M14 Forum

GuItArMaN8373

Well, just got my hands on a nice Polytech M14, and have a ARMS #18 mount on the way for it. Now all I need to do is figure out what scope I want.

I was checking out the following on optics planet: Nikon 4-12x40mm ProStaff, Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40, Redfield Revolution 4-12x40mm. Would any of those be suitable? If not, anything under $300 that would be?

Any recommendation on rings would be much appreciated as well.

Thanks!

Young guns

Millett TSR-1 4-16x50, Weaver V-16 4-16x44, Vortex Diamondback 4-12x40. These are all great scopes for less but you cant expect that they will be as good as a Leupold, Ziess, or Night Force. For what its worth i have a Millett TSR-1 and it is great for shots at 400 yards. My Friend owns a Vortex Diamondback on his FAL and i think its just as good as the Millett. Hope this helps there are alot of choices out there just make sure your happy with what you get and dont forget if your not just return it and save up some cash for something else.

Oh and i would watch out with that Redfield there has bhen problems with them lately.
I would ether go with Weaver Grand Slam rings or The Millett Angle Lock rings. And if you get a 40mm objective lense scope i would go with medium height rings and for the 44mm and 50mm i would go with high height rings
Good Shooting.

macca4motion

I have a Konus 3-12x56 and I'm really happy with. If it's not in your budget, go on the lower lens diameter. I wanted something with tactical turrets, parallax turret and 30mm tube, and I used this after having it removed from my Benelli argo. On my m14 looks so cool and shots pretty well without any recoil problem

markp

Don't laugh, but there is a BSA scope under $300 that is worth considering.

You cannot beat it with a stick for the price.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/456...-reticle-matte

I have this scope... I've run a few mags of .308 through it, and it's holding up just fine. It has been reviewed on Snipers Hide as well.

Mark

ZOG'S

I have a Super Sniper mounted on one of mine and like it a lot..

Pro_USA1776

There are a lot of Chinese Copies of very nice scopes, get yourself a copy of a Leupold or a Trijicon. You'll save some money and both the rifle and scope could have come from the same factory in China, that way you'll have a matching set.

markp

Oh, that is funny... If only the Chinese were bad at copying things.

Hate the Polytech and other Chinese made products that actually work as much as you want... but the fact remains that the Polytech in many ways is an excellent rifle and some of the other stuff (when carefully selected) is excellent as well.

What's sad is that my 2 Polytechs are better shooters than my Springfield.

How do they do it so cheap... on the backs of exploited workers of course, but that's communism for you.

Pro_USA1776

Is it funny? I don't think I said anything out of line or not true. Do a forum search there are lots of EXAMPLES of trijicon, aim point, leupold scopes, etc that were blatantly copied. They should match in quality of a chinese copy of the M14. ANyway, have a great day, I will.

Oh and in case you cared, I'll put my LRB M25 TRW parts kit rifle against any chinese rifle anytime.

markp

Ok, I'll play, tell me how the standard LRB M25 receiver is $600 better than the Chinese junk Polytech receiver... we'll start there.

As for putting your LRB M25 TRW parts kit rifle up against any chinese rifle anytime. That's really tempting. I think it would be fun to see how my Polytech in a Sage EBR stock would do against it... Any chinese rifle, at any time? Right?

PS - BTW, your LRB rifle is a VERY nice gun... Looks like LRB did a great job building it for you.

Hamstur

That's the answer ... at $300, a SWFA SS 10x42 is as good as it gets.

MrM4Guy

You have a great rifle, and have ordered probably one of the best scope mounts for the M-14 platform ( same as what I use ). I understand that everyone has a budget, as do I, but you get for what you pay for in optics, and it is one of the areas that is hard to cut corners.
I would wait a little, use the iron sights, and save up a little to get what I believe is one of the better scopes for the money. Check out the new Leupold VX-R series of scopes. They average from $500.00 to $$650.00. One source gave them the winner of the 2011 optic of the year. The one I went with was the Leupold VX-R tactical patrol 3X9 power 30mm tube with a range finding reticle. All of the reticles in this series are illuminated and have a new proprietary way of achieving this ( google it and research further ). I got mine through www.swfa.com . $599.95 including lens pen and lens covers.
You can spend $300.00 now and end up spending the $600.00 later, so just save and do it right in the beginning. BTW, this is not the only scope I recommend, just the one I went with. I have owned many brands and models of optics, and found that for the money, even the entry level Leupolds are great scopes. They do make optics well in your budget such as the Leupold Rifleman 3-9x40 QDManager with ballistic reticle for $199.95. Have fun!

MrM4Guy

Yes, I have owned a few Chinese made scopes. BSA being one example. And yes, they look cool and may perform fine for awhile, but in the long run, your zero will travel, your optics will fog up, and the scope will start falling apart. You will regret spending the couple hundred bucks from the beginning.
I also own a Trijicon TA01-NSN and a Chinese copy for fun. The Chinese copy has broken long ago.
If you want it to look cool in your safe, go for it! If you want it to perform time and time again. Through range time, hunts, and travel, go with something that not looks good, but performs good.
I agree about the super sniper scopes. I have never owned one, but those that I know that do, have much praise for them. My only thing is that for the same amount of money, you are now in the realm of many other optics that you should at least consider.
On all of my time at the range and hunting, I have seen many Chinese scopes at the range on new rifles, but no Chinese scopes on old rifles on hunting trips where the shot matters....

MrM4Guy

Yes, I have owned a few Chinese made scopes. BSA being one example. And yes, they look cool and may perform fine for awhile, but in the long run, your zero will travel, your optics will fog up, and the scope will start falling apart. You will regret spending the couple hundred bucks from the beginning.
If you want it to look cool in your safe, go for it! If you want it to perform time and time again. Through range time, hunts, and travel, go with something that not looks good, but performs good.
I agree about the super sniper scopes. I have never owned one, but those that I know that do, have much praise for them. My only thing is that for the same amount of money, you are now in the realm of many other optics that you should at least consider.
On all of my time at the range and hunting, I have seen many Chinese scopes at the range on new rifles, but no Chinese scopes on old rifles on hunting trips where the shot matters....

elcidsurfer

Take a look at the scope reviews at www.snipercentral.com

Granted he does all of his reviews based off of bolt actions so I'm not sure how the same optics would fair on a semi-auto's brusing. But none the less, it's a great place to start for finding a good scope at a good price.

I personally have a Burris Fullfield II Ballistic Plex 3-9x40 and love it. Had it on my Rem. 700 .308 and shot many deer and boar from 50-250 yrds. Now it's going on my Polytech M14 once my ARMS mount comes in. I only paid $250 for the Burris and it came with Binoculars.

Another great scope for around the $300 mark is the Bushnell Tactical 10x40.

markp

In general, I totally agree with you... I have seen more cheap chinese scopes bite the dust or perform poorly. The ONE example I put out there seems to be an anomaly at the moment. I don't know why it's so much better than the rest of the stuff I have seen at that price point or why it even is holding up. That I can't explain... but at the moment, it seems to be a decent scope... I have had it for a little while now (about 9 months).

I hem and haw everytime I think about recommending this scope, but it's just a decent scope for the money. My Bushnell HDMR is certainly a better scope, but I haven't found a reason to not like this ONE particular BSA. I do have some other cheap scopes (lessons learned) that I do not like... including a few BSA scopes that are lying in pieces because they are true garbage.

So yes, in general, I would not recommend nor purchase many chinese scopes due to the lack of overall quality. This one scope, I believe, is an exception to that rule.