Tasco: still sucks?

[Tommie]

It’s been years since I subjected my eyes to the torture device known as the Tasco scope. Just wondering if their scopes have improved or are they still paper weights.

 

[LHSmith]

Being relegated today to being a keyboard shooter, I just love looking through match stats of competitions of all types to see what's working in the real world, so I''ll do some searching and report back.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Depends on how many years ago you are talking... Yes, Tasco scopes have been junk for a very long time and today they are still complete junk.

Now talking 30+ years ago when they were built in Japan with the finest glass and components that country had to offer at the time, they were, and still are, amazing scopes. I still have 5 or 6 of the old Tasco Japanese scopes and I use them on varmint rifles to this day. The 30+ year old old Japanese glass is still on par or even better than the best $500-$1000 scopes out there on the market today. Most of my old Tasco are high mag scopes ranging from 5-20x, 6-18x, and 6-24x. They have target turrets with solid clicks, some with range finding ballistic reticles, and panoramic TV wide view lenses. Excellent construction truly built to last a lifetime. I often wonder how good the Tasco company could have become if they had not strayed from the path of quality...Back then, Tasco was THE innovator of new technology in long range optics. Today, they are just another bottom of the barrel Walmart Chinese junk optic

 

[Outrider27]

Only one problem with Tasco scopes from the era when they built a decent scope - the current owners of Tasco do NOT honor the lifetime warranty they came with. Found this out when I had an elevation turret problem with one. So much for some company's "lifetime warranties".

 

[Jason Boersma]

I have a three Tasco scopes two fairly new a 2.5-10 and a 6-24 and I have an older 8-32x with a pronghorn antelope on the side, for what I paid for them I cannot complain at all about them. Remember you get what you pay for.

 

[Shoebox]

I have a jap 5x20x50 which is very clear, but its not as good as my kahles 3x9x56, funny that !

 

[hoz53]

Depends on how many years ago you are talking... Yes, Tasco scopes have been junk for a very long time and today they are still complete junk.

Now talking 30+ years ago when they were built in Japan with the finest glass and components that country had to offer at the time, they were, and still are, amazing scopes. I still have 5 or 6 of the old Tasco Japanese scopes and I use them on varmint rifles to this day. The 30+ year old old Japanese glass is still on par or even better than the best $500-$1000 scopes out there on the market today. Most of my old Tasco are high mag scopes ranging from 5-20x, 6-18x, and 6-24x. They have target turrets with solid clicks, some with range finding ballistic reticles, and panoramic TV wide view lenses. Excellent construction truly built to last a lifetime. I often wonder how good the Tasco company could have become if they had not strayed from the path of quality...Back then, Tasco was THE innovator of new technology in long range optics. Today, they are just another bottom of the barrel Walmart Chinese junk optic

well its been 40 years since i first tried a tasco. They must have done the improving after that cause they sure were junk then.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

well its been 40 years since i first tried a tasco. They must have done the improving after that cause they sure were junk then.

Well when I have a 39 year old Tasco World Class 6-24 that can out resolve most any modern mid priced scope at long range and still track as true as any, I don't really consider that junk.

I highly doubt today's mid priced scopes built in China, Phillipines, and wherever else, will last for even half as long.

I am very familiar with top tier optics and own some of the best money can buy on the market today. From Zeiss, Kahles, and Meopta, to Swarovski and Leica. Not saying the Japanese Tasco scope is on the same optical level, but I have no shame whatsoever in stating that I love the glass in my old Japanese Tasco rifle scopes.

 

[hoz53]

Well when I have a 39 year old Tasco World Class 6-24 that can out resolve most any modern mid priced scope at long range and still track as true as any, I don't really consider that junk.

I highly doubt today's mid priced scopes built in China, Phillipines, and wherever else, will last for even half as long.

I am very familiar with top tier optics and own some of the best money can buy on the market today. From Zeiss, Kahles, and Meopta, to Swarovski and Leica. Not saying the Japanese Tasco scope is on the same optical level, but I have no shame whatsoever in stating that I love the glass in my old Japanese Tasco rifle scopes.

well i cant remember all the scopes back then --the tasco's i tried were poor ,there can be
no doubting that, but its very possible they were not the world class models you speak of and i wasnt doubting you at all just trying to agree.

