How much money do you spend on average for most scopes?

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Fly

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May 20, 2018
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Oklahoma, United States
I have been shooting air rifles for many years now. I,m just your average Joe lunch bucket guy now retired. I started
with break barrels, & moved up into entree level pcps. Avenger,hatsan Fash AEA 357 standard Chalinger .357.Most of my scopes
are Amazon $60 & under. How many here are like me in regards to your air gun hobby? Just wondering? Are are you more
into the $1000 & above crowd?

🪰Fly
 
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Fly said:
I have been shooting air rifles for many years now. I,m just your average Joe lunch bucket guy now retired. I started
with break barrels, & moved up into entree level pcps. Avenger,hatsan Fash AEA 357 standard Changer.Most of my scopes
are Amazon $60 & under. How many here are like me in regards to your air gun hobby? Just wondering? Are are you more
into the $1000 & above crowd?

🪰Fly
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I have spent as little as $100 for a red dot and as much as $3500. for a March and Kahles. The cost (to me) isn't as important as the scopes ability to do what i want it to do; that said, all those big dollar scopes have been sold off and most of mine are @ $750.00 price point. I always look for used first and or a sale before jumping on a new purchase. I Realy enjoy Sightrons S-Tacs and Sightrons 10-50x60 FT scope, then Athlon's because the reticles suit my need. My latest scope acquisition is an Element Titan with a 34 mm scope tube and for the price it is an exceptional buy.
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Most of my scopes have been about $200. I have a Hawke Vantage 2-7 on my Prod that was closer to $100 but it is the only one this inexpensive. I've owned many scopes around $100, mostly for rimfires. But I found the quality of the glass and the adjustments was better on $200 scopes so I stayed there. Except I spent $330 for an Arken EPL-4 6-24. It's glass and adjustments are again noticably better. So I might go up again if I decide to buy a dedicated target scope. But so far I have not decided I need that sort of scope bad enough to buy it. For a scope to plink, hunt, and do a little short range target shooting I still think $200 is a reasonable quality spot to go to. My Vector Veyron may be my favorite scope because it is pretty clear and adjusts pretty well but is also small and light (I have the SFP 6-24). The Arken is better in both qualities but is also bigger and heavier and the reticle is nearly invisible at 6X. I really like my Athlon Talos 6-24X too. My Vector and Athlon were both about $200. I prefer the Arken for target shooting but it's advantage in 30 yard challenge scores for me is only one point (a 197 versus a 196 with the Vector). $130 is a lot for one point. But they are both nice scopes with different attributes.
 
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JimD said:
Most of my scopes have been about $200. I have a Hawke Vantage 2-7 on my Prod that was closer to $100 but it is the only one this inexpensive. I've owned many scopes around $100, mostly for rimfires. But I found the quality of the glass and the adjustments was better on $200 scopes so I stayed there. Except I spent $330 for an Arken EPL-4 6-24. It's glass and adjustments are again noticably better. So I might go up again if I decide to buy a dedicated target scope. But so far I have not decided I need that sort of scope bad enough to buy it. For a scope to plink, hunt, and do a little short range target shooting I still think $200 is a reasonable quality spot to go to. My Vector Veyron may be my favorite scope because it is pretty clear and adjusts pretty well but is also small and light (I have the SFP 6-24). The Arken is better in both qualities but is also bigger and heavier and the reticle is nearly invisible at 6X. I really like my Athlon Talos 6-24X too. My Vector and Athlon were both about $200. I prefer the Arken for target shooting but it's advantage in 30 yard challenge scores for me is only one point (a 197 versus a 196 with the Vector). $130 is a lot for one point. But they are both nice scopes with different attributes.
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I got the EPL-4 6x24 about a month ago and love it and don't see myself going up any more unless I start shooting 1,000 yard competitions lol.
 
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Fly said:
I,m afraid you are right. But the question is how expensive are you are talking about?
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Initially I was spending Leapers/UTG and Hammers money (3-9x or 4-12x). Simple reticles, untrustable turrets for lots of dialing, poor optical clarity. Just fine for hunting or plinking out to 50ish yards.

For field target work and/or stretching the distance to 150-200yards, $250-300 used to get a guy a trustable-turret scope like a fixed power SWFA, tough as nails, completely trustable for dialing the turret, but murky glass, no zero stop, plain Jane reticle, no illuminated reticle.

My most expensive foray into scopes is a Falcon X50. I paid around $800 for it. Very niche scope, great for classes of field target that don't limit magnification. I dont have any plans of spending this much on a scope again.

$400-600 for something like an Athlon Midas tac is where I've found joy. Again, trustable turrets, but features a zero stop, much better reticle options, and the big one, MUCH clearer glass than the SWFA. The 6-24x Midas is my idea of a perfect all-around scope. Recently received another one, Midway ran a special about two weeks ago, I think it was about $350. Lots and lots and lots of scope for $350. They're usually more like $500.
 
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Well been buying scopes for many decades, my great 30-year scopes are better than most new scopes that now cost the same amount of money nowadays.= That said I rarely pay more that $150,I pay used and since I have been doing thi for decades I know good for not so good. Let me get real,for under 30 yards a good cheap scope works goo enough,no reason to spend more than$150...
 
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An old rule of thumb is the same amount as the rifle. I think today there is enough decent glass around at (Asian) imported prices that half the price of the rifle. And as I say that, my air rifles have Bushnell and Simmons bubble pack scopes that work just fine. I am not going on an African safari or a once in a lifetime hunting trip to Alaska or facing off with dangerous game that might eat me and would eat me if my shot was not on target with an air rifle. A raging HOSP is not to be taken lightly, maybe I need to upgrade the glass ;).
 
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I just did a test on 15 of my scopes, I used a very good tripod setup, and this was 30yds at 8power. I did 4 Hawke Vantage scopes , all were good,I did a WestHunter, and everything was stiff on it,it was ok, the Primary arms was very good the Barra was the sleeper,I found it better than the others I have mentioned. Now I will do older Bushnell scopes made in Korea or Japan. These scopes were over ten years old , guess what. they are just as good as the Hawke scopes I mentioned, the Legend and Custom .The Burris scope was a newer $150 scope it was great,but did not have AO and the others did ,it still worked well at 30 yards . I almost have to have a scope with AO,I also like mil-dot , some scopes like the Bushnell Engage scope had good optics ,but you need to be careful and get the right reticle. The older Tasco scopes made in Japan are right up there . I thought I would look through the newer Centerpoint scopes I had ., surprise,for the money it was plenty good for 30 yards. Another thing I noticed was the eye box,a couple were picky about how you place your eyes to it. I checked out my Aztec Emerald and Hawke Sidewinder scopes to see if the more money spent on them was justified,I only had to look a second to see they were optically better,Whew . Anyhow the Barra H30 4-12X40 is the one I would get for less than $120.It also Illuminated,I buy the better scopes I have used, the less than$120 scopes new. Another thing ,is some of these scopes I bought on recommendations on this forum and some I was disappointed in, Warning, always gather as much information as you can before you purchase something. One more thing, you do not need to spend over $120 for a good scope that you are going to use for short-range shooting. All these scopes were for under $120 except the Aztec and Sidewinder. Whew:unsure:
 
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Discovery scopes, are good optics, some are heavy and have sharp edges. They can be a good scope for the price.I ordered from China ,it took about 5weeks to get it , that was a couple of years ago..I ordered some kool shirts and a sign from China, they are on my porch in 5days DLS all the way..Simmons Aztec scope =good
 
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