Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Is Anyone Actually Buying Communist China Scopes?

Contrary to popular belief, not all companies in China are owned by the state (SOEs). Where it suits them, there are foreign companies (FOEs) and private companies (POEs). Some really big companies are POEs, like Jack Ma’s Alibaba (think Amazon), Tencent, a big media company among other stuff, and Baidu, their Google. If they get too big, or otherwise piss off the Party in some way, they can get taken over or otherwise futzed with. Ma is giving up Alibaba it seems, after getting involved too much in financial dealings that are usually reserved for Party “friends”. He’s going to teach, which is probably preferable to a bullet in the head.

Whether or not any optics companies are POEs or FOEs, I can’t say. If they’re on the stock market, that would indicate they are. Actually, I don’t personally know of any optics being sold under a Chinese company name, only ones that are made there and sold under foreign names like Hawke and Vortex. If you want to be certain, then avoid stuff marked Fabrique en Chine.

I'd love to claim the high ground, but I can't shake the holosuns / sig Romeo 5.

My magnified optics are all NF and SWFA, but I just can't bring myself to put aimpoints on all the range toys.

Burris Fastfires are made in the Philippines, and are excellent and reasonable in price.

They are too frickN heavy

More power to "Mr. Clued In". What brand of vehicle you drive? Ford, GM or what? You really believe those parts are all US of good ole A??? Do you take pictures of the deer, elk, or whatever else I assume you hunt? Do you really believe those parts are US of good ole A??? Oh and are you using a computer to promote buying American??? Do I need to go there??? Spin it how you want but hypocritical you are - Mr. Clued In...

Yep, your weakness and hypocrisy - not mine.

Not being 100% successful is not a good enough excuse for me not to at least TRY.

Whatever anyone else does is up to them. Honestly don't care.

I like my Bushnell Elites, 3200, 3500, 4200, 4500 etc. Can often find them in unused condition or near enough for very little coin, comparatively speaking.

If there are any Chinesium components in them, so be it.

Frankly I don't need an excuse to buy either way but I can respect your convictions. What I have no respect for are the clowns coming in and spewing BS when they probably have as much Chicom crap as anyone. It is what it is - doesnt mean I will be speaking Chinese in the morning...

I’d bet that 90% of 100% American made optics are too expensive for many shooters and hunters. Id also wager the target market for many of them is in large part: military/govt/LE and foreign. When you get right down to it, Oregon is as communist as China these days, and you can source all Japanese far easier than all US….and they’ve killed more Americans than Xi ever has. I’m not saying anyone should want to support the Chinese govt, but a gun sight is not worth getting your blood pressure up over. The trade laws LET them undercut everyone else, also. FWIW, they’re just as addicted to our market/economy, as we are to their products. Very few of us would own ANY NV or Thermal devices, (much less phones, PCs, or TVs) if the Chinese didn’t make affordable versions.

You will probably be one of the first to speak Chinese if they win the next war. "Lay ho mah!"

These posts pretty much cover it, and I agree with them. Most experienced sport optic users probably know this stuff and buy accordingly,. The only reason these threads are started is to get peoples blood pressure up. As time goes on, some of the non-China sport optic producers will probably fall to the wayside, so you better stock up now on non-China made optics. RJ

For a lot of things we buy, there is no viable alternative. That is why most of us have a lot of these products. The issue really is when there is a viable alternative, there are people using the criteria of "better value for money" to buy these or similar products.

You can't get away from buying Chinese products. Even a scope that's made in Germany is going to have Chinese elements. China is almost the world's exclusive producer of rare earth metals. These are used to make the lens coatings and glass polishing compounds that make high end Germans scopes so well regarded. They are used to make the batteries that make Aimpoints work. They are used to make the monitor work that you're reading this on. You simply cannot get away from Chinese products.

Rare Earth metals aren't rare. But China owns the market on them. There was an effort under Trump to get the US competitive again in the extraction and processing of these elements, but current the Chinese-sympathist in office has pretty much shut that down in the name of the environment.

I agree with that in theory and understand the premise of your thought. So what optics do you own or suggest?

You didn’t ask me, but I’m switching over to better stuff, Trijicon, Burris, and just bought another Tract. I think I’m done now. Have one Hawke left on a backup ML that needs the long ER. Just bought a Leupold 4x rimfire scope for a Marlin 39 and had to play the game to get it dialed in, but it was the perfect fit. One Vari-X II 3-9 remains on my Hornet, untouched for a long, long time. Sold a couple of Hawkes, have one in a box in case I need a LER, but might sell it too if the notion hits me.

I've had Chinese scopes from Brunton, BSA, Bushnell, Cabela's, Pentex, Simmons, Tasco, and counterfeit Leupolds. Most came on used rifles and were subsequently removed and either sold or thrown away. I did buy a counterfeit Leupold via eBay to satisfy my curiosity and must say that it has held up fine on the Ruger 10/22 that it is installed on and I bought the Cabela's Pineridge scopes for some lower tier rifles.

The Hawkes have worked well, more evidence that if the company that OEMs them holds the maker’s feet to the fire, they can make good stuff, just like Turkish shotguns. Hawke has been around a long time and is very popular in other countries, and even some places here. The owner of my LGS told me he sells a bunch, mostly Vantage IIRC, and at the time had never had one come back. I bought all mine on clearance, mostly from Doug. Only issue has been one 2-7 Endurance LER that lost zero on a Mini-14, but that’s hardly a fair test. The same rifle almost shook a set of QRW rings off in about 20 rounds, even though buffered and de-gassed. A tough ride for optics. I think it needs a tough scope AND tough mounts.

Confession time.
For Chinese optics, I have 2 Hawke scopes, a Frontier 1-6x24 on a Blaser K95 which has been flawless. I have an Endurance 2.5-10x50 that I had on a Tikka T3, 243 and removed it because the scope made the rifle noticeably top heavy. The scope is now in the box. It will be gifted to some new young hunter that cannot afford a scope. I have 3 Holosun red dots that are fantastic. I love the push button intensity adjustment. Can't get that on an Ainpoint Micro.

For non-Chinese optics, I have around 30 other scopes that are manufactured in U.S.A., Germany, Czec Republic, Japan and the Phillipines. RJ

Apparently you speak a lot more Chinese than I do - have no idea what that means. Have you intentionally purchased anything made by or with Chinese parts? Of course you have....that my friend is your clue....

Next time you go to your pharmacy - ask where your medication is produced.

Went to the Dr. in July. Was prescribed a Z-Pack and a Steroid - Both in blister packs - both produced in China - said so on the lable. This was from Walmart Pharmacy.

Wife went the the Dr. this month. Was prescribe the same - Both in blister packs - both produced in China - said so no the lable. This was from CVS Pharmacy.

If you know a diabetic, ask them to check the country of origin on their testing supplies. A good chance they are produced in China.

If you really feel that the CCP Virus is a "biological warfare weapon" - then rather than moaning about scopes on a forum - you should be lobbying your Senators to send a couple of cruse missiles to destroy the lab that produced it.

YMMV