Praise for Good Value Gear is OK

[ELR LVR]

Just a little bit of a rant here hope y'all don't mind .
( Btw this isn't about anyone on here y'all all have been super nice and welcoming and I appreciate it ... Other social media places however...)

So something I enjoy doing is playing with an reviewing cheap gear right ? Amazon scopes ,NBS barrels , knock off bipods ect. I got nice functional stuff that works very well ( vortex Arken Caldwell Ruger weatherby ect ) but I like playing with the cheap stuff.I know it's weird an a bit of a waste of money to some but it's something I just enjoy. And I hope it can be helpful to people who might be looking at stuff because they dont have a ton of money and don't have super serious needs.which is a large majority of people..like they need a scope that will hold zero for the deer stand , a bipod for there .243 , maybe a sling attachment that's not $45 because it's from some. Tacticool company. I review post the results my thoughts and let other come up with there own decisions. I definitely NEVER try to say that this is "just as good"... And I'm pretty honest when I say I'm just a goober having fun . Not a former seal , I don't need the best of the best , one of that

Because I'm sorry common sense would tell you the $100 thing .... probably won't be as good as the $1000 thing apples to apples it's just not.

But Lord have mercy some of the people who love to flock to some of my posts ( mainly the tactical AR guys on Facebook and the like) seem really really out of touch.

Like I just posted a ammo test inside with a $300 bear creek upper. I'm shooting what I can find locally for factory ammo , which is honestly crap PMC M855 Hornady frontier ect. It's what I could find right. The. I'm shooting this out of a $300 upper . $300 for the upper receiver,the handgaurd, the BCG ect. Common sense would tell you it's probably NOT gonna have the same $900 quality barrel right. So crap barrel crap ammo probably gonna look at that performance a little different then something way nicer right.

Well in come the peanut gallery saying how their guns with proof , Saturn , Wilson combat ect high quality barrels and components shoot nicer quality ammo into little bug holes.... Or start getting into how there there whatever that's 5x the price is so much better x way for X . ....am I missing something because every time I see stuff like this all I can think is " well yeah I'd friggen hope so !" Like to me it just seems like a lot of folks are out of touch or just wanna brag or something? Because to me it's about the equivalent of saying that there private chef cooks better then and burger flipper at McDonald's. It's just common sense . To a larger degree it's kinda hard to even compare one to another.its like my tweaked on Mossberg hunting rifle being compared to one of y'all's Fclass guns . Just two different levels .That or it seems. No one just does stuff for fun anymore. Used to be a lot of people got a gun to just shoot because it was fun or they liked it . Didn't matter the price. Now it's like everyone is in competition to have the best of the best or be the most serious guy . If you not getting a loan for your next build or training to take on the Russians in cqc combat when they air drop in then what are you doing! I mean I've legit had people beyond confused when I tell them I don't care about red dots or having my AR short because I don't do anything like that with them. I hunt and target shoot mainly. It's like a foreign concept to them.

Idk it's just seems to be becoming a worse and worse deal . Tell me I'm not the only one who's noticed this.

I get ya, I will say that when the hobby becomes an obsession, such as chasing accuracy
it is not done for fun anymore and becomes more like a job.
Shooting 50,000 rounds per year and buying 10 Krieger barrels at a time just to get the most accurate one of the lot and chambering them up and then proof testing each one for utmost accuracy... is a full time job.
And many Americans take their job seriously and take pride in their job.
Such as the Benchresters, I doubt any own a "Factory rifle"
And if you claim 1/4 moa with a factory rifle, you will get the living stuffing challenged out of you to do it more than 5 times in a row or it just aint so.
I think it is more that the definition of "Accurate" is different for everyone within ones own purpose.
And if they feel you are claiming "Accuracy" on par with them, that is the equivalent of claiming you are as good as Tiger woods in Golf because you may have hit a hole in one, once before.
And they take it personal because they paid more and actually worked harder for a higher level of accuracy.
many shooters do not do it for fun anymore, at all

 

[TTE]

Just a little bit of a rant here hope y'all don't mind .
( Btw this isn't about anyone on here y'all all have been super nice and welcoming and I appreciate it ... Other social media places however...)

