Scopes and tires aren’t often talked about in the same sentence, but there’s definitely a common thread between these two items. They’re both additional items for another piece of equipment, and they both can make a huge difference – either for better or for worse.
If you put a cheap scope on a good rifle, you decrease the effectiveness of that rifle. The same is true for tires. If you put crummy tires on your truck, you better be ready to walk.
I’ve had bargain scopes, and I’ve had bargain tires. I’ve been unhappy with both. Yet when I’ve upgraded to a better scope for the same rifle I had the cheap scope on, and better tires on the same truck that had been running economy brand rubber, the performance of both the rifle and the truck improved dramatically.
The difference is that hopefully, you only have to buy one scope for a rifle. And if you wear out the rifle, or decide to trade it for a different one, you can keep the scope. That’s not often the case with tires. The truck should outlast the tires, and when you trade the truck, the person you trade it to usually wants it to come with tires.
Unfortunately, every year or two, you probably have to buy new tires. Get good ones, especially if you spend any amount of time traveling muddy or snowy forest roads. The better your tires, the better chance you’ll make it home in your truck, instead of a tow truck.
But with the scope, splurge a bit. Like I said, you can keep it if you sell the rifle, so get the absolute best scope you can afford. Even if you have to skimp a little on your tires, insist on quality optics. Your rifle will thank you for it.
