Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters What makes a scope hold zero and be robust/tough?

I'd venture that bedding issues have more to do with point of impact changes across time and conditions than brand of scope. I have a Tasco on one of my ground squirrel rifles that stays dead on for thousands of rounds as long as one does not change the power setting.

The best quality mounts; a rifle that doesn't kick much helps; don't drop your rifle!

Sounds like a real prize alright.

I had an old Weaver K-2.5 on my 35Whelen for about 30 years. The rifle has been carried for hundreds of miles in all sorts of weather and rugged condition' On one trip I spent a lot of time crawling through slide alder and branches would occasionally get stuck between the scope and barrel. After a while, I just started jerking on the rifle to break the branches (I was getting tired and out-of-sorts). This rifle has never been off by more than an inch or so. This year, I decided to replace the old scope with a new Leupold 4x to take advantage of superior optics and eliminate the rusting which plagued the old Weaver. Scope is clearer but the jury is still out as regards durability. The 2.5 is now on a Mauser 30/06. I like those straight-tube scopes. Light, tough, durable and compact, they stand up well to the abuse they may receive on a working-class rifle. GD

Anything made by Nightforce is going to be durable. Any scope can break but Nightforce and Schmidt & Bender are probably the toughest two out there. As someone else mentioned, you might not like the price and weight but they are tough. It's been a long time theory that light scopes were tougher because the components aren't as heavy and thus affected by recoil as much. That's total BS but makes a good internet rumor. The toughest scopes made are all pretty heavy.

Leupold has long had a niche because they are in the "not crazy expensive" category like NF and S&B but still gave decent performance. They are not in the same league though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5pVya7eask

dave

Let me add that crosshairs etched into the glass is a big help.
I also want a scope that uses hardened tool steel for the adjustment clicks.

Poor bases and rings are one cause for a good scope to act bad

Good bases and rings installed incorrectly is another

I couldn't disagree with either of these posts. I wouldn't be surprised if this wasn't the cause or part of the cause with LAW rifle talked about in the rifle section of the Campfire. Bedding, nicked up crowns and improperly installed mounts are usual suspects when rifles start acting up.

I had one of those. Point of impact moved 6 inches between 3 and 9 power. I didn't sell it, just threw it in the trash.

If a handloader, you will , 9 times out of 10, need to make scope adjustments when a different lot of the same powder is used for the same "formula" of bullet/powder combination. The same applies to any other changes, such as primer, to "the formula". We all know that, don't we?

That being added to "stuff" moving from where it was 6 years ago... whatever the causes.

Regarding scopes: price alone will not guarantee "toughness" or perfection. To me, service is very high on the list. High end Euro scopes means a VERY long wait unless the dealer will make an exchange on the spot. Personally, Bushnell means a relatively short drive for repairs or exchange within a week. The cost is time and gas. I mostly shoot heavy recoiling rifles. And I mean HEAVY!

Bob

www.bigbores.ca

DT: That's funny! I don't blame you!

I've had more expensive variables that did that. Got them replaced by the factory and sold them without opening the box.

I once tested a very expensive 5-15x variable made by one of the famous foreign companies. When on 15x it had over a foot of parallax at 400 yards--and it didn't have any parallax adjustment of any kind. It did not fall apart but....

I know the scope you're talking about.

I'm not a fan of the non parallax adjustable 4.5-14 Leupolds either.

John: Sounds like it came out the box "fell apart".

Eleven years ago a 3/4" change of impact at exactly the wrong time cost me a win at the Super Shoot... for me a once-in-a-lifetime happenstance. I was using America's most popular competition scope. I'll never forgive them for that...

In the last couple of years some of the best benchrest competitors have been using Valdada scopes. Recently I've been told by one of the best competitors (He's also a bullet maker) that he and his partner will use nothing else. They have a trench range in which to test scopes. He also told me he had sixty-eight benchrest scopes for sale.

I sold my last bench gun to a friend a couple of months ago who bought the recently introduced Valdada benchrest model. I've shot the gun with the Valdada scope on it a couple of times and my impression is that it's the best bench scope I've ever shot. I also have a Valdada tactical scope here that has a Sig rifle coming for it. I'm looking forward to using it. These scopes seem to be extremely well put together.

Engineering and quality of manufacture is everything if you want absolutely dependable scopes. You don't use plastic parts when hardened steel is better...

Dick Wright

Dick: That's interesting.

Do you know anything about their fixed power hunting scopes? I notice they make both a 4X and a 6X.

Bob,

No, I don't. But given my experience so far, when I need one I will definitely check them out very carefully.

Thanks Dick. I may buy a 6X and give it a go.