So something I enjoy doing is playing with an reviewing cheap gear right ? Amazon scopes ,NBS barrels , knock off bipods ect. I got nice functional stuff that works very well ( vortex Arken Caldwell Ruger weatherby ect ) but I like playing with the cheap stuff.I know it's weird an a bit of a waste of money to some but it's something I just enjoy. And I hope it can be helpful to people who might be looking at stuff because they dont have a ton of money and don't have super serious needs.which is a large majority of people..like they need a scope that will hold zero for the deer stand , a bipod for there .243 , maybe a sling attachment that's not $45 because it's from some. Tacticool company. I review post the results my thoughts and let other come up with there own decisions. I definitely NEVER try to say that this is "just as good"... And I'm pretty honest when I say I'm just a goober having fun . Not a former seal , I don't need the best of the best , one of that

Because I'm sorry common sense would tell you the $100 thing .... probably won't be as good as the $1000 thing apples to apples it's just not.

But Lord have mercy some of the people who love to flock to some of my posts ( mainly the tactical AR guys on Facebook and the like) seem really really out of touch.

Like I just posted a ammo test inside with a $300 bear creek upper. I'm shooting what I can find locally for factory ammo , which is honestly crap PMC M855 Hornady frontier ect. It's what I could find right. The. I'm shooting this out of a $300 upper . $300 for the upper receiver,the handgaurd, the BCG ect. Common sense would tell you it's probably NOT gonna have the same $900 quality barrel right. So crap barrel crap ammo probably gonna look at that performance a little different then something way nicer right.

Well in come the peanut gallery saying how their guns with proof , Saturn , Wilson combat ect high quality barrels and components shoot nicer quality ammo into little bug holes.... Or start getting into how there there whatever that's 5x the price is so much better x way for X . ....am I missing something because every time I see stuff like this all I can think is " well yeah I'd friggen hope so !" Like to me it just seems like a lot of folks are out of touch or just wanna brag or something? Because to me it's about the equivalent of saying that there private chef cooks better then and burger flipper at McDonald's. It's just common sense . To a larger degree it's kinda hard to even compare one to another.its like my tweaked on Mossberg hunting rifle being compared to one of y'all's Fclass guns . Just two different levels .That or it seems. No one just does stuff for fun anymore. Used to be a lot of people got a gun to just shoot because it was fun or they liked it . Didn't matter the price. Now it's like everyone is in competition to have the best of the best or be the most serious guy . If you not getting a loan for your next build or training to take on the Russians in cqc combat when they air drop in then what are you doing! I mean I've legit had people beyond confused when I tell them I don't care about red dots or having my AR short because I don't do anything like that with them. I hunt and target shoot mainly. It's like a foreign concept to them.

Idk it's just seems to be becoming a worse and worse deal . Tell me I'm not the only one who's noticed this.

Don't let it bug you. About 65% - 70% of threads gets side tracked,
Some never come back around to the original topic/question.
Ask some one what .003 + .002 = ?
And sooner or later you will get a reply something like this
F = m × a

 

[jpjulian]

You do you, however you wish to do you. If someone disparages you for that, screw them. Keep on doing you as you see fit. Pretty sure you have nothing to prove to anyone but you.

 

[Knotwild]

Just keep doing what you are doing. You are friendly, honest (even when you admit you don't know anything), and your testing out cheaper choices probably helps more people than you know.

I hope you build your channel to the point every click pays you something. Then you can laugh every time a click registers - and laugh on the way to the bank.

 

[Jonnyofalltrades]

A truly great person will leave you feeling like you're the great one in the conversation.
Internet trolls are the antithesis of greatness.

Arrogance doesn't look good on anyone.

I enjoyed this thread very much. Thanks to all who posted!

 

[brokeasajoke]

I'm glad people can throw around large sums of money on hobbies and I probably could spend much more than I do and be alright. I guess those people need to feel better about themselves or something. I like economical things that flat out work. Keep it up.

 

[Fuj]

I'm glad people can throw around large sums of money on hobbies and I probably could spend much more than I do and be alright. I guess those people need to feel better about themselves or something. I like economical things that flat out work. Keep it up.

Pappy used to say to get a $15 dollar framing hammer from Wolford, or get
the $2 one out of the Roebucker catalog. Now test each one on a big toe......
And that my friends is the true meaning of "Best Bang for your Buck" !!

