BSA scopes, anyone ever used them?

Originally Posted By: liliysdadThe ability to maintain zero is but a VERY small part of the equation.

No kidding there.

But if someone tells me that they cannot tell the difference between a $50 scope and a $500 scope then I tell them to buy the $50 scope and be happy.
 
Originally Posted By: liliysdadThe ability to maintain zero is but a VERY small part of the equation. They're both clear scopes especially the Gold Star. A prairie dog sticking his head out of its hole to peak around at 100 yards or closer is a dead prairie dog if I'm looking through the Sweet 17 and I've dropped coyotes out to 400 yards using the Gold Star. For the kind of shooting I do they work just fine. I've had junk scopes before but so far I've had good luck with BSA.
 
I've owned a few BSA models over the years, the only model I had regrets about was the low cost 4x rimfire special model. It was pretty cloudy but still able to use it.
The first BSA I got was a Contender 3-12, that scope spent time on several different firearms and after 10 years a turret adjustment froze up. I didn't have original purchase paperwork and BSA still sent me a new style Contender 3-12.
I own three of the BSA air rifle scopes on springer guns and they are great scopes for the money.

These "bashing" posts make me laugh,, especially when they're started by a member with thousands of posts and makes it sound as though he never heard anything about BSA ??????
 
I have always wondered how these junk resellers stay in business. Now I know.

I truly wish I had never discovered what a decent piece of glass was. My life would be much simpler, and my wallet much fatter.
 
Originally Posted By: liliysdadI have always wondered how these junk resellers stay in business. Now I know.

I truly wish I had never discovered what a decent piece of glass was. My life would be much simpler, and my wallet much fatter.

I believe ignorance is bliss is very applicable to this!
 
I dont think thats the case at all. I feel its more an issue of those feeling the need to defend cheapness like its some sort of badge of honor.
 
I'm not trying to defend BSA necessarily. Just telling about my experience with them. I see the difference between a Simmons and a Zeiss. But if I can get by with using something cheap, I will. Both BSA's I have were given to me so if they both bit the dust tomorrow it wouldn't be a big deal. I've put enough prime fur on the ground with the Gold Star to pay for it several times over so I'm not worried about that. If it messes up will I get another one? Probably not unless someone doesn't like the one they have and gives it to me to use. There's nothing wrong with them I'd just try something new that I haven't had before. Use it till it breaks....repeat.
 
That's how everything I have is. If its not good quality it won't last a year. I'm rough on equipment. I don't try to be I just am. There are pieces gone off of the BSA on my coyote rifle and the Sweet 17 was in the front seat of my pickup for so long the sun melted the rubber coating on it. They still put bullets where I want them to go so why get a new one? That's just how I am though. I had a flat tire 3 months ago,aired it up and drove a nail in it where it was leaking to stop up the hole....truck drives great. If it ain't broke,don't fix it. I use cheap scopes because it'd hurt my feelings to tear up a Nightforce. Just because it has that written on it don't make a rifle shoot straighter anyways. I've seen Leupold and Zeiss miss.
 
Originally Posted By: OKRattler I see the difference between a Simmons and a Zeiss. But if I can get by with using something cheap, I will.

Oh, but I wish I could do that. This time of year I spend more time peering through glass than a peeping tom at a all girls high school. Trying to undermine if a ground squirrel is a ground squirrel or a rock or a dirt clod or piece of cow turd at 400 yard distant requires a nice sharp lens. Especially for these 60 something year old eyes. Trust me, I have had so many cheap scopes, including a BSA Sweet 17 and for what I paid for all of them I could buy me another Zeiss Conquest.

I have scopes made by several different manufacturers and none of them keep me guessing as to what I am looking at when the target is way out there. Like I said earlier, if I could get by with cheap glass then I would. But I cant so I wont. Simple as that.
 
Originally Posted By: liliysdadI truly wish I had never discovered what a decent piece of glass was. My life would be much simpler, and my wallet much fatter.


ya. i made the mistake of trading my SPS Varmint 223 that had been collecting dust for a VX3 when i got my LR308. bad mistake - but only in so much that now i'd gone and spoiled my eyes. especially after hunting it in low light conditions right after the start of shooting time and up to the last few minutes of it back in the woods where i deer hunt.

i found out just how bad the lower quality glass i had been surviving with (like my bushnell) really was.

