off I am.

Just wanting to know if anyone has had any luck with Barska scopes or should I drop the change and go on and get something like this Nikon listed. I had a Nikon Pro Staff 4-12x40, sold it to my brother-in-law, looking to upgrade to a bigger variable.

The two that I am down to now are the Nikon Buckmaster Amazon.com: Buckmasters 6-18x40 Side Focus Nikoplex Scope (Matte): Sports & Outdoors

This Barska: Amazon.com: 6-24x50 IR Sniper Scope by Barska: Sports & Outdoors

The Barska is tempting because of the lighted reticle which may help me in the low-light ... seeing the crosshair over the target aspect of my eyes.

I am open to any suggestions though. Looking for a high power variable scope, in the $150-$300ish range.
 
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Despite the much higher price, I would hands down go with the Nikon between those two. Nikon glass will beat anything Barska's got in the clarity department, meaning those maximum zoom settings will be sharper and brighter. This will help you see targets better with your eyes. Lighted reticles, when poorly done as I'm sure is the case in the Barska, don't provide a defined aiming point, just noise and glare. I had one scope with a lighted reticle before, it never got used. I also had an illuminated reticle in my LCAN on my M-4 in Afghanistan. It never got used either.
 
For a .22 riflescope, I found Sightmark's works well and inexpensive over at RRAGES.com. I definitely prefer the Sightmarks over the NCStar scopes. George over at RRAGES is a good guy and responsive to emails.

For example, $79 gets you this:
Sightmark 4x32 Tactical Mil Dot Riflescope & QD Mount Combo

1.jpg


And for $219 and more in line of what you're looking at:
Sightmark 8.5-25x50 Triple Duty Scope Illuminated Mil-Dot Reticle

1.jpg
 
In your browser, type in [SWFA's 2009 scope rating scale]. You may find it helpful.

I would probably stay away from Barska, but unless you require a scope to hold up to rough handling, inclement weather, or to squeeze out the last few minutes of daylight, there is no need to spend a lot on a scope for your 15-22.

Personally, I would rather eat dirt than put a high magnification scope on my 15-22... but if you want a lit reticle on a 16x optic this might be something to consider. Primary Arms Scope . The problem with lit reticles on scopes that are under $1k is that the glass isn't going to be bright to begin with which makes it more difficult to see in low light conditions... so unless your eye condition would greatly benefit from a lit reticle then I would stick to a conventional scope.

Before making many recommendations, what type of reticle are you looking for? Are you eyes comfortable with a fine crosshair, or do you need something thicker?
 
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My motto is to never buy something that has no resale value if you dont like it and nothing says "you get what you pay for" any better than with optics. Buy cheap - buy twice...
 
I like your Nikon choice, and I like it's reticle. The Barska with it's Mil-Dot, I have never thought of using a Mil-Dot on a 22.

The only Nikon I have is on a 30-06, and it works perfect.
 
I currently have 2 scoped rifles. On one I have a Nikon 2.5-8 EER (extended eye relief), and I'm very happy with it. On the 15-22 I have a BSA 3-12 with which I'm also very pleased. The Nikon was $250 and the BSA was $60. They both work for my purposes.
 
i will also say Barska is JUNK...Nikon are excellent but i personally prefer anything by Leupold--both are in the same range and both are superior glass clarity to the cheap *** of Amazon...

I have seen more than one gentleman my Dad knows drop $900-$1000 on a scope for a $500 rifle because the Glass Clarity is their biggest issue with distance shooting....

been said already--Buy Cheap Buy Twice
 
Redbulladdikt said:
i will also say Barska is JUNK...Nikon are excellent but i personally prefer anything by Leupold--both are in the same range and both are superior glass clarity to the cheap *** of Amazon...

I have seen more than one gentleman my Dad knows drop $900-$1000 on a scope for a $500 rifle because the Glass Clarity is their biggest issue with distance shooting....

been said already--Buy Cheap Buy Twice
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Kinda hard on Amazon aren't ya? Amazon sells scopes from Zeiss at the top of the line to NC Star at the bottom. Also, some Nikon scopes are made in the Philippines, not Japan (although I have no problem with that). BTW, I bought my Nikon scope from Amazon.
 
So nc star is a "stay away" scope? Friend has one says its pretty good. For the price and all.
 
