RE: New to deer hunting, which rifle?
 

Man it's cool. I understand how I may have made it sound like it was all used instead of specifically saying the gun was used but not the scope.

Anyway, I like you used to tell all my friends whom liked their cheap Tasco's how I liked my Leupold better which at first I did but I think it was because of what I spent on it. I also used to tell them how it would probably last longer. I didn't know that it would just from what I'd read people says suspected it would.

After I bought the Leupold I bought a muzzle loader which I needed a scope for and I didn't have a ton to spend on one so I figured hey I will buy a Tasco for $30 and then see how I like it. If I hate it I can return it and if I like it enough to use it but don't really love it I will just use it and replace it not a big deal. That kind of also applied to if it breaks I can just get something else as I wont have lost that much money.

Well to my surprise I actually really was impresed with it. Looked about as clear as the Leupold to me. I couldn't really tell a difference. My buddies looked and more than one of them said it looked clearer to them. 6 months or so after I got the Leupold it broke while the Tasco was still going. It wasn't quite as old at that point just a few months old. So I sent the Leupold in for repair and it was in the middle of hunting season. I figured hey I'd just go get another $30 Tasco as I waited for the Leupold back. I did just that and used it for about 2 months. It worked fine the whole time. The only time I noticed a difference is looking right under where the sun was it had a lot of glare but I strongly suspect the Leupold would have in that situation too. The tasco is atleast nice enough to give you tinted lense caps for situations like this where as the Leupold doesn't give you any lens covers. I've never tried the Leupold in that situation but in all others the Tasco was just as good or better. After getting me Leupold back I put it on the rifle and sold my Tasco to a buddy for I think $20 or something. I've had the Leupold on there for a little while again now and now that I'm getting it ready for hunting season I noticed with any fall or anything it loses zero. The Tasco never had this problem. I shot boxes of shells through this gun before I got it sighted in where as the muzzle loader with the Tasco I had hitting the bullseye at 100 yards within a 3-4 shots. After sitting all year it shoot just a hair to the left which I had a feeling we just left it like that last year as it was not far at all from the bullseye so I thought what the heck I will turn it over a little and see what it does and it started hitting the bullseye everyshot if you held it still. It's now around 1 year old. So not only did it stay just where we aligned it last year as we just got it close not right dead on but it also still is working great while my Leupold has been in for repair once and you have to re adjust it everytime it falls or anything else. I just think the Tasco is all around a better scope and now see why all my buddies love them. As much as I wanted to hate Tasco and say they are cheap crap like most guys on this site I can't say it after using them. I went into using them with a bad additude of them being crap and they even impressed me. So it wasn't like I used them expecting to be impressed. They are cheap but from my experience not crap.

Now this isn't saying that there aren't some higher price scopes that are better but these things seem to have treated me better than my $230 Leupold and cost $200 less. That's a huge savings when something lasts longer and works better. So if you are looking for a scope with $200-250 or so in mind I would take a serious look at a Tasco instead of a Leupold in that price range. I also am happy with my 4 year old Simmons that hasn't given me any major problems or had to be sent in for repair like the Leupold and it was about $170 cheaper. Then again I've heard bad things about newer Simmons so idk abou them.

Anyway sorry for the long post this is just my experiences. I'm in no way saying there aren't better scopes than the Tasco just that it's a good scope at a great price. Not crap like most guys here are saying. I used to be one of them calling it crap too. I'm guessing most calling it that haven't used one. I'm anxious to try my Burris I bought on something as it has a nice look to it. I'm hoping I really like it too.

RE: New to deer hunting, which rifle?
 

John: If you are planning to hunt tight woods, a lever action .30-30 with open iron sights would be suitable. If not, a bolt action. I would look for special deals for a rifle scope combination from a local sporting goods store, from Cabelas, or from Bass Pro Shops. Your budget of $500 is a bit tight, but this doesn't mean you can't find a rifle that will do good hunting service. Alternatively, if you could find a rifle for less than $300, I would look for a telescopic sight in the price range of about $200 from one of Leupold or Burris with variable magnification no higher than 10x on the high end (for example, 3.5-10x). Most hunting rifles -- no matter how cheap -- will do their job reliably and consistently. The same, regrettably, cannot be said of different telescopic sights. If you get too cheap of a telescopic sight, odds are it will be not very durable (shooting a deer rifle with a scope attached to it is like hitting the scope with a hammer hard everytime you shoot -- that scope BETTER be rugged).

As far as chamberings for a bolt action, I would stick to the traditional cartridges -- .30-06, .270, 7mm-08, .308, .7 mm Remington Magnum.

RE: New to deer hunting, which rifle?
 

Read above. I have a $230 Leupold and a $30 Tasco. The Tasco has lasted 2x as long as the Leupold as the Leupold has been sent in for warranty repair once already and the Tasco is still going strong. It also seems to stand up a lot better to being dropped or anything like that as if you drop the Leupold you minus well just count on it being way off. I was told the reason the Leupold sucks is that I got the cheaper one but then guys saying just spend $200 or so on a Leupold. Well, that's what I did. I'd like to love the Leupold but I don't. I'm hoping to like the Burris I got but haven't tired it yet. If it was down the Leupold or a Tasco I'd go with the Tasco hands down everytime. I've had 2 of them and both have been better than the Leupold as has a Simmons I've had for 4 years.

RE: New to deer hunting, which rifle?
 

im glad this forum is so helpful to a newbie like me, thanks again! im am reading everyones advice and it is appreciated greatly! i went to gander mountain and was holding a remington 700 and it felt good. not to heavy it came with a scope (not sure of magnification i didnt look at that). i think it was about 450-500 so the price was good. i also believe it was used. so one more question i know someone mentioned buying a used gun, what should i look for in a used gun, many like any wrong with the gun? so anyways i think that might be my gun, just need to save a little first. thanks again

RE: New to deer hunting, which rifle?
 

remington model 700 BDL 30-06