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Looking for recommendations of a retail outlet that has a good selection of scopes on the shelf. Would like to actually go and have a look through a few rather than buy online otherwise Am I better going to the shooting show next year? It needs to be within say 60 miles of Bisley
Cheers

Check out Optics Warehouse. It's in Paignton, Devon. OK, I know it's not 60 miles from Bisley but WELL worth dealing with. Site, phone and SOG arrangement makes them good to deal with. You could work in a lovely trip to sunny Torbay at same time!!
I don't work for them but have had several dealings and can recommend them

JohnG :cornwall:

Personally, I don't think you'l learn a thing looking through a hand-held scope in a shop or at a show. Even the Chinese make damn good glass these days but build-quality may be suspect.

As always, price is a fair indicator of quality but - don't pay too much for a Chinese scope - no need to pay more than £200.

Another aspect is guarantees - Vortex have an unlimited unconditional - but I don't know anyone who's tested it. Next would be Leupold - I do know that one works.

I'd endorse Vortex..............bright, sharp, and contrasty. I've had 3 of their cheaper (£320) jobs for some years now, and I haven't had any problems.
Next up, for me, it'd be Sightron (got 3 of those, as well....) Not had any probs at all.

Pete

Pete wrote:I'd endorse Vortex..............bright, sharp, and contrasty. I've had 3 of their cheaper (£320) jobs for some years now, and I haven't had any problems.
Next up, for me, it'd be Sightron (got 3 of those, as well....) Not had any probs at all.

Pete

I'd agree with that as well, I compared a Kahles costing as much as a decent second hand car with my Sightron, and while I could clearly see a difference, the depth of field was amazing, it wouldn't have enabled me to shoot much more accurately at four or five times the cost. Better to spend some of the difference on ammo to practice with.

shugie wrote:

Pete wrote:I'd endorse Vortex..............bright, sharp, and contrasty. I've had 3 of their cheaper (£320) jobs for some years now, and I haven't had any problems.
Next up, for me, it'd be Sightron (got 3 of those, as well....) Not had any probs at all.

Pete

I'd agree with that as well, I compared a Kahles costing as much as a decent second hand car with my Sightron, and while I could clearly see a difference, the depth of field was amazing, it wouldn't have enabled me to shoot much more accurately at four or five times the cost. Better to spend some of the difference on ammo to practice with.

But it would give you that extra 15 minutes at dusk and dawn, and it will hold it's value. Quality optics don't come cheap but you never loose money on them.

Chapuis wrote:

shugie wrote:

Pete wrote:I'd endorse Vortex..............bright, sharp, and contrasty. I've had 3 of their cheaper (£320) jobs for some years now, and I haven't had any problems.
Next up, for me, it'd be Sightron (got 3 of those, as well....) Not had any probs at all.

Pete

Quality optics don't come cheap but you never loose money on them.

Er, wouldn't quite agree with that. There are s/h £2000 plus scopes for sale regularly on the UKV Forum around 30% cheaper. I bought my last Nightforce NSX 8-32 for £700 - less than half price.

what do you want to spend ?

My Mk4 Leupold went for less than half what it retailed for!! Scopes don’t half fall out of fashion, that’s for certain!

Can I just add on the Vortex guarantee? I have a 6-20x50 Viper. About 450 new. Despite being a dyed-in -the-wool Leupold fan, I gave one a go because I really liked a mates when I had a go on the range. That scope had a hard life! The scars on the tube showed it had been dropped on more than one occasion!

One day I look through it and the right hand side of the horizontal stadia is clearly higher than the left by a couple of degrees. I sent it back to Vortex. Yep, they agreed it was broken and had a brand new replacement within a week....

Exceptional service from Chris!

The Gun Pimp wrote:Personally, I don't think you'l learn a thing looking through a hand-held scope in a shop or at a show. Even the Chinese make damn good glass these days but build-quality may be suspect.

As always, price is a fair indicator of quality but - don't pay too much for a Chinese scope - no need to pay more than £200.

Another aspect is guarantees - Vortex have an unlimited unconditional - but I don't know anyone who's tested it. Next would be Leupold - I do know that one works.

I tested the Vortex warranty on a spotting scope & they replaced it without question.
Had a golden ring Leupold with a zoom ring that became too stiff to operate & they also fixed the issue for no charge.
I don't understand the 'logic' which leads to putting a cheap scope on a good rifle & currently run a mix of Leupold, Zeiss & Schmidt & Bender sights. Oh & one Optisan Taipan on a .22lr - not as good as the others but adequate on a bunny basher. :)