How many have missed animals due to a failed scope?

[Nicpeterson]

One. SFP messed me up.. not the scopes fault. I've since switched to all FFP

 

[Pickettpuncher]

That I can think of, had a buck run under my stand and it was fogged up. Should have used the regular sights since it had see thru rings, but I certainly never thought of it. Did kill a buck later in the morning.


Years before that, probably 10 years before, and about 23-24 years ago when I was a teen I didn’t have a rifle. My aunt and uncle swung by and we chatted and when my uncle found out I didnt have a rifle he offered me his. I don’t remember him hunting. Said his brother used it the year before, it on when he put it up. So at 10pm we headed across the county and picked that rifle up. Next morning I walk in. I really don’t remember what happened but I knocked the gun over. Back then, the world was gonna end if I put a mark on that rifle. I have no idea that it was ever on, or got knocked off, but the fall shouldn’t have ever mattered. Cost me a very nice buck that morning. When I got home and shot it I was 6” high at 30 yards. Thankfully those days are long gone and I’ve learned a ton about good scopes, mounts, rifles, and keeping them sighted in.

 

[OFTrash]

Had a Leupold VX5HD that shifted for no apparent reason last season. Elevation was still pretty much on but windage was off by 8”.

 

[nagibson1]

I wonder how many people have seen a scope lose zero that had not lost zero before when tested. How many of these are duds out of the box that you could test for long before a hunt, and how many failed after good service without notice? I have vortex binos and spotters, and they've been good. But I feel like they need to go through the paces before we leave home. Cause warranties are only good after the fact.

For example, I have a VX3 that has always help up for me on 5 western hunts, most below freezing, 2 on horseback. Been good for whitetail hunting here in WI too. I can't think of the last time I needed to re-zero. Prob had the scope 10 years. Am I "safe"? Or do I still need a NXS, maven, SWFA or Credo?

 

[JGRaider]

For example, I have a VX3 that has always help up for me on 5 western hunts, most below freezing, 2 on horseback. Been good for whitetail hunting here in WI too. I can't think of the last time I needed to re-zero. Prob had the scope 10 years. Am I "safe"? Or do I still need a NXS, maven, SWFA or Credo?

You'd be crazy to even consider swapping it out IMO.

 

[Pharmseller]

I had a Leupold Vari-X III go bad on me. Cost me a bull.



P

 

[Pilsner]

A heck of a lot more people have probably missed game because of scopes shifting than they actually realize.

or will admit to...

 

[JGRaider]

or will admit to...

Just as many miss animals because they're not nearly as good of a shot as they claim to be on the internet.

 

[ElPollo]

Just as many miss animals because they're not nearly as good of a shot as they claim to be on the internet.

There’s nothing like stacking unknown tolerances to ensure poor performance. I don’t disagree with you on your point, but it does not change the plethora of documented performance issues with Leupold scopes. I want them to be reliable as much as anyone. But I will sacrifice some of the features they offer and will look elsewhere for reliability.

 

[Bobbyboe]

I had a SWFA 6x fail on a muzzleloader hunt a few years back. Luckily I checked zero and my dials before the hunt began. Always bring a backup gun on any hunt!

 

[JohnJohnson]

There’s nothing like stacking unknown tolerances to ensure poor performance. I don’t disagree with you on your point, but it does not change the plethora of documented performance issues with Leupold scopes. I want them to be reliable as much as anyone. But I will sacrifice some of the features they offer and will look elsewhere for reliability.

If anything it's even more reason to control the variables you can via gear choices.

I had a SWFA 6x fail on a muzzleloader hunt a few years back. Luckily I checked zero and my dials before the hunt began. Always bring a backup gun on any hunt!

That's an interesting one, how did it fail?

 

[Bobbyboe]

If anything it's even more reason to control the variables you can via gear choices.

That's an interesting one, how did it fail?

That hunt was when New Mexico allowed scopes. A buddy and I drew Gila tags (most likely once in a life hunt) and my muzzy was the primary firearm because it was zeroed at 100 and accurately dialed to 300. A day before the hunt I shot to confirm it held zero after the drive. The 100 yard shot was fine. I dialed to 300 and completely missed paper. I returned it to the 100 yard zero and missed again. Long story short the internals were toast. SWFA made it right in the end. That specific scope was made during covid, not sure if that matters.

 

[JGRaider]

I've hunted big game since 1971, and guided hunts for 16 years. I've had hunters make poor shots with Swaro, S&B, NF, and most everything else. Blaming the scope is the easy button.

 

[RemcoU]

I missed what would have been my first black Bear at 150 yards. After I practiced long range shots at the range pre hunting season I zeroed my turret the wrong way and set it to 12 moa. Shot straight over him.
Defective user, not a defective scope.