Cheap Chinese scopes

pyscodog

Active member
I almost hated to post this knowing the flack that comes with buying "Chinese Junk". After an afternoon of swapping scopes around on some rifles, I managed to come up one scope short. I had some extra scopes laying around but not for what I was wanting. I wanted a scope to go on a 223 temporarily then ending up on a Savage 22LR.
Two or three stores locally are selling the "Sniper" brand scopes. I was talking to one of the dealers about the scope and he said the same people the make some of the Vortex line also build these.He said they were actually pretty decent scopes for the money. True of false??? Who knows? But, it has a lifetime warranty and if a problem happens I just return it to the dealer. That seemed a plus. I went home and watch a video on a torture test and it passed with flying colors. 90 rounds threw an AR, then 90 threw an AK with a bump stock, then three trips in a pond. It held zero and was totally water proof.

The scope: Its 6x24x50, side focus, 30mm tube with a lighted reticle. It also has 1/4inch adjustments which is kinda rare on a 6x24 and it focus's down to 15 yards IIRC. I put it on the 223 for now and took it to the range. Seeing leaves on a tree at 300 yards was surprisingly clear. A couple of shots and the scope dialed right in. I ran 25 rounds through the rifle and it held zero. I know one range trip and 25 rounds isn't a true test but for a $200 scope, no complaints so far. Iknow all the "Buy once, Cry once", get what you pay for, yada yada yada. But sometimes you take a chance and it turns out OK. Anyway, the scope is just temporary on the 223 and will end up on the Savage 22LR.
 
Originally Posted By: CRE10How much was it?

he mentioned $200.

Originally Posted By: pyscodog I know one range trip and 25 rounds isn't a true test but for a $200 scope,
 
Originally Posted By: SlickerThanSnotdear abby. pyscodog has a confession to make.


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I'm replacing a cheap China-made scope (cheap = free) on my Ruger American Predator rifle today or tomorrow with a Vortex Diamondback 3x9-40.

Even for being free (given to me by Larry's Pistol and Pawn Madison for buying two rifles) it works pretty good. My 100 yard shooting with Vmax 60 grs over 23.6 grn of WC844/H335 is pretty accurate. I hope it gets better with the Vortex, especially at longer ranges.
 
The Vortex Crossfire is Chinese and probably the scopes the dealer was referring to when he said that the Sniper was made by the same company that made some of the Vortex line. The Diamondback is made in the Philippines ans the Razor line is Japanese. So it seems they all are coming from someplace outside the USA.
 
I have a confession too. I had sex with a "larger" girl once, maybe twice, I don't remember.

OK, she was fat, I admit it!
 
Originally Posted By: pyscodogKinda funny.....buy a cheap rifle and its great, buy a cheap scope and...........

I think sometimes people just like to be a bit negative even if they have no experience personally with this or that product. Then there are those who have had legitimate experience with, say Chineese scopes, and you will find mixed reviews no doubt. We all know the old saying “you get what you pay for” and that is probably true in most cases, but also we see from time to time, certain things that defy that thinking. Here’s a good example.

I purchased a cheap Chineese Centerpoint 4-16x from Wallyworld a few years ago, with the intention of using it on a heavy-barreled Marlin .17 HMR. The scope does what I wanted it to do and now after maybe 7 or 8 years is still on that rifle and working well. For the $69 price tag I don’t have any complaints. If it breaks today then I got my money’s worth. I don’t expect it to be as good as my Vari-X 3 Leupolds, but it seems to hold zero well and has allowed me to take crows out to about 140 yards. Having said all that, I’m not sure how well it might hold up on a centirefire rifle and I don’t think I would want to rely on it for a long-planned deer hunt and such, but who knows, it might work fine. I would just feel better having a quality scope for that purpose. However, for the HMR it hasn’t failed me yet. Others may have tried the same scope and have a totally different experience, and there could be good and bad scopes of the same make and maybe I just got one of the good ones.


