"Cheaper" optics - are they suitable?

[Mick_762]

So by cheaper I mean around the $1000 price range:
Bushnell 6500 4.5-30x50 etc.

Are they a cheaper alternative that are eminently useable for F Class / 600-1000 m/yd Benchrest?

Whats the general consensus for this?
Not everyone is able to have a couple Nightforce/March etc.

[willow]

In the optics world I'm a big believer in you get what you pay for. I've owned March, and then gone down to the Sightron SIII range which is moderately priced in comparison, and have since gone up to somewhere in between with the Vortex Golden Eagle, which gets the job done better than the Sightron, but compared to a March, isn't quite as crisp. I may eventually go back to March when the money is available, but my view is, if you cannot afford to wait and save for something better, then do it, it's worth it in the long run in my opinion. Most importantly, you want something that has a reliable record for tracking.

[Barossa_222]

When I first started I was using a Tasco World Class Plus 6-24x50. Was it any good? Good enough for someone who didn't know any better. Did it have limitations? Sure did, but I didn't know what they were. The cheaper stuff will work. For how long and how well, who knows. Slap a Nikko target on and have a crack.

[johno]

keep an eye out for secondhand nightforce they come about 3/4 price of a new one, if ever you want to get rid of it you will always get your money back.Buy a cheap scope and what ever you spend you have wasted no one wants them when you are done with them .Nightforce has perfect repeatability and excellant optics lifetime warranty you will shoot to you and your rifles full ability right from the start and have no disappointments along the way.Happy days of shooting

[Brenton]

I have been using a Sightron 8*32*56 for a couple of years now and it is a brilliant scope, would strongly recommend. Sightron are a lot cheaper than Nightforce and equivalent in quality.

[Pommy Chris]

If you buy cheap you WILL buy what you should have bought in the first place very soon after.
Chris

[Pommy Chris]

I have been using a Sightron 8*32*56 for a couple of years now and it is a brilliant scope, would strongly recommend. Sightron are a lot cheaper than Nightforce and equivalent in quality.

Hmm no.. I had two and sold them they are quite reliable but optics dont come close to Nightforce not even near. Mine were something to 32 power (8?) dont remember and looked through the higher power one recently at the range as someone bought one and it was horrible. The lower power one is ok but you are not going to see mirage changes like you do on a Nightforce. The Golden Eagle is a nice scope I have two also and it is a cheap as I would recommend.
Chris

[johno]

go to a f class competition shoot anywhere in australia and see what 90 percent of shooters are using there is a reason why

[John23]

I have a fleet of sightrons

All have been trouble free, perform well and of course suit my budget.

I have had the option of going Nightforce br and have not been converted.
I don’t believe they are any better

[Pommy Chris]

I have a fleet of sightrons

All have been trouble free, perform well and of course suit my budget.

I have had the option of going Nightforce br and have not been converted.
I don’t believe they are any better

I conducted a test one day and believe me there is a big difference. I was sending a Nightforce comp back to get 10 minute turrets fitted. I had the gun set up at 600 yards and the mirage was running nicely through the scope. I removed my Nightforce and fitted a loan scope from Shane Green which was a Nightforce benchrest. The image was still great and the mirage was still running nicely, still would probably give the best image though to the Nightforce comp though. I fired a few shots and as at the time I shot with quite a big free recoil the smaller eye relief of the BR was a problem for me as the scope kept recoiling to close to my eye. I then removed the Nightforce benchrest and fitted my spare Sightron.. Wow what a difference the clear running mirage was gone, it would be hard to accuratly read mirage with the Sigtron and the contrast of the image was gone too things looked more washed out. Like I said I used to own two Sightrons and the Nightforce are way better with image sharpness contrast and clarity of mirage. The Sightron is a strong reliable scope, but the optics cant compare to a Nightforce. If someone is on a budget go Vortex Golden Eagle or even cheaper get a used Nightforce Benchrest, which is one of the strongest scopes out there with really good optics too, but it is heavy so for ftr you might need to keep the rest of your gear light. Not an issue with open or F standard though.
Chris

[DaveMc]

As above
By far the Best option for $1000 is a secondhand NFBR scope One sold up here for that sort of coin recently and are far superior. Keep an eye at the range and usedguns and here etc. - plenty of guys upgrading to comp scopes and a few around. Get your name out there and one will come