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NcStar - Just what is so bad with this brand.

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djwarner View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djwarner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: NcStar - Just what is so bad with this brand.
    Posted: November/12/2010 at 17:16
First, specifics please, not just adjectives.
 
As I understand it, NCStar builds its scopes from a factory set up by Tamron and that may speak more than anything else. But I also understand that any manufacturing facility that uses modern quality control techniques will get better as it identifies problems and corrects them through a closed loop corrective action program. Therefore, a recently purchased example may not reflect the experiences of early reviewers/purchasers. I also realize that quality may vary from model to model and individual unit to unit. 
 
I also understand that they are seeking to produce a lower quality/lower cost product.
 
Unfortunately, I examined a 6-24x50AOE Shooter II series with illuminated rangefinder reticle at a local gun show before I ran across this fine forum. As a commercial photographer, I know a little bit about lenses and resolving power. Also, I knew that the 3-9x40 scope that came with my Marlin 336 was no winner - in fact I could easily out shoot its resovling power.
 
The NCStar performance at the show was clearly more than a step up compared to the generic Marlin and, again before I learned about this site, the price point seemed reasonable.
 
I hadn't heard of the "Mad-Eye Moody Effect" and didn't observe it until I was trying to sight the scope in mounted in a cheap rifle sled. Properly shouldered and within eye relief, it doens't appear. The one thing that I could notice as a difference between the two scopes is the at the proper eye relief distance, the image did not completely fill the eye piece lense. Once I stopped trying to fill the lense with the image and settled into a normal grip, the "Mad-Eye Moody Effect" was nowhere to be found.
 
I decided to compare resolution capability. I had a good pair of Nikon 7x50 Marine binoculars, the generic Marlin 3-9x40 and the NCStar 6-24x50 AOE. To test the resolving power, I printed a test resolution chart designed for evaluating 35mm camera lenses. I printed the chart on 8.5x11 paper with some magnification required. Thus while the scale had LP/mm numbers, they certainly were not calibrated. It was a good basis for comparison. The scale as printed ranged from 2 LP/mm to 170 LP/mm on a logrithmic scale. It included both square wave and sine wave profiles.
 
I set the target 25 yards away in a late afternoon sun. The Nikon and NCStar easily focused at that distance, the generic scope, with a fixed focus, was noticably soft at that distance. I set all three scopes to 7x magnification.  The Nikon resolved down to 20 LP/mm on the uncalibrated scale. The generic scope sagged badly due to the out of focus condition and would only resolve something less than 10 LP/mm. I was pleasantly surprised to find the NCStar resolving down to 25-30 LP/mm.
 
With the nature of the zoom optics, I didn't expect the resolving power to improve as I increased the magnification. Again to my surprise, at 20x, I easily resolved down to 70 LP/mm. To me this indicates that at lower magnifications, the scope is limited in the zoom lens group and eye piece group rather than the objective lens.
 
After shooting several boxes after mounting the lens, POI remains stable. As I zoom through the range of magnification, the cross hairs remain centered within 1/4". With the Marlin, I did end up moving the scope as far forward as possible to maintain eye relief.
 
I realize YMMV and I may have just gotten a goodie - or you may think the results I got were still horrible.
 
Objective opinions are appreciated. If my test method is flawed, please advise as well.Howdy
 
