We are asking for a lot in a 300.00 scope. A scope selling, on a good deal, for 300.00 will carry at least a 20% margin as it goes through the wholesale retail distribution. A 20% margin means the scope manufacturer received 240.00. A rule of thumb for manufacturers requires the manufacturing cost including a manufacturing profit margin to be 50% of what they sell an item for. The other half of the 240.00 they would receive goes to the cost of marketing and includes expenses like warranty costs, advertising and promotions and marketing profit.
So in simpler terms, that good deal on 300.00 scope means that you are purchasing a scope that has to have a raw manufacturing cost of 100.00 or less.
I just wait for sales and deals on my scopes. Two days ago I picked up a Meopta Meopro 3-9x40 through Cabelas for $299 plus tax. (regular $548) They are closing out their "instinct" line, which is a dead knock-off of the old Conquest MC 3-9x40, which I also bought for $300 when Cabelas had that on sale 10 years ago. (Thanks to BigDave for giving me the heads-up on the Instincts from Cabelas)
The key here, is to buy a 500-dollar scope for 300 dollars.... those buys on decent scopes come up every year at various times for various reasons.
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” --- Will Rogers
