They have made things more rugged--but it's impossible to make lightweight scopes more rugged than scopes beefed up in the right places. A Leupold 6x36 is pretty tough, but not as tough as a 6x SWFA, even when both cost $300.
The new book is titled MODERN HUNTING OPTICS, and will be available from Deep Creek Press, www.riflesandrecipes.com.
Yep, the trade off is weight. I'm a 6x fan. I like to dial. ...and...I like light weight. The past couple of years I'm becoming a bigger fan of the simple long range duplex in a fixed scope for hunting. It's not as precise as dialing but for hunting ranges once you verify "the dot to the where" they are quick and efficient. Again, I like to dial and have no intentions of stopping, but a simple lrd in a fixed scope has a lot going for it in a rugged package for hunting.