 

[mongo chicago]

No complaints on the Tascos I had but that was a long time ago. Upgraded since then and never looked back. But I will never own another Leupold. Over rated junk with an incompetent customer service dept. That was a long time ago too, but still bad memories.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

well i cant remember all the scopes back then --the tasco's i tried were poor ,there can be
no doubting that, but its very possible they were not the world class models you speak of and i wasnt doubting you at all just trying to agree.

Yeah there was a handful of different lines the produced. I know they started going downhill fast when they went to Taiwan for production, then really fell off the rocker when they went to China.

I have a 3-9x40 Pronghorn made in Japan that belonged to my deceased great uncle. I think the Pronghorn line was a cheaper model... Anyhow, the scope spent 20 years on a light sporter weight 7mm Rem Mag before it came into my possession. Still has an ultra bright crystal clear sight picture and functions perfectly.

I have one 'exceptional' 6-24x40 Japanese Tasco that can deliver better resolution at long range than my Zeiss HD5 5-25x50 on all power levels. Pretty amazing for such an old scope back before they had HD coatings and fluorite glass.

 

[beemanjohn]

From what I understand, the Tasco company of today is not even the same one that sold the made in Japan scopes. They went under quite some time ago. That's how SWFA got the rights to build the Tasco sniper scope they sell. They just bought the rights to build it when Tasco went under. Someone else bought the Tasco name and is selling scopes under that name now.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

From what I understand, the Tasco company of today is not even the same one that sold the made in Japan scopes. They went under quite some time ago. That's how SWFA got the rights to build the Tasco sniper scope they sell. They just bought the rights to build it when Tasco went under. Someone else bought the Tasco name and is selling scopes under that name now.

Tasco was in default on $30M in loans, probably because nobody wanted to buy the junk they started making. I think Bushnell bought the company and name in the early 2000's when they were in distress.

 

[Bigdad123]

I have a Tasco 5-20x50mm Euroclass 30mm tube Japanese scope that I bought back in the early eighties. The glass is still as clear as some mid-high end scopes I've owned. The turrets leave a lot to be desired, no clicks and are marked in 1/4 MOA increments but are actually 1/8 MOA. Its confusing but they are repeatable once you figure it out. I have a couple of later model Tascos that are junk.

 

[6MMsteve]

I have a 24x target that is much clearer than my 10x50 sightron at 24x but's it's old japan edge to edge clear and bright my favorite scope

 

[6MMsteve]

That surprises me' I had an opportunity to look through a 10x50 Sightron next to a Golden Eagle and felt the Sightron was superior at 550 to my eyes
JMO
SPJ

have you looked through a steel tube BR model tasco Japan or the new junk they put out my tasco is heavy and solid, the turrets and very solid, some of the newer old Japan scopes are trash the turrets have play and everything

 

[dreever]

It’s been years since I subjected my eyes to the torture device known as the Tasco scope. Just wondering if their scopes have improved or are they still paper weights.

Years ago I was lucky enough to get my hands on one of the straight 10 power scopes that Tasco submitted to the U.S. Navy for consideration. One of the clearest scopes I've ever looked thru. Turrets are very precise. I still have it mounted on my hunting .308.
I think when they didn't get the contract they made a run of them and called them the first "Super Sniper" UGH hell of a name. After that I don't think the super quality remained.

 

[Flouncer]

I have a new recent Tasco 10x40. The view is cloudy at all magnifications. The adjustments simply don't work. They click but the movement is random and not repeatable. It is going back to Optics Planet. I don't even care if I get a dime for it, it's going back.

 

[6MMsteve]

I have a new recent Tasco 10x40. The view is cloudy at all magnifications. The adjustments simply don't work. They click but the movement is random and not repeatable. It is going back to Optics Planet. I don't even care if I get a dime for it, it's going back.

I have a 24x target that is 17" long and heavy made n Japan that is very clear edge to edge bright amazing, you have to buy the older tasco target scopes and they are like 17" long, they are very clear you will like one if you looked through it

 

[6MMsteve]

I have a new recent Tasco 10x40. The view is cloudy at all magnifications. The adjustments simply don't work. They click but the movement is random and not repeatable. It is going back to Optics Planet. I don't even care if I get a dime for it, it's going back.

there is one on ebay but the guy want's 300 for it, it is the long heavy target scope, or buy a weaver 36xr for 385 at natchez