Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Interesting scope failure

Yep. Incredible, huh?

I'm told this is the same reason spring powered air rifles can break normal rifle scopes, although I've never done it. Have any of you guys actually broken a rifle scope on an air rifle? (I do believe it can happen, just haven't heard a first hand account of what went wrong.)

I finally had a chance to take that scope off. It did nothing to clear it up- still out of focus. I sent it back. It is a model no longer made so not sure what they are going to do if they don't have parts to fix it.

I had this happen with a VX-III 1.5-5 that I bought used on ebay. When I got the scope it appeared to have seen better days but I mounted it on my 375 and started to sight it in. On about the 4th shot it went totally blurry and would not focus on anything past about 10ft from the muzzle.
Sent it back to Leupold explaining that I had bought it used and told them to contact me with any repair charges. A few week later I received a brand new VX-3 1.5-5.
I've had 2 failures out of 25 or so scopes spread out over 35 or 40 years. None have been on hunts and I always have a spare scope around or can swap one off another rifle.

Hi Dennis,

I had a similar situation with an older Vari-XIII, 3.5x10x40, AO. Sent it into Leupold. They said it is not repairable however they are sending me a newer model 4x14x40, AO for replacement. Guess that would be an upgrade. However I really hate t loose any older Leupold. The new scope should be here the middle of January.

Good luck on yours,

I guess they still make the 4.5-14 AO but I would prefer the lower magnification. I use the scope on my rimfires a lot so the AO is a very nice feature. I hope they can fix it.

I had this happen with a 3.5-10 AO, which was sent in for not holding zero. Leupold gave an option for replacement - either a 4.5-14 AO or a 3.5-10 without AO.

I`ve seen that a couple of times

OK, Leupold couldn't (or wouldn't) fix my scope. They tried to settle with a 4.5-14 30mm with side focus. I already have one of those and I don't use it at all. Should sell it in classifieds.

I have a VX-5HD 3-15x44 with firedot on the way. Only thing they have with big enough field of view and parallax adjustment. Hope I like it.

It is physics, inertia specifically. When the rifle is fired, it moves rearward. The lead sled stops it abruptly. It may have only moved a tiny bit, but a large force is still applied. Each component attached to the rifle "wants" to keep moving rearward after it has been set in motion. If the bonds holding those components are strong enough, they stop moving with the rifle. Just because the scope tube is well bonded to the receiver via rings/bases does not mean that the bonds holding the internal components and lenses are up to the task.

As JS mentioned the rifle then bounces forward and is again stopped. This repeats the process in the opposite direction. The stop isn't abrupt like before but, as stated, the scopes aren't designed for this "forward recoil".

I actually had a scope break on a spring-piston air rifle, many years ago. More precisely, one of the crosshairs broke. It didn't take long either, as I recall.

I agree. In my experience, They are experts in processing returned products.

Generally their replacement offers are more than generous. Typically they will offer you a replacement scope (usually a current model upgrade) or they will credit you that amount to use towards anything in their line if you don't want the replacement offered.

Some of the previous models they just don't service any more because parts are not stocked or whatever. So, if it has sentimental value, you might be out, but you are guaranteed to get a usable scope back, no matter what.

I use a lead sled with no weight and a thick piece of foam rubber in the back to cushion the stock.Once I am sighted in, I shoot off sticks or a bipod.I never had a scope fail or a stock split.

Sent in another Leupold VXIII 3.5 X10 X40 B&C would not track 10 shots to move it 2" would move .5 then 4" same thing happened on 2.5 X 8? Accurate load and rifle. Scope rings torqued to Leupold specs. and no issues with mounts.

Like the optic but needs to work!

Had a tech tell me that IF you don't use perfect rings you need to lap them. Also told me to leave a 3/8" gap between the back of the rear ring and the ocular housing and the same gap between the back of the front ring and the turret housing. According to him, this will fix 99% of all scope failures. I think he is a little optimistic but sounds like good advice.

Knock on wood, I've been using a lead sled to sight in many rifles over the past 10-15 years with no problems to my knowledge. I use the sled not because i am scared of the recoil but because i feel the shooting from the sled is a lot more fool proof than me shoot free hand or from a bench. One i get the gun zeroed how i want it then i will shoot it off of a sand bag or such. I've only had 1 bad experience with 1 scope which was a brand new Leupold VXL quite some time ago. Tried it on 3 rifles to no avail. Ended up selling it on a rifle for next to nothing. Guess I've been pretty lucky.

Randall

A 30-06 can produce 500 g of acceleration for about a millisecond. Anything bolted to it will experience the same. That means that for that millisecond, a 1 pound scope "weighs" 500 pounds. Expect a little flex!

Many years ago I had a Leupold Vari X III 1.5-5x20 mm that clouded up after a shot for about 5 seconds. I found out about the issue a couple of days before my wife and me were leaving for our annual moose hunt. I went hunting with it and shot a moose with one 250 grain Nosler Partition out of my old Pre-64 .338 Winny.

After the hunt I sent it to Leupold and they said the lens was separating after the shot, ya got me. They sent it back fixed and it worked great and I sold it a couple of years later and stuck a Vari X III 2.5-8x36 mm on the .338.

About them Lead Sleds. I just can't seem to get set up behind them and do better with my bags. I never have put weight on them and use them for testing loads when using the chronograph and it works pretty good for cleaning a gun and bore sighting and dry firing out the door of my shop. I have no close neighbors and lots of trees.

I’m a lead sled pussy, usually when I go to shoot high power rifles, I take 6 to 8 rifles. If I was only checking one or two, I wouldn’t bother with it. Some of the rifles are gay 270’s.