March torture testing

John Havard

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I'm curious about how rigorous and informative this torture testing done in-house by the folks at March compares with Form's drop testing. Does this banging around on a scope equal, surpass, or fall short of Form's testing for zero retention and tracking? Check out the linked video:
 

ElPollo

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I assume you are wanting Form to answe this, but I’ll give my thoughts. First, any impact testing is good, but not all impact testing is the same. The impact to the bell on the table are not the same level of impact or location of impact as a 3’ drop on the turret when it’s attached to an 8-10# gun. The technician is holding the scope near the turrets and is hitting the front bell. The moving parts aren’t in the front bell, so doing your testing this way minimizes impact to those moving parts. Personally, Form’s drop testing protocol seems way more likely to replicate a bad day in the mountains. But the POI shifts I’ve seen have all been from lesser impacts like having a rifle riding in a truck for miles of washboard roads. I don’t think March’s impact testing will cover that either. Bottom line is that it was designed by a lab guy, not a shooter or hunter, so the results may not reflect our types of usage.
 
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My two March scopes were no better than lupy at holding zero.

That's a love tap compared to the NF'es smack!
Which models?
I've put my fx 4.5-28 through the paces since it's early release with flawless tracking and zero retention.
I'm talking lightweight 30 magnums with tons of turret cranking.
I can't say I've purposely dropped it or banged it on the ground though, I take care of expensive shit..
 

atmat

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I can't say I've purposely dropped it or banged it on the ground though, I take care of expensive shit..
I said something similar on another thread to you: most of us aren’t purposely dropping or banging our scopes. But it does happen and folks want their scopes to hold up if it does.

You said elsewhere you’ve only taken one decent fall and that’s awesome. Looks like you also live out west, so even if you did take a fall you probably have more time to rezero and still hunt. For someone like me, hunting out west is a real privilege and cost — so I want my setup to be as bombproof as possible.
 
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I said something similar on another thread to you: most of us aren’t purposely dropping or banging our scopes. But it does happen and folks want their scopes to hold up if it does.

You said elsewhere you’ve only taken one decent fall and that’s awesome. Looks like you also live out west, so even if you did take a fall you probably have more time to rezero and still hunt. For someone like me, hunting out west is a real privilege and cost — so I want my setup to be as bombproof as possible.
Absolutely
I don't want a fragile POS either and I wouldn't still own my 4.5-28 if it wasn't solid as hell.
Check out this thread from a serious western backpack hunter who beats on his equipment.
FWIW I have two good dings in mine from knocking my bipod over in the rocks in the excitement after I'd just shot a nice bull.
It held zero, and that's the hardest I've "dropped" a rifle in my adult life.
https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/march-fx-4-5-28x52-review-so-far.313064/
 

Ryan Avery

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Which models?
I've put my fx 4.5-28 through the paces since it's early release with flawless tracking and zero retention.
I'm talking lightweight 30 magnums with tons of turret cranking.
I can't say I've purposely dropped it or banged it on the ground though, I take care of expensive shit..



The model I have now is 2.5-25x52.

I don't know what to tell ya. I go hunting. I came back and check zero, and it shifted. No dropping was involved other than getting ding around on long walks in the woods. I changed from Hawkins rings to NF rings. It still shifted. Lots to like about the scope, but I don't have time to mess with scopes that shifts when other scopes I own do not.
 
Last edited:

Ryan Avery

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Absolutely
I don't want a fragile POS either and I wouldn't still own my 4.5-28 if it wasn't solid as hell.
Check out this thread from a serious western backpack hunter who beats on his equipment.
FWIW I have two good dings in mine from knocking my bipod over in the rocks in the excitement after I'd just shot a nice bull.
It held zero, and that's the hardest I've "dropped" a rifle in my adult life.
https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/march-fx-4-5-28x52-review-so-far.313064/
Every time I go to LRH I think damn RS needs more ads:)
 
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