Barska scope: good,bad, junk, decent------UPDATE--------

I have a 3-14x50 Barska on my .223 Win model 70 with the illuminated duplex recticle. The recticle is etched in the glass. I paid about $100 and have been very pleased with it. I mainly use it at night for predators. I have not had any problems with it under the red lens. The 11 different settings come in really handy. My girlfriend shoots it at night as well when we go out and she really likes it. Never fogs and holes zero from 45 grain zero and easy zeros again with just a few clicks for the 55 grain. I felt I was in the same boat you are in and figured since the company has come a long ways in just such a short time there must have been a reason, and now I know. Just because it doesn't have a gold ring around the bell, doesn't mean I won't take it, sit down next to the "Gold Ringed Scope" and shoot just as well under the circumstances. I believe it is one of the higher end "cheap scopes".

Seems the trend these days is to make good glass overseas by one or two companies and then put it into many different "cheap scopes". Barska says that themselves If remember correctly. Part of there motto is more scope for less money and from I can tell its true. Taurus is a "cheap" gun but they make a great economical weapon also.

Get the Barska and don't look back. They have a lifetime warranty so if something is wrong they will take care of it!!! Let us know what you end up purchasing
 
I have shot 33.00 scopes to 1250.00 scopes. Killed alot of coyotes and prarie dogs with both. Just spend all you are comfortable spending for a scope you like then make it work. may involve warranty ,return or exchange with a good dealer or some combination, but get it done and go enjoy yourself.You can always buy up to something else when you want to spend more money someday.All you need is a scope that gives an acceptable image of your target and stays zeroed.The 33 dollar scope I had was a tasco mounted on an expensive hk sporter 223. I always intended to put a better scope on it ,but it stayed zeroed and killed several hundred coyotes or fox and countless prarie dogs.
 
also you may want to consider a 243 ackely improved for your 243, great perfomance and the abiltity to use your 243 brass you already have. Magazine will still work too.In any case if you rechamber the barrel should most likely be set back a thread or two to make sure you clean up the whole chamber so not to have the fit problems mentioned in one of these posts.What make and model do you have??Someone mentioned a 6mm/284. I shoot one and have built several in my shop.Great round and would clean up chamber as someone mentioned without setting the barrel back.It is the king of the 243 rounds ,can shoot light to heavy bullets and hit like a freight train.Will feed fine with a 243 win magagzine with the lighter(shorter oal) bullets.The twist in a factory barrel will most likely accomidate a wide range of bullet weights.Most smiths have a set of 6/284 reamers, It is a very popular long range wildcat round. good luck.
 
You do get what you pay for in scopes most times but the riflescope industry is going thru some changes. One of those changes is Barska entering into the market. Like most brand names they make cheap scopes at $25 up to mid priced scopes at around $250. When you just say Barska people think you are referring to the bottom end. But if you say Bushnell, Leopold, Burris, etc. they think you are talking about the top of the line. That's not completely fair when comparing scopes. You need to be more specific on which models you are referring to.

My first Barska was a Huntsman 4X at $25 I bought when in a need for quick scope for a 22. I was pleasantly surprised at the clarity, good crosshairs and the solid clicks.

Started reading on other forums of people bragging about Barska's so I bought one of their varmint scopes in 6-24X50 for $60 to see if they were as good as the 4X. Again I was surprised again that the clarity, crosshairs and solid clicks. It did not darken at the higher power settings like most cheap scopes costing under a $100. But it did have a fault of "flaring" at the higher power settings (above about 15x). Still it was very useable and I did my testing on a 300wsm and it held up fine.

My next purchase of a Barska was their new Tactical: Etched glass reticle, Mildots, Reticle on the first focal plane so Mildots readings stay the same on all power settings, Fully Multicoated lens, 6-20X50, Illuminated Reticle, in a 1" tube. These features are only available on scope costing over $1000, Barska price $250. So far with maybe 200 rounds over it I am totally impressed so impressed that I bought another of their Tactical’s in 4-16X50!

Before you start screaming "Made in China" I bet you can't find a scope maker that isn't having something made in China!!
 
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Before you start screaming "Made in China" I bet you can't find a scope maker that isn't having something made in China!!




2003 China launched the first manned flight into earth orbit
2005 China launched the second manned flight into earth orbit with 2 astronauts for three days
Jan 11, 2007 China became the third country in the world behind the US and Russia to possess the capability to shoot down a satellite with anti-ballistic missile after she shot down an old weather satellite.
2008 China plans to launch another manned flight into orbit and this time Chinese astronauts are going to do Extra Vehicular Activity (space walk)
2010 China plans to land a probe on the moon. When she does she will be the second country in the world to set a probe on the moon.

