Tasco Titan scopes?s
06-24-2013, 07:07 PM
#1
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: West TN
Posts: 847
Tasco Titan scopes?s
I remember back over a decade ago that these scopes were built in ***an by one of the better scopemakers and was Tasco's attempt at competing with the high dollar euro scopes. They never got a fair break because of the name (Ferrari can build the car but if you slap Yugo on the grill and trunklid it just aint gonna get much respect!) and the company was sold and now for the last 10-15yrs we see Tasco essentially referred to as Trashco. I know the original "***an built" Tasco's were actually quite decent scopes, especially for the money. But like most others who've since shipped their mfrg to the Phillipines, China, Vietnam etc... the stuff now is crap.
Like I said, I remember the Titan scopes but never actually looked thru or handled one personally. I remember hearing they were built like tanks, a little heavy, had fantastic glass in them and of course were 30mm tubes. The reason I ask is I was in an old gunshop the other day looking over everything and I was shocked to see 2 brand new, still in the original dust covered boxes, Titan 3x9x42s in the display case. I want to say the original, very faded pricetags were marked near $300 and had been x-out to a scant over $200. Now I realize they aren't in any way related to the "newer" Tasco company and would essentially be a brand new scope with ZERO warranty. But for crapsNgiggles and based on the fact that I enjoy "different" and "odd" items, I must admit being interested in snapping up those 2 scopes and tossing them in the closet for the heck of it. (I actually have a project rifle I might start soon so I might actually WOULD mount one up and use it.)
Anyone have any REAL experience or remembrance of the Titans?
HL
Like I said, I remember the Titan scopes but never actually looked thru or handled one personally. I remember hearing they were built like tanks, a little heavy, had fantastic glass in them and of course were 30mm tubes. The reason I ask is I was in an old gunshop the other day looking over everything and I was shocked to see 2 brand new, still in the original dust covered boxes, Titan 3x9x42s in the display case. I want to say the original, very faded pricetags were marked near $300 and had been x-out to a scant over $200. Now I realize they aren't in any way related to the "newer" Tasco company and would essentially be a brand new scope with ZERO warranty. But for crapsNgiggles and based on the fact that I enjoy "different" and "odd" items, I must admit being interested in snapping up those 2 scopes and tossing them in the closet for the heck of it. (I actually have a project rifle I might start soon so I might actually WOULD mount one up and use it.)
Anyone have any REAL experience or remembrance of the Titans?
HL
06-25-2013, 07:06 AM
#3
Not always true. A lot of quality is determined by the facility the product is manufactured in, not the country of origin. Shoddy manufacturers turn out shoddy product regardless of country. We handle a lot of product from various countries and there's little relationship between where it's made and how well. Maybe we're just choosing the right manufacturers? 
As far as the Tasco, they made some very respectable scopes "back in the day" and started as an American company. They're now owned by Bushnell and the name is utilized mainly for their lower priced scopes and binos. Even so, I have a 4x32 Tasco Pronghorn on a 30-30 that was given to me by my grandfather and it's never given me any problems.
The Titans were built before the company went under to compete with higher end European optics but couldn't get past their own name. I'd go back and haggle, see if you can get both for a song.
As far as the Tasco, they made some very respectable scopes "back in the day" and started as an American company. They're now owned by Bushnell and the name is utilized mainly for their lower priced scopes and binos. Even so, I have a 4x32 Tasco Pronghorn on a 30-30 that was given to me by my grandfather and it's never given me any problems.
The Titans were built before the company went under to compete with higher end European optics but couldn't get past their own name. I'd go back and haggle, see if you can get both for a song.
06-25-2013, 10:02 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: PA
Posts: 1,778
Not always true. A lot of quality is determined by the facility the product is manufactured in, not the country of origin. Shoddy manufacturers turn out shoddy product regardless of country. We handle a lot of product from various countries and there's little relationship between where it's made and how well. Maybe we're just choosing the right manufacturers?
As far as the Tasco, they made some very respectable scopes "back in the day" and started as an American company. They're now owned by Bushnell and the name is utilized mainly for their lower priced scopes and binos. Even so, I have a 4x32 Tasco Pronghorn on a 30-30 that was given to me by my grandfather and it's never given me any problems.
The Titans were built before the company went under to compete with higher end European optics but couldn't get past their own name. I'd go back and haggle, see if you can get both for a song.
As far as the Tasco, they made some very respectable scopes "back in the day" and started as an American company. They're now owned by Bushnell and the name is utilized mainly for their lower priced scopes and binos. Even so, I have a 4x32 Tasco Pronghorn on a 30-30 that was given to me by my grandfather and it's never given me any problems.
The Titans were built before the company went under to compete with higher end European optics but couldn't get past their own name. I'd go back and haggle, see if you can get both for a song.
06-26-2013, 05:34 AM
#6
At one point it may have been true, but the trend with Asian manufacturing is moving more toward quality. Back when it was fashionable to outsource manufacturing overseas, it was mainly because it was much cheaper and helped bottom line. Obviously quality suffered, but that has changed in the last several years as many manufacturing firms have realized that they can't churn out crap and expect to keep contracts. Yes, some Chinese manufacturers are still lagging behind, but they'll eventually get weeded out.
A lot (most) of what Celestron manufactures comes from factories in China, and they're one of the biggest and most popular telescope companies in the world. And astronomy geeks are just as discriminating about their optics as hunters, if not more.
And here's a funny detail: A lot of those manufacturing facilities in China, ***an, and other Pacific rim nations are all owned by the same people. In a lot of cases, the only consideration given to where a product is manufactured is based on minimum labor costs. I know of at least one company who has all their parts manufactured in ***an and final product assembled in a factory in China for that reason.
A lot (most) of what Celestron manufactures comes from factories in China, and they're one of the biggest and most popular telescope companies in the world. And astronomy geeks are just as discriminating about their optics as hunters, if not more.
And here's a funny detail: A lot of those manufacturing facilities in China, ***an, and other Pacific rim nations are all owned by the same people. In a lot of cases, the only consideration given to where a product is manufactured is based on minimum labor costs. I know of at least one company who has all their parts manufactured in ***an and final product assembled in a factory in China for that reason.
