Budget Scopes - Sightron?

[2L8]

This might be a little off topic for this forum (ie not Africa Specific) but I have a 16 yo nephew that just bought a Winchester M70 Pushfeed in .257 Roberts (Great Woodstock Rifle at new budget rifle price which of course I had nothing to do with.....). It has Weaver Aluminum Bases (Unknown Brand) but no Mounts.

He is looking for a Scope and Mounts and has about a $100 Budget.

I have a Sightron S1 3-9x40 I bought for $88 last year in after Christmas Sales and a pair of Leupold Rifleman Verticle Split Aluminum Rings I have about $10 in. I'm thinking of selling them to him unless we can come up with something better for the money. The Sightron Line has a pretty good rep and the glass looks good for the money but Ive never personally used it and wouldn't want to steer him wrong. Thoughts?

 

[mikeinarkansas]

I’ve got a Sightron (s2 maybe) thats mounted on a TC muzzleloader. It’s very clear, holds zero and the adjustments are accurate. That’s my only experience with them. I’d say go with it. He can always upgrade later if he wants.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

It's almost Christmas, why not be a nice uncle and give them to your nephew?

 

[2L8]

I really don't want to discourage his work ethic.

Besides I have a Limpopo PG Safari in planning stages and Kuche allows a 2nd Hunter Free (if you share a PH) other than trophy fees ... I think I may have already figured out his Christmas Gift if his parents are willing.

 

[mark-hunter]

When I see the prices of equipment in the states, I want to cry for what prices we have on old continent.
You guys are lucky!

I use Sightron SIII for long range paper targets.
Glass is OK, although - for low light conditions (twilight) will not get maximum performance like other high end optics.
The mechanical part - turret clicks are perfect!

The only tricky part that I have noticed is eye releif small tolerances (min/max), which in case your eye or head is not positioned perfectly you will loose part of the scope picture, or all of it. Or you will loose time to adjust the head position for aiming.

This means to pay attention for proper positioning and mounting of scope on the rifle so natural head position and proper eye releif will fit to the user.
If done properly it will be very useful, so pay attention to this - otherwise will bring disapointment. Only that.

 

[Shootist43]

Take the boy to a gun store that has scopes in his price range. Let him compare the new scopes to what you are offering. You didn't mention if the scope you have was used or bought on sale. I know that I tend to buy optics at the "right" price. Doing this will prevent the lad from ever thinking that you "dumped" something off on him that you didn't want. BTW taking the boy hunting in Africa will be something he'll never forget.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

I really don't want to discourage his work ethic.

Besides I have a Limpopo PG Safari in planning stages and Kuche allows a 2nd Hunter Free (if you share a PH) other than trophy fees ... I think I may have already figured out his Christmas Gift if his parents are willing.

I've no experience with Sightron scopes, so I can't offer anything on them. I do know however about scopes letting you down when in Africa, that just sucks.

I've moved towards mostly Nikon scopes on my rifles. At the upper end of calibers, on my .458 and .375 they have never let me down and I do a lot of shooting. I went with Nikons as a good friend of mine who shoots lots of big bores got tired of constantly sending his Leupolds back for repair. To Leupold's credit they always fix them, but it just kept interrupting his shooting. He's never had to send a Nikon back since using them.

The glass isn't top end and they do have a moving eye relief with zoom changes, but they're also very reasonably priced. More than what you're nephew is looking at spending, but maybe worth waiting a bit.

BTW, if you do take your nephew to Africa before he's 18, it's a process at least when traveling to and/or through RSA. They have a pretty strict paperwork process designed I believe to prevent child sex trafficking.

 

[TTundra]

If he has a $100 budget, and you're going to give him a deal (half off??) on that package you spent $88 on last year, it will absolutely work on his rifle. It will get him shooting and hunting and hopefully saving a tad more to upgrade to the next optic if he so chooses.
I've shot the S series and sold many of them...they will work for him. Full circle....it will get him shooting and hunting which is the key.

