# Advice on Optics



## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

is the nikko stirling Platinum nighteater 4-16x44mm a good scope for the money? ($191)


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## huntin1 (Nov 14, 2003)

:huh: Never heard of it. Sorry.

If your going to spend that kind of money why not go with one of the major, well known scope makers? Just a thought, not trying to pee in your wheaties.

huntin1


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

well i have never either but i seen it in the american rifleman magazine. they wrote an article on it.


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## beartooth (Feb 18, 2007)

squirrelshooter97 said:


> is the nikko stirling Platinum nighteater 4-16x44mm a good scope for the money? ($191)


 :eyeroll: :eyeroll: :eyeroll:


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

ok thats all i wanted to hear. Just wanted an opinion.


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

I've never heard of them either, but they seem to offer some decent features. I went to their website and checked them out here's what i found- Nitrogen filled, 3.5 inches of eye relief, and fully coated lenses. Plus it even has SIDE FOCUS, which is a very desireable option on a rifle scope nowdays.

My guess is it probably wouldn't match the quality of say nikon or leupold, but you never know it may come close. For the money you may get a decent scope that could last a long time. Compare paying the $191 for this to paying $350 on a similar nikon and i can see why you ask if they are good. There are people on here that swear by the Scheel's brand of scopes and they don't cost even close to the Nikon or Leupold's either.

Beartooth, whats with the :eyeroll: 's??? If I remember right you were nothing but a leupold man and thought they were the best til you tried a Nikon Buckmasters out. Now i believe you are equiping all your guns with Nikon's. Did you even check out the features that these scopes offered before knocking them and basically ridiculing the poor guy for asking a simple question?

Squirrel, you can get lowered powered Nikon and know you are getting a good scope for a little more than that, but if you are looking for that range of magnification in that price range you might be onto something. I say search the net and find some reviews on them. If the reviews are good go ahead and buy one. If you get one and love the scope post it up on here and let us know how it is.

Matt


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

hmm wonder how good australian manufacturing is. I think that is where they are made lol 8)


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

Squirrel what were you planning on putting it on? Are you set on that magnification range?


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

a 17 hmr and no im just set on the adustable parallax. Ive found that parallax is a big problem for me when trying to get good groupings as the crosshairs move alot when u move your head. So i figured id ditch the 150 yard set big game scope and get an adjustable. A wide range is desireable but not necessary. Thankyou for trying to help by the way.


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

squirrelshooter97 said:


> well i have never either but i seen it in the american rifleman magazine. they wrote an article on it.


I know nothing about the scopes.

No offense intended, when was the last time you read a review in a gun/shooting magazine that showed ANY product in an unfavorable manner? Magazines don't make their money on subscriptions or newsstand sales, they make it on vendor advertising. If you bad-mouth a product in your magazine, they likely won't advertise with you, other companies will be less likely to do so also.

Take this for what it's worth.


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

good thinking well thats the reason i posted acually. Just to see if it was BS or legit.


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

http://www.airgunbbs.com/forums/showthr ... ?p=1937340


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

sounds pretty reasonable acually. what do u think


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

Well its not for a hard kicking gun. I found good reviews on them in some forums and some bad too. Its hard to say. If you want to order one I found the same one a lot cheaper than $191. Here is the link http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/40178-48006-2728.html

You might be able to find them for cheaper too. I also found that some of their scope are in the high end price range too. Up there around $700 or more


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

Nice well that was suggested retail price so it usually runs a little bit higher. Thankyou for the help i believe i might look into it.


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## ac700wildcat (Oct 30, 2006)

No problem. I'd just read a lot and do a lot of looking on the net before setting your mind on a scope. Mueller scopes have gotten a lot of really good reveiws on rimfirecentral.com too. May as well look into them too. They are not side focus, but they have the front focus on them. There are so many options out there that it is really hard to decide.

