Scope Reliability

[Tex .416]

There is so much discussion here about scopes, but almost never any discussion about scope reliability and durability.

To me, the single most important quality in a scope, rifle, and ammo, is that it will work correctly to send the bullet to the intended point of aim. When the animal of a lifetime is standing there, I want everything to work - right then and there. A warranty is utterly useless at that moment.

To me, the best customer service is not free return shipping to fix something, but to have designed it right, built it right, and give it a quality control check before it goes out the door so it will work correctly and not need to go back.

Through the years, scopes that broke on me include Leupold, Zeiss, Redfield, US Optics, Unertl, Nikon, and some cheap stuff that came on rifles.

Even the much vaunted Swarovski EE has reports on here of it breaking.

In 2005, I bought my first Nightforce and have bought several more since. So far, not one has ever had a problem. That oldest NF conservatively has 25,000+ rounds fired under it including 1000’s of 7 WSM, .300 Win Mag, and .338 Lapua. It still works perfectly. I have a 75 year old Lyman Alaskan fixed 4x still works correctly.

Curious to hear, especially from the PH’s, which scopes others have seen fail and which seem to be most durable and reliable?

 

[fisherofmen]

There is so much discussion here about scopes, but almost never any discussion about scope reliability and durability.

To me, the single most important quality in a scope, rifle, and ammo, is that it will work correctly to send the bullet to the intended point of aim. When the animal of a lifetime is standing there, I want everything to work - right then and there. A warranty is utterly useless at that moment.

To me, the best customer service is not free return shipping to fix something, but to have designed it right, built it right, and give it a quality control check before it goes out the door so it will work correctly and not need to go back.

Through the years, scopes that broke on me include Leupold, Zeiss, Redfield, US Optics, Unertl, Nikon, and some cheap stuff that came on rifles.

Even the much vaunted Swarovski EE has reports on here of it breaking.

In 2005, I bought my first Nightforce and have bought several more since. So far, not one has ever had a problem. That oldest NF conservatively has 25,000+ rounds fired under it including 1000’s of 7 WSM, .300 Win Mag, and .338 Lapua. It still works perfectly. I have a 75 year old Lyman Alaskan fixed 4x still works correctly.

Curious to hear, especially from the PH’s, which scopes others have seen fail and which seem to be most durable and reliable?

When I worked at a sporting goods store several years ago we would take a Nightforce and bang it on the counter. The counter was dented.
I dropped a rifle with a 30 mm Burris Euro 3-9 from a metal ladder stand, about 15 feet. Scope and rifle showed scratches and dents. Took it to the range and it hit exactly where it was dialed in. I was impressed.

 

[JimP]

48 years ago I purchased my first Leopold scope a VX2 3-9x40. I installed it onto a brand new Ruger M77 7mm Rem Mag. A couple of days later I sighted it it. To this day that rifle still shoots to the same point of aim, I have never readjusted the scope. During those 48 years it has had a horse roll on it, fallen off of my shoulder and smacked some rocks, endured numerous rain and snow storms and the rifle has been shot more than I care to think.

Around 30 years ago I purchased my second Leopold scope, a VX3 3.5-10x40 to place on my 340 Weatherby. This scope has also seen the same kind of use as my first one. Plus it has endured two trips to South Africa and one to British Colombia where while crossing a creek (in the guides words) and was submerged for a short time, after drying it off it showed no effect of the dunking or in the 7 days of hunting in the rain.

I also have other Leopold's, another VX2 3-9x40 and a VX3 4.5-14x40 and a VXIII 6.5-20x50AO.

They are great scopes without breaking the bank.

 

[rookhawk]

There is so much discussion here about scopes, but almost never any discussion about scope reliability and durability.

To me, the single most important quality in a scope, rifle, and ammo, is that it will work correctly to send the bullet to the intended point of aim. When the animal of a lifetime is standing there, I want everything to work - right then and there. A warranty is utterly useless at that moment.

To me, the best customer service is not free return shipping to fix something, but to have designed it right, built it right, and give it a quality control check before it goes out the door so it will work correctly and not need to go back.

Through the years, scopes that broke on me include Leupold, Zeiss, Redfield, US Optics, Unertl, Nikon, and some cheap stuff that came on rifles.

Even the much vaunted Swarovski EE has reports on here of it breaking.

In 2005, I bought my first Nightforce and have bought several more since. So far, not one has ever had a problem. That oldest NF conservatively has 25,000+ rounds fired under it including 1000’s of 7 WSM, .300 Win Mag, and .338 Lapua. It still works perfectly. I have a 75 year old Lyman Alaskan fixed 4x still works correctly.

Curious to hear, especially from the PH’s, which scopes others have seen fail and which seem to be most durable and reliable?

If reliability is your aim, a S&B or Nightforce is your answer.

In the same way that if durability is your aim, don't buy white carrera marble counters, I have a granite boulder outside that is way more durable.

Swarovski and Leica are sporting optics, compromising durability in exchange for a svelt lightweight optic that is not milspec. I'd rather have a rabies infested clam bite me while skinny dipping rather than own a milspec optic, but I attribute portability and lightweight properties to my optics.

Nightforce has a video of them freezing their optics in a block of ice, then smashing the ice block with a hammer, mounting the optic, and then shooting it. Kudos to them for what they were able to build, but I still don't want them.

Your mileage may vary.

 

[TMac]

Trijicon is worth a look too. They do quite a bit of shock and drop testing. You can get close to mil spec durability & reliability in close to sport optic weight. Imo similar to a Nightforce SHV level ruggedness, not quite up to the top level NF scope ruggedness.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Trijicon went through the U.S. mail and took a good hit to bend the end of the objective lens. Still works, just can't use a sun shield. It's the 2.5-10 Accupoint. Have it mounted on a 17 Fireball and used it today at 200m targets, no issues. Have NF and IMHO, it's a tossup between the two for able to take a beating.

 

[Sideshow]

You want to talk with @michael458 he has broken more than a few. Interesting what he uses.