The New Tasco SS Has Arrived, First Impressions

[CITADELGRAD87]

Well, I got a package from SWFA yesterday. Five business days after my order, my Tasco SS 10x42, Butler Creeks, and Mildot master arrived.

The scope was very well packed in an outer carton with about 4" of popcorn around all sides.

The scope box was a very plain white carton, sort of thin but not flimsy. The scope was double wrapped with sheets of bubble wrap, and was inside yet another plastic bag containing a dessicant bag.

Instructions were in a thick booklet, but sparse on detail, thickness was due to the same 2-4 pages being reprinted in 5 languages. A small allen wrench and a cleaning cloth round out the contents.

The scope came with decent scope covers attached to each other with bungee, but I prefer Butlers.

Scope appears very sturdy and well made. No "TASCO" or other manufacturing marks anywhere, just a made in Japan sticker and an inspection sticker, both small and came off easily. The finish, both overall and the markings on the turets, are well-done. It is large, my first 30mm scope.

After I focused the eyepiece, I looked around through it before mounting, the reticle is mildot with fine inner and medium outer portions. The crosshairs are as crisp as my Leupold.

Optics themselves look good, but it was dark so I was limited in this department.

The turrets are large, easy to turn, and well-marked in 1/4 minute hatch marks and 1 minute numbers, 15 minutes per rotation. A scale on the stationary portion of the turret marks total revolutions. Clicks are audible and tactile.

The scope goes well on my SR9T in the factory mount. There is not much room in the mount for forward and back placement due to the levers on the mount to enable removal, but eye relief is just right, very close to the Leup it is replacing.

I have not fired it yet, and it may be a few weeks, but so far I am very impressed with this scope.

[Glock_Racer]

I got mine about a week ago and I am overall impressed with the quality, rigidity, and good looks of the scope. I prefer the 30mm size for the depth and clarity it provides for those long range shots. The glass is of very high quality, I looked through if from 10m and could read a recipe of a ketchup bottle. This is the best scope Tasco makes, and for the price - It's a "best buy" for those looking for the quality of a Leupold but not willing to spend their whole paycheck on it.

BTW, it will be mounted on a Savage 110FP in .25-06 with a Choate Ultimate Sniper stock and Harris bipod. Range report and pics coming soon...

http://albums.photopoint.com/j/View?u=983714&a=7226251&p=45109032

[gunmart]

below is a cut and paste on another forum about the tasco ss.one thing that i find interesting is that everytime a product generates any interest from the seals everyone jumps on the band wagon and orders one.take for instance the mossberg 590-shotguns.everyone had to have one after the seals adopted one no matter how big of a peice of crap they were.well guess what the navy seals are going back to the remington 870 due to undesirable funtioning in the field with the mossy brand.



What do the Seals think of the Tasco "Super Sniper" scope as an alternative to the
Leupold Mk4 series? Are any teams currently using them?





I will sure will field the SEAL question but in general this topic was pretty well
chewed over on snipercountry.

The conclusion reached there, much of which is from Dick at Premier Reticles was: the
SuperSniper was indeed submitted in response to a contract bid. It performed well in
initial phases of requirement testing and was issued a contract number. However there
were purportedly a few issues with the scope that made final acceptance conditional
pending final fixes. The problems were not satisfactorily addressed and the scope was
reportedly not final accepted. SWFA has been criticized for conspicuously marketing the
"Navy Contract" aspect. However, an item can have a contract # and not be accepted
into actual duty useage.



As far as your specific questions,I too wonder if there may be some of these scopes
around and would like to know if someone has seen them in actual military field duty use
(non testing that is).






I've never seen one on a SEAL wargun, in fact I'm not really familiar
with that scope at all.!!!!!!



I thought the Navy looked at (adopted ?) this scope for use on the Ma-Deuce for mine
destruction. I've never heard that the SEALS were remotely interested in it until now.
But I've never seen any actual documentation of any of these.

[Michael]

I Dunno.

Who ever said there are none on combat deployment does not know the guys in the deployment. Enough on he said she said crap.

Pretending to know everything tends to reveal knowledge of nothing.

I have 5 of these things, have yet to break one. Another very good shooter has had three, never got one to work.

One of mine has the finish worn away from dragging, has had over 3000 firing solutions put into it over the last 18 months,each with a return to zero at the end of it;has actually been submerged in salt water to a depth of 35 feet for an extended period.................and used to shoot a ten round sub moa group this last weekend at a measured 1000 yards.

Maybe I'm not hard enough on these suckers to break one.

Dunno.

