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What is a Budget Optic

ClintC

ClintC

Private
Minuteman
Dec 1, 2023
16
12
Guthrie, Ok
okballistics.com
What is a budget optic. NO youtube videos. IN your words. What is a budget OPTIC. Price ranges, features, glass quality, Brand name, warranty.

Does it look like this or is it different?
0-500 / budget?
501-1000 / mid?
1001- plus / high end?

I know what I spend on optics. I just want to hear your thoughts.

how much do you spend on your optic?
 
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Under $1000 budget- this is where “high end” Chinese optics end, Philippine optics thrive and Japanese optics begin. Low end vortex, Arken, Athlon, Burris XTRII etc

$1000 - $2500 mid range new/used market for vortex, Athlon Cronus, Burris XTRIII, lower end/power NF etc. Most Japanese glass

$2500 + These would be your high end. US, German and Japanese etc glass. New/Used for NF ATACR 7-35, ZCO, TT, S&B

I say budget optic plays in the under $1000 category. But that can be an Arken EP5, used Burris XTRIII on the high end. Or the cheapest Athlon.

“Budget” Will depend on what the buyers considers to be budget with their $$.

For me if I want a “budget” optic for my precision .22 it’s an Arken EP5. If I want a “budget” optic for my AI it would start with Burris XTRIII/Athlon Cronus or a used NF ATACR
 
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It's all subjective. I'd consider a Leupold mk5 as a good for the money budget optic. And wouldn't spend money on anything worse.

Others might consider the mk5 the expensive option.


Kevin O'Leary considers a "beater watch" to cost about $5k. Like everything, its all relative to personal opinion and budget.
 
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ClintC said:
What is a budget optic. NO youtube videos. IN your words. What is a budget OPTIC. Price ranges, features, glass quality, Brand name, warranty.

Does it look like this or is it different?
0-500 / budget?
501-1000 / mid?
1001- plus / high end?

I know what I spend on optics. I just want to hear your thoughts.

how much do you spend on your optic?
Click to expand...
My (probably controversial) thoughts on non-digital magnified optics. NV & thermal are a whole different conversation.

$0-$1,000 is a budget optic.
$1,000-$2,500 is mid-tier.
$2,500-$4,000 alpha-tier.
$4,000+ you’re LARPing, compensating for something, showing off your money, make a living with your weapon, or your life depends on your weapon’s durability. 😂
 
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Anything less than $3000 for the "deep pockets" around here, a lot less for me. If I had their money maybe I'd be the same way.

I actually think that the less money U have/make, the more important it is to buy a well made optic/wait until you have a few more bucks for something that's going to last. You can certainly do that for less than 3 grand.

Waiting has always been my best friend; that and the demo optic that a deserving individual gets after "deep pockets" has gotten bored w/it.


I compare this to photography gear. They're guys w/Leicas/Hasselblads that don't need 'em, and can't shoot a lick.

....and guys w/pretty cheap gear that have their images in galleries/museums.


If U need something decent to go out and get your family something to eat, that's different.
 
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Budget = low quality = Chicomm
To avoid this, save for a longer period before buying.

ETA: That's not to say one shouldn't wait for a sale, or avail themselves of a special discount for Mil/LE/Veteran, etc., etc.
 
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stanley_white said:
To further muddy the waters, people also confuse Cheap with Inexpensive.

To me Cheap is low price and low quality.

Inexpensive is low price high quality.

-Stan
Click to expand...
I agree with this 100%. You want to spend the least amount of money on the best thing you can. sales deal or military discount. A 1200 optic for 600 to me is a budget optic.
 
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ClintC said:
I agree with this 100%. You want to spend the least amount of money on the best thing you can. sales deal or military discount. A 1200 optic for 600 to me is a budget optic.
Click to expand...
Of course the underlined makes sense, but you should've stipulated it in your OP. No sane person would turn down a sale price or discount on a new product and opt to pay the higher price.

In reality what happens is people don't want to wait to save up more money to get something better, so they go cheapcomm and pretend it's as good as the much better products- people lie to themselves all the time- and then try to convince others of their fantasy.
 
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Milf Dots said:
Of course the underlined makes sense, but you should've stipulated it in your OP. No sane person would turn down a sale price or discount on a new product and opt to pay the higher price.

In reality what happens is people don't want to wait to save up more money to get something better, so they go cheapcomm and pretend it's as good as the much better products- people lie to themselves all the time- and then try to convince others of their fantasy.
Click to expand...
This is vary true. I didn’t say anything at first because I wanted to hear what they all had to say. I have this question ask in 3 forums. Everyone but @stanley_white has given me price ranges. Yes price is important to a lot. But almost none ever use what’s in front on them or given to them. They will walk right by the 1200 optic on sale or used somewhere and it was in there budget the hole time.
 
