Old scopes vs. New: thoughts \ discussion

propwash · Post by **propwash** » Wed May 02, 2007 7:04 am

Okay, so I am fond of older scopes in regards to tracking and craftsmanship, specifically the older Redfields and Weaver T series micro-trac. The question, are they still worth the money they are fetching? I have a micro-trac T-10 and T-16 I paid around $225 for each last year...I saw a T-16 on Ebay last night go for about 450 with shipping. Whats up with that? I know they are a good scope but not above the 250 range...I guess someone thought they had to have one. So are they really worth it compared to the quality of Optics of say a new Sightron 24x or Leupold for the same money....My thought is no, for around the 250 range maybe but if I'm going to go above 300 it will be a new sightron. I just wanted to see some opinions and this is not silhouette specific.

j1132s · Post by **j1132s** » Wed May 02, 2007 7:57 am

I just bought a new Weaver T24 for $300 at Natchezss.com a few weeks ago. So I think those eBay prices may be a bit high.

propwash · Post by **propwash** » Wed May 02, 2007 9:35 am

Responding to your post above J1132 We are not talking apples to apples. The new weaver you bought is not the same scope in discussion. I am talking about the old steel tube, El Paso made original Micro-tracs that actually track.

Quonset Hut · Post by **Quonset Hut** » Wed May 02, 2007 10:12 am

They are worth to you what you are willing to pay, I guess. There are many lower cost quality choices now, only you can decide if the quality is good enough. I bought a used T-25 in the mid-90's from an ex-Palma Team guy for $225. It had the adjusting range I needed for HP Sil when others did not and was half the price of a new Leupold. There is a T-20 on eBay now where someone has bid $300 to start...

atomicbrh · Post by **atomicbrh** » Fri May 04, 2007 4:29 pm

j1132s: I have thoroughly searched the Natchez Shooters Supply website for the Weaver T24 scope that you purchased a few weeks ago but there are no Weaver scopes listed on their website. I would like to buy a Weaver T24 scope for this low price also. Can you list a part number or item number for the scope you purchased to make it easier to find?

Thanks,
Bobby R. Huddleston

j1132s · Post by **j1132s** » Fri May 04, 2007 7:15 pm

atomicbrh,

https://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?c ... &src=ba379

It looks like they are sold out.

NewAZShooter · Post by **NewAZShooter** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 9:37 pm

I used a new Weaver fixed 24x40mm recently and I thought it was awfully dark, and that is even here in Phoenix where the light is almost blinding, its so bright. In the shadows, it would be near useless. That scope is not on my list, even though I am in the market for one in that configuration or close to it. Can't say I've compared it to an older model, same config. though.

Back in 1990 I bought a tasco (I know they're cheap, but I was on a budget) 6-24 x 44 variable with target turrets and the 1/8 moa target dot reticle for around a hundred bucks and mounted it on a Ruger M77 in 22-250. Didn't shoot it much before I went to college and got out of shooting all together. Recently got it out after many years in storage, and thought, "wow, this is pretty clear for how cheap it was." So I bought a new Tasco 6-24X 44 variable, same config. for my 10/22 and SB Sil. for about, oh somewhere between $120-150. Don't recall exactly.

But I can say these two scopes are night and day. My old one is solid, focuses easily, zooms smoothly, repeats and is surprisingly bright and clear for the money. The new one is cheap-looking with an almost plastic finish, hard to focus, the zoom stuck after a few turns the first time I had it out, and I eventually had to work it loose with a pair of channel locks and an old piece of leather between the teeth and the zoom ring! Can I use the word "crappy" in this forum? Because it is. Not at all the same product they were selling in 1990. I'd say there might be something to the older scopes being better products.

If you do get a new Sightron, please post your impressions of it. I've been looking at one as well.

kahuna · Post by **kahuna** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 11:49 am

You should have a look at the new
Leupold 25X or 30X Silhouette.
Not sure about price at this time
I think around 550.00$ new.
If you have a weight problem the
only way to go.
Larry

K Danz · Post by **K Danz** » Sun Aug 19, 2007 12:52 pm

There seems to be theme going here. The newer the low cost scope, the worse the quality.
My own personal experience goes back a ways, but this theme has been going on for years.
I first started shooting silhouette in 1982. (Hunters Pistol) I bought 2 Simmons 6-24 scopes for HP and .22. After about 10 years, one of them started giving me problems with the adjustable objective. I sent it to Simmons for repair. It arrived at Simmons in Miami, 1 week before Hurricane Andrew hit. This scope is probably covered in barnacles in the Atlantic now.
Simmons then moved to Georgia and told me not to worry, they would send me a brand new scope free of charge. This scope was a peice of junk. Not repeatable, especially the objective bell. Put it on my groundhog rifle 'cause I don't play with sight settings anyway. And don't even try a shot 5 minutes before or after sunrise. You can't see very much.
A few years later got I got started in HP rifle silhouette. Didn't have the money to afford a good scope so I pulled one of the original Simmons off of my pistol and mounted it on the rifle. Worked great for a few years. One evening while preparing to leave for a match, the soft case containing my rifle fell over. The next day when I got to the match, I noticed the scope was bent. When I pulled the scope from the rings, it fell off in 2 pieces.
Now this scope lasted about 15 years with no problems. However, the newer Simmons scopes are pure junk. I wouldn't even recommend one to a novice shooter who only wants to shoot tin cans in the back yard.

sobrbiker883 · Post by **sobrbiker883** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:28 pm

I have Weaver T24's on oth my HP and SB standard guns, and I disagree about the optical quality. Mine are clear, and both track correctly and repeatably. I shoot at RSSC if you wanna peek through mine some time NewAZ.

I have a KT15 on my SB hunter gun and really like it as well. I have yet to meet a scope I have to shim for SB....

Mind you, I'm new to sillywet, but not to scopes. My forte prior to this addiction is precision (ie-sniper) style matches and shooting and I'm used to Leupy MK4's (old Ultra's and new MK4's) and IOR's newer lines. I've been pretty pick on scopes and was very pleased to find the newer Weavers did so well. (actually went and bought my second t24 1/4moa 1/2dot the day after I heard they were discontinued).

I'll get an old steel Weaver one of these days (but its on the list behind Unertl MST-100's and S&B's for now....), until then I do like the newer ones, at least my 3.

pistolero45 · Post by **pistolero45** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 2:18 pm

I use a new Weaver T-24, and prior to that had an old steel tube Weaver T-25. I think both scopes lacked the brightness and clarity of my buddies' Elite 4200. However, both scopes had positive adjustments and worked well. The new scope is nicer for adjusting the focus. The old scope wins points for being prettier!

BlauBear · Post by **BlauBear** » Wed Aug 29, 2007 5:10 pm

Construction methods and materials have changed but I don't see any real advantage to the steel used then over the grade of aluminum used today. Also remember that twenty years of use and Darwin eliminated the weak, so surviving examples are best of the best whatever their new cost.

Good glass holds value, whenever it was made. We learn to recognize it pretty fast and to just walk away from the junk.