Scott

My opinion about optics is admittedly verystrong. I realize that everyone isn't as passionate about this as I am, but here it is - I personally would not consider buying the Pine Ridge or any other "bargain" scope. If you are on a limited budget, use the open sights on the Omega until you can afford a better glass. The Omega shoots good enough to deserve a scope of higher quality. Cabelas is not in the optics business - they contract the manufacturethese scopes from who knows. I don't know anything about the reputation of the outfit that makes them for Cabelas. I hope that I'm not coming across like some sort of optics snob - I don't mean to be.

I learned my lesson the hard way. I bought a pair of Cabelas roof prism, compact binos a few years back for about $100.00. They looked good and worked great --- for 3-4 years. Then they started to fog in damp, cold conditions. Then it became harder to adjust them. Then the left ocular lens came out. I called Cabelas - "sorry, we don't repair those and they are out of warrenty". I threw them away, just like the money I spent on them.

Put it this way - are you willing to risk blowing a chanceat the biggest buck you will ever see becausecheap optics failed at the moment of truth. And trust me, they will eventually fail due to weather, recoil, etc. It is a roll of the dice as to when.

I don't advocate going out and spending 500 or a thousand dollars on a scope. One reaches a point of diminishing returns after about $250.00 in my opinion, especially for a ML in which shots much beyond 175-200yards or so won't be taken (much shorterin a vast majority of cases). For this reasonI believe that you can get a very servicable, dependable scope from a reputable company and spend no more than 100 -175 bucks (maybe even less). Stick with the name brands that offer full lifetime warrenties that transfer with the scope (like Nikon, Leupold, Busnell, Sightron, etc.) Look on ebay for used ones - I've bought two used Nikon scopes recently that had a scratch or two, but worked perfectly.

Here is what I have:

Nikon 3X9X40mm Buckmasteron an Omega (bought used on ebay for $132.00). Very clearoptics, lifetime warrenty,precise adjustments.

Nikon 2X7X32mm Prostaffon a Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08 (bought new on ebay for $97.00, but will probably upgrade this scope in the future - the kids are shooting it now). Nice scope for the money, it is the lowest priced Nikon available. Full lifetime warrenty.

An old Redfield 3X9 on an 80's model Ruger M77 in .270 (scope is 20+ years old and still works perfectly)

1991 Redfield Illuminator 3X9X44mm on a 30 year old Remington 700 in 30.06. This is the oldest rifle I have and it wears the best scope because it is the most accurate gun I own.


I promise you, you won't regret spending a few extra bucks on optics whenyou line them up on thatbuck of a lifetimeand you can clearly see the animal and you have completeconfidence that the point of impact hasn't shifted 1 mm from the last time you shot that gun.

Good luck