Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics How Do Variable Scopes "Break"

The current thread "Recoil affects variable scope internals" made me curious-

For those who have actually had a variable scope "go south", what actually broke?

Broken reticle?

Loss of zero?

Erratic adjustment or tracking?

Broken lens?

Other?

Specifics on brand and model as well as rifle caliber and weight would be helpful.

Loss of zero, failure to hold zero and erratic tracking most common for me anyway. I don't know for sure what the exact failure mechanism is. I suspect the erector tube assembly comes loose from the springs.

Variables break more often because they have more working parts than fixed scopes. Things such as over tightening scope rings not only leads to marks on the scope but can place internal parts at risk. I once had an old vxII that I over tightened the scope rings on and it caused the erector to go bad. There was a small dimple on the under neath side of the tube that held the erector in place. I tightened too much over the erector and the scope came apart. It's really just about the number of parts in variables and the recoil they're subjected to. I think John puts new variables thru a regiment of heavy 300W MAG and 33EIGHT W mag loads before deeming them worthy. A good idea. Any variable scope should go through a trial of hard kicking loads before trusting it in the field. Twenty or more shots I would think. Those that are going to give up usually do so in the early stages. I have a varied scope collection w/variables and fixed scopes but really don't think there's much worry today w/the new scopes. Sure some will fail but they're very few. powdr

Yep, it's usually a problem with the erector system. Variables normally have two tubes in the erector system, one inside the other, with one set up with camming slots to slide the lenses inside the tube, to vary the distance between the lens and hence change the magnification.. Fixed-power scopes only have one erector tube, and the erector lenses are fixed in place inside it.

Variable scopes can, of course, break in other ways, but the majority of the time it's something involving the erector system.

I had a LP Vari-X III 1.5x-5x break...it got all blurry and fuzzy.

I had a LP Vari-X III 1.75x-6x break...it stopped adjusting vertically when you turned the elevation knob.

In both cases, Leupold returned them in fine shape at no charge, with notes saying, "replaced erector assembly".

Almost every rifle I own wears a fixed power scope these days, except for one .22 RF and a couple of .223's.

Fixed power scopes seem to have less trouble when trying to erect than variables do.

Too bad there isn't Viagra for variables....

When I was doing a 2,200 round test with a Savage .223 the Savage started with a Burris Signature 8-32X. When it about 1,500 rounds the cross hairs started to rotate. Burris corrected it without charging. As it got close to 2,000 rounds the groups started to open up. Being used to a 7-.300 Weatherby I assumed it was shot out. I mentioned to a guy who knew better. I replaced the Burris with a Tasco 6-24X. The next group went right back to what I was used to at five shots in .312�. I did have a Burris 4-12X sound like a baby rattle within ten shots on my .375-.416 when I first got it. I was firing 300 Sierras at 3,000 feet per second on an eleven pound rifle. I replaced it with a Tasco 4-16X and didn�t have anymore trouble.

On my .454 I went through about a dozen before the present Leupold 2 �-8X32; which was the second one. The first thing was rubber extruding around the magnification ring. Other times they would go out of focus. A fixed 4X Bosh&Lomb looked dirty. Except the dust was on the inside. I remember one which sounded like a baby rattle before the first cylinder full was fired. Sometimes the field of view would shrink.

Had a 1.5-5 Leupold on my 375 go so out of focus you couldn't see anything beyond 15ft. It was about the 5th shot on a scope bought used on ebay. Sent it back to Leupold and they sent me a brand new one no charge.
Had a VX II 2-7 lose zero. Sent it back and it was fixed no charge.

Add failure to hold adjustments......kinda sneaky-like on one.


Some that come to mind: Zeiss Diavari 3-9. Changed POI through the power change.Drove me nuts. They did not believe me until the techie put it on their machine. Apologies and new scope followed.

Swaro AV that had some funky neurotic thing going on with the adjustments and erector......drove me crazy in Alberta because you thought it was zeroed and a day later it was "off".Missed a big buck with it..... Another running discussion with a techie at Swaro. Finally tore the thing off the rifle at the range, replaced it with a 4X Leupold and the rifle behaved back to normal....immeditely.

Leupold variables.....I forget. 1-5X, a 1.75-6, a 2.5-8;a friends 1-5X...been a few.....a pal who was wandering the New Brunswick woods without a rifle because the ocular lens fell out of his Nikon variable....just fell out. He also shot the turret clear out of a 1-5X Leupold after 200-300 rounds of 375 ammo. Replace with a 4X Leupold and not a problem since.

I still use them here and there,and have a couple on rifles....Gawd knows why(?). I really don't trust them.What I learned is that mid priced variables really aren't built for durability and high round count.

They suck.

This was the same thing that happened to me with 2 Leupold 1.75-6x32 Heavy Duplex on my WBY MK V ULW 30-06
AMRA

I have variables on all but one. I've only had one rifle that seemed to be breaking scopes. It was due to the poor craftsmanship of the rifle. The mounts couldn't be shimmed and adjusted enough to get it close to zero with the scope centered. So with the adjustments made to get it to shoot it was adjusted way to the "edge" of total travel toward seven o'clock. I broke the same scope twice before dismantling the rifle.

If they are correctly mounted, most of the new scopes hold up quite well I think.

I have have had 10 to 1 variables to fixed scopes. Never had a fixed fail. Have had loos lenses. Have mostly seen failure to hold zero, failure to track. Couple of focus issues.

Never had a high end scope fail. No leupys, no Zeiss, no Swaros No S&Bs. I think every broken scope was a Simmons, Bushnell, Tasco etc and not their better scopes at that.

Never had a single issue with a quality variable scope. I've had some cheap Bushnell's Tasco's leak and fog up when wet, but never a single problem with Leupold, Burris, Zeiss or Nikon.

I've had a few variables break over the decades, but I didn't give up on variable scopes. I have a couple of boxed up fixed power scopes, but all rifles have variables on them.

Redfield 1.75-5, back in the 70'z I think, got some sort of oil on an internal lens.

Weaver 3-9, back in the early 70's, fogged up just as I raised it to shoot a nice buck.

Nikon died a year or two ago. Monarch 4-16. Wouldn't hold zero.

Haven't had an issue with Bushnell, Leupold, or Burris.

Good stuff in this thread so far. I believe that variables are less durable on average compared to their equivalent fixed power models for obvious reasons, but it is strange you can buy scopes like the SWFA SS variables that appear to be almost bomb proof for a small amount of $$$ compared to scopes like Nightforce and S&B.

I always thought I was the unlucky one. My 4X4 pickup will get 15 MPG, everyone else gets 22. My guns shoot around an inch or more, everyone else gets 1/4 inch groups. My reloaders will screw up, everyone else 's works perfectly.

But I don't even own a fixed power scope and have dozens of rifles with variables, they all get shot, plenty and not a problem. How can this be?

There is it is called a March 8 X 80 and it is a fantastic scope

The power of the internet. It's like when my patients admit to only drinking 8-10 beers a night. I know damn well they're drinking more beer and a pint of vodka also. Finding an honest drunk is rare. Forum cowboys are no different.

Kirk,

Actually, all your variables are broken. That's why you're shooting 1" instead of 1/4" groups.

Hot damn! You beat me to it.