 
I'm not a scope snob, I hunt, getting close to game is far more important to me than being able to reach out to the next county. I have a few Elite 4200's, Nikon Monarchs, Burris SS's and Leupold VX-2's all have been reliable. I bought a Weaver Kaspa, under $100 and it is clear, adjustments have been spot on and it has been right on every time I've sighted it in. I sight in every time I leave on a hunting trip. It kills stuff.

Weaver Kaspa 1-4x24, Win Mod 70 222 Rem.

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I have an Athlon Argos that I bought on sale, inexpensive and made in China. Again all the attributes of the Kaspa. I've killed coyotes and PD's with it what more can you ask.
 
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I just got an Athlon Ares BTR 4.5 x 27 from Optic Land. Good reviews and QC is in Olathe, KS. Lifetime no questions warranty. Talk to Doug at Optic Land and get some good info and good price and excellent customer service.
 
Originally Posted By: redhazeI just got an Athlon Ares BTR 4.5 x 27 from Optic Land. Good reviews and QC is in Olathe, KS. Lifetime no questions warranty. Talk to Doug at Optic Land and get some good info and good price and excellent customer service.

Thank you for the referral. It's Camera Land
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Originally Posted By: gr8fuldougOriginally Posted By: redhazeI just got an Athlon Ares BTR 4.5 x 27 from Optic Land. Good reviews and QC is in Olathe, KS. Lifetime no questions warranty. Talk to Doug at Optic Land and get some good info and good price and excellent customer service.

Thank you for the referral. It's Camera Land
smile.gif


Atleast he got the Doug part right !

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Originally Posted By: 6mm06Originally Posted By: pyscodogKinda funny.....buy a cheap rifle and its great, buy a cheap scope and...........

I think sometimes people just like to be a bit negative even if they have no experience personally with this or that product. Then there are those who have had legitimate experience with, say Chineese scopes, and you will find mixed reviews no doubt. We all know the old saying “you get what you pay for” and that is probably true in most cases, but also we see from time to time, certain things that defy that thinking. Here’s a good example.

I purchased a cheap Chineese Centerpoint 4-16x from Wallyworld a few years ago, with the intention of using it on a heavy-barreled Marlin .17 HMR. The scope does what I wanted it to do and now after maybe 7 or 8 years is still on that rifle and working well. For the $69 price tag I don’t have any complaints. If it breaks today then I got my money’s worth. I don’t expect it to be as good as my Vari-X 3 Leupolds, but it seems to hold zero well and has allowed me to take crows out to about 140 yards. Having said all that, I’m not sure how well it might hold up on a centirefire rifle and I don’t think I would want to rely on it for a long-planned deer hunt and such, but who knows, it might work fine. I would just feel better having a quality scope for that purpose. However, for the HMR it hasn’t failed me yet. Others may have tried the same scope and have a totally different experience, and there could be good and bad scopes of the same make and maybe I just got one of the good ones.




i had picked up one of those as well - for a 22lr optic.

my complaints were not durability related - it was that freaking scope weighed a metric-fecal-matter-ton (the rifle was terribly unbalanced with it on there), the glass was dark (hard to see in less than full daylight) and the crosshairs were like trying to aim with 2x4's.

however - it allowed me to put bullet downrange on the cheap when i couldnt afford something else.

i sold it too a buddy for like $25 a few years after i took it off my 10/22 and he's been deer hunting with it since.
 
Originally Posted By: redhazeI just got an Athlon Ares BTR 4.5 x 27 from Optic Land. Good reviews and QC is in Olathe, KS. Lifetime no questions warranty.

A few years ago, I got an Athlon Talos and put in on a .22. I
was so impressed with the function and clarity that I later got
an Argos to put on a ML. The clarity was never there and the
bulls at 100yds are fuzzy. Wondering what Athlon QC would do
about a scope which has glass not equal to even their cheaper
scopes as it came from the factory. Or would they think they
are dealing with a too picky customer??
 
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