For reasons even I can't explain ;-), I decided to pull this brand new warranty replacement scope out of the box and give it another try. I'm glad I did. Am I going to keep it on my rifle? No, I still feel that the Nikko Stirling is a superior scope. Does it still have a problem? Yes, there's something odd about the optics, unless you hold your head in exactly the right spot, the image is distorted, and it gets worse at higher magnification. But when you do find the sweet spot, it's crystal clear. I think 2 other things might be at play here, one may be my eyes, they're definitely not what they were 10 years ago, damn it :-(! The other thing I think would help is a high mount, at least on my rifle. I think a high mount would give a better head position, and make it easier to find that sweet spot. Make that 3 things, I'm not dead certain I have the occular adjusted perfectly, either.
Mechanically, this scope is pretty good. The focus is smooth, with just the right amount of resistance. W/E turrets are also smooth, and although not as crisp and "clicky" as some I've used, they seem solid and consistant. Plus, I like the fact that you can zero the scope with your pellet/range of choice, then reset the turrets to zero. Handy feature, especially if you use different pellets for different purposes.
Okay, I realize it may sound a little stupid to say "Hey, it's a good scope except for the optics!". After all, it is an optical device. But I guess that's what I'm saying. On a 1 to 10 scale just on optics, I'd have to give this a 7. On that scale, my Nikko Stirling is a 9.5, and the full size Leapers a 10. I had a Simmons 44 Mag for awhile, 6-20x44, also a 9.5, maybe a 9 because the cross hairs and mil dots were HUGE! But at $125, nothing else comes close to this thing for size and power. And maybe that makes it good enough, at least for a back up.
Dave