 

[2L8]

I've no experience with Sightron scopes, so I can't offer anything on them. I do know however about scopes letting you down when in Africa, that just sucks.

BTW, if you do take your nephew to Africa before he's 18, it's a process at least when traveling to and/or through RSA. They have a pretty strict paperwork process designed I believe to prevent child sex trafficking.

The scope is for local use. I doubt it would make the the trip to Africa. More than I would want to trust a scope in that price range. Still sometimes you do get more than you pay for as I have an old Japanese Tasco World Class that is still going strong after 30+ Years including time on a .300 Wby Mag.

Thank You for the heads up on the paperwork. I do need to check and see exactly what's involved as he will most likely be 17.

 

[Shootist43]

I've purchased a number of "old" Weaver K 4 scopes that were manufactured in El Paso, Texas at his budget price or less off eBay. While they may not offer the light transmission of a new scope in low light situations they won't let you down either. Another option would be to "loan" the lad your scope and rings just to get him going. Having a shooting buddy for trips to the range has its' own rewards.

 

[meigsbucks]

As 2L8 suggested, Africa is no place for a budget scope. I’d sell it to him and get him shooting and practicing. Then when you spring the Africa trip on him, either loan him or buy him a good scope for the trip.
As far as Sightron goes, I’ve never used one myself but a guy who comes to the range a lot has a S II on his .30/06. He likes it enough that I’d consider buying one for a rifle that wouldn’t get used a lot.
Sometimes those budget scopes surprise you. I have an old Bushnell Sportsman 3-9x on a .54 cal muzzleloader. It’s been on several rifles over the years and still going strong. Or a Simmons 4x pistol scope on a Contender handgun in .357 Herrett. Holds up fine. Neither has great optics but they do fine for what I need them to do.

 

[curtism1234]

I have not used Sightron so I can't comment, but imo I would use steel mounts and rings. The 257 doesn't recoil that hard but I would still prefer steel to help keep them tight and zeroed.

I always figure if I have to waste a trip to the range and a box of shells to figure out what the problem was, I might as well buy steel rings with that money any at least save myself the time.

 

[Von S.]

I have a sightron on a 22-250 which I believe is a 10x50 and it's pretty good and not cheap either.

 

[2L8]

Take the boy to a gun store that has scopes in his price range. Let him compare the new scopes to what you are offering. You didn't mention if the scope you have was used or bought on sale. I know that I tend to buy optics at the "right" price. Doing this will prevent the lad from ever thinking that you "dumped" something off on him that you didn't want. BTW taking the boy hunting in Africa will be something he'll never forget.

It's still NIB as are the Rings. To me the Sightron S1 Glass is similar to the Redfield Revolution (Not quite up to to VX1 level).

I also tend to accumulate things when on sale clearance.

I just couldn't do it. I ended up handing him a NIB Leupold VX1 (the rebadged VXII version) 2-7x33 with a set of old (used) Steel Leupold Dovetail Mounts and Bases for a M70 I had laying around and saying Merry Christmas...

 

[Bullthrower338]

It's still NIB as are the Rings. To me the Sightron S1 Glass is similar to the Redfield Revolution (Not quite up to to VX1 level).

I also tend to accumulate things when on sale clearance.

I just couldn't do it. I ended up handing him a NIB Leupold VX1 (the rebadged VXII version) 2-7x33 with a set of old (used) Steel Leupold Dovetail Mounts and Bases for a M70 I had laying around and saying Merry Christmas...

Good man!

 

[mikeinarkansas]

Excellent!

 

[Shootist43]

Helping a youngster get started is a rewarding thing to do. Memories of doing so will bring a smile to your face.

 

[Rob404]

I have a couple Nikon Pro Staff 3x9s laying around I'd part with one for 60.00 if you pay shipping, BTW I hunted Limpopo with a 3x9 pro staff, I guess I wasn't aware you had to have an expensive to hunt Africa