# Quality Optics are necessary



## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

A lesson re-learned today. My SSK 222 Remington barrel for my Contender arrived the other day. Had a rather ( economical polite term ) 4 x 12 laying round so I slapped that on and bore sighted it. For 3 + days have been trying to figure out an accurate load. For those of you who aren't familiar with the triple deuce. It is a very accurate cartridge and not fussy at all about its components. 

So used some tried and true loads and my groups were averaging 1-1/2 to 21/2 inches at 100 yds. Pea sized groups are rather easy to achieve for this round. Finally today my thick head says maybe its this scope. Took it off and installed a 2.5 x 8 Leupold that was gathering dust in my cabinet. Same mount same load only scope was different .

Shot a 3- shot group that was eureka a pea sized group. Prior to this I even emailed SSK because my old 222 was a 1-14 twist. This SSK has a 1-7 twist. Thought maybe had to use certain weight bullet for this faster twist. They replied the sizes I was trying were appropriate for this barrel.

Long time ago when Ohio first permitted pistols for deer. I was kinda caught flat footed and again used an economical scope. Toward the end of the first day. A nice little buck wandered into my sight from my tree stand. At 50 yards he blended in with a brushpile so much cause the cheapo scope had about as much light gathering ability as a bowling ball. He finally nosed out of the brush just enough so I could get a good sight picture and down he went. After that only Burris and Leupold went on my pistols. Today we have a lot more to pick from. Sadly one of my extreme favorites Nikon quit making scopes.


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## fastwater (Apr 1, 2014)

Great post papaperch...even down to the sad part about Nikon no longer making scopes.
They had some great glass.

Also FWIW...talked with Leupold the other day. Their custom shop has been closed down for some time and there's no approx date when it's going to reopen. 
If you click on Leupolds site...it states the custom shop was temporarily closed due to covid and restructuring of employees due to covid. But I'll say the custom shop was 'temporarily' closed prior to covid even hitting the US.
Regardless of reason...I hope they open it back up at some point.
Again...great post...


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## shot1buck (Feb 23, 2011)

I had same issue with scope 3 years ago. Bought used 77/44 had a scope on it don’t remember brand. Took it out was on target at 30 yards in the field. Shot few times and put away for deer season. Went out in the woods and was over cast and had a decent 10 point come into range picked up scope and that brown deer was a brown mess in my scope could barely make out shoulder and chest. Took the shot and did put the deer down. The scope lasted on the gun till spring. When I replaced it with a Cabela’s branded scope. She clear and dead on. Even sighted it in at dusk to make sure I could see objects. Nothing is worse the. A cheap scope on a good gun. Many a good scope can be found for a bargain price.


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## snagless-1 (Oct 26, 2014)

I was told good optics are a must,rifle scope or binoculars.Pick up a pair of good binoculars and look at an object focus and then look at the edge of the view.I did this with mine and sure enough the edge was blurry.I was told this by a elk hunting guide who said he glasses for a living.He said cheap optics will give you a head ache and sore eyes.He uses Swarovski and I looked through them and it was a world of difference.I bought a better pair than what I had but still can't see paying 3-5 thousand for binoculars that I just don't use that much.


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## papaperch (Apr 12, 2004)

No way I am advocating super expensive optics. There are plenty of good choices for a rifle scope that are south of 300.00 . Hunting in Ohio I never needed binoculars so can not intelligently comment on those. But a guy at the dog races let me try his pair of Nikons. They seemed excellent to me and they were clear as a bell. I asked the guy the cost of them and he said @ 250. Now that was about 8 years ago so factor that into the equation.


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## shot1buck (Feb 23, 2011)

papaperch said:


> No way I am advocating super expensive optics. There are plenty of good choices for a rifle scope that are south of 300.00 . Hunting in Ohio I never needed binoculars so can not intelligently comment on those. But a guy at the dog races let me try his pair of Nikons. They seemed excellent to me and they were clear as a bell. I asked the guy the cost of them and he said @ 250. Now that was about 8 years ago so factor that into the equation.


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## shot1buck (Feb 23, 2011)

Agree the money is the factor sometimes. Where I hunt it’s wooded and thick most shoots 50-75 yard range. That helps me be able to select a more economic scope. If we primarily field hunted I would spend more because I would range out further on my shoots. Good quality 100 yard scope is still affordable


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

Buy vortex old man


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## PapawSmith (Feb 13, 2007)

ezbite said:


> Buy vortex old man


BOOM! You won’t find a better optic for the price, unless you find a higher line Burris on sale. I put Vortex glass on 80% of the hunting rifles I put together.


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## Popspastime (Apr 1, 2014)

Burris on all my high end shooters. Nothing else.


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