 

[dryhumor]

I think that as people gain knowledge, they choose items more “purpose built” that fit them best. I have relatives that shoot less expensive rifles, topped with good glass, and know people that are the other way around. I don’t fault either one.

Many years ago, I got serious about deer hunting. The only scope I had was a Leupold M8 fixed 6. It was a good scope, but it wouldn’t pick up a big buck I was hunting. Well, about that time Springfield Armory got into the scope business. I went with them a got more power and light transmission. The resolution was just marginally better than that M8. The scope wasn’t robust for shat, as one day I found a C clip had come loose internally. They fixed it, but in my mind the damage was done. I never did get that buck…

In the off season I found a rifle for sale with a Leupold 3.5-10x50 scope on it. I know, nobody does that anymore. Anyway, the next year, I found myself 30’ up a pine tree overlooking a pasture. I got too dark to see well and I brought the scope up to scan around. My thought exactly was “holy shat”. That was the epiphany moment. I could see everything I’d been missing; and see it well.

Clarity and resolution became the benchmark. Doesn’t matter who made it, if those two items are there. The difference I guess, is some scopes I’ll use till the last second of shooting time, some I won’t unless it’s a close shot.

 

[mic2377]

Without reading or looking at your posts, it is hard to exactly judge the point of view you review stuff or describe quality, performance, etc.

The problem with Internet posting is that a VERY LARGE NUMBERS of these internet folks who criticize you may just be there for validation, or just to agitate/troll. Likely nothing you post will satisfy some of these people, and will inevitably result in criticism or comparison. That is the way the Internet goes. Get used to it.

The other thing to mention is that even done "cheaply," shooting as a sport isn't that cheap. If I have to fire several boxes of ammo to figure out that my new cheap barrel won't shoot, or my $100 scope won't hold zero, I have already spent that much nearly that much on ammo and am still stuck at square one. If you are into reviewing really, really cheap stuff then this criticism will be inevitable (and is not unfounded).

If that is what you like doing though, keep doing it! Unless you are trying to be a social media star or professional reviewer, then no need to listen to us goobers tell you anything!

 

[dryhumor]

Yep ! Really wish there was a way to do a proper side by side test. Playing with a lil scope right now that cost me about $150 . If I had this same one 15years ago. Exact same one I bet it would be worth $500

Hard to do. Not everyone’s eyes are the same, and with that, poor performance in one situation may be great performance in another depending on who is looking through the scope.

I’ve looked through a lot of scopes in the same conditions of that particular moment and have seen the difference. Having another person or several there doing the same helps build a good average consensus.

 

[Downhill]

I remember when I started shooting Service Rifle Comps, the Marksmen were always first with "advice" or criticism. And they seemed to remain at that classification. After making Master, I shot a match with full value 25 to 30 mph winds. No score at 600 was stellar. A marksman informed me had I paid better attention to the flags my score would have been higher. My reply was simply "You might be right."

 

[fx77]

Good, better, best
Never let it rest
Until the good is better and the better is best
But Remember
Sometimes perfection is the enemy of good.

 

[Nvcnvc]

As much as I enjoy my high dollar optics, guns, and other gear, I am also a sucker for a good deal on something that simply works. Keep doing what you are doing and don't listen to anyone. AFAIAC you are providing a service to all of us and we thank you!

 

[jelenko]

First, you'll never please all the people all of the time. And, as others mentioned, some people just have to be negative.

At the same time, I think there's an expectation that when someone posts a review their purpose is to show off something or to promote something - i.e., not just provide information on how it works.

It might help prevent some negative posts if the review states at the beginning of the post what the purpose is. But, guaranteed, it won't eliminate all. You'd also probably get some negative comments about why the review should have even been posted.

 

[K22]

For me this is reality: Back in 1975, if you would have taken twenty year old me, and handed me a $100 scope from today, I'd have gone all google eyed and said, "I'll never be able to afford a scope this nice."

I've always liked stuff that simply works, and works simply. I'm not a rich guy, and you'd know it by the house we live in, the cars we drive, and yeah, by the guns I shoot. Also I'm not dumb enough to try to keep up with the rich guys and the toys they buy. (and often hardly use)

I'm not going to disparage anyone who has a ton of money, and spends it on incredible things, but I've found that when I'm really impressed by a person, it's never because of the expensive "stuff" he owns.