[Glock_Racer]

I buy a product because of the product itself (base on quality, pricing, reliability, etc. and extensive research) not because the "Navy Seals" or any kind of military and law enforcement institution used or endorsed it in anyway. So hence your assumption of people jumping on the "bandwagon" doesn't make any sense. I must admit that I bought products before due to hype or because of some form of advertising, so if you call that "jumping in the bandwagon" then so be it.

Leupolds are nice. And they are at that for the price. I describe my purchase of the Tasco SS as buying a Toyota Corolla over a Mercedez...

[JohnDog]

I've had my Tasco SS for 'bout 8 months now. I'm extremely happy with it.

One group I know ain't too happy with it - them would be the Prarie Rats of eastern Colorado.

Have Fun - JohnDog

[CITADELGRAD87]

First, your post is the first I'd heard involving the SEALS and Tasco in the same sentence. Such crap should not be attributed to my decision on which scope to purchase, about which you know next to nothing.

Like Glock_Racer, I did extensive research for over 1 year on this issue. None of it uncovered the "SEAL ISSUE."

Nevertheless, your logic is faulty. You claim the uninformed rush out to buy whatever the SEALS buy, simply because the SEALS have bought it. You claim, rightly, that this simplistic approach can lack value.

HOWEVER, you then turn around and state that no SEALS use the SS scopes, therefore they are no good. Don't you see that this is merely the other side of the same coin? Your analysis is as superficial as the wannabes that you criticize.

When deciding on a long range scope, I knew full well that elite snipers generally use Leups, Unertls, and are allegedly looking hard at US Optics. They also generally have very big budgets. Lastly, they are betting lives on their equipment, which I am not.

Finally, references to vague "problems and issues", without specifics, tells us nothing about the quality of the scopes. Contract negotiations can have NOTHING to do with reliability issues, it more often involves delivery schedules, cost per unit, etc. Dick at Premier Reticles is a master with Leups and ONLY Leups. They state they do not work on any other scope, so it is no wonder to me that he has no familiarity with this brand.

I don't base my purchase decisions on the input of one "guru."(ABSOLUTELY no slight intended to Premier, they were tied for first on my list until I decided on the SS.)

Your close mindedness on this issue tells me that you resist evaluating new products and new ways to do things. Before my research, I had no idea Tasco imported quality optics, but if I plugged my ears and mutterred "TASCO SUCKS" over and over every time somebody mentioned them, I wouldn't have learned anything new, either.

Please find a new calling, I am firmly on the dark side of TASCO.

[Steve Smith]

JohnDog, any chance I could help you with those rats? I'm in eastern CO too.

[CITADELGRAD87]

Michael, if you don't mind me asking, what are you shooting, specifically that 10 round group?

Feel free to email at [email protected]

[gunmart]

just another supporter!!!!




The Tasco scope was originally intended to be procured by the Navy. However,
the scope did not meet specs. Therefore, the scopes are on the civilian
market. Bearing in mind, also, that Leupold scopes have been used by the
Navy, Army, US Gov't agencies, Australian SAS, Canandian Spec Ops, etc...
for the past 15 or so years.

Tube diameter whether by mechanical design or optical design does not affect
light transmission. The only two factors, besides a properly designed sytem,
are magnification and objective diamter.

Chris



Premier Reticles, Ltd.
175 Commonwealth Ct.
Winchester, VA 22602 - USA
(540) 868-2044 Tel.
(540) 868-2045 Fax
http://www.premierreticles.com



> -----Original Message-----

[gunmart]

You may have very well gone to some extensive research when looking for a scope .no one is saying you did not .I have seen enough people on this board alone that have had problems with the tasco ss (remember the guy that tried 3 of them) to stay away from them.



If yugo after years of having a piece of crap car came out with a new model with a new chrome package and futures like electric seats and cruise control and a fancy paintjob at the same price I would still be weary of buying one.

WOULDENT YOU!!!!!!


I just heard that lorcin has now contracted a German gun builder to contract the lorcin L-380.
It will have a hole host of features to appeal to the American market.first a new American style magazine release with a added two rounds of capacity!!!!(wow).it will also feature a new and improved modified hard polymer grip that will improve performance.last but not least it will be finished in the weirdsong coating that Americans just love.topped off with a set of 3 dot windage adjustable sights this gun will priced at only $299 us.this is a must for any serious shooter out there that needs another hangun to put brag to your friends about how good a deal you got.:):):):)

See how ridiculous this sounds!!!! but that is exactly what tasco has done.thay have put features on this scope that makes it appealing to the target crowd out there that want the performance of come ups and mil dot range finding reticles.