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ClintC said:
This is vary true. I didn’t say anything at first because I wanted to hear what they all had to say. I have this question ask in 3 forums. Everyone but @stanley_white has given me price ranges. Yes price is important to a lot. But almost none ever use what’s in front on them or given to them. They will walk right by the 1200 optic on sale or used somewhere and it was in there budget the hole time.
Click to expand...
For me, reticle design working easily with my eyes and brain drove everything.

-Stan
 
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Since budget can be different for different people that is going to be hard to identify, but here are the categories I use:
  • Chinese Manufacture
  • Budget = Non-Chinese Manufacture up to $1500
  • Mid-range = Non-Chinese Manufacture $1501 - $2500
  • Low end Alpha = Non-Chinese Manufacture $2501 - $3500
  • Alpha Class = Non-Chinese Manufacture over $3501
I consider Chinese manufacture lower than budget, they are crap shoot scopes that may or may not perform well, I generally avoid these scopes because I do not like supported the CCP; however, there are some good scopes made in China, but tread carefully, if you can't afford more than what a Chinese scope is at then I recommend buying from a manufacturer with an excellent warranty like Vortex.
 
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If Kevin O'Leary thinks a beater watch is 5k it doesn't mean things are relative, it means he's out of touch with reality. Just like a bunch of you here. I know this is an enthusiast focused forum but come on. An Arken for example can take you very far especially as a beginner.
 
thesniper said:
If Kevin O'Leary thinks a beater watch is 5k it doesn't mean things are relative, it means he's out of touch with reality. Just like a bunch of you here. I know this is an enthusiast focused forum but come on. An Arken for example can take you very far especially as a beginner.
Click to expand...
That doesn't change the fact that it's still a budget scope... Just because something is a budget scope doesn't mean it's necessarily "cheap" or shitty in quality...It's just inexpensive. Which typically means it's not as high quality as something more expensive. And typically nowhere near as refined in fit, finish, and function...Especially in the glass and turret departments. But that doesn't mean that it's not still very useable.

But I agree about the watch...That's just retarded.
 
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ClintC said:
and it was in there budget the hole time.
Click to expand...
1705032412332.gif
 
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FuhQ said:
That doesn't change the fact that it's still a budget scope...
Click to expand...

I 100% agree. I'm just responding to multiple people in this thread who strongly believe budget = waste of money and it's always "buy once cry once". I believe in buy once cry once when it comes to certain things, but not this.

Money is much better spent on just getting out and shooting than a nice optic as a beginner. Once you feel like your optic is holding you back, just sell it, regain a bunch of money that you put into it back, and upgrade.
 
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thesniper said:
I 100% agree. I'm just responding to multiple people in this thread who strongly believe budget = waste of money and it's always "buy once cry once". I believe in buy once cry once when it comes to certain things, but not this.

Money is much better spent on just getting out and shooting than a nice optic as a beginner. Once you feel like your optic is holding you back, just sell it, regain a bunch of money that you put into it back, and upgrade.
Click to expand...

sounds like the ol buy twice cry twice maneuver

image.gif
 
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CVLIFE riflescope on Amazon for $99 could be classified as a budget optic.

On the other hand I prefer not to budget at all.
Buy the best scope a paycheck or two will get, and rest assured the bills will still be there next month.
 
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Which one is more affordable?

The $250-$450 optic you purchased, mounted, bore-sighted, drove to the range, dialed-in zero, then started blasting with over days, weeks, months, then it breaks? BTDT only because I loved the reticle so much and kept rolling the dice.

Or the $1600 optic you did the same things with and it still hasn’t broken? Also BTDT, still trucking along.

What if you were in the middle of a course, a match, or just shooting with your kid?

Everything is working great, you’re ringing steel, then you’re not all of a sudden, and you look like a dimwit who can’t shoot. BTDT

What will your son remember?

It takes a lot to fill the gas tank just to inch closer to breaking your zeroed scope. Ammo is 2-3x what it used to cost. Range fees are what they are.

Certain memories are priceless. Make them good ones.

(PS: Dollar Tree sells English Muffins for $1.25 a pack now.)

The moral of the story is the $1600+ scope is THE BUDGET scope, not the $250-$450 scope, with few exceptions.

Only wealthy men can afford $250 scopes.
 
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thesniper said:
I 100% agree. I'm just responding to multiple people in this thread who strongly believe budget = waste of money and it's always "buy once cry once". I believe in buy once cry once when it comes to certain things, but not this.

Money is much better spent on just getting out and shooting than a nice optic as a beginner. Once you feel like your optic is holding you back, just sell it, regain a bunch of money that you put into it back, and upgrade.
Click to expand...
The truth is that you can’t afford to roll the dice with cheap trash, unless you just don’t care about hitting your targets, your reputation among close family who might be with you, your own self esteem, or your precious time.