Before you know it the Space Shuttle will be made in China as well.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif
 
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Before you start screaming "Made in China" I bet you can't find a scope maker that isn't having something made in China!!




Before you know it the Space Shuttle will be made in China as well.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif



Could be for the most part already, the contract does go to the lowest bidder correct?
 
i found the illum. reticle in the Barska to be nice. No lens glare, and it doesn't illuminate the interior of the tube like the NCStar.
 

***********UPDATE:

UPDATE:
Per good advice from others on this post I tracked down some Barska scopes and checked them out in person. The Barska "Swat" 6-24 30 mm tube AO seemed "bright enough"- but let me clarify that: The only one the shop had was on a sold rifle, a green AR-10 /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif. The shop is in a wealthy liberal part of town, so they didnt want me out in the parking lot running to and fro with a scoped AR-10 taking aim at random So I was standing in the store, which has tinted windows peering outside the door held slightly open by a store attendant. Also it was a nasty grey raining day /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif. But on max power I was looking at a rusty old electrical box about 90 yards away that was on an abondoned little building down the street. I could see clearly enough to easily hold the crosshair on an individual electrical breaker, pretty clearly /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/ooo.gif. Pretty good for being in a dark room looking out into a dull grey day on 24x.

They also had the one inch tube Varmint version. 6-24 one inch tube target turrets (with caps) AO. This one came in a few days later. I walked outside with it and it was an average slightly overcast day. on max magnification is was plenty clear and bright enough. This 6-24 is availible in a target version with a dot reticle, or the "varmint" version with Mil-dot.

THE BEST PART: The best scope prices I have ever found are with Foxoptics ebay store on E-bay. Travis Fox has great prices. (passing on the tip, I am in no way connected with travis fox) His e-bay store prices are great, but if you call him on the phone he normally will quote you an even better deal. He priced either of the one inch version of the Barska 6-24x to me FOR $57!!!! The big "Swat" 30mm tube 6-24x he priced @ $167!

As soon as I can come up with the clams. I will have a 6-24x.

In closing Travis is on the cutting edge of scope news.he goes to about every shooting industry show he can get to, and knows what every scop manufactuer is up to. He told me to wait untill the end of the week before I decide on a scope purchase because He was off (today) to yet another show. Among other things, he was going to check out the revamped simmons line. He tells me Simmons in unvailing a new 6-24 with far better lenses than they have ever used in the past. It also has a side focus. He told me he would compare the Barska's to the new simmons to the bsa platinum and get back to me with a report of which was more scope for the money- and pricing. Now that firends is service.

Again I'm just passing on good info to you guys. I "discovered" Fox optics back just beofore Christmas. I have made one scope purchase from him, and about three phone calls. It is with this breif contact I have been so impressed. Take advantage of my new found knowledge. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I'll second Travis Fox. Good guy... I haven't dealt with him in a year or so but sounds like he is still doing things right.
Dave
 
No matter what scope you purchase make sure it has enough Eye Clearance for the amount of Recoil the round delivers!

From personal experience with a close family member many less expensive scopes have a minimum eye relief. Harder recoiling rifles, shotguns and muzzleloaders can and do cause MUCH PAIN and even loss of vision/eyes due to insufficient space between the scope rectical and your eye ball. Cut eye brows and busted noses are another symtom of this problem, too.

This is more important than what you can afford or how clear the glass is. When someone you love has to live with chronic facial pain because of this issue then no optic is too expensive.
 
Thanks for saftey note. Scopes in this discussion list ample eye releif.

Food for thought:
I used to sell firearms at a large retail outlet. When H&R (or was it New england?- whats the difference??) came out with the single barrel/shot NWTF 10 ga. turkey gun the instruction included that prolonged & consistent shooting could cause the optic nerve to seperate from the back of the eyeball due to the recoil!
 
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I have a Barska set of 10 power binoculars and they fog up on me now after 2 years but this is because they are on my chest and it is very cold outside this year. But I would make the purchase again in one second, they are nearly as clear as my buddies Nikons so close in fact that he feels he spent to much and was disappointed in the waste of his money. Barska 60$ Nikons 250$. Do it buy a Barska I dare you to say you don't like it after you use it.
 
I just bought a set of Barska binoculars at Menards 7X35 for 12.99 on clearance. When I got home and took a look through them I was amazed at how clear they were. I'm not ready to get rid of my Nikons but its a good pair to keep in the truck.
 
My Barska scope came yesterday. The glass is very clear, and the recticle is sharp/crisp. I got the 3-9X42 with illuminated recticle and 100-500 yard BDC dial. The lighted recticle is click ajustible, and is nice and bright. I don't have my AR yet to try it out on the range, but as soon as I do, I will be out testing the scope.

Karl
 
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