I'm kinda in the same boat right now. I'm actually looking for a couple new scopes, one for my 30-06 and one for my 10/22. I know I want a Nikon Buckmasters 4.5-14x40 for the 30-06, but just can't decide on a new one for the 10/22. Right now I have a Bushnell sportsman 3-9x32 on the 10/22 and just can't get decent focus with it. I want something with an adjustable objective for it, but just can't make a decision.


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

exactly my problem. Yeah i am not gonna make any decision fast i need to get funds first if you know wat i mean. but i dont care if its side focus or not i just want it adjustable so i can tailor it to the distance i am shooting. for example during sight in and testing for best load.


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

Ive been looking at bushnell elite 3200 and the one that is 5-15x50mm is pretty cool and not really that bad at $283 i think but if i want that one it will take a while to build up to that much money. But i have a bushnell trophy on it right now and i plan on moving it to my 30-06 because it is pretty good optics but just isnt wat i need for my 17 hmr.


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

squirrelshooter97 said:


> Ive been looking at bushnell elite 3200 and the one that is 5-15x50mm is pretty cool and not really that bad at $283 i think but if i want that one it will take a while to build up to that much money. But i have a bushnell trophy on it right now and i plan on moving it to my 30-06 because it is pretty good optics but just isnt wat i need for my 17 hmr.


The Bushnell ELITE line is a good line of scopes, but after buying a Nikon with side focus, I am convince it is the way to go. I don't believe any of the Bushnells have SF.


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

yeah it is front focus but i dont think its that big of an issue for me. Is there any real advantage to side focus over the front focus other than the handyness of usage?


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## iwantabuggy (Feb 15, 2005)

Not that I am aware of, but the ease of use is HUGE. I have both, and I'll never buy another AO. All in the future will be SF.


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

ill keep that in mind.


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## Remington 7400 (Dec 14, 2005)

Nikko Sterling is imported by Legacy Sports International, who owns/imports Howa, Puma, and Escort. Some Howa rifles are avaliable as a package deal with a NS scope. I hear they are made in Australia, can't say if thats good or bad.

Thats as much as I know, can't honestly say if they are good or bad, I've never looked through one.

What I do know.

Nikon, Burris, Leupold, Bushnell Elite are good scopes, IMO buy one of those, YMMV. :wink:


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## Gohon (Feb 14, 2005)

I've got a Savage 93R 17HMR with a Bushnell Elite 3200 4X12 A/O on it and I really like it. I don't think any other scope would serve me better for the 17HMR. Could have gone cheaper but if you want .25-.50 groups at 100 yards you need good glass.


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## squirrelshooter97 (Mar 20, 2007)

Im pretty sure im gonna go for the bushnell elite like you say gohon i have a 17 hmr that im lookin at gettin it for. How much did you give for it? By the way what part of kentucky are you from Remington just wondering if you dont wanna say, no problem.


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## Jiffy (Apr 22, 2005)

He's from mysistersmywifeandsoismymomville, KY. :wink: :lol:

The best advice you can get for ANY optic is to go as high as you possibly can afford. You get what you pay for! This is especially true with optics. I guess I have never been a "well that is good enough guy." I've always been more of a "how much can I afford to buy without getting killed by the wife guy." :beer:

For example, I'll spend $500 on a rifle and then turn around and put a $1000 scope on it. I do currently have a few rifles that are exceptions to this rule however this will change with time. I can assure you of this!


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## woodguru (Jul 10, 2007)

squirrelshooter97 said:


> Ive been looking at bushnell elite 3200 and the one that is 5-15x50mm is pretty cool and not really that bad at $283 i think but if i want that one it will take a while to build up to that much money. But i have a bushnell trophy on it right now and i plan on moving it to my 30-06 because it is pretty good optics but just isnt wat i need for my 17 hmr.


The best value I've found in a mid-size scope is the Pentax Pioneer 4.5-14x AO, it is the same exact scope as a Burris Fullfield II that lists at around five or six hundred, it lists at $428 itself, and can be had from Fox Optics for around $228. In my opinion you are getting a $500 class scope at a great price, they also have a very cool range finding reticle that allows a direct hold point.