Juvicator said:
So nc star is a "stay away" scope? Friend has one says its pretty good. For the price and all.
Click to expand...

A person's opinion of a scope highly depends on what they've used in the past. A tin can on a string might sound great if you've never used a radio or telephone.
 
Juvicator said:
So nc star is a "stay away" scope? Friend has one says its pretty good. For the price and all.
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Tasco, Ncstar, Barska, UTG, Leapers, and I'm forgetting a few more. BARF.

You might try looking at the new Redfield line up. They are a bargain that you won't need to replace in a few months. And they are US made, not China ****.
 
ok...i personally am a little hard on both Amazon and Ebay for allowing people to broker obvious knock-off garbage using a reputable company's name and rep...it is shady buisness and they know its going on but take their cut anyway

I know they do offer some legitimate sales...im just disgusted by being screwed on a set of sights that werent genuine and basically being told to go F&^k myself
 
Redbulladdikt said:
i will also say Barska is JUNK...Nikon are excellent but i personally prefer anything by Leupold--both are in the same range and both are superior glass clarity to the cheap *** of Amazon...

I have seen more than one gentleman my Dad knows drop $900-$1000 on a scope for a $500 rifle because the Glass Clarity is their biggest issue with distance shooting....

been said already--Buy Cheap Buy Twice
Click to expand...

RIGHT ON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I'm just going to keep harping on the fact that for a little over three hundred bucks you can find a new or used Eotech 512 AA battery model. Buy one once and you won't have to replace it. I have seen these things used on M2 HB for regular use. They can take a beating. They have all kinds of add ons, GG&G makes a great set of dust covers for them, and LaRue makes some amazing quick detachable mounts for them. Save up the money and do it right the first time and you will have an optic that won't die on you during use and you can always hot swap it to a different railed rifle at any time. I would far rather have one great optic than a few **** optics. For the money I have wasted on budget glass I could have even bought a couple of Aimpoints by now.
 
Scope cost versus application

Barska has poor glass and severe image distortion in the scopes I've looked through -- a waste of money. I have an NCStar 8X x 24X x 50 mm on a Kimber Government 22 LR that gives excellent service. I would not put that scope on a 300 Win Mag. I have 3 Simmons (MidwayUSA) 6.5X x 20X x 50 mm mounted on 22 LR or HB 223 Rem. Again I am very satisfied with performance.

At the other end of cost, my Leupold 8.5X x 25X x 50 mm scope with a 30 mm tube is an incredible optic that cost ~$800 10 years ago. I bought it one year after Leupold put them on the market. It is on a Rem 700 308 Win custom rifle that is a tack driver, 11 # rifle with mild recoil. I have a Browning A-bolt, light tapered barrel, rechambered to 30-06 Ackley Improved that kicks like a Missouri mule, Leupold 4.5X x 14X x 50 mm again gives excellent service.

You get exactly what you pay for in optics. There are no bargains in low cost / high quality -- it just don't happen. But a clear, inexpensive scope can give good service when matched to mild recoiling rifle.
 
Engineer1911 said:
You get exactly what you pay for in optics. There are no bargains in low cost / high quality -- it just don't happen. But a clear, inexpensive scope can give good service when matched to mild recoiling rifle.
Click to expand...

ill take that bet, you seen redfields new line? for 170 dollars out the door i got a 3-9x50 that i shoot sub moa groups with out of my TC venture. i also took a pretty good whitetail with it at close to 170 yards.
 
Maximumbob54 said:
I'm just going to keep harping on the fact that for a little over three hundred bucks you can find a new or used Eotech 512 AA battery model. Buy one once and you won't have to replace it. I have seen these things used on M2 HB for regular use. They can take a beating. They have all kinds of add ons, GG&G makes a great set of dust covers for them, and LaRue makes some amazing quick detachable mounts for them. Save up the money and do it right the first time and you will have an optic that won't die on you during use and you can always hot swap it to a different railed rifle at any time. I would far rather have one great optic than a few **** optics. For the money I have wasted on budget glass I could have even bought a couple of Aimpoints by now.
Click to expand...

IMO, the choice of an optic is far more dependent on the type of rifle, conditions, type of shooting that is intended and user preference.

For the type of fair-weather range plinking I mostly do with the 15-22, I would much rather have my Primary Arms MicroDot than an EOTech 512 with AA batteries, even if the EOTech only cost a penny.

