ok so really, whats the difference?

[tmckay2]

ive always had cheaper scopes, mainly because im in grad school and don't have the monies, but can someone explain to me the difference between say a $150 scope and a $1000 scope? im sure it holds zero better, although thats partly to do with scope rings too, but is that it? its just crazy to me the price difference that exists between scopes

[Colorado Osprey]

ive always had cheaper scopes, mainly because im in grad school and don't have the monies, but can someone explain to me the difference between say a $150 scope and a $1000 scope? im sure it holds zero better, although thats partly to do with scope rings too, but is that it? its just crazy to me the price difference that exists between scopes

Holding zero is a deal killer for me.
If I can't count on it to be where I sighted it in.... Well what's the point of it being there at all?

Next clarity.
Shooting 100 yards an under just about any cheap scope will have a clear sight picture.

Step back to say.... 500 yards. Dial in some magnification... say 20x and things become very apparent. Step back to 1000 yards and dial in 36x magnification and the scopes don't even compare. In fact many $500 scopes don't compare with the $1000 scopes.

I have heard rumors that Zeis has the higherst requirements in it's glass, but can't find definitive evidence; but boy are they clear at migh magnification and at long distance.


Now all that said, most people don't need $1000 glass. In fact of the many, many scoped rifles I have only one has high dollar glass. Even my 600 yards rifle only has a Weaver 6-20x that cost new when I bought it under $300. It holds zero.. even under a 300 Win Mag, is relatively clear and repeatable when changing elevation and windage.

Lots of people like Leupold and Burris, Nikon and Bushnell(higher end) a close second.
Mueller and Weaver make decent optics for the money. Higher end Tasco even has a decent rep.
Fact is you get what you pay for, some more than others.
Go to a store like Cabelas or Bass Pro and play with them. Look through them and you can see a difference. Get only what you need and can afford. Sometimes it's a compramise on both.
This goes for most optics like Binoculars as well.

[RRD3]

If your a long range shooter... 800 meters and out.

The best advice someone can give you is, Buy a good rifle and put twice as much into the glass.

Me, I build the best rifle I can and then buy even better glass. If you go with great optics you only have to purchase them once. I personally like NightForce, USO and Schmidt and Bender scopes. If you pick up one of these and hold it up to a $300 scope you will see the difference like night and day.

I like to describe the difference like this.

VHS on a rear projection TV vs BlueRay on a 60" Plasma. Does VHS work? yes... But the Blueray set up will give you clarity, depth, angle and detail.

You get what you pay for is magnified when talking about scopes. (pun intended) When you start looking through a scope out to 1200 meters (which is 7 /10's of a mile) and greater you better have some good optics behind you.

All though everything stated above comes into play, the best advice I would give some one is, buy what you can afford for your application and invest in your self as far as skill and practice.

[tmckay2]

well certainly i can understand the difference when you get into big time magnifications, like 30-40x. but i see lots of scopes that are all 3-9x and the difference in cost is mind blowing, especially when clarity is rarely an issue at that distance.

[RRD3]

Depends on what type of optics your talking about.

Like Holographic weapons sights. There's a big quality gap there as well.
You can buy the knock-off brands and you then get into battery life and keeping zero issues. Weather and temperature protection as well as field reliability.

A friend of mine bought a cheaper one at a gun show made by Osprey. A local company. He was told it had a life time warranty, sounded like a good deal.
After sending it back for an exchange 4 times and non of them would zero at 100 yards he asked for a refund. All I can say is he didn't get one. He got a credit. Wow... that's good, you get a credit for another optic from a company that couldn't make one work that they designed specifically for the AR-15.

[RussDXT]

I'v never regretted buying quality. Be it optics, firearms, or gear.

[GreenScoutII]

As with most things, consider the intended usage, and buy the best you can afford which is appropriate for the intended purpose.

The best analogy I can make is to compare optics to is power tools:

I am a licensed plumber who does mostly new construction work, as such, I use my tools every day under severe conditions. For me, it makes sense to invest in Milwaukee, Dewalt, or Makita..

For another guy who has less severe demands on his tools, but still uses them professionally, maybe Ridgid or a lower-end Dewalt would suit him just fine..

For a serious DIY'er, Ryobi or Craftsman is a good choice...

For a guy who will use his tools infrequently and for very light duty, Black and Decker or Skill will get him by...

As such:

If you are going to participate in long distance competition, or serious competition really in any discipline which allows optics, it makes sense to look at Zeiss or Swarovski (sp?). That said, IMHO, at some point a guy is just paying for a name though...

If a guy is a less serious competitor, or a competitor on a more realistic budget, Leupold is a great choice. Some higher end Bushnell stuff is good too..

If a guy just wants to shoot for shits and giggles, especially rimfire, I personally wouldn't spend more than a couple hundred bucks on a scope on the high end.

There are many different brands of optics out there and I have not tried most of them, but I think if a guy sticks to a respected brand and buys the best he can afford without being stupid, he'll be OK..

[DocMedic]

I run with a TR24G Accupoint Trijicon which is a 1-4x Power scope. They run just over $750

Couple members on this board have a Schmidt & Bender Short dot a 1.1-4x, that run at the cheapest (if your lucky) $2000

The Trijicon Is Super clear, and built as tough as their ACOGS, one of the reason why I bought one, but man, you can't even compare it to the S&B Short dot. The Short dot makes the Trijicon look "bad" when you compare the 2 next to each other.

Would I ever buy a Short dot? nah, unless I win a lottery of some sorts. or somehow get it to be a company write off . But i'm happy with the TR24G suits my needs.

TR24G


S&B Short Dot: