Home Forums Reloading Varmint Rifles Don't Tell Anybody Else - I Bought A Tasco Scope!

VG,
I blush to admit I replaced the busted Tasco with a 4-12 Simmons
purchased on clearance at Wal-Mart for $30.00!
I am trying to send two sons to college and cannot afford to be snobbish about anything.
Carry on!
whelennut

Jordan Smith: I do not use the "target knobs" on any of my scopes for compensationg for elevation (range!) while Hunting in the field.
I use the dots or the Du-Plex's changes or good old Kentucky windage (holdover) for my sight alignment procedures.
I appreciate all of you-alls comments on the Tasco adjustments both pro and con.
I may have mis-spoke earlier when I mentioned I had TWO other Tasco 6x24 variables - I now only have only ONE other Tasco 6x24 (for a total of 2 now).
I do have 3 (three) Sightron 6x24 variables and I may have mistakenly remembered one of these scopes as being a Tasco.
Checked my loading log and I have now come up with the correct numbers and brands of scopes.
Where I am going is I have NOT noticed that the Tasco 6x24's I have shot with in the past (2 of them) "tracked" poorly or improperly while sighting in with them.
Once the wind/snow quits hereabouts and I get to resume shooting, I will check this newest Tasco 6x24 for this malady and report back.
Thanks all again for the input and thanks for not being to harsh to me for this possible breach of Varmint Hunting etiquette (buying and using the Tasco scope!).
FVA's point about buying junk and the problems that sometimes arise by doing so is a valid one!
I am aware of that situation - but what am I risking here with this $40.00 Tasco?
Answer: not much.
And I am temprarily unable to pay over 16 (sixteen!) times that amount for the scope I would like to have right now.
So if the Tasco goes "tit's up" I have lost some time and at the very most $40.00.
And there is a pretty good chance I will get through this season with the nifty mil-dot system and the 18 to 21+ very useable powers of this Tasco scope.
The use for this scope will not be in extreme weather or temperatures, nor will it be used at night or in spotlighting situations, nor will it be used on Big Game.
Probably if and when I go to sell the Tasco (replace it) I will certainly get $35.00 to $50.00 for it - easily and quickly.
Thank you again FVA for relaying your experience with the Tasco line. I will keep a close eye out for the shortcomings you have experienced.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Whelennut: I also am suffering the indignity of paying, out of state tuition, for the TWO youngest VarmintSons! I have been suffering this indignity (and I refer to it as an indignity - giving my money to liberal college proffessors!) for 6 1/2 years now.
This YEAR I will emerge out from under this hellacious burden and indignity, as the VarmintSons will both graduate with 3 degrees between the two of them.
I can now THANKFULLY, see the light at the end of this long tunnel.
I know where you are coming from and I commiserate with you!
Carry on is right - the VarmintWife has not been on a true vacation in 7 YEARS because of college costs!
The first thing I will do once this degrading ordeal is over is send the VarmintWife to vacation somewhere, WARM!
I might even bring her along on a Caribou/Wolf Hunt that I am considering/planning for the near future?
Colleges "educations" nowadays - what a load of crap!
Pardon my tangent here but did you hear about the University of Florida professor/grant handler a month or so ago?
He makes $324,000.00 per YEAR yet he and another person ALSO of ARABIAN descent were caught STEALING bicycles on the campus of the Florida college he "taught" at!!!
Whats wrong with this picture?
A third of a million dollars a year PLUS benies - why steal lots of $200.00 bikes???
I have a very strong hunch what that "professor" was doing with the monies he garnered from stealing bicycles and it has nothing to do with strong American ideals and capitalism!
I dealt with college professors on a professional level for 29 years and I was NOT impressed with them in any way shape or form!
Don't get me started.
Come on, end of the college tunnel!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Nothing wrong with Trashco, as long as you don't get your expectations up.
I'm still using my Pillipino 32x WC, its about 10 years old and still hits prairie dogs.
I have one Trashco 6.24 that had a screwed up parallax ring, basically the crosshairs did a barrel roll around the target, which explained why I would MISS. I discovered that about the time Tasco went away. But it makes a pretty good spotting/observation scope for those of us with glasses, I fabbed a tripod bracket, and find it way better than a spotting scope.
I think the best scope I have is an old Redfield rangefinder 18 x, the rest are bargain bin specials, like BSA, Trashco and Simmons, than somehow seem to work reasonably well. Hmmm.

I have several Tasco scopes. One, a 6X20 has been my load development scope on 30-06 and less rifles. Good and clear up to 14X which is all I need for load development. Been reliable good optics for the money. Nice to hear people saying good things about bargain priced optics. Over on the optics forum if it isn't some high priced scope people just flame you and what ever product you want to talk about.

My only problems in the past with cheap scopes is clarity past12 power or so. At 20 power or so....forget it. Never had luck

When I helped put my first "custom" together about 25 years ago, the only thing I could afford to put on it, was a Tasco 6x24x40. It was made in Japan, think it cost me about $100, new? It was a bargain rifle and it got a bargain scope.

It's been on that same Douglass-barreled 25-06 ever since. Only time I've ever had to fuss with it, was when I changed loads. Since that rifle has only been shooting 100gr Btips since they came out, haven't monkeyed with the scope much since.

It repeats from the 100 yard zero, up to 500 yards and back again, with any settings in between. Always has. When it quits working, I'll replace it with something "better". So far it's been there for dead deer, from less than 80 yards (6X) and a few out beyond 400 yards (24X). All one shot kills.

I have other Tascos, including Chicom variants. None have ever failed, all work fine. I also have a Leupie, steel tube Weavers and a few Bushnells. Same for those.

Varmintguy; From what I saw when I went back to school (non-traditional student) 1. at least half the professors should have been handed a broom because they weren't that good as professors.
2. Most of the students should have had to come up with at least half the cost of attendence without their parents help (a lot of them were there because their parents would keep paying the bills as long as the grades didn't get too bad).

Like the idea of sending the wife someplace warm, just be sure to send the sons the bill.

I have 2 Trashco scopes, they work just fine.

Chris112: Well I finally got to put the "new" Remington 700 VS in 220 Swift and the 6x24 Tasco to the "test".
And the test results turned out pretty well.
Do to an incoming SNOW storm, and cold, I had to cut the test a bit short.
First the Rifle - once to my desired point of aim it made a nice-ish group (5 shots at 100 yards) measuring .622"!
I was just wanting to see how the Rifle "held" with this test ammo and I used a tried and true old load of IMR 4064 and 52 grain Sierras.
I had purchased the Rifle for a pittance and decided to keep it if it shot well and that ONE group is enough of an indicator to me that the Rifle still has a future as an accurate Varminter.
The Tasco scope was used during sight-in and testing at its full 24 power and although the image and the brightness were NOT Unertl like they both allowed for a fine hold and I could easily discern the 22 caliber holes at 100 yards.
AND the "tracking" of the Tasco 6x24 seemed right on for direction of movement and timing as well as being quite close to the 1/4 M.O.A. adjustments as advertised.
Albeit I only needed to move the adjustments a total of 5 times - the 5 movements included counting both elevation and windage.
Again not much of a test but it still did well.
NOW, I have to find a place for another "good shooting" Rifle in my safes!
I think (do to a dramatic shortage of funds!) that this Tasco 6x24 is going to stay on the 220 Swift at least through this summer, fall and winter.
I am pretty sure my "ship" (full of monies!) is coming in by Christmas 2,009 and I will be able to afford a more "upscale" scope by then.
Snowing again (and snowing HARD) here in SW Montana - 8" of new with 3" more predicted for tonight.
The Gophers are all staying under the snow today!
Sheesh!
Come on spring.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

DubePA: I did not even think to check the "country of origin" on this latest Tasco of mine.
Thats a good report on your Tasco and the recoil of that 25/06 ought to be a good enough test for the Tasco for its holding point of impact!
One of the VarmintSons has a nifty Remington 700 in 25/06 Remington. This Rifle has accounted for a number of Antelope and Mule Deer and one Whitetail.
Wishing you continued success and happiness with the Tasco and the 25/06.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

Tascos are like Savages..

not the prettiest rifles for years.. but for dollar value and just plain working, one could not beat them...

now Savages are mega trendy..

there are still a lot of usable low end scopes under Leupold's prices that do plenty of a good enough job..

I always prefer a Leupold, but they are not the only tool in the shed...

Savage's rifles are alot more appealing to me nowadays also....

Last time I was in a Cabelas up in Lacy WA, I was looking at the Bushnell 6500 series, which I liked a lot.. but they were awfully heavy also...

I also was looking at a couple of Cabelas house brand Alaskan Guide stuff.. their 'new model' 6.5 x 20 had a lot clearer glass than even the Leupold 8.5 x 25s with the 30mm tubes and the Bushnell 4.5 x 30 with the 30 mm tubes..

the Cabela's scope was $389.00... its optics were even clearer at all ranges when compared to the Nightforces they had in stock.

When I finish putting together my Mauser with the 31 inch bull barrel on it, chambered in 6mm Rem, with a one in 8 twist... I am sure the Cabelas Alaskan Guide 6.5 x 20 with the 30mm tube is going to be my scope of choice on that rifle...

Funny thing is, I bet they are made in the same factory overseas in Asia that the Tascos are made in...

Doubt any of Tasco's current scopes are made anywhere but China these days? They did have some more expensive (for them) varmint/target models that were made in either the Phillipines or some other Asian country, but I haven't seen any such new ones lately.

Two friends used some of those for years on their heavy varminters in some pretty feisty chamberings (7mmx300Wby; 6mmx300Win, 6mm-06, etc), without any problems. And those rifles saw heavy use on woodchucks over quite a few summers. Can't for the life of me recall exactly what they were, though? Do recall those scopes ran about $300 or more each back then, but both buds have gone to their rewards now.

One also had two Bushnell Trophy 6x18x40s that seemed to work very well. I put one of 'em on a 243, but it's fairly fresh yet. Not a bad target scope w/AO, for around $230.

One Chicom Tasco I really like, is the 2.5x10x42AO mildot I picked up for about $70 several years ago. It's been on a heavy barrel NEF in 223 since both were new and works fine for varmints out to 300 yards. Midway and SWFA still have that scope for less than $70.