Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Scope weight

A heavy scope scope is a deal breaker for me. I’m not talking about relatively heavy but just HEAVY.

What is your ideal scope weight range?

My "ideal" weight is whatever my FX2 2.5x weighs, but that isn't realistic for other purposed rifles.

Ya, those little rascals are only about 8 ounces. Very nice. Tough too.

Guy

Don't want to tote around any more weight than necessary, but since mass seems to be related to reliability, I'm okay with packing a pretty heavy scope, up to about 20oz, if it means it's gonna work when I need it. The other weight issue is how it impacts the mounting system; high mounts under a heavy scope obviously puts a strain on stuff. Light rifles give you a little wiggle room for a heavier scope while keeping the total load down, which plays right into my current rifle notions.

A subject I think of often. Ideal weight depends on the task & rifle but....

But even on a heavier gun that I'm not going to carry I still like it to handle well.
When my varmit weight 308 had a NF @ 32 ounces on it I called it the whore rifle. It always seemed it wanted to lay down or roll over on it's side. I switched to a 21 ounce scope & the rifle handles so much better.

With standard weight rifles I've pretty much refused to go beyond 18 ozs. , & at that, the scope is gonna have to be pretty special for me to go that high. A pound or LESS is really about the most I care for.

Paying nearly 2 grand for a 5# rifle & then adding a 3# scope confuses he hell out of me.

I would love to tote a light rifle but would hate to have an expensive one stolen from my vehicle while travelling which we do very frequently. Therefore my go to Rifle is a Tikka T3 Light in 308. I recently started using a SS 3-9 which added considerable weight and put my rife right at 8 lbs. all up. Being able to reliably dial or hold for distance has increased my effective range and made practicing a lot more fun and challenging. The extra weight is worth every ounce. I did go on a diet to offset the scope weight.



mike r

"I did go on a diet to offset scope weight"

I hear this a lot, don't like your rifle or scope weight or the combo? Go on a diet.

WTF does the size of your ass have to do with rifle handling? You gotta get on a scale before you get in the woods? The balance & handling part are important to me.

A 3-9 SS weighs 19 oz. Geez! you had to go on a diet to handle that?

YMMV but I still think a 5# rifle with a 3, even 2 pound scope would handle like chit for me. But 19 ozs. ain't over the top, just close IMO. Just my personal max for a sporter.

I have a NF SHV 3-10x42 on a Kimber 8400 270 WSM and it actually doesn't feel bad, pretty sure it would feel way better with a 2.5-8x36 on it but in the grand scheme of things it will probably never be used for snap shooting, just deliberate aiming. Still weighs a little over 7lbs with the NF on it.


Might look at a Meopta 3.5-10x44

I will pack a little extra weight for the absolute reliability any day of the week. I e. Swfa and night force. A few extra ounces is worth the price to know its going to work even if you bump it or take a spill.

I really notice the weight difference switching from a 12 oz scope to a 28 oz scope when I pick the rifle up and carry it in hand...heavier mounts count in there as well. I do notice the physical bulk of a 30mm scope with dials mounted on a rail...there's a difference from a 1" covered turret scope with DNZ's. I don't notice weight when shooting off hand regarding balance. Sitting over the action the effect on balance hasn't been that noticeable to me.

There are several solid dialing options out there in the 19-22 oz range that I'm willing to carry the extra 1/2 pound for. That's kinda where I'm at right now....a couple heavier I like on rifle's I'm not toting as much.

Great idea! I'll lay off the Cheetos until I lose 6oz so I can mount a NF on my FC.

I have found that If I actually shoot a lot the rifle handling becomes instinctive. If the rifle were too heavy or awkward to handle well I could go to the gym, or settle on an inferior scope to help me out. YMMV


mike r

I find that wearing flip flops instead of Redwings lets me handle my rifle better. Or... going to the gym.

Are you drunk?

If you can't understand the difference between dead weight & gravitational center of mass, then I guess I'm wasting ink. Good night sir.

edit; not nice of me, I'm drunk, OK.

46 years using scoped rifles in many different scenarios, I have pretty much established my likes & dislikes. You are more than welcome to yours. I shall continue on my path as I see fit, or lack of fitness if that may be the case.

Ideal weight is a few ounces. Function in the real world is about twenty-four ounces.

As light as possible while still functional for the task at hand.

I don’t see the concern with scope weight.To each his own...

I hate heavy scopes, and I hate that we just seem to accept that a reliable scope with a good turret system weighs 20+ ounces. With what people are willing to pay for scopes these days, I also don’t buy the cost limitation arguments.

I think we as consumers are just over accepting of the status quo, or manufactures just aren’t listening.

Heck people pay $2500+ for scopes now. You can’t tell me that for an extra $2000 someone couldn’t take a VX3 with CDS as a baseline, and make it work properly. You could build the whole damn thing out of titanium for goodness sakes! Come on scope manufacturers, try harder!

Yet a reliable dial system on a 13 oz scope would break sales records!

For stability it is hard to beat a pair of boots that go around 8 pounds.

Throw in an extra pound on the scope and one should be approaching nirvana.

mike r

Just hold your rifle upside down to keep the center of gravity low for great handling.