I've bought four of them in the last few weeks, also three Nikon Buckmasters 6-18x, 2 Nikon 4.5-14x, 2 Elite 4200 6-24x, 1 Elite 4200 8-32, 2 Swift 8-32x, and 2 Pentax Gameseeker 4-12x fixed parallax.

I also bought one Elite 3200 5-15x just to compare it to the Pentax and sent it back for a Pentax instead. I bought the Nikons with side focus for hunting applications and don't mind AO's for target use. Side focus is pretty handy though.

The Pentax Pioneer is a better scope than the Elite 3200 but not the 4200.


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## woodguru (Jul 10, 2007)

Jiffy said:


> He's from mysistersmywifeandsoismymomville, KY. :wink: :lol:
> 
> The best advice you can get for ANY optic is to go as high as you possibly can afford. You get what you pay for! This is especially true with optics. I guess I have never been a "well that is good enough guy." I've always been more of a "how much can I afford to buy without getting killed by the wife guy." :beer:
> 
> For example, I'll spend $500 on a rifle and then turn around and put a $1000 scope on it. I do currently have a few rifles that are exceptions to this rule however this will change with time. I can assure you of this!


Funny you should mention that, I just had a bit of a run in with my wife's sensibilities. I have bought about 12 rifles in the last four weeks or so, it's sort of like a custom 77/17 led to one with a Green Mountain barrel and Volquartsen stock, which led to a 507-T 17 HMR which led to a 507-T .22 which led to a 504 HM2 with a Shilen barrel, this led to a 504 .22, Volquartsen barreled 10/22 and 597's, a heavy barreled 597, which led to being in deep doo doo.

The giveaway was ten scopes lined up on my pool table to help me sort out what scope would be for what rifle, UPS came with a Nikon 6-18x and an Elite 4200 6-24x and my wife wanted to know why I needed more scopes, didn't I have enough, which led her to wanting to know just how many rifles I had bought.

Under some severe pressure for a quick and sensible answer (sensible was eluding me at that moment) I told her there were some rifles I wanted to try and I'd narrow it down to two or three 17 HMR's, two or three .22's, and the HM2 and sell the rest to friends. I told her heck, I got a good enough price on these that it will help pay for the ones I keep. :idiot:

I'm hoping the question of how much I've spent doesn't come up  I'm not sure what the answer to that is, the scopes were over three grand.

This is what happens when an avid shooter goes ten or fifteen years without releasing these urges.


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

> Under some severe pressure for a quick and sensible answer (sensible was eluding me at that moment) I told her there were some rifles I wanted to try and I'd narrow it down to two or three 17 HMR's, two or three .22's, and the HM2 and sell the rest to friends. I told her heck, I got a good enough price on these that it will help pay for the ones I keep. :idiot:
> 
> I'm hoping the question of how much I've spent doesn't come up  I'm not sure what the answer to that is, the scopes were over three grand.
> 
> This is what happens when an avid shooter goes ten or fifteen years without releasing these urges.


Nope, this is what happens when one fails to properly train their significant other! Or it happens when they can't really afford all they've purchased, which gives the significant other good reason to be irritated and demand a thinning of the herd.


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## woodguru (Jul 10, 2007)

Actually what she came up with was to tell me to figure out what ones I want to keep and tell her how much they were so she can have the same amount of money for whatever she wants. This is a very un-material woman so her matching funds will go for something she wants for the house that I'll have to do the work on. There's a lot of reasons to love this gal. I try to keep in touch with high dollar items she needs for her veterinary clinic like the $25k x-ray machine we got and the laser surgical scalpel we are looking at. I had a guy come in and show her how they work with a hands on demo so I'm gearing up for that.

In actuality I do only need a couple (3) HMR's, a few .22's (a couple of bolts and a couple semi autos), and the HM2, so I knew I was going to have a few extra.


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