I am by no means an expert on this subject, as the other posters I'm sure have more experience than I do. So, I can only comment on what I have experienced. In my limited battery of scopes, the most durable (and recoil proof) scope I own would have to be an old Leupold FX-III 6x42. It has withstood years of use on rifles with muzzle breaks (very hard on scopes) . It even survived a fall from a 20' treestand (no, the rifle was not yet loaded) where it hit a cypress knee. The main tube was scratched and slightly dented but all I had to do was resight it and it was good to go. A few years ago it finally started fogging up but a trip to Leupold solved that. I have other scopes (all fixed power like a S&B 8x56, Leupold FX3 6x42, IOR 4X and Weaver Grand Slam 4.75x40) that in theory may well be just as durable but these haven't yet seen the use of the FX-III 6x42. As you can see, I am not a Leupold fanatic but merely reporting what I have experienced. YMMV.
Last edited by JJF; 07/25/21.
