Budget Mil/Mil Optics: BSA Tactical, Millett Tactical, or Primary Arms?

[orkan]

Take a look at Konus. I know numerous shooters using their spotting scopes and I have one of their M30 rifle scopes. The glass is very good and the warranty is excellent.

That's like saying a chevy cavalier is good, so their 2500 truck should be too.

My experiences with konus scopes has been terrible. To the point where they are right in line with NC Star. It's pretty damn easy to build something you just look through. It's another matter entirely to build something that tracks properly and maintains zero.

[mattm0812]

One of my shooting buddies has had a Barska Varmint series 6x24 40 on many of his rifles with no problems with it. The biggest caliber he had it on was 25-06.

He got it in a package deal with a spotting scope for 79 bucks a few years back.

Though, I don't believe it comes in mil/mil.

[orkan]

One of my shooting buddies has had a Barska Varmint

[Will_Power]

OP what is your budget? Possible could have a better optic from a different brand. Unless your stuck on those.

What do you think your maximum is in terms of spending on this optic?

Right now, it's a hard stop at $400. Wheel and deal me on shipping costs, but things are frugal around here at the moment, and I'd like to get started with a starter mil/mil scope that won't fall apart while I'm calling in some critters (or hiking in/out thereof).

A lot of folks are recommending the Super Sniper fixed 10x, but seeing as how I want to take this setup out and get into coyote and varmint hunting, too, I don't know how well a 10x would work in that scenario...

[Grumpy MSG]

A lot of folks are recommending the Super Sniper fixed 10x, but seeing as how I want to take this setup out and get into coyote and varmint hunting, too, I don't know how well a 10x would work in that scenario...

Going with that price, the Leupold Mark AR in 3-9 X40 is well within reach and the Super Sniper 10X is going to make Coyote hunting tough because of the the small field of view at closer ranges, it would however do fine at longer distances for other varmints like groundhogs.

[MistWolf]

A fixed 10x will work if you limit your coyote hunting to longer distances.

Stay away from the cheaper scope brands. I have seen many differnt scopes through the years- Tasco, Millet, Burris, Bushnell etc. and always come back to Leupold. (That's not to say I would not go with the better scopes- If I could afford a NF, US Optic, Zeiss or the like, I'd try them.)

I would buy a good used Leupold before going with any of the cheaper brands. In fact, that's what I've done in the past- paid as much for a used Leupold 4x as I would have for a brand new cheap variable. Problems with the cheaper brands include increased eye strain, blurring, fragile reticles, poor tracking, reduced FOV, variable eye relief when changing magnification, change in POI with change of magnification, eye relief too short, poor resolution, poor light transmission, wandering zero, severe pin cushioning or fish eye distortioning and other problems. I have several Leupolds that have been around for years, decades even and I have no plans to get rid of them- well, maybe one, a fixed 10x that I wish I'd gone with a variable instead.

For hunting, the most versatile variables are 2x-7, 3x-9, 3.5x-10 and maybe 4x-16. Unless shooting very small targets like prairiedogs, it's better to err on the side of less magnification than more

Let me add- When on a budget, save cost by cutting out the frills- don't buy a scope with mediocre quality optics just to get more bells & whistles

[orkan]

A fixed 10x will work if you limit your coyote hunting to longer distances.

I wish my coyotes cooperated so that they would only do what I want them to like that.

[MistWolf]

I wish my coyotes cooperated so that they would only do what I want them to like that.

You got that right! But that's why they call it coyote hunting, not coyote shooting!

[Frank207]

A fixed 10x for coyote hunting... good luck with that.

That's is what I was thinking....

I would buy a 4x-14x nikon buckmaster (mildot if you want) or a Nikon Predator model. Unless your hunting high plains country.

For dawn or dusk hunting you want a var power scope to power down.. in lower light

[Will_Power]

That's is what I was thinking....

I would buy a 4x-14x nikon buckmaster (mildot if you want) or a Nikon Predator model. Unless your hunting high plains country.

For dawn or dusk hunting you want a var power scope to power down.. in lower light

I looked at the Nikon, but they only offer MOA adjustments.

I'm fairly set on mil/mil... which is what makes this process so damn tricky.