 
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I have one that was on a 22mag that dad gave me. He wanted to buy the henry lever action so he had to off load the marlin. He doesnt believe in wasting money and he doesnt like the bsa scopes.
 
I hope it's OK if I say something here.
You can see I don't have many posts - So I hope I don't screw this up!!

I guess the question was basically, are BSA scopes any good??

I don't know what I think about comparing a BSA or a Simmons scope to a Zeiss Conquest...
It's like comparing my Kia Soul to a Lamborghini isn't it?

Kia Soul - my 1st brand new car!! (-:
Hmmm - you're thinking... This guy is cheap!! I like to call it "poor" - or maybe "severely underfunded"...

I'm in the process of putting a Simmons on my rifle.
Not even a good one - the 8-point I think it's called.
My 2nd brand new scope in the last 49 years I've been around!!

The Zeiss Conquest cost's roughly 20 times what my Simmons cost.
It costs about 3 time what my rifle costs!!

So: Is a Zeiss Conquest a better scope than my $50 8-Point Simmons??

Stupid Question - It better be!! I'd have to get a loan to buy the SOB...

I guess it boils down to a couple of things:
What's your disposable income?
What do you intend to use the scope for?

Well, if your disposable income is pretty slim - like mine - the $1,000 scope is just simply out of the question. Ain't gonna happen - no way - no how. The same for a $500 scope...

If you have a grand burning a hole in your pocket - by all means - go buy whatever you want.

If you'd like to target shoot or blast a deer or a coyote or even some prairie dogs, a BSA or Simmons will work just fine.

Calling them Junk or Trash I think is not the coolest thing. If they were totally worthless, I don't think there would be so many people buying them.

No doubt, a Zeiss Conquest would be a lot nicer and a lot better...

I guess my point is simply this: If you're poor or if you just plain don't want to spend a $1,000 on a scope, a BSA or a Simmons will get the job done - they'll work - many have said so.

I'd love to have something like a Zeiss Conquest - But seriously... I don't know if I'd even feel comfortable with a $1,000 scope attached to my rifle while hunting...

I'm going to mount an NcStar on my other rifle...
I think I can feel the eye-balls rolling and groans and heads shaking already... (-:
I got it used for a good price. We'll find out if it's any good or not.

And I don't care what scope you use or what gun... I don't care - I'm glad to see so many folks interested in shooting!!

Well, I hope I did an alright job here with my (I think!!) 2nd post...
And I sure didn't intend to make anyone mad. (-:
I hope I wasn't too long winded either...
And Thank You all for reading!!
 
jasonsch,,,Don't worry,,,You did good on your post...

I'm a lot like you, even though I do own a couple of optics that cost over 500, but not by much (and I dream about having one of the "really good" ones)...I've used the 'cheaper' optics for years in action competitions due to the propensity for them to get damaged when throwing the firearm into a 'safety' barrel in a speed shoot to go on to the next weapon on the course...

I currently run a Simmons 2.8-10x on my 'hunting AR' that I picked up in a pawn shop for $50 and it's every bit as clear and sturdy as some of my higher dollar Sightrons that were $300-400...I have an old BSA spotting scope that I finally replaced after 20 years with a new Redfield for $229 a couple of years ago...My "Money Tree" doesn't bear fruit very often either...
 
I disagree. Cheap optics are rarely a bargain in my experience. I have tried, many times to get by with cheap Chinese glass, and have yet to feel I got a good deal. Much like tools, cheap scopes are worth exactly what they cost.

My disposable income is nothing to brag about...but I have decent glass. I horsetrade, scrimp, and save to pay for somewhat decent glass. I dont have any really good glass, but a $1000.00 Burris on my .243, and a few Leupolds and Japanese Weavers scattered around more than get the job done.
 
According to a guy that I went calling with the military uses bsa scopes. He head one on his AR and was telling me how great it was and how he had one on his service rifle in iraq. I didn't know what was worse the fact that he said the military used them or the fact that he talked like he had been deployed
 
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