Let's be honest - it's easy to get caught up or overwhelmed by "gear fever" anytime you're starting out in a sport. Many ofus who've been around awhile probably started out with borrowed, used, or "cheap" rifles, not having $5K to run down to the local Cabela's toscare up a hunting outfit? Many of us made do with fixed-power scopes for years. Variable-power scopes were for magazine writers. Many of us used maps and an old Boy Scout compass to find our way around. Electronic navigationgadgets was for astronauts and fighter pilots. Before Gore-Tex, there was Army-surplus wool.

Sure, we'd all like to buy the absolute best stuff we can get - but reality is that we often simplycan't afford it. Nothing wrong with that - better to be hunting than wishing.

If you find yourself strapped for cash enough to buy your first centerfire rifle - let alone buy "good glass", welcome to the club. Many of us have been there ourselves. Some of us are still there. I still have a couple of Bushnells, Weavers, and Tascos hanging out in the safe on smaller-caliber weapons. They haven't failed yet,nor have they given me any indications that they will. Honestly, I probably wouldn't take them on an expensive guided hunt or out-of-state, but I'm not afraid taking them into the local National Forest.

And it's still better to be hunting than wishing.

DM does make a good point though. Once you've accumulated enough that you can consider buying a second rifle, consider first that you might upgrade the glass on your first rifle instead. Realistically, you're not going to gain a lot replacing a $75 scope with a $150 scope, though. I don't seem to notice much difference until I've dropped upwards of $300. There's probably a good reason I haven't looked at Zeiss, Swaro, Kahles, etc! I don't know if I could hide a receipt that big from my wife!?