Having read several posts lately from guys starting out asking about budget scopes,rifles, bino's etc. Almost invariably the answer
goes along the lines of you need brand x costing £ xxxx or buying budget is a waste of time, buy once cry once, save up until you
can afford the best and so on and so on.
Now don't get me wrong if you can afford the very best and you are happy to spend that amount great! Fill your boots but not everyone is in that position and I'm sure there are many that are put of by the perceived costs.
This made me think of what I had spent on equipment in my stalking career and realised I have spent less on stalking equipment in my
entire career than many on here have spent on a rifle scope.
Baring in mind that I was a professional stalker so any equipment that I had was in regular use if it was good enough for my job then
It would certainly adequate for a recreational stalker.
First my rifle this was an estate rifle which I received as part of a redundancy package , now not many are going to receive a rifle in these circumstances but bare with me, the rifle is now nearly forty years old with an astronomical round count and while not a thing of
beauty still shoots to p.o.a. Now to my point while this rifle is not for sale there are many similar rifles that are,value £100/£150
Not going to break the bank even for someone on a budget and a good few years left in it yet.
Total cost of repairs in the time I have owned the rifle £80
When I got the rifle it came with a japanese scope which failed dramatically after 25 years of use replaced with another Japanese
scope a Dowling and Rowe 3x9x50 the early Dowling and Rowe scopes were exceptionally good believe the later ones were not.
Bought as bankrupt stock cost £50 no idea what the retail price was but a budget scope certainly.
This scope has sat on top of the rifle for the last fourteen years
in that time the performance has been faultless.
Not saying that everyone will be able to pick up a recent scope fo £50 but there are plenty budget scopes that will fit the bill for not a lot of money.
Bipods are not a necessity but if you want one they can.be picked up relatively cheaply either S/H or there are some cheap ones sold on that well known auction site.
Moderators again not a necessity hut a good idea ( should take my own advice) can be picked up second hand from time to time but
probably worth buying new when funds allow but lack of one won't stop you from getting started.
Budget binoculars I have three pairs a pair of Opticron which if I remember correctly cost around £300 when bought six or seven years ago have performed adequately , A pair of Rocktrail Aldi specials at the Princely sum of £30 these live under the seat of the truck these are old style porro prisms but make no mistake the glass is much much better than you would expect for £30 they are rubber armoured and waterproof and would perform very well for stalking if one was on a tight budget ( personally don't like the bulk of porro binoculars) but I'm sure I could live with it if need be.
Also recently bought a pair of Vortex Diamondbacks of a member of this site ( didn't need them but have been a fan of Vortex for quite sometime ) could not resist brand new unused £125 a bargain and then some.
Recently had the opportunity to compare them at last light with a pair of Steiner Rangers and a pair of Lecia's found I preferred the
Vortex to the Steiners and as you would expect the Lecia's were better than the Vortex but not eight times better but were eight times the price in fact while the Lecia's were clearer at last light I could still see well enough with the Vortex .
Recently had a look through a pair Vortex Viper's and was very impressed will possibly update to a pair but being a tight Scot I will wait until the right pair comes along a well looked after S/H pair for example.
The Viper's might be a bit much for someone on a tight budget needing to obtain a complete stalking outfit.
While it might be nice to have the best its possible to get into stalking if you are on a budget in fact it might be an idea to save on the kit and spend the money on stalking.
Have tried to show that its possible to acquire the necessary kit on a budget of £500 even less with a bit of luck.
goes along the lines of you need brand x costing £ xxxx or buying budget is a waste of time, buy once cry once, save up until you
can afford the best and so on and so on.
Now don't get me wrong if you can afford the very best and you are happy to spend that amount great! Fill your boots but not everyone is in that position and I'm sure there are many that are put of by the perceived costs.
This made me think of what I had spent on equipment in my stalking career and realised I have spent less on stalking equipment in my
entire career than many on here have spent on a rifle scope.
Baring in mind that I was a professional stalker so any equipment that I had was in regular use if it was good enough for my job then
It would certainly adequate for a recreational stalker.
First my rifle this was an estate rifle which I received as part of a redundancy package , now not many are going to receive a rifle in these circumstances but bare with me, the rifle is now nearly forty years old with an astronomical round count and while not a thing of
beauty still shoots to p.o.a. Now to my point while this rifle is not for sale there are many similar rifles that are,value £100/£150
Not going to break the bank even for someone on a budget and a good few years left in it yet.
Total cost of repairs in the time I have owned the rifle £80
When I got the rifle it came with a japanese scope which failed dramatically after 25 years of use replaced with another Japanese
scope a Dowling and Rowe 3x9x50 the early Dowling and Rowe scopes were exceptionally good believe the later ones were not.
Bought as bankrupt stock cost £50 no idea what the retail price was but a budget scope certainly.
This scope has sat on top of the rifle for the last fourteen years
in that time the performance has been faultless.
Not saying that everyone will be able to pick up a recent scope fo £50 but there are plenty budget scopes that will fit the bill for not a lot of money.
Bipods are not a necessity but if you want one they can.be picked up relatively cheaply either S/H or there are some cheap ones sold on that well known auction site.
Moderators again not a necessity hut a good idea ( should take my own advice) can be picked up second hand from time to time but
probably worth buying new when funds allow but lack of one won't stop you from getting started.
Budget binoculars I have three pairs a pair of Opticron which if I remember correctly cost around £300 when bought six or seven years ago have performed adequately , A pair of Rocktrail Aldi specials at the Princely sum of £30 these live under the seat of the truck these are old style porro prisms but make no mistake the glass is much much better than you would expect for £30 they are rubber armoured and waterproof and would perform very well for stalking if one was on a tight budget ( personally don't like the bulk of porro binoculars) but I'm sure I could live with it if need be.
Also recently bought a pair of Vortex Diamondbacks of a member of this site ( didn't need them but have been a fan of Vortex for quite sometime ) could not resist brand new unused £125 a bargain and then some.
Recently had the opportunity to compare them at last light with a pair of Steiner Rangers and a pair of Lecia's found I preferred the
Vortex to the Steiners and as you would expect the Lecia's were better than the Vortex but not eight times better but were eight times the price in fact while the Lecia's were clearer at last light I could still see well enough with the Vortex .
Recently had a look through a pair Vortex Viper's and was very impressed will possibly update to a pair but being a tight Scot I will wait until the right pair comes along a well looked after S/H pair for example.
The Viper's might be a bit much for someone on a tight budget needing to obtain a complete stalking outfit.
While it might be nice to have the best its possible to get into stalking if you are on a budget in fact it might be an idea to save on the kit and spend the money on stalking.
Have tried to show that its possible to acquire the necessary kit on a budget of £500 even less with a bit of luck.