Now if you’re independently wealthy with minimal obligations and have plenty of leisure time, you still should get the scopes that don’t break as often as the trash models. You could still do it, but why?

For the working man, business professional, competitor, recreational shooter who has to drive, pay top dollar for ammo, and associated fees, there is no logical sense in risking everything over a cheap piece of ChiCom excrement.

This is how you budget a scope in my experience, after trying to be the special snowflake myself and learning the hard way, and also watching others do the same.
 
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thesniper said:
I 100% agree. I'm just responding to multiple people in this thread who strongly believe budget = waste of money and it's always "buy once cry once". I believe in buy once cry once when it comes to certain things, but not this.

Money is much better spent on just getting out and shooting than a nice optic as a beginner. Once you feel like your optic is holding you back, just sell it, regain a bunch of money that you put into it back, and upgrade.
Click to expand...

If you’re a beginner and do t have much experience dealing with issues with shitty optics can be a huge PITA. The smart thing to do is to buy quality gear that you don’t have to wonder about.

Wasting time and money on cheap shit is retarded.
 
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It all depends what you are trying to accomplish. The “buy once, cry once crowd” usually choke on real top tier item costs. Here in north Mexico top tier is over $5K, often over $6K, for a long range precision optic. My $370 Cooey 30-06 truck gun wears a $200 Bushnell. BLR is getting a $250 on sale Bushy. Razor Gen 3 going on my comp 22. These threads are basically low key flex’s for Sunday Christian types.
 
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redneckbmxer24 said:
If you’re a beginner and do t have much experience dealing with issues with shitty optics can be a huge PITA. The smart thing to do is to buy quality gear that you don’t have to wonder about.

Wasting time and money on cheap shit is retarded.
Click to expand...
No, what is "retarded" is assuming that by being more expensive, it means that the sighting system is also more accurate, rugged, cute, awesomer, better on tailgate expos... etc.

Generally, that is the case. But there are enough exceptions out there that much of this viewership would consider "cheap", but that are extremely good at putting bullets where you point---and that's the ONLY primary purpose of a riflescope, let's not forget--...

...that threads like this are what are the most "retarded", made the most so by stupid shit responses.


-Nate
 
redneckbmxer24 said:
If you’re a beginner and do t have much experience dealing with issues with shitty optics can be a huge PITA. The smart thing to do is to buy quality gear that you don’t have to wonder about.

Wasting time and money on cheap shit is retarded.
Click to expand...
Very much like when someone buys a low end barrel and spends the cost of high-end barrel trying to get it to shoot.
 
natdscott said:
No, what is "retarded" is assuming that by being more expensive, it means that the sighting system is also more accurate, rugged, cute, awesomer, better on tailgate expos... etc.

Generally, that is the case. But there are enough exceptions out there that much of this viewership would consider "cheap", but that are extremely good at putting bullets where you point---and that's the ONLY primary purpose of a riflescope, let's not forget--...

...that threads like this are what are the most "retarded", made the most so by stupid shit responses.


-Nate
Click to expand...

You mean like paying $700 for a Chinese scope instead of $100? Yeah, that’s retarded.

You get what you pay for. Nobody is saying you have to spend $4K+ on a ZCO, TT or S&B to get a quality optic but if you think you’re getting quality in what anyone would consider a “budget” optic, then you’re fucking dumb.
 
I'm my mind "budget" does not automatically translate to "shitty". The mission drives what is considered budget. For 99% of people, spending $3000 on an optic is extreme overkill and, dare I say, a poor use of resources regardless of your financial situation. The elitism in this thread is unfortunate. A point of diminishing returns exists. That's not up for debate.
 
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JAC0X said:
Arken and Vortex models are good option.
Click to expand...
Many Vortex models are good to go.

If a guy can't afford better than an Arkon, then he needs to save more money over time- so he can buy something better than Cheapcomm.
 
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This has already been answered - buy the cheapest version that has the general specs you look for. Use it become one with it, break it. Then think about the little things you never liked about that POS scope and buy one that's better in X way. Then shoot some comps, then get made fun of cuz u suck, then attribute it all to the system not yourself and bag some money for rifle scope bag patches stickers and a sweet bottle opener perhaps feeling you may as well just touch the bottom end of 'alpha tier' - then enjoy that scope for ppl yrs and now you are lookin at ZCO v SB v TT and eventually you say hey why buy gold when I can buy a nice scope that essentially doesn't change in value unless I really screw something up. No cap gains to pay...and they are likely to be in decent enough demand at beginning of a market crash.

Or its the good stuff (Joe Dirt gif here) and you decide to treat yoself (parks n rec) and get buried with it (pass on legacy to another).

Or be a rich trust fund [person] and click buttons all day - but then report back here n tell us how they all compare plz!
 
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