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/12/2010 at 19:23
The "Mad Eye Moody" effect I have in my scope is the only place I have ever seen it... it is unlike any scope "feature" I have ever seen before.  It can actually be tuned so that the scope works... and not too badly.  While I do believe it is probably the worst scope I've ever owned and wouldn't recommend someone else use NcStar, I still use mine sometimes.  Right now, I'm just trying to see how long it will last before it goes completely bonkers.  I'm probably going to mount it on my .458 Lott in the near future...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scuba0321 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/13/2010 at 20:30
They are the cheap TASCO made in CHINA rejects just rebranded. The lenses are plastic ! there is no quality control,I had used and sold this brand of scopes for a FFL dealer ,and we sold alot of them and we stopped because they are junk,don't drop one or try and clean the lenses as the ruby or green coatings wipe right of.They are designed to be CHEAP knock off replicas of other scopes.we would order say 5,000.00 us dollars worth of product and ship 25% of total order back because lack of QC AT THE FACTORY.Brand new items mounted of center ,canted reticules finger prints on lenses of scopes,reflex style red dot couldn't be mounted because screw holes were stripped out .They would not even pay for return shipping of defective products !!! This is a fact and real !!! The scopes that were colt 4x copies were the worst ,as far as being installed in the cradle(mount) canted,the rubber boots were never on correctly. The owners must be retired USED CAR SALESMAN b/c they have nothing but lemons. A 6 year could build better picatinny rails with a dremel tool and a can of KRYLON paint. Seriously the coatings on the plastic really will wipe right off put spit on your finger or a kleenex or newspaper and try it.Brand new scopes from NCSTAR would have loose parts rattling around the inside of them ,right from them in CALIFORNIA ...  and they are cheap impulse buys that u would see at cash register checkout .STAY AWAY FROM THEM THEY ARE WORSE THAN A DEAD SKUNK!!!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djwarner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/13/2010 at 21:44
I stand corrected, it was a Tasco factory not a Tamron factory.
 
Just for the record, when did you stop selling them?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote grimreaper21 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/13/2010 at 23:38
That sounds like a pretty terrible experience and I'm suprised their factory has little to
no QC. I've heard people saying their customer service was easy to deal with though. Sometimes they charge 10$ sometimes they don't. Glad I didn't get that 3-9x42 mark3 that looks so pretty in the pictures.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/13/2010 at 23:56
I have seen a fair number of NCStar scopes over the years.  Roughly half of them work kinda OK, while suffering from some fairly subtle problems.  The rest suffered some not-so-subtle problems.

I can think of more entertaining ways to gamble my money away.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scuba0321 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2010 at 16:32
DJ we stopped selling them in 2007 . And i would cringe everytime i would see them at the shotshow .You gotta ask yourself how come SWFA does not sell there products ?  ENUFF SAID !!!!
If you want budget check out BARSKA PRODUCTS

I am not here to bash any one ,but i had to tell my side of the NCSTAR experience.These guys really need to be ashamed that they produce such crap.

"MADE IN THE USA"  still means alot to me !!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote PONIESWHEE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2010 at 16:59
I put one of the NCSTAR 4x Acog-style scopes on my .22 plinker and it has held up ok so far. Note, I have not done any kind of testing of the turrets or measured the mil dots to see if they are correct etc, I just zeroed it at 75 and left it. I do take it off quite frequently and have been pretty impressed with the way it returns to zero pretty much every time with the quick detach mount. 

That said, I think with the discount brands it's always a crap shoot. I got this one before I knew much about the different brands and I probably lucked out. I'll keep shooting it as long as it works and when it does kick the bucket I'll probably replace it with a Vortex or a higher-end brand. I recently got a Vortex Viper and a SS10x and just from the limited time I have with them so far I can see a huge difference in craftsmanship and glass quality. If my gun ever fails I think I could take off my SS10x and beat an intruder about the head and shoulders with it, then put it back on my rifle and carry on shooting groups. A lot of people here have said you get what you pay for in optics and I'm starting to see the wisdom in that.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote grimreaper21 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2010 at 17:57
Originally posted by scuba0321 scuba0321 wrote:

DJ we stopped selling them in 2007 . And i would cringe everytime i would see them at the shotshow .You gotta ask yourself how come SWFA does not sell there products ?  ENUFF SAID !!!!
If you want budget check out BARSKA PRODUCTS

I am not here to bash any one ,but i had to tell my side of the NCSTAR experience.These guys really need to be ashamed that they produce such crap.

"MADE IN THE USA"  still means alot to me !!!
not to ruin your point because i generally agree, but they do sell the entire ncstar lineup Clown
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2010 at 18:55
http://swfa.com:80/NcStar-Rifle-Scopes-C3401.aspx
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djwarner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2010 at 20:03
Originally posted by scuba0321 scuba0321 wrote:

DJ we stopped selling them in 2007 . .............
 
..................I am not here to bash any one ,but i had to tell my side of the NCSTAR experience.These guys really need to be ashamed that they produce such crap.
 
Three years ago for a company started in 1997 (13 years ago) is a long enough for things to have seriously improved quality wise. -- Though I'm not making any assertions to that effect.
 
