Looking for Titan NP scope upgrade recommendations

[plinker331]

Plinker.  There's some good scopes out there (that don't cost too much); that have proven themselves.   We try to inform members of what specific models they can buy TODAY, and will work with PROVEN LONG LIFE, on the springers, or the NPs, at different power levels.  Brand name is no insurance of performance.  It's more that we have been able to sort out specific models, that prove to be effective...over years of service.  It's a tough nut, and if you have specific models you could suggest that have lasted for a long time,... 

Like I said Bullit it is not a question of if it is going to break but a question of when.  I have nothing against inexpensive scopes.  I mentioned Barska because I have had excellent success with them overall.  I had bought a handful of their Plinker22 4x32 scopes, a Hot Magnum for my HMR rifle and it is now on my daughters 22 Mag, a few of their Varmint series, one was on my 17 hornet and one on my 17WSM and I bought one of their Excavator 8-32x50AO/IR Target Dot.  That scope is amazing.  Compared to BSA none of those scopes even remotely failed.  When I had my Bone Collector BW I wanted a better scope and I was already using a BSA Air Essentials 3-12x44AO on my Gamo 220 so I opted for another one.  The 1st one I had been using was an  older model and the new one had some upgrades I liked, one being fast focus ocular.  Less than 50 shots later the reticle shifted.  I checked online on Optics Planet and they had only one more in stock.  I secured it, sent mine back and exchanged it.  I think I ended up with an open box scope.  There were some things I didn't like about this replacement but I wanted it to work so badly because I wanted to hunt in NY with my friend as air power is legal there unlike PA.  After getting rid of the Gamo BCBW I kept that scope and later put it on my daughters Savage 93.  That rifle will repeat one ragged hole at 50 yards with Hornady branded ammo but not with that scope.  Every BSA scope I personally ever owned with the exception of the 1st air essentials on the 220 and the 6-24x40AO that came on my 22 hornet rifle either broke, got sent back, sent back to BSA/Gamo.  The last BSA I sent back was last Fall.  It was a Sweet 22 3-9x40AO that I had on my daughters Savage MkII squirrel rifle.  That scope had been on 2 rifles, less than 200 rounds fired under it, all 22LR and the reticle shifted in it too.

I can't in good confidence suggest a BSA to anyone.  I have had some scopes that I think BSA (or the company that makes scopes for BSA) makes that are branded something else such as that Rex Optics.  It is a beauty of a scope, simple, ultra clear but mine just didn't handle the mild recoil of a well broke in Titan GP.

There is one thing people should know about Barska that is unlike most scope brands.  Were Bushnell, Simmons, Tasco, Truglo, BSA and others have you pay to ship your scope back and include a $10 check to cover shipping back they require a $25 check to cover shipping and inspection of the scope.  Shipping to them for me is at least $10 so in the case of the $70 air scopes I will have $35 in the replacement which is OK if the scope has seen some time.  Not OK if it is 31 days old.  I do not like that policy BUT I have yet to have a catastrophic Barska scope failure.  The worst was the AO ring coming loose.  That was lack of a decent glue and lack of it in general.

Another thing most people do not know is that there is basically 4 manufacturing places in China making ALL the Chinese scopes.  Ever look at some of these scopes?  Some, like Rex, look like a BSA down to the narrow oval name plate that could have said BSA but now says Rex.  BSA's 4x32AO has tall turrets & fast focus, Rex does not.

Leapers makes a really decent scope for the money and they seem to be more of a "Premium imported scope".  Laying a Leapers scope beside the same basic CenterPoint, Snyper, Firefield, Hammers and others it would appear Leapers makes those scopes for others.

You are right though Bullit, brand name doesn't mean anything but reliability, value and quality do.   As I said I have had excellent service out of the Barska scopes I have owned.  I really like their varmint series.  Hard to beat for the money.  A 6-24x42AO or 50AO in the $80-$90 price range and they are clear enough to me to shoot touching holes at 100 yards.  I had planned on adding an 8-32x42AO MilDot for my HMR since I donated its scope to my daughter.  A local store had one and I checked it out.  It seemed a bit dark and wouldn't focus sharp for me.  Next to it was a Firefield 8-32x50AO/IR MilDot and looks like a spitting image of the Leapers or at least a Leapers from a year or 2 ago.  I held it up and it was crystal clear.  I will be buying one of those.

Buying high power scopes locally is hard for me because most places just don't carry anything over 12x and I have one Savage .22 bolt that is an inexpensive bench shooter / squirrel ended that I use a 6-24x42AO on.  It doesn't shoot 1 ragged hole at 25 yards it shoots 1 hole...out of the box.

I like good scopes and good doesn't always mean expensive.  Currently my most expensive scope costs about $170 my current least expensive $40.  My go to most often used .22 scope is the Simmons 22mag 3-9x32AO.  Always clear, easy to use and I hat to say it at the regular price of $70 is 2x the scope the Nikon rim fire BDC is.  OK the Nikon is a bit more clear but not 2x more clear.  Also like I said, I missed more squirrels this season with the Nikon that with the other.  The last time I had this issue I was using a 6x32AO CenterPoint (BugBuster).  The rifle shot excellent from the bench but I missed sitting squirrels every time.  Go back to the bench and it would shoot US Quarter sized 5 shot groups at 50 yards on a bad day.  Finally I bought a cheap Simmons 3-9x32 plain jane discontinued scope, zeroed it and squirrels died.  I still have that scope.

This forum is great for exchanging information, ideas.  I want people to know that at times it may seem as if I am arrogant but I hate seeing people going through bad things that I could have kept them from going through especially if they would have/could have listened to me.  My last Gamo rifle, if only the reviews were current, if only I read them, if only I had known about a better scope mount or ring set.

I went through so many Accushot UTG 1 & 2 piece ring sets it wasn't even funny.  The money I spent trying to keep a functioning scope on that rifle I could have bought a Marauder.  If I had just known about BKL and stepped into their products I might still have that rifle.  When that rifle was working right it was fun but that rifle was only fun 15-25% of the time.  I hated that thing so much by the time I was done I ened up getting rid of everything air powered except my Gamo P23 and the only reason I still had that was because I forgot I had it.  I sold everything down to the last open tin of pellets.

Geez now I still have the P23, 2 NPXL's, a Titan, 2 Trail NP pistols, a 357 Vigilante, a Wildcat, 1911 Defender.

Obviously I have strayed from scopes but I am thankful for this web forum because many MANY web forums are not even close to this forum with friendly advise and information.

Thank you everyone.