I bought my son a Remington 700 ADL compact in 7mm-08 that came as a package deal with a 3-9x40 scope. I've got questions regarding this set up:

1) What scope is this? It just has a big "R" on the cap.
2) I eventually plan on replacing it with a better scope, but my immediate plans are, if it holds zero, why not just use it in case he's a little careless while carrying it. So, my question is: Is this scope "good enough" to hang on to for a while?
3) The mounting of the scope is suspect. It uses Weaver style bases, That's not what is in question. My question is that are these quality versions of that style of mount, or should I replace with a known brand? Also, the rings were only finger tight to the rails, and the crosshairs aren't even close to being straight.
4) Bottom line - Should I bother to re-mount this setup, or should I just straighten the crosshairs, tighten the side screw on the ring, and let it fly?

Thanks!

My feelings are why saddle the lad with wares of unknown quality.

Why not straighten up the crosshairs and tighten down the rings and pull the bolt out of the rifle and set the rifle up steady and bore sight it by looking down the bore and lining up the target in the bore and then adjusting the crosshair to the same aiming point and shooting a few 2 0r 3 shot groups to see how it does ? Wont cost much other than time and trouble and may work just fine.
Old saying goes dont trouble trouble till trouble troubles you,in other words if it aint broke dont fix it !
YMMV

I've had a couple of the "package rifles" and the bases were loose on all of them. I replaced the scopes, rings and bases, but I think the scope that came on the rifle would have worked fine, at least for a while. They just weren't what I wanted. Just make sure everything is tight before you use it.

I believe mine was made by Bushnell. They aren't bad scopes....

Pull the scope and bases off.

Pull up Midway USA on the internet, buy a set of Talley Lightweight lows (on sale for $30 right now).

Throw talleys on, throw cheap scope in em, and rock on. If scope gives up the ghost, you'll know it's not the talleys...

Not very good either

Certainly good enough to blow a deers ass off from a golf cart...

Pull the scope off. go to the auto parts store and buy some blue Loctite (NOT RED!).

Pull the base screw one at a time and put a tiny drop of Loctite on each one and retighten.

When you remount the scope put a tiny drop of Loctite in the bottom of the rings and a tiny drop on each screw.

Go ahead and use the scope. It is not much of a scope, but it will work for it's purpose, and maybe for a good long time. If/when it breaks then worry about a new scope.

The 700 ADL is a quality rifle and one which will serve your son well as he begins his hunting career.
What could really sour a kid on hunting is if a crappy scope or crappy mounts causes him to miss that WT or even worse hit it poorly.
A new hunter doesn't need the finest gear possible but I see no reason why he shouldn't have gear at least as good as his fathers. This is especially true of the most fragile part of a hunting rifle, the scope.

JMO

I'd put on Talleys, mount and boresight the current scope, and spend some time shooting. If you/he wants to, save up a little $$ for a Redfield Revolution, 2-7 Vortex Viper, or look for a deal on a VX2 here in the classifieds.

nsaqam is right about quality equipment for a new shooter, especially one that intends to hunt

As long as it wasn't a 7mm-08, which we know won't kill a deer in less than 4-5 shots including a coup de gras to the head at close range.

Or, maybe shoot a deer enough times that it could be finished off under the wheels of a speeding golf cart...

Such enterprises don't require the services of a high grade scope.

Thanks for all the help. The more I think about it, the more I want him to start off with a solid setup. I still don't like the idea of him carrying around an expensive scope, and he were to drop it. But....a good scope can be had for not too much money.

Cabela's has the Nikon Pro Staff's on sale right now, or even the Vortex would be nice. Also looking at either the Burris Signature rings or the Talley 1 piece.

Thanks again!

Running crappy optics as a kid, is a right of passage! haha

A lot of people seem to believe that, unfortunately.

I wouldn't spend more than $200 for a new scope for him because there are some pretty decent (i.e., good) scopes in that price range. The Nikon Prostaff is bright (transmits a lot of light to my eye), and the Burris Fullfield 2 is a good scope too. I have seen good deals on Burris Fullfield 2 scopes in the Campfire Classifieds over the past couple months. Go with a 3-9x40 in either scope for the combination of the best deals and the best low-light performance (along with plenty of magnification).

I think there's a couple of ways to look at this in regards to the statement I quoted. On one hand, the "expensive" scope might take being dropped without going kaplooey and ruining a hunt or a season. Similarly, the "expensive" scope may come with a warrenty that gets is fixed for free, thereby lessening the sting to the pocketbook if it does get dropped. I put the quotation marks around expensive because the definition of it is different for different folks. Just another perspective...

I have a feeling that my two sons will start out with good fixed power scopes, probably Leupold. They can be had for what I consider to be "not too much money". I also think they fit the ideas I expressed above as well.

If thing go according to plan (yeah, right) my kid will be starting out with 700 SPS Youth rifles in .243 and 7-08, both with Leupy 4x scopes and a 700 SPS Camo Compact in .223 with a Leupy 6x36. (After the requisite pellet guns and RFs, of course.) Probably Talleys on all. Maybe Leupy DDs.

The big R is for remington but not sure who makes the scope. If it were mine I would take the scope off and put it on a .22 or chunk it.
ADL's are usually accurate rifles that will last someone the rest of their life but those scopes suck!
Put some Talleys on it and buy a decent scope and he is ready for whatever for a long time.

The scopes aren't bad.....

Or a Redfield with the Leupold warranty. If he does drop it or take a spill with it, they will fix it. And you can get one of those in 3-9x40 with duplex reticle for about $150, or with their ballistic plex reticle for about $10 more.

You can get plenty of scope for your $ in the for sale area here. Toss whatever scope you buy in some Talleys and you're set. I sold my last 700 ADL package gun scope for $5. Optics are not the area to skimp on.

I wouldn't remount it, a good scope won't get knocked off zero too easily so don't worry about wasting your money. It a better long term invenstment to get a better scope in the first place. YMMV

Thats a Bushnell, suppose you could keep it on there unless you find the eye relief isnt enough or whatever other flaws you might find with it. If you need any good load info for that 708 lemme know, Ive had good luck with mine.

Thanks for all the feedback! Here's what I'm thinking so far:

Mounts: Regardless of scope, I will re-do the mounting. The current setup is a Weaver based setup. I will re-mount either using Talley's or Burris Signature Rings with DD bases. The Weaver style has the scope way too high for my son's smaller head, and the rings they used aren't even that high. The Weaver base is very thick. The lower I can get the scope, the better for his ergonomics.

Scope: Leaning toward the Nikon Pro-Staff 3-9x40...on sale for $99.

So youre not impressed with that Bushnell then?

The clarity and eye relief isn't as generous as the Pro-Staff we have on my son's .22lr, and it's much more critical where you place your eye to get a full picture. Also, the power ring is a real pain to turn. My son can't turn it at all.

Ive never liked Bushnells either, recall testing a co workers BAR 06, damn Bushnell caught my in the nose once from short eye relief, use it as a monocular.