BSA scopes?
- Thread starter kaizer
- Start date
blinddog
New member
I have one, a 5-15x50 for the price it is doing every thing I wanted it to. Since I have to live on retirement income I either have to save pennies or not shoot. Louipolds are good stuff but,expensive.With my eyesite I cannot really tell enough differance to justify the doubled or tripled price.
kaizer
New member
Leupolds are great, but around a grand with the magnification and target turrets. I am sure the glass isn't as clear on the BSA, but that is okay if I can save 800 bucks.
Just wanted to make sure people weren't having terrible problems with them. I am cheap and if the BSA are total crap I would be pissed to waste $125.
Just wanted to make sure people weren't having terrible problems with them. I am cheap and if the BSA are total crap I would be pissed to waste $125.
One of those subjects that seems to divide right down the middle - some guys think they are a POS and would never own another one - some guys swear they are the best value for the money. Few guys in between....except me.
I had one - 8x32 40mm I put that thing on a dozen different guns, a couple times each. Never had a problem with it. It was not clear at high magnification, it looked cheap, it did not adjust precisely and was definitely not a top shelf scope. It cost me $89 and I got my moneys worth out of it. It served as a 'load development scope'. I would not however "Bank" an expensive hunting trip on that scope. There may be better 'low end scopes' but I'll never know.
Donated it to a charitable cause.
I had one - 8x32 40mm I put that thing on a dozen different guns, a couple times each. Never had a problem with it. It was not clear at high magnification, it looked cheap, it did not adjust precisely and was definitely not a top shelf scope. It cost me $89 and I got my moneys worth out of it. It served as a 'load development scope'. I would not however "Bank" an expensive hunting trip on that scope. There may be better 'low end scopes' but I'll never know.
Donated it to a charitable cause.
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OldTurtle
Moderator - Deceased
BSA and Tasco seem to have a reputation as a 'crapshoot' situation... It's either an excellent buy for the money or a total waste...
I've had several of both over the years and have never had a problem with their rifle scopes or red-dots.. I do have a BSA spotting scope that could be thrown away though..
Like Blinddog, I have to make do on a fixed retirement income and the cost of living isn't dropping, that I've noticed, so the 'high dollar' items have to wait..
I've had several of both over the years and have never had a problem with their rifle scopes or red-dots.. I do have a BSA spotting scope that could be thrown away though..
Like Blinddog, I have to make do on a fixed retirement income and the cost of living isn't dropping, that I've noticed, so the 'high dollar' items have to wait..
DavidM
New member
I have a 4x18 and haven't had any problems. It certainly isn't a top end scope but I wouldn't call it a piece of crap either. When it comes to optics you get what you pay for. I didn't pay much and don't expect much out of it. It holds a zero and works. What more can I ask for the money?
David
David
SuperSeal110
New member
Ditto to what 7mnRM said.
IDBob
New member
I've got a BSA 6 by 24 mil-dot illuminated reticle on a Remington 243 VLS and though it's not a Leupold by any means it's doing a nice job for the hundred buck price tag.
As much as I'd like top of the line optics I like to be out shooting and on a fixed budget some of us just can't afford scopes that cost more than a good rifle. There's no doubt that expensive optics are great, but some folks simply can't afford them.
I've got a couple of Simmons AETEC's that are really nice scopes and I just bought a really inexpensive Simmons 3 by 9 by 50 for 25 bucks from a friend whom wanted to mount it on his SKS, but the mount wasn't any good and he decided to stick with open sights. I put it on my CZ 527 Varmint and here's the first group it shot. It's accurate, bright, clear and adjusts easily. I certainly can't ask any more from a scope.
One common thread that appears on almost any shooting forum is that when folks ask about scopes is that any scopes that cost under several hundred bucks are POS's.
That's simply not true. There are some excellent optics out there for reasonable money and there are folks that enjoy shooting that simply can't afford high dollar scopes and from the high sales of less expensive scopes seem to have found out that they don't need to. If all the inexpensive scopes out there were as bad as the "scope snobs" make them out to be those companies wouldn't be in business.
No offense meant, but the fact that unless your packing a Leupold, Lieca or such other scopes aren't useful or won't work is just a bunch of do-do.
As much as I'd like top of the line optics I like to be out shooting and on a fixed budget some of us just can't afford scopes that cost more than a good rifle. There's no doubt that expensive optics are great, but some folks simply can't afford them.
I've got a couple of Simmons AETEC's that are really nice scopes and I just bought a really inexpensive Simmons 3 by 9 by 50 for 25 bucks from a friend whom wanted to mount it on his SKS, but the mount wasn't any good and he decided to stick with open sights. I put it on my CZ 527 Varmint and here's the first group it shot. It's accurate, bright, clear and adjusts easily. I certainly can't ask any more from a scope.
One common thread that appears on almost any shooting forum is that when folks ask about scopes is that any scopes that cost under several hundred bucks are POS's.
That's simply not true. There are some excellent optics out there for reasonable money and there are folks that enjoy shooting that simply can't afford high dollar scopes and from the high sales of less expensive scopes seem to have found out that they don't need to. If all the inexpensive scopes out there were as bad as the "scope snobs" make them out to be those companies wouldn't be in business.
