Great value - NcStar 3-9x42 Illuminated 3RS Rifle Scope w/ 3 Rail Sighting System

I want to preface this review by stating that this is my very first scope of any kind. I have never used top of the line scopes so I have nothing to compare this one to. That being said I think you can't do too much better for the money.

I bought this scope to mount on my S&W M&P 15-22 which has very little recoil. After taking it to the range and zeroing it, I put about another 700 rounds through without it losing zero. It was easy enough for a novice like me to zero and it was already "on paper" at 100 yds. I'm not sure how well it would hold zero on a larger caliber rifle but for my 15-22 it is perfect. It was also about as easy as I can imagine to mount it. It was a little heavy but with my rifle coming in at about 5.5lbs, the weight didn't concern me.

The blue illumination was quite bright even on the lowest settings but it was pretty dark out. The illumination may work better on a much brighter day. If you prefer I think the non-illuminated version is about $10 cheaper.

I absolutely love the three integrated rails on this scope. Not only do I think they look really cool, but they also allowed me to mount a red-dot scope. I preferred to mount the red-dot on the side so I could tilt the gun slightly so as to transition quickly to closer target shooting. I found that by mounting the red dot on top, I could not get it sighted in for closer shooting. I could also mount a light or laser sight on the other rails if I should want them later.

I would have definitely liked some flip up lens covers however, this was not a deal breaker for me. So in summary:

Pros: Integrated Rails, easy mounting, easy (I think) zeroing, aggressive looks (if you care), and great preice for an entry level scope

Cons (definitely not deal-breakers): Flip up lens caps would have been nice, a little on the heavy side, and illumination is bright even on lowest settings


Pros: Rail system, ease of mounting
Cons: A little heavy, would have like flip up lens covers

This review was written in the old system and had content requirements that are different than reviews written today.