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Budget optic

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c_jackson

Pleasantly surprised

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 04:54 AM

Mitch sold me an ACOG knockoff today, the NCStar Mark III tactical. Following my acquisition, I naturally ran it through its paces immediately. Sorry guys, I didn't have my vidcam along on this first run and it's a little tricky to try to record with a cell phone cam, so I can't toss a visual report in here...yet. However, I was amazed at the performance on this damn thing. For a $200 tag, it held its own and then some.

Here, have a look: http://www.opticsbestbuy.com/Ncstar-Rubber-Armored-Mark-III-3-9x42-Tactical-Scope-w_Laser_-Illuminated-Mil-Dot-Reticle-SRTM3942G.html

It's a helluva good buy for the capabilities. Have a little bit of trouble with the dead-point on the laser (needs readjustment at different ranges), but overall, I'll have to admit well worth the money.

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Recoil

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 06:51 AM

I'm digging the integrated laser. I hope all works out for you CJ. Keep us posted on future shoots to how it's holding up.

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Room 055

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 10:10 AM

How do they consider that a mil-dot reticle? It's not even close to being mil-dot. Hope it holds up brother.

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cohenj87

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 11:16 AM

i dont know if he still does but i know IP used to have one of these without that laser though. ive looked at these alot and they have like 4 different reticles you can get. ones without a laser are around 100$ also

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Recoil

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 11:29 AM

It's a Mil-dot "style" reticle.

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InstructorPyro

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 11:31 AM

I had the Mark III Tactical P4 Sniper:

http://www.ncstar.com/scripts/prodView.asp?idproduct=30

I actually replaced it with an ACOG. Us the NCStar was a means to an end for me.

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Recoil

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 11:44 AM

Did the NCStar give you problems IP? Your last sentence (above) lost me.

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cohenj87

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 11:51 AM

i think he was saying he just got the ncstar so he could shoot his rifle while he saved up for the acog instead of having to wait who knows how much longer. IP why did you go for a carry handle acog?

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Room 055

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 01:30 PM

I love terms like "style" "type" "like" etc. Fools the masses into thinking they've got something they don't. The even imitate the look so it fools the masses standing next to the masses at the range into thinking the guy next to him has something he doesn't.

I truly do not understand spending multiple hundreds of dollars on imitation junk. Put that money in the bank and add to it every paycheck. You'll never get that $200+ back out of it because these things have no resale. That means you have tacked on an additional $200+ to whatever real optic you plan to buy in the future when you have perfectly decent iron sites to shoot with.

People don't buy plastic imitation Airsoft guns until they can afford a real gun, do they? Well, some probably do. The same ones that pimp that Civic.

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John Doe

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 01:55 PM

If it works well enough for his purposes and doesn't fail, then it's not wasted money... If it can handle regular range work, some 3-gun stuff and keep it's zero.
I doubt anybody would intentionally mount it on a gun they were carrying into a bad place. If he doesn't intend on going into that kind of environment with it then it should work well enough.

I would love to own the new ACOG but since it would cost more than a Del-Ton kit and lower build I couldn't justify the purchase. I'm cheap, and poor. :)

My father just bought a CenterPoint 4-16x40mm Scope red/green dual illuminated Mil-Dot (style) reticle for $68 from Walmart. It's not a Leupold but it'll do the job well enough. I was so impressed with the red/green reticle that he bought me one for Dad's day (from my son). I'll see how it holds up.

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cohenj87

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 01:56 PM

nothin wrong with pimpin that civic room lol. i have a buddy with an 80's civic crx with 500 whp and its 2000lbs! craziest thing ive ever ridden in. ive been saving for my eotech for a few checks now and should have it in a month or so and cant wait. but im having a hard time saving up the cash for the eotech magnifier also.

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Recoil

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 02:35 PM

Hey Cohen, you don't need magnifier right away, if ever! Mine has worked well out to 200 yards for me, with no magnifier. Oh by the way, I drive a Civic now. Having to transit over 90 miles a day for work, I needed something that would push 40mpg. I bought a new one 3 months ago and average 36-38 mpg the way I drive, that's a statement. Ain't nothing wrong with a Civic. I miss my Tacoma, but am looking for an older model Toyota 4x4 to fill the gap.

JDoe,

You're right, if it doesn't fail, no harm. But, testimony shows (here and on other sites) that cheapie usually fall short. Mempilot's analysis is spot on. Just save up.

