RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

Tip of the day:
Replace it BEFORE it breaks, and you see the tail of a buck of a lifetime waving bye-bye!:(
Tip #2:
Don't play in the street!:D

RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

When I bought my 220 swift, it camewith a Tasco 6-18x on it. It's not a great scope. It's like looking through wax paper in comparison to my other scopes. However, I don't use it for big game or in low light or harsh conditions. That and the fact that the gun shoots so well have kept me from changing it out for a better scope.

As for Simmons, I know they haven't had the best reputation, but I have a Simmons Aetec in the new Master Series they came up with a few years back and I think that's actually a pretty decent scope. Seems to outperform its price range, IMO. I haveanother, older,Simmons Aetec (the pre-Master Series model)on a .22 and there's a noticeable difference in quality between the two.

RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

Actually the new Gander Mountain in Evansville, IN has all of their scopes mounted on a half stock so you can look thru all of them. Every thing from the cheapest to the most expensive are on display. It is a very nice touch.

RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

I am one of this people that is on a really tight budget and tasco scopes are one of the few scopes that meets it. I bought 2 brand new tascos this year, one for my 30-06 and one for my sks. The one on my 30-06 would not hold a group. partly it was the guns barrel need to be refloated the other WAS the scope as while at the mounts. I had a 10+ year old tasco on my ML. Could hold groups at both 50 yrds and 100 yrds with atleast 3 - 4 defferent loads. Yesterday I was getting my ML ready for late season. Wiping all extra oil off the barrel, and the windage turret came off the scope. switched out for the one on my scope 30-06. no more than 25 rounds on that scope, the cross hair started to spin when I changed the power setting.

I have one more tasco that was on my sks. I had luck with that one. my final range session made bore sighting it easy on the ML, 2 - 3 in high and 2 - 3 in at 5 yards (best that I could do with it freezen rain and that space I had). that should get me on paper to work it the rest of the way. I am hoping it holds up. going to put 28 load on it monday from 60 to 85 grs of pyrodex p fffg.

My faith in the new tascos, are out the window. I am going to get better scopes next year, just need to money. I think I am going all nikons.

RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

I don't think anyone is saying that if you buy a tasco it will fall apart within weeks of putting it on your gun. Just that you shouldn't expect a 50 or 60 dollar scope to last a lifetime is all.

I have owned them all over the years (cheap scopes I mean). Bushnell, Tasco, BSA, Simmons, Barska and some no name brands. I can honestly say I have only ever had one really fail on me. The Bushnell Trophy I put on my slug gun few years wouldn't hold parallax from shot to shot. And these are usually pretty decent scopes for the money ($100 for 1.75-4X). I let someone shoot my slug gun and the scope clocked them in the head, I think that did it in. I have never had one change POI from year to year, or have them shift when I change the power setting or parallax ring.

A lot of people bag on BSA as well, but they actually make a few decent scopes, but they are not real cheap either. I wouldn't call them great scopes, but decent for the money. And BSA has great customer service from what I understand. I had a buddy return one that wouldn't hold POI (imagine that) and they did very good by him. They didn't have the model he wanted in stock so they sent him a better one, then when they got the one had they sent it and told him to keep both scopes for his trouble.

The problem with cheaper scopes like the Simmons 8 points or any other brand for that matter in that category is that the optics normally suck. Not a huge deal at low powers, but when you get up to 9 or 10X you can really tell the difference between cheap optics, decent ones and good ones. Especially in better than ideal lighting conditions or at longer ranges. And when you get into varmint scopes that have 16X or above with big adjustable objectives you can REALLY tell a difference. I don't know who in their right mind thinks that 6-20X50 AO scope for 139 bucks is really going to be a good scope? It might work on a .22 at 50 yards or so, but not a varmint rig where you are trying to pick out small targets at 2 or 3 hundred yards.

The other problem I have had with cheap scopes is they tend to fog up easily, where the more expensive ones don't. There is nothing like shouldering a rifle on an animal in crappy weather and having the scope gradually fog up while your aiming because of the heat of eye[:@]. Been there, done that don't care to have it happen again.

And I feel the cheaper scopes probably have less quality control. They can't all be bad, or people simply wouldn't buy them anymore. However I bet you get more bad ones than you do with the more expensive models or better name brands. It's just that most don't bother messing with returning them, they just go out and get another 40 or 50 dollar scope. Less hassle in most cases.

In my opinion if I were to buy a lower end scope right now it would be a Bushnell. Of all the scopes I have looked through and owned they seem to have the best optics on their low cost models like the Dusk to Dawn scopes and the likes.

I'm lucky in that I live near a Cabela's. I buy most of my optics and anything I am not sure of there. Simply because they have the best return policy I have ever encountered. As long as you keep the box and paperwork you can take it back for any reason and get your money back. Not credit towards something else, but cold hard cash! And they simply don't care why you didn't like it. Or how long you used it in some cases.

I honestly don't see how someone can look through a 50 dollar tasco, Simmons, barska, bsa and likes, then look through a similar model in the $200 range from a better scope like a Bushnell 3200, Cabela's Alaskan guide, Burris or Nikon and say they can't see a difference? If you can't tell immediately you need to get your eyes checked;).

Just my opinions and nothing more. I will admit I'm not in the optics industry like someone else on here:D.

Paul

RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

Well, my Leupold was sitting up against the gun cabinet in a gun sock and fell over. When I checked it it had knocked it 3" high at 50 yards. It had been dead on. I adjusted it back down but it worries me if it moves that easy who knows what it will do even riding in a vehicle. My Tasco after a year seems to be a much better scope than this Leupold. The Tasco is about 1 year old and on my muzzle loader. The Leupold is 1 and a half or so years old on my 30-06 and already been sent in for repair once which took 2 months to get back.

RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

Exclude the VXI. When you say leupold you should verify your talking about the VXI it is a budget model period. It was made to compare to the less expensive scopes andfit into that market. It is not a good quality scope. Get into the VXII or VXIII and you cant even use tasco in the same sentence. I don't own a VXI but if you want I'll go buy you a brand new $30 Tasco and we can trade even up!! I still think a VXI has to be better than a Tasco and for 30 bucks I would give it a try. Probably make a good scope for a 22 or something.

RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

I honestly like the $30 Tasco better. Just as clear others have looked through it and told me it looked clearer to them but it looks about the same to me. Doesn't lose zero every time it falls. Didn't have the insides shake after 6 months and have to be sent in for repair. I'm using it on my muzzle loader and the Leupold on my 30-06. I also have a Simmons that was $60 about 4 years ago and it holds zero when dropped too. Just a much better scope too. I bought just recently a Burris Fullfied II I want to try but have nothing to put it on right now and since the Leupold is sighted in right now I don't want to take it off right now. So I will see how I like it. The Leupold is the only scope I've had that I thought was junk. I have a Tasco on a bb gun that is probably 40 years old and it isn't the clearst but I don't need it to be on a bb gun.

RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

Tasco the quality is not good at all. One scope may be good and the next is junk.

But as for Simmons I have seen some good scopes come from them not all of them but I have seen some.

RE: Why don't you like Tasco scopes?
 

In my attic is a big box with about a dozen broken Tasco, Bushnell, and Simmons scopes. Some of the Simmons scopes do have good glass but the inner workings go to pot.No more cheap scopes for me.I will only buy LeupoldVXIII/FXIII or Zeiss scopes.