Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Legendary rifle scopes known for rugged reliability and an ability to take a beating

Over the years, what are some different riflescopes that have earned a reputation among hunters, guides, outfitters, and high volume shooters for being able to withstand hard use, rough conditions, heavy recoil, and other such beatings, and not lose zero or rattle apart? Old Leupold M8 2.5’s? Lyman Alaskans, ………others????? Thanks.

You mentioned it, the Leupold M8-2.5x Compact!

Nightforce nxs 2.5-10

USA made Burris signature scopes, battle tanks!

My Vari-X 3 2.5-8X has been stellar on on 338-06 since 1995. Multiple elk, a BC grizzly, a BC black, a nilgai and a couple of mule deer and a few hogs. Zero issues and a forum friend and I are looking at NM oryx and it will be my go to rifle with the 185 gr TSX.

I've never seen a Reupold 2.5x worth a fhuqk,nor a 2.5-8x worth same. They are often on rifles that don't get shot much,by folks who "know" less and "do" less. The Burris Signatures were/are a fhuqking joke,since inception and wandered like a Mad Woman going to take a schit,on their BEST fhuqking day. Hint.

There's some NightFarce stuff that hangs in there. Hint................

Nightforce NXS series.

Schmidt & Bender.

Mounts usually cause more problems than the scopes themselves.

I’ve never had a USA-made Burris Signature Select scope “wander” or fail to hold zero.

Haven’t had any issues with Kahles AH or Helia C, either.

Happy trails

I've had good luck with NF, S&B, and SWFA 6x/10x/3-9. I'm always trying something new but most of my user rifles have one of those brands on them.

My all-around favorite is the S&B 6x42 PMII. One of mine has taken a lot of abuse over the past several years...scope body and knobs show it. Rugged build and I think the lack of "extras" like parallax, power adjustment, and illumination can help with reliability for no other reason than simplicity and having less things to fail. Not that a reliable scope can't be made with the extras...I believe they can.

Burris is one of the biggest pieces of junk ever made I've had several that didn't last a dozen shots even used on a 22 Mag.....haven't owned one in over 30 years never will....Leupold on anything larger than a medium 308 will give up its ghost just give it some time....I have sent for repairs 100's of Leupold's 3-5 at a time several time a year in the past 30 + years....
Around 8 years ago sent 5 Leupold's for repairs several days later got a call from them....asked me what scopes did I like they would give me any scope they made NEW for FREE....took 5 of the highest priced scopes as soon as I got them put them up for sale at a good price and bought some NIKON'S....

Been using NIKON'S and have never broke one....its a shame they quit making them....still pick them up ever chance I get....

Nightforce NXS and Schmidt & Bender..........FACT!!!

Anything that can stand up to the abuse dished out by the Stick gets my vote. Some of his YouTube videos make me cringe but his treatment of equipment is certainly a test of what works.

^^ THIS ^^ i got to agree Big Stick proves it in his videos

So says the resident anvil bender.

What’s the name of the YouTube channel?

I'm fairly new here. Does Big Stick have a YouTube channel and , if so, what is it called.? Thanks.

Type in Busheler

I agree about the Nikon Monarchs. Crystal clear & very well built.

Right!!! Your fellow Alaskan 458Win knows NOTHING and has done NOTHING!!!! I’m thinking I’ll defer to his opinion!

For older, more traditional scopes, I'll throw a vote out for Japan made Bushnell Elites and Weavers. Had a couple Elites that withstood high round counts and some big drops and falls without loosing zero. Buddies had a few that endured lots of 3" shotgun slugs, which shook a few other scopes loose.

Years back bought a donor action with a 6x Japan Weaver classic. Scope was heavily used and dented at that time. Out of curiosity, I shot it; found it still held zero and adjusted just fine. It has been moved around and used a lot. It now sits on a donor gun for youth hunts, where it's been dropped and stepped on a bunch. Still holding zero.

For more modern, dialing scopes, like a lot of others who shoot have reported, I've had great luck with SWFA, NF, and Bushie Elite Tactical's, so that's what I own the most of these days. Still always experimenting though. Good experiences with a couple Meoptas, but I don't have near the shots downrange with them.

Unfortunately, there's a lot of duplicitous marketing/manufacturing going on out there in the optics industry; lots of products available that don't do what they purport to be designed and built to do. Life's just too short to be wasting time with with products that will leave you frustrated.