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Newbie here... don't post much generally. I'd like to get some thoughts on Simmons scopes. I've owned a few and have always been very impressed with them but I've only used them in Spring/Summer varmint hunting and target shooting modes on .22-250's and .223's. I have one very old Simmons 1X on a Contender .357 Herrett and it seems to be holding up very well after hundreds of heavy rounds. They seem to hold zero (even after dropping my rifle a time or two), have very exact 1/4 MOA adjustment ability too. Field of view and clarity are excellent for my old eyes. And they can be dirt cheap on sale (just bought an Aetec 4-14 side focus at Natchez for $103 to my door. BUT, I never see anyone talk about them and never a write up by the gun writers. Are they actually junk or is it just the "low cost country" thing that keeps them "unspeakable"??? Comments appreciated. TKS, NEWBIE

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I've owned quite a few. Probably a half dozen or so. Bought them earlier on when it was the best scope I could afford. Never had any problems with em'. Had them mounted on deer rigs...30-06, 7mm Rem Mag, etc.

That being said...I've replaced them all with Burris and Leupolds cuz I can afford to now. Not sorry I did...glass on the Burris and Leupies are much better in my humble opinion.

Bottom line for me...their (Simmons) worth the money, but buy better if you can afford too. The old sayin' "you get what you pay for" has been around along time cuz it's true.


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I agree with everything above - used to own several when they were an upgrade from Bushnell Sportviews, etc., before I could afford better. Never had a problem with one, good clarity and light transmission, etc. I compared a new Aetec with an older Leupie Vari-X II on a buddies rifle years ago, and preferred the Aetec at that time.

But I have moved to VXIII's and Conquests now because I can afford better, and they are better no doubt. Still have one Aetec mounted on an in-line muzzleloader - works great! Been considering a .22Mag for a Marlin M60, but would like to hold/see one first.

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They have gotten a few reviews, generally classified as a decent low end scope in the lower powers. Optics is a "you get what you pay for" game. My actual "go up the mountains and shoot something rifles" all carry Zeiss, Trijicon, Schmidt or Nightforce scopes.
A $500 rifle with a $2000 scope is a lot better than the reverse.
Yeah I spend a lot on optics but my 4x4 is an 01'. It's all about priorities.

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I have 5 Simmons scopes and they've worked quite well for me for years. I have one on a Marlin 22lr, one on an old Marlin 336 30-30, one on a Marlin 25N 22WMR, and 2 on MLers. The two on the Mlers are a Whitetail Expedition and an Aetec. I actually like those two and have used them to take quite a few deer. The Aetec is on a Savage ML10-2, it does well in low light, holds zero under stiff recoil, and is comparable(clarity wise) to several of my more expensive scopes.

I have Leupies, Nikons, Bushy elite, and Zeiss on the rest of my target and big game rifles, but those Simmons have never let me down.

I have seen a few cheaper Simmons go belly up, but IMO, the Aetec and WE lines are quality optics for the price. I probably would never buy one again, but I just can't say anything bad about them.

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I as well have used Simmons and I still have 3 of them. As the others have done, I start to rotate them out when I get a little fancier ones. They have and still work just fine and for a begining scope they are not that bad.

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I just recently bought a 6x40 Simmons Pro Hunter Master Series scope. I have not had it long enough for anything other than having a first impression of the unit. It has the quick focus ocular adjustment ring, which so far I like pretty well. I freely admit that I had no real purpose in mind other than I had an opportunity to satisfy my curiosity for not much money.

What initially aroused my curiosity was a review by John Barsness about these scopes. Simmons recently designed a new, supposedly far more durable internal adjustment system. JB spoke pretty well of the Simmons, and they stuck in my mind.

Anyway, my first impression is pretty good. The optics are very decent. They will not match the clarity of the more expensive stuff, but as far as I am concerned, they are clear enough for any shot anybody has any business taking with a 6x scope. What the clarity issues might be with the higher range magnification variables, I can't say.

This scope has a lot more eye relief than a lot of other scopes, about 4". The adjustments track very precisely. It is on a Savage 99 308. So far, I have just sighted in the rifle and shot the box with the scope. So time has yet to tell me the tale, but for $100, I am impressed so far.


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Every Simmons I've ever owned (each came as a part of package deals from Savage Arms) have been garbage. Optically, they're somewhat opaque, especially when compared to the Leupold VXIII, Bushnell Elite 3200, Bushnell Legend, and Nikon Buckmaster that now sit atop my rifles.

I have heard good things about the Aetec and .44 Mag scopes, however, I've no personal experience with either of the two.

The Simmons that came with those Savages didn't last long. One gave up the ghost within the first two boxes of factory .30-06 ammo, another lasted a year before the cross hairs went bonkers.

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Originally Posted by ojibweindian
Every Simmons I've ever owned (each came as a part of package deals from Savage Arms) have been garbage. Optically, they're somewhat opaque, especially when compared to the Leupold VXIII, Bushnell Elite 3200, Bushnell Legend, and Nikon Buckmaster that now sit atop my rifles.

I have heard good things about the Aetec and .44 Mag scopes, however, I've no personal experience with either of the two.

The Simmons that came with those Savages didn't last long. One gave up the ghost within the first two boxes of factory .30-06 ammo, another lasted a year before the cross hairs went bonkers.


Most scopes that come on those package guns are the cheapest or near the cheapest scope the company makes. No surprise they gave up the ghost early on.

I had a Simmons Master Series ProHunter 3-9x40 on a Ruger M77 308 I recently sold and I liked the scope just fine. I had no problems with it's durability. I did however think it didn't track well while adjusting it, but it could have been me and not the scope. Once I had it set up and zero'd, it never had an issue holding zero, never fogged, no issues whatsoever.

I have an original ProHunter 2-7x32 that lives on my Ruger 77/22, same deal there. No issues and that one tracks fine for adjustments. I've put a few thousand rounds down that 77/22 while the scope has been on it. I also had the same style 2-7 on a muzzle loader and it too was fine. I sold the muzzle loader and the scope a couple years back. That scope now sits atop a different muzzle loader which belongs to a bud. It still performs perfectly after a several hundred rounds of 50 cal which pounds a scope pretty good.

These are just my exeperiences, and IMHO if you're looking for a budget scope, I wouldn't hesitate buying another.

Last edited by Technoman26; 12/31/09.
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THANKS ALL appreciate your thoughts.....I've just had such great luck over the years with my Simmons White Tail Expeditions etc. that I couldn't understand why they aren't talked about more......I'm expecting even more out of this new Aetec I just picked up. p.s. I too would buy a premium grade scope if I were to go and hunt somewhere "serious"... Happy New Year to everyone. John N

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SteveC99:Where did you find the Simmons "Pro Hunter Master Series" 6X40. I don't seem to find it anywhere Thanks. Tom

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LeonHitchcox: Got it, thank you very much. Tom

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It was at a local Sporting Goods store.


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