Who walks around carrying their rifle by the scope? I see people (even guides) doing this on TV and scratch my head. Doesn't make sense to me.
I tend to look at my scope and mounts with a degree of suspicion, paranoia, and a little bit of awe and usually try to suck up to the whole works a bit by saying nice, reassuring things to them.
One time I slipped on a shale slide and banged my rifle and scope on the rocks as we slid down about eight feet. I then later missed an over 350" bull at 350 yards by about two feet due to my scope being whacked--it now was off a foot to the right at about a hundred yards as verified later.
The scope and the mounts took it out on me as I see it; it was pure retribution for being dropped. I kinda see them as royalty--not to be touched or treated commonly so I use a sling and try not to make direct eye contact until at the last moment.