And yeah, I do like finding something ridiculously inexpensive and having it work well. jd

In the mid 60's my parents scraped up enough money to purchase my first centerfire rifle, a 243 Win model 70 Win (post 64). It was equipped with a 3 x 9 Redfield scope. I didn't reload in those days, so I relied of factory ammo, 80 grain for groundhogs / foxes and 100 grain for deer.

I was fortunate, my dad was an Army vet, and I had two uncles who were Marine vets. They taught me how to shoot and more importantly firearms safety.

With that one rifle and meager scope by todays ridiculous standards, I took all manner of critters, varmints, predators and deer. As I advanced into the hobby, I started reloading late 60's early 70's. At first mostly for pistol then rifle. Again, I was fortunate to have a benchrest shooter teach me some of the basics to produce accurate and reliable reloads.

I was taught a vital lesson, don't try to use equipment to make up for your lack of skill in mastering the fundamentals.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

Nothing like taking “junk” to the line and beating someone that has the latest and greatest, kinda put a smile on your face

 

[AccelR8]

Question for W.D.19; where can we see your reviews?

 

[NZ_Fclass]

I have scopes from March, Kahles, Leupold, Burris', Vortex and some Chinese brands. If they didn't work, I wouldn't keep them, no matter the cost. Same for rifles - Barnard, Tikka, Savage and BSA. There are some gems out there.

 

[Wolfdog91]

Glad to hear a like mind. My own example is my venture into the world of FFP scopes. About three years ago I decided to try a Westhunter 6-24 X 50 FFP scope. I only paid $125, I believe, and it opened my eyes to a new concept. Optics as good as $1,000 + scopes? Doubt it. But I don't compete, just have fun on my own range, and my longest shots at varmints are probably 400 yards +. The glass quality, adjustments and repeatability are all very good for not breaking the bank. If it craps out, I can get a new one for a fraction of the others. Good enough that I now have four of them. One each on my .223, .22/250, .243 and my Browning T-Bolt .22 LR.

Exactly I'm about in the same boat. I mean I get the same stuff from higher level hunters too. Posted about a little $50 scope I got at a pawn shop on another forum. Was saying how I'm pretty impressed with what a $50 scope is now vs back when I was a kid . And how honestly for most average billy hoes just slapping something on there savage axis to shoot a deer at all of 60yd ... More and more the the whole deal of needing to get a super expensive scope is kinda stupid. And started having people talk about how they would never put that on a 375 H&H or how it wouldn't survive a trip into the mountains on horse back after elk....and I'm just here like .....well yeah .... Probably not it's a $50 scope I bought in a pawn shop

I mean ived talked to people who think it's a achievement for a scope to hold zero for more then 10rd on a .308 and syou have to get a scope that's 2x the price of the gun from that still.... Mean while it seems most scopes I buy for at least $150 ( with certain stipulations) I can slap on a rife then toss it in my trunk no case ride around for a few days and it's still on

Like what used to be the high standard is just so normal now that it's not even a issue. So of the tech that was making some of these scopes worth so much back in the day is just stuff every half decent shop in China probably has off the rip now.... Anyhow I'm rambling now

But yeah I've been looking hard at the West hunter scopes for a bit but after I got a lil bit by discovery optics ....mehhhh idk

 

[Wolfdog91]

Question for W.D.19; where can we see your reviews?

So in all fairness review might now be the best term , I'll just get something post a lot of pictures and my thoughts , maybe a update or two , maybe some stuff of me trying to work on em or make them better but I got them all over a half dozen forums , Facebook groups ect . Actually have done more and had more of these situations on Facebook groups more then anything. Stuff like my KAK 17-5.56 , .22tcm $90 barrel and so on posts are some decent examples.
Really it's just me being a goober half the time .
I do have a hand full on my YouTube channel and actually have a lot more filmed but it's just when I got to edit and upload them they just don't seem...idk good.
I mean this is one I just did of a custom barrel I got

And I'll be honest I don't post much of this type of stuff on here because...sorry when most of y'all's scope ring cost more then my rifles I don't think y'all wanna here about my new knock off atlas bipod review