Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Question about Tasco World Class scopes

Need some help here on how to tell the difference between the newer Tasco World Class scopes made in China and the older one made in Japan. I've seen lots of reports of satisfied users for the Japan-made Tasco, but far less for the recent Chinese version.

The reason I need to know is that a guy is selling a rifle I want with a World Class scope mounted. He won't break up the set, and I would probably buy it at the price he wants if it had a decent scope.

I have too many cheap scopes in the closet taken off other rifles to have one more cluttering up my limited gun space.

There is no sticker or stamp on the scope showing where it was made - is there any other way to tell?

The World Class Plus that I own has this sticker on the bottom of the eyepiece bell. It came on a rifle I purchased but it is quite clear and bright. Not your typical Wal-Mart Tasco.

I have a NIB Tasco World Class Plus Target Scope 10-40 X 50mm . It was Made In Taiwan and has very high Quality Optics ( I think the biggest bargain Tasco made ) and so marked in small black lettering on the side of the Eyepiece . I also have a NIB Tasco 5-20 X 50mm which were the last BDC Reticle Tascos made ( came with two different Yardage marked Elevation Knobs ) . It was made in Japan but there is only a Sticker near the Windage & Elevation Knobs . The Optics are good , but not in the same ballpark as the Target Scope . Had a friend that laughed at Tasco Scopes until he Tested the Target Scope , then bought one for his SAKO Varmint Rifle . I think he said he paid about $250 many years ago .....so they were not cheap .

I purchased a Tasco World Class 3-9x 40mm brand new from a local gun shop in 1995. Still have it in its original box (it crapped out a few years ago after 765 rounds on a sporterized #4 Lee-Enfield). No place on the box or the original paperwork that came with it (copyright 1990) can I find where the scope was made. However; on the ocular (eyepiece) bell of the scope printed in real small letters it says: "MADE IN KOREA" printed in black letters on the semi-matte black finish of the scope. It's hard to see but it's there. I don't know when the Japan production stopped or when Chinese or whatever else production started but this one's from Korea. If you study yours very closely maybe there will be something like that on yours.

The older World Class scopes of the 70's through the 80's and maybe even into the 90's were decent scopes in their day. Much better than the Chinese made versions made later. But even if you get one of the older World Class scopes it is going to be 20-40 years old and there is a good chance the rubber seals or other parts are worn out. Even if in perfect condition a new $200 VX-1, Redfield Revolution, or Burris FF-II is going to be a much better scope.

Optics have really improved within the last 30 years and many of today's entry level scopes are as good the better Leupold's of the 1980's.

czech1022,

Here is some info on Tasco as well as Tasco compared to others. YOu will see the Tasco is quite comparable.

4/10/11

I took the new Tasco to Bob�s Accuracy Shop. He snickered at the idea I would buy a Tasco 4-16X World Class. Everyone knows they are trash. He tried to convince me it would not hold zero if the magnification was changed. After installing it in his scope fixture he ran the power to 15X. I asked him why and he told me a cheap scope would blur out at its highest setting. I turned it up and it was beautiful. Bob was very surprised.

He has a grid on a tree about 100 yards from his bench mounted scope fixture. There was no discernable point of impact change throughout the magnification range. He knew adjusting the parallax would change the crosshairs. It didn�t. He did some impact testing to see how it would react to recoil. Again no change.


January 10, 2012
This afternoon right at sunset I set out some scopes in no particular order on the sandbags. From left to right were Weaver 6-24X40, Swarovski z5 5-25X52 ( the fourth one is a keeper), Tasco World Class 4-16X40, and Bushnell 4200 4-16X40. I adjusted them to the lowest setting which allowed me to see the forks on the antlers about 131 yards away. Then I adjusted the A.O. or side focus to give as clear an image as I could get and re-did the magnification setting. I recorded this info.

After I did that I asked my son-in-law to adjust them for his eye and I recorded the info. John told me the Bushnell was the sharpest but the Swarovski was very close. He then went on to say it was close between the Weaver and the Tasco. The info follows.

Ringman:
Weaver � 8 3/4X
Swarovski � 6 3/4X
Tasco - 7 1/2X
Bushnell - 6 1/4X

Son-in-law:
Weaver � 6 1/8X
Swarovski - 6X
Tasco - 5 7/8X
Bushnell - 7X

FWIW... Optically my Korean built World Class was always nice for something in Tasco's price range. Don't recall what it cost in 1995 but I was low on money at the time and needed a scope for that rifle, and was planning on getting something better in a couple years or so. It wound up being on that rifle for 12 years because it was better than I thought it would be. So then it was; "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". Late in 2007 it died,(lost zero, wouldn't hold zero, etc.) but it was decent while it lasted. The rifle now has a Redfield Revolution 4-12x 40mm which I like a lot better. But the cheap Tasco was nice enough for something in that price range so I feel that I got my money's worth out of it anyway.

I still have two of the Japanese Tasco's from the late 70's. Both are still clear and bright and work perfectly. They Both say Japan on the bottom of the ocular bell and on the inspection sticker located on the underside of the turret saddle.