No offense meant, but the fact that unless your packing a Leupold, Lieca or such other scopes aren't useful or won't work is just a bunch of do-do.
Jack Roberts
Moderator - Deceased
I agree with you. Good glass can be had at reasonable prices. The other side is that some very expensive glass is not that good. I hear from many people who pay $1000 or more for glass and it has been like pulling teeth to get it to work right.
Jack
Jack
BILLYD
New member
I have several BSA's and all have been shooting for several years. Any scope I buy gets tested first on my 458 Win Mag affectionately known as Mr. Miserable for five shots. If they survive that test they then get put on another rifle.
One has been on my Rem 870 and has survived lots of slugs deer hunting and quite a few turkey loads. Still strong after 6 seasons.
Are they Leupys, shucks no, thats like comparing a VW Beetle to a Lamborghinni Countach. Do they do the job, you bet. At least as far as these 70 year old eyes can tell.
Only 2 brands of scopes I won't buy are Weaver and Simmons just for the simple reason that conglomerate has the lousiest customer service in the business. I received the royal order of the purple shaft ribbon with a barbed wire cluster from that bunch, never again.
I wouldn't suggest them to my worst enemy.
Best wishes, Bill
One has been on my Rem 870 and has survived lots of slugs deer hunting and quite a few turkey loads. Still strong after 6 seasons.
Are they Leupys, shucks no, thats like comparing a VW Beetle to a Lamborghinni Countach. Do they do the job, you bet. At least as far as these 70 year old eyes can tell.
Only 2 brands of scopes I won't buy are Weaver and Simmons just for the simple reason that conglomerate has the lousiest customer service in the business. I received the royal order of the purple shaft ribbon with a barbed wire cluster from that bunch, never again.
I wouldn't suggest them to my worst enemy.
Best wishes, Bill
IDBob
New member
Billy when Blount/Alliant owned Weaver and Simmons they had pretty good customer service, you could send them a broken scope and it would be fixed, replaced and returned with no fuss. Blount/Alliant own Speer, CCI and RCBS. When Meade bought Weaver, Simmons and Redfield from Blount/Alliant customer service really did go down hill in a big way. I still like the brands, but boy your right if it's broken it's a fight to get it fixed if you can get it fixed.
Blount sold out to Alliant and I'm not sure Alliant didn't sell the scope section to Meade. Meade optics sells lots of different optics on the low end of the market. I had a brand new Weaver that was broken when I got it and it took me six months of dickering back and forth before they finally replaced it and they didn't want to. They wanted me to pay 80 bucks for a new scope.
In the end I believe they only replaced my scope to get me off their backs because I complained so much and the fact that I was going to publish all their correspondence from and to me on several shooting forums I belong to. I don't think they wanted how they treated a customer and what they said to a customer to be viewed by thousands of shooters and potential customers on the internet.
I got a good enough deal on my last Simmons that I'm out nothing if it breaks, but I'd probably go Burris or just about anyone else if I had to buy a new scope. I see that Meade is reserecting Redfield with some very expensive large range zooms. I'm wondering how their selling with lots of folks knowing they won't stand behind any warranty on them.
Blount sold out to Alliant and I'm not sure Alliant didn't sell the scope section to Meade. Meade optics sells lots of different optics on the low end of the market. I had a brand new Weaver that was broken when I got it and it took me six months of dickering back and forth before they finally replaced it and they didn't want to. They wanted me to pay 80 bucks for a new scope.
In the end I believe they only replaced my scope to get me off their backs because I complained so much and the fact that I was going to publish all their correspondence from and to me on several shooting forums I belong to. I don't think they wanted how they treated a customer and what they said to a customer to be viewed by thousands of shooters and potential customers on the internet.
I got a good enough deal on my last Simmons that I'm out nothing if it breaks, but I'd probably go Burris or just about anyone else if I had to buy a new scope. I see that Meade is reserecting Redfield with some very expensive large range zooms. I'm wondering how their selling with lots of folks knowing they won't stand behind any warranty on them.
Ringneck16
New member
I had a brand new weaver on my deer rifle and sighted it in and took it hunting. I shot a buck and wounded him. I never found him. The scopes adjustment mechanism totally unscrewed from the scope body in my hand when I inspected the scope. Kind of like forgetting to tighten the lug nuts on a new car. I had to pay both ways to get it fixed. It's Leupold for me now on new scopes.
mrtoadzwildride
New member
I think mine did pretty well last year I killed two caribou with it after my nikon buckmasters crapped out on me.
Tommy Johnson
New member
Nikon, yea talk about customer service. I dont think anyone mans that dept.
hawkcarterCO
New member
Maybe look at the pentax, they a little bit more but are a great value for the money.
I've owned a couple BSA's and really didn't care for them. They were okay but on a hot humid day the higher magnifications were just about useless. Personally I think in the BSA price range the Simmons are a better scope. Especially the Simmons Atec family. Just picked up a Simmons Atec 4-14 with side focus the other day and really like it.