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cohenj87

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 03:09 PM

yeah i know i dont need to get one right away and wont be. i drive a focus but its far far from stock. its gets so so gas mileage my buddys civic gets a little less than your 40mpg and closer to like 9 or 10 lol. recoil im surprised you dont drive american cars. ive always been a ford guy and it seems to me that ford hasnt had its name in the news much at all in the past couple years either.

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Tbird

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 07:25 PM

One of my friends bought the same N.C. star about 6 months ago maybe? I sighted it in for him.

I also sighted in the laser for about 25yds.

I was not sure how far to sight the laser in for, but decided it would only be used for the closer targets.

The scope seemed to hold its zero okay.

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foxtrot

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 08:40 PM

In todays day in age, "american" car doesn't have the same meaning it used to. A lot of foreign makes are made with more American labor and materials than most "domestic" cars, thanks to politicians letting "American" companies skirt the books south of the border with cheap labor - while "foreign" companies decide its cost-effective to build factories in America so they can escape tarrifs that the "domestic" factories on international soil do not have to pay.

IIRC, the only 100% American made car is Japanese. Forget which make....

Life`s a bitch eh?

ETA: Oh ya, and it's amazing this was/is an optics discussion

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InstructorPyro

Posted: Jun 13th 2010, 11:59 PM

It still is an optics discussion. Hey, I bought that NC Star for around 80 bucks. I think I sold it for around 50 bucks. So, it cost me 30 bucks and I ended up with the ACOG. I don't mind spending a little bit of money so I don't have to wait 4 or 5 months to play with the rifle.

The NCStar didn't give me any trouble. I thought that the crosshairs were really thick though. I never used the light on the crosshairs either. It was something that I could use until I had put enough away to buy my ACOG. $80 now and $1000 dollars later, I really like the ACOG.

So, you want to know why I went with the carry handle... well, my dumb ass was building a Stag using nothing but Stag parts. So, when I ended up spending a ridiculous amount of money on a carry handle, I decided it was going to get used. Besides, the height difference didn't bother me. It also allowed me to use the sight on the carry handle as well.

This is what I bought from Stag:

http://www.stagarms.com/product_info.php?cPath=20_34&products_id=260

The funny part is that when I bought a Colt 22LR rifle and took off the carry handle, it got set next to the Stag Carry handle and then I couldn't tell the two apart. Not by markings, weight, quality of the sight, nothing. I took the carry handle of the Colt 22 in order to put the NCStar on it:

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gundoc_iowa

Posted: Jun 14th 2010, 08:00 AM

I have purchased cheaper, or "knock off" sights in the past too. Usually what happens is, once I get the money to get the scope or sight I wanted to begin with, I just move the cheapie over to one of the cheaper guns. LIke from the AR to one of the .22's like the gsg5 or the M&P-15/22. If I want an optic on a cheaper gun, and the expensive one, this gives me some incentive to buy one to use now, to quench the desire, and then buy a better one later. It has worked so far....

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ETHRON-1

Posted: Jun 15th 2010, 12:53 AM

What the hell, since we are comparing optics....
I like my burris, compared to the Aimpoint at twice the cost....it held up to my AR-10, and now works quite well on my M-15....so sometimes less is not so bad....

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c_jackson

Posted: Jun 18th 2010, 07:13 AM

Mitch had an ACOG too, but he talked me into trying out the NCStar ( his main selling point was I could buy a lot more rounds going this route. True, I picked up another 250 Federal 62 gr. for the ammo can with the money I didn't have to spend). His son has one of this latest line as well and they both vouch for this particular model. I was told if this thing didn't pass muster, I could bring it back and trade up. So far, I'm still happy with it Haven't had an opportunity to run it through any cold-weather paces yet, but she's definitely waterproof and shock-proof. I've knocked it around some both on and off the rifle and it hasn't lost zero so that's a plus. I've looked up a couple reviews, here's feedback from Opticsplanet:

http://www.opticsplanet.com/reviews/reviews-nc-star-mark-iii-tactical-432g-4x32-compact-riflescope.html

More reviews from Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/NcSTAR®-Illuminated-Reticle-Tactical-Picatinny/dp/B003GC0HT8

You guys get the general idea. I've checked with a number of sites and haven't found anything negative about this particular device. While it's still early in the game, I think I may have stumbled across a budget contender for Trijicon, Leupold and EOTech. Can't really say anything about Aimpoint. The Corps and Navy don't really use that line so it's unfamiliar ground ( sorry Pyro). At any rate, will continue with my testing and try to get my vidcam to the range next time out. More to come.

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