Anyone can say what they like about Tasco scopes but they're still cheap scopes. They were cheap when made in Japan and they're cheap now. The ones made in Japan are now old and cheap. So, if I were you, I would offer the price of the rifle with no scope or a cheap scope.

This. Something I was told years ago still is true. You get what you pay for in optics. Not saying that the tasco wont work, but its not comparable to swaro, elites ect. Yes I have owned multiple WC scopes, all but 1 crapped out in a very short time. They are ok optically, but I have never found the results that ringman has.

This is something I was told years ago but discovered it is not true. That is you get what you pay for in optics. Not saying that the Tasco wont work, but its not comparable to swaro, elites ect.,but they hold their own with them. Yes I have owned multiple WC scopes, and none crapped out in a very short time or a long time. They are surprising optically, and a few have found the results that Ringman has.

When I adjust my Tascos they actually move the point of impact. When I adjusted my Swarovski z5 5-25X52 the first time, it didn't move. I adjusted it again and the point of impact moved too much. That is not getting what you pay for. I purchased and either returned or sold three z5's before I kept the one I have.

When I purchased my Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 I returned the first for warranty work because it was blurry above 25X. When it came back it was blurry below s7X or 8X. I returned it for a refund. Months later I purchased the one I have now. It is fine. Again that it not getting what you pay for.

These companies have to charge so much for their stuff because the number of returns compared to the Tascos.

I've never owned a Tasco myself, I have replaced them for my Dad when they wouldn't hold zero. That was an old "Mag IV" and it live a happy life of about 10 years on an 8mm Gibbs before it let loose. My Dad had a gunsmith friend who passed away some years back that swore by them. He was usually on a budget himself and felt that they were a good value(of course that was 20 years ago). Also replaced a China made World Class that lived a short life on a Savage 30-06 for a buddy, I replaced Dad's with a Revolution, think we replaced the other one with a Nikon of some sort(My buddy already had the scope THINK it was a Buckmaster, not that it matters). Don't really care for their product line myself, but if you have good experience with them why the hell not? That's why I stick with Weaver and Leupold...

I lost confidence in Tasco scopes when I missed a chip shot at a coyote. It turned out that the scope which had been sighted in just a few days before was shooting 10 inches high.

I presume you are aware that Tasco scopes are now marketed by Bushnell?

I'll tell you about my last experience with Bushnell. I had a Bushnell handgun scope that supposedly had a lifetime warranty. It broke when used on a heavy recoiling handgun and Bushnell wouldn't honor the warranty saying it had been "abused."

Other scopes can break. I broke 2 Thompson/Center Recoil Proof scopes and both were promptly replaced without complaint. I also have broken several Leupold handgun scopes and all were promptly repaired under warranty.

So, I have no use for Bushnell scopes or for Tasco scopes. And getting back to the original question, Tasco scopes are cheap scopes whether made in Japan, China or Taiwan. If you're lucky, they'll work for awhile.

I am in no way arguing that you have had good experiences with them. I have not. I have never to this point had one of my swaros, zeiss, leupolds, elites ect fail. The glass on the high end is unreal compared to lesser scopes. I have killed whitetail with cheap scopes including world class scopes so I know they work too, but I have much more confidence in my swaros and zeiss scopes. Zero failure rate makes me a believer in the upper end scope. To each his own. If they work for you that's great. Buy what you like and be happy. Happy shooting.

When l went to Alaska Tascos were on the two rifles that went. This was after years of Burris and Leupold. To many failures. My custom rifle carries a Swarm z5 because the forth one is what l expected from the first. It is definite my best low light scope; which is what l had in mind when l started checking them.

Where and who makes Tasco is irrelevant to me. Other cheap scopes have been junk for me. Even Burris is no longer something l will buy.

I have better than 35 Leupolds. My first one was purchased in 1975 to replace a Trashco that would never hold zero on my magnum. Not one of the Leupolds has ever been in the shop?

My only Leupold I have is as good as scopes get. Leupold replaced its predecessor because it failed due to recoil. But then every brand fixed and variable prior to this one failed due to recoil. .454's are hard on scopes. It destroyed about a dozen.

I'm not sure its any harder on them than my .378 Weatherbee. Still has it original used 1.75 X 6 mounted on it.

Every .454 owner knows my kicker kicks harder than your kicker.

I heard from my friends brother in law's father that the tasco's track and hold zero as well as the very expensive Night force scopes and that the optics for all NF and Tasco scopes are made in the same plant and that the guts of both scopes are almost identical. He also said the Army almost gave the new sniper scope contract to Tasco over S&B but the Germans promised to kick back 20% of their scope prices to the Solar Power initiative in the US. If you get a chance to peer through a Tasco side by side with a S&B the similarity is obvious to anyone. As a matter of fact its rumored that Zeiss owns a big stake in Tasco and uses them as sort of an optics skunk works as they have some real optical geniuses working there. He further goes on to say that in a pinch you can dismount the world class 3-9 x 50 and it will function as a perfect "butt out" tool on medium to large deer.