I saw my first "drop test" with a rifle that dropped from the upper bunk of my grandfather's camper to the floor below. This was in the early 60's. When I looked at the ocular of the scope, the lense was shattered. My heart sank. It was a very expensive Balvar8, B&L. But gramps pulled the clear scope cap off the rifle, and showed me the scope itself was OK. We took it to his range and shot it. It was still zeroed.
Years later around 1980, my feet kicked out from under me on a rocky slope in what's known as the low desert, where I still hunt. I went down with the rifle upside down. The 4X B&L's elevation cap was dented a good bit. The front bell got a nice ding. Landing on the rocks with me still holding it upside down and me on top of it should have really damaged it, right ? When I shot it, the rifle shot 3 inches to the left at 100 yds. Later, I discovered the scope was OK. The Ruger front ring had been loosend, causing the shift in zero.
I still have that 4x B&L. It's eye relief is too short. It's eye box is too short. The reticle is too fine, but I still keep it. Why ? Because it is a very tough, reliable scope.
I've got two Leupold 4X scopes that have survived with no loss of zero with similar hard falls on rocky ground. I've got a couple of 6X42's that have also done that.
The 1.5-4X VX2, Scout Scope on my M1A Squad Scout did the same thing. So did the 3-9X Leupold Compact I had on my old .25-284. Slammed hard on a rocky trail with me trying to break my fall with it. Held zero.
All of the above were checked again when I got them to my local ranges. Still zeroed. Each time they hit the ground so hard I was sure they must be damaged, or at least out of zero.
However, in time, my old M8, 4X Leupolds did have it's reticle break. It was on a rifle the local rifle maker was testing the feeding of a new magazine box by working the bolt as hard as he could. Nothing like the other impacts it survived. But, as I understand it, if used long enough and hard enough, they will all break.
So what have I learned ? First, I do agree with FormD that rings and mounts cause far more trouble than scopes do. That's assuming they don't fail right out of the box. No, I've never had one do that. But others have.
Second, good, tough reliable hunting scopes can be had for just a few hundred dollars. They don't have to weigh 24 plus ozs. or come with 30mm tubes either. E