Here's why -

A. The PA with battery and QD riser is about half the weight of a 512.A65 with AA batteries. And if you slap on some type of QD mount on the 512, then you're getting into +1lb boat anchor territory for just a 1x red dot. IMO, one of the great things about the 15-22 is it's light weight compared to others in its class.

B. I find the 3MOA dot on the PA to be much better for bouncing around soda cans and shot shells at the range than a 65MOA ring with a 1MOA dot. I can't quickly pick up the EOTech 1MOA dot unless I crank up the power which flares out the dot and looks nasty compared to the PA 3MOA smooth edged dot at lower settings. I find the grainy bright 65MOA ring on the EOTech to be annoying, very annoying. The 65MOA ring is good for center mass quick acquisition of larger targets like humans, but I'm trying to bounce soda cans and shot shells around fast, not refrigerators.

C. The EOTech has crystal clear glass which the PA does not. However, I shoot during the day so there is little advantage. There's a little advantage with parallax but I never noticed any measured difference for the type shooting I do.

Side notes --

Older EOTech have a history of corrosion issues and failures. Even my next door neighbor's EOTech 512.A65 failed on him at the range due to corrosion. I offered to let him borrow a $29 BSA red dot that has held up for many tens of thousand of rounds for nearly a decade. He didn't find that amusing.

So thanks for the harping, but I'll pass on mounting an annoying grainy nasty flaring failing corroding boat anchor on my 15-22. :D Of course I offer that with a little jest, but overall I would much rather have a PA MicroDot on my 15-22 than an EOTech 512.
 
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Folks, I'll make a deal with you. You can have your AR15-22 dressed any way you want but let me keep my butt-naked [no rails, no lazer, no flashlight, no moon dial] Custom 10-22 with the Simmons (MidwayUSA) 6.5X x 20X x 50 mm scope on it. The play ground is big enough for everybody. :D :eek: :)

Any body want to shoot for $1 a point, 10 rounds, on a bullseye target at 100 yards? :rolleyes:
 
Engineer1911 said:
Folks, I'll make a deal with you. You can have your AR15-22 dressed any way you want but let me keep my butt-naked [no rails, no lazer, no flashlight, no moon dial] Custom 10-22 with the Simmons (MidwayUSA) 6.5X x 20X x 50 mm scope on it. The play ground is big enough for everybody. :D :eek: :)

Any body want to shoot for $1 a point, 10 rounds, on a bullseye target at 100 yards? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

No thanks. I know what my 15-22 is capable of at 100yds. :D

As far as optics, I think the point here is that most any dime store optic will outperform most any recreational .22 rifle and ammo in repeatability.
 
Inexpensive fixed power scopes are usually good enough on .22LR rifles. Inexpensive variable power scopes get dim, sometimes very dim, at the higher powers.

-- Chuck
 
Engineer1911 said:
Folks, I'll make a deal with you. You can have your AR15-22 dressed any way you want but let me keep my butt-naked [no rails, no lazer, no flashlight, no moon dial] Custom 10-22 with the Simmons (MidwayUSA) 6.5X x 20X x 50 mm scope on it. The play ground is big enough for everybody. :D :eek: :)

Any body want to shoot for $1 a point, 10 rounds, on a bullseye target at 100 yards? :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

would you let me use my rem 290 instead? heh it's an old cheapy but it shoots really well!


i actually haven't shot my 15-22 at 100yrds yet. i have ordered the PA DMS equivalent for one of mine and I am very interested in seeing what it can do. will update you concerning this bet after the optics and gun dialed in!
 
Anyone against this optic for the price range? I have been reading all the posts here concerning the price of scopes and thought I would chime in and give my .02 cents worth. First off I would like to say this 15/22 is the coolest thing since sliced bread! At the time I made my purchase from Cabella"s I also invested in a Bushnell 1x28 Trophy Series Red Dot for $120.
It has 4 reticles and a 11 postion brightness control. After a couple trips to the range I was not comfortable with the way the scope was lining up with eye placement, so I ordered a pair of UTG QD 30mm Hi-Profile scope rings, Wa-La! this made a big improvment and at this time I am quite pleased with the way things turned out. Since I only shoot at the range @ 25yds. I feel this scope is suited to my needs quite nicely :>)
 
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