I have no doubt that you - or your customers - experienced all of the misfortunes you have related and you were justifed in terminating your relationship. I would have as well.
 
They are now on their Mark III version of their rifle scopes and I have been searching for online reviews panning their products. While I have found carping about their earlier designs, I haven't really found anything bad about the current generation.
 
As for plastic lens, factory specifications are absolutely mum on the subject. Does anyone have non-destructive test to verify this? I had polycarbonate glasses before my LASIK and the chromatic aberation was horrible.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote grimreaper21 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2010 at 20:09
alot of people on my M&P15 forum are using the Mark 3 Tacticals with great success, although when i read about their reputation and saw they were going to run me $100-150 anyways, i figured it was money better invested in a real scope.  While it is 1/10th the cost of an Acog, it is certainly not the best option out there either.  I wouldn't mind seeing a torture test of the Mark 3 either.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote neilbilly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2010 at 21:01
I bought one at a gun show to put on a Saiga .223  I mounted it and while trying to sight it in the elevation adjustment turned with no effect in point of impact. I did not run out of adjustment, there simply was none. It's in a box that I plan on taking to the range. I will shoot it several times and destroy it. "Rather than send it both directions at my expense to try and get it fixed or replaced" I spent about $150 on that piece of crap scope and it is totally useless. You really want to defend NC Star you can buy mine for $75 "plus actual shipping charges" and then you can own one of those fine products you seem to be sold on.  Feel free to pm me and I'll make the arraingments. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Sapper524 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/14/2010 at 22:20
If you want to rationalize a way to purchase a NC Star optic ... go for it.  When it fails or you get tired of looking through a coke bottle and upgrade to a decent scope ... don't say you weren't warned.  They are JUNK ... cheap chinese junk ... 
 
Spend or save a bit more and get something decent ...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 300S&W Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/15/2010 at 07:50
 
    +1 !!!!!!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djwarner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/17/2010 at 08:15
Originally posted by Kickboxer Kickboxer wrote:

The "Mad Eye Moody" effect I have in my scope is the only place I have ever seen it... it is unlike any scope "feature" I have ever seen before.  It can actually be tuned so that the scope works... and not too badly...
Kickboxer, I was looking through the generic Marlin supplied scope while hand held. As I mentioned earlier, it was out of focus at 25 yards and I was trying to compare its resolving power when in focus. While doing this, I noticed the Mad Eye Moody effect on this scope as well. Playing around I found this occurred when my eye was too close to the eyepiece. As I pulled back to the proper eye relief distance, the effect disappeared.
This agrees with my experience with the NCStar where I had to turn my rear Millet mount ring around to be able to set the scope far enough forward. 
You might want to double check your eye relief distance when you get around to mounting it.
 
 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kickboxer Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/17/2010 at 11:17
My "effect" has nothing to do with eye relief.  Purely a function of the focus...
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djwarner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/17/2010 at 11:25
Maybe I'm misunderstanding you. I assumed from your named description, it was similar to his mechanical eye flopping around and not pointing at the same point as the other eye.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote scuba0321 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/18/2010 at 22:13
Okay also fact about NcStar crap at a SHOTSHOW in 2007 NcStar was served .The papers were to cease and desist they were reverse engineering ACOG's .They make TACTICOOL looking optics that look good on a safequeen rifle.They would not even have the decency to pay for return shipping on there products,from their own direct dealers .We kept getting burned on their crap. any more questions ?

   remember a dead skunk smells better than NcStar optics.


 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote djwarner Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/18/2010 at 23:49
Scuba,
 
As I said before, I understand your feelings and I sympathize. It's obvious they hung some emotional baggage on you. I started the thread to learn more about what I should have seen and didn't.
 
Perhaps I got one that actually functioned by the luck of the draw. Or perhaps it will only last until the next time I pull the trigger. Your experience ended three years ago, while mine just started. Product changes over time was a potential factor.
 
There is an old marketing adage that it takes 39 favorable impressions to offset on unfavorable one. Obviously, NCStar has dug itself quite a hole. I guess they remain in business by selling to people like myself that had no prior knowledge.
 
Simply calling something a POS will have limited influence on others. That is why I asked for facts and not opinions. You have offered facts while I've received others at variance from yours. I've just been trying to sort them out.
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