I have never in any of the post seen a persons reasoning on buying this scope other than the money they saved and the mil dot reticle and the come-ups.

Seems optic quality and performance in the field take a back seat..

Just my 02 cents worth.




[Edited by gunmart on 03-29-2001 at 05:25 PM]

[HankL]

Way to go CITADELGRAD87, I hope yours is going to work out as well as mine is seeming to. You may remember that I purchased the SS 10x40 with the Terrible side focus.
After reading some of the post here I have been trying to make the thing come apart and have had no sucess. I have run the focus from stop to stop and the elevation and windage from side to side countless times trying to cause a malfunction. I have only fired 400 rounds to date using the scope but plan on firing a few more this comming weekend.
I think that the fine focus on the scope has a part in the sub 1/4 inch 5 shot groups I get with my project AR-15.
I will email you when mine craps out if you will offer to extend the same courtesy.
Best Regards
---------------------------------------------------------
Hank Lampe: Not a SEAL, SNIPER, LAWMAN, TAXCOP, SCOPE MAKER or MANUFACTURERS REP. Just a firearms enthusiast :D

[CITADELGRAD87]

Hi Hank.

That's a deal. I hope to start the torture test this Saturday.

[HankL]

CITADELDRAD87, You do know that my only other TASCO is this POS? http://www.acmecity.com/rosie/flower/304/tasco708.JPG
:D:D:D:D
This should be a good test. & No, I don't take the #708 20x40 out in the rain etc.
Best Regards

[GeneralChang]

Clearly Gunmart you have some issues over the Tasco line of optics. I have read your other posts and have concluded (aside form you limited grasp of grammar) that you have contributed nothing objective to this particular thread. You seem immersed in a pool of bitterness. Please try a SSRI which might prove beneficial to your overall disposition. The Tasco line is adequate and actuually performs well. My Tasco 10x42 has yet to fail me. The only disconcerting thing associated with the Tasco line is your lack of objectivity and professionalism that undermies your credibility.

[gunmart]

General,

I never professed to be a literary .just a guy who knows his stuff when it comes to rifles.i have not attacked anyone personally here and don't see why you should.please lay off the personal attacks unless you want me to return fire:):):):)

Yes I do have a attitude about tasco.they make a crappy scope and if someone wants to have one that's fine.but if they want to debate their position on how well they are made then they need to be ready for a earful.

maybe you dont feel that my post here are adding anything to the conversation but maybe it will make someone think twice before ordering one.:)

its always good to get as many opinions on a new project as possible and that is what these boards are all about.

[path27]

Geez, jump all over a guy if he disagrees with you. Tasco has a reputation of making cheap scopes. This is a fact. The Toyota Corolla analogy only fits if the corolla runs. I've heard good things and bad things about the Tasco SS. Make up your own mind. But, if you don't want a dissenting opinion don't ask.

[gunmart]

thanks.

[CITADELGRAD87]

Path27, I don't mind chiding or even advice which tells me I'm wrong.

But, check the thread, NOBODY ASKED ANYTHING about whether this was a good scope, I just posted I found in the box.

Talk about a dead horse, it was clear in the last thread that gunmart hates Tasco, and he hates Savage. I think the beef is the incessant "advice" which consists of general criticism rather than constructive advice.

[gunmart]

You may not have asked but you knew when you posted the tasco ss thread it was going to mean a bloodbath for tasco:):):)

ps what is chiding?

[CITADELGRAD87]

No, actually I figured you made your point in the thread where I said I had ordered it.

THIS thread solely deals with what was contained in the box I got from SWFA, for those thinking about buying one.

I suppose when others chimed in that they were happy with theirs, you got a range is hot command.;)

[gunmart]

"Scope appears very sturdy and well made."

if i go back and read your post this is what it says!!!this to me was a invitation to voice my concerns that they are not....:):):):)

[CITADELGRAD87]

"Concerns" is putting it pretty mildly.:):):):)

It borders on a religeous conviction.

Edited after a reread:

Missed your question gunmart.

"Chiding" is teasing or ribbing, good natured like that here at the boards.

[inGobwetrust]

He hates Mossberg too! Can't forget that one. I'm sure there are others.

[HankL]

BTW, This is our starting point at 100 yds.
http://www.acmecity.com/rosie/flower/304/ar15group.jpg
I will say that I am sorry for the cold barrel first shot, having a little trouble with the wind and using someone elses bags. When this scope starts to come apart I will know and will let it be known. :D
Regards

[Art Eatman]

Well, y'all go play with the Miltown and Valium. I'm going for some apirin.

Nuffathis.

Art