I am looking around for types of scopes I might put on my next handgun. I noticed one by a company called NcStar that has the option of lit crosshairs. You can turn a dial and regulate the brightness of red-illuminated crosshairs, or just use unlit. I wonder if anyone has tried this type of scope and what you think.
Deb

Debbie...this is MY opinion only, but if it costs extra for the lit reticle - I've never found that I have ever used them that much....even on my rifle scopes with lighters...its just something thats there if I ever need it, I've got it......never has it ever been needed during any of my hunts !!!!

JRMoore

In my experience if it is too dark to see the crosshairs then it is too dark to be be shooting at big game. I would encourage you to stick with the better quality optics (if possible) and you will be much happier in the long run.
Welcome to the forum!

i'm with ernie.............buy better glass if ya can. BUT.....the ncstar may be just fine on a rimfire gun. used one quite a bit on my 22/45 ruger. couldn't beat it for the money at that level.

I just got a T/C lighted handgun scope for my 15 inch 209x50 barrel.
I do a lot of hunting in very thick brush and it can be almost to dark to see cross hairs in mid afternoon when you put them on something dark. The lighted hairs should help this quite a bit

Good thoughts Ricky. My mistake on this one. I don't hunt in heavy woods. Still encourage you to get good quality optics though.

Debbie, welcome to our home! I have to agree with everyone else. I think (IMHO) the NcStar stuff should be relegated to 22lr recoil at best. They don't hold up. I wasted $26.50 the hard way. In this industry, you usually get what you pay for!! Unless you're looking to build a custom gun on an inexpensive Mauser action or something, you usually have to pay a premium. Dan B offers good, superior quality scopes at bargain basement prices once every full mooon! Keep watching his posts! Stick with the top brands in optics if you can. Your eyes will appreciate it and they hold up under the tough conditions a handgunner can dish out! Welcome again, and tell us more. What are you shooting, etc?

Wow...I give ONE guy a good deal and he tells EVERYONE! ;) Now I'll be expected to give eveything away! Geeeze!!

Thanks, guys for the welcome and ideas about lit crosshairs. What I shoot: right now, I shoot only rimfire guns, because I hunt only small game and varmints. I have a couple CZ rifles in 22lr and 17hmr, and one Ruger Mark III pistol in 22lr (have a red dot scope on that). I want to get a Ruger New Model Single Six, in 17hmr/17mach2, and for that I will be getting a scope with magnification, probably 2-6x. Sometimes I may be shooting against a dark background, as when going for a tree squirrel in a tree. My thought is that particularly when the scope is 18inches from my eye, as is the case with handgun but not rifle scope, then a lit crosshair might help with a dark background like the understory of a tree. However the lit crosshair in a Bushnell scope pushes the cost up from $165 (Trophy model, without lit crosshairs) to somewhere like $250 or $300 (Elite 3200 model). So I want to be sure I need it before I spend the extra bucks. I'm leaning more towards Bushnell than NcStar now, since they are higher quality.

for the extra money you are getting more then just a lighted cross hair. you will also be getting a better scope with better glass.

Debbie - Welcome! I do a lot of hunting in low light and deep woods areas. Lighted crosshairs have never been anything but a pain. The reostat is always in the wrong position. Good glass provides good light gathering making darker areas appear brighter. Buy good glass and save the extra money. I use all Simmons scopes.I believe they are a great value at a fair price JMHO Again Welcome