Rifle scopes you'd love to see Form test

[fwafwow]

We would love to test every scope, but they are expensive to get and expensive to test(bullets), So unless someone sends us a ZCO, I doubt it's in the cards anytime soon. Too many other scopes that I want to be tested first.

Form, Rokslide, and I have no relationship with NightForce. I wish I did I have bought a lot of them.

A good reminder for all who appreciate the tests. Donations for the costs are always an option for members. And if you have a ZCO and want it tested, you can always loan it (although I can’t speak for the time that Form and Ryan have to do the actual testing).

 

[WeiserBucks]

We would love to test every scope, but they are expensive to get and expensive to test(bullets), So unless someone sends us a ZCO, I doubt it's in the cards anytime soon.

I might be persuaded to have mine tested. Send me a PM with more information when you get a chance.

 

[Clark33]

all I did was post a video of a drop test and it was met with skepticism, just like some people were skeptical of test performed here. Is what it is, but it’s a data point

 

[WeiserBucks]

Appropriate amounts of skepticism keeps us from paying the "stupid tax" any more than necessary.

 

[Clark33]

Appropriate amounts of skepticism keeps us from paying the "stupid tax" any more than necessary.

I whole heartedly agree

 

[SDHNTR]

At least they are doing some impact tests!

 

[slowelk]

I take issue with the sentiment that use=abuse, and only scopes that show wear are ones that get shot. That’s more a matter of how you choose to protect your gear while using it. I’m going to transport my rifle in a case in the backseat of my truck, instead of in the drawers of my decked. I’m going to keep a scope coat on my scope in the field because I prefer to, and I feel it’s protecting the scope and action from unnecessary debris or weather.

I hunted with my rifle in my hand or strapped to my pack around 20 days this year, and am closing in on 1,000 rounds in 2022 with that rifle, and I’m pleased that it’s in the condition that it’s in. Despite taking one tumble, and inevitably banging the rifle on various other hard objects it has only a couple of minor scuffs, but it’s not packed with dirt, dented, or aggressively scratched.

The condition and thus performance of your gear is a choice (in most cases), not a predetermined inevitability if you just use it.

 

[fwafwow]

I take issue with the sentiment that use=abuse, and only scopes that show wear are ones that get shot. That’s more a matter of how you choose to protect your gear while using it. I’m going to transport my rifle in a case in the backseat of my truck, instead of in the drawers of my decked. I’m going to keep a scope coat on my scope in the field because I prefer to, and I feel it’s protecting the scope and action from unnecessary debris or weather.

I hunted with my rifle in my hand or strapped to my pack around 20 days this year, and am closing in on 1,000 rounds in 2022 with that rifle, and I’m pleased that it’s in the condition that it’s in. Despite taking one tumble, and inevitably banging the rifle on various other hard objects it has only a couple of minor scuffs, but it’s not packed with dirt, dented, or aggressively scratched.

The condition and thus performance of your gear is a choice (in most cases), not a predetermined inevitability if you just use it.

I understand the sentiment. I baby my stuff and never put it through the rigors of the tests, or in the back of a side by side, etc. But I’m also a klutz. I know it’s only a matter of time before I drop my rifle - in the field. And to me it’s good to know how that piece of equipment holds up - to me.

 

[Formidilosus]

I take issue with the sentiment that use=abuse, and only scopes that show wear are ones that get shot. That’s more a matter of how you choose to protect your gear while using it. I’m going to transport my rifle in a case in the backseat of my truck, instead of in the drawers of my decked. I’m going to keep a scope coat on my scope in the field because I prefer to, and I feel it’s protecting the scope and action from unnecessary debris or weather.

I hunted with my rifle in my hand or strapped to my pack around 20 days this year, and am closing in on 1,000 rounds in 2022 with that rifle, and I’m pleased that it’s in the condition that it’s in. Despite taking one tumble, and inevitably banging the rifle on various other hard objects it has only a couple of minor scuffs, but it’s not packed with dirt, dented, or aggressively scratched.

The condition and thus performance of your gear is a choice (in most cases), not a predetermined inevitability if you just use it.

I don’t have a problem with that, but the lengths you go to, to protect the equipment removes most if not all evidence of that equipments ability to withstand hard use. In other words- if your equipment is protected constantly, then you don’t know what’s going to happen when it isn’t.


Everything is equal sitting on the shelf.

 

[Clark33]

You can buy solid gear, use it, and still take care of it.

I don’t think slowelk is letting his stuff sit on the shelf.

Because you take care of your gear does not mean you don’t use it, and if you buy reputable brands then you should have confidence it works if it does see some inadvertent abuse correct? That’s the whole point of the drop tests right? Pretty sure he’s rocking NF scopes. Are you suggesting everyone drop their scopes before hunting? Why not buy stuff that has a rep of working and take care of it

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Are you suggesting everyone drop their scopes before hunting?

If you don't, how else can you verify that on your rifle, with your bedding and rings, that your set up is actually going to perform after a fall?

I took a personal scope that passed my drop tests, moved it to a new 22 for my kids, and they bumped it off the sand bags. 8" fall, 6" poi change at 25 yards, because the rail and action weren't bedded, the scope is just fine. The scope is only one of a couple potential failure points.

Relying on reputation alone and not testing the complete system ourselves is how the industry got into its jacked up state to begin with.

 

[slowelk]

You can buy solid gear, use it, and still take care of it.

I don’t think slowelk is letting his stuff sit on the shelf.

Because you take care of your gear does not mean you don’t use it, and if you buy reputable brands then you should have confidence it works if it does see some inadvertent abuse correct? That’s the whole point of the drop tests right? Pretty sure he’s rocking NF scopes. Are you suggesting everyone drop their scopes before hunting? Why not buy stuff that has a rep of working and take care of it

Yep, exactly my point.

Use your stuff enough to know it’s trustworthy, but no need to abuse it.

 

[Formidilosus]

You can buy solid gear, use it, and still take care of it.

And

Yep, exactly my point.

Use your stuff enough to know it’s trustworthy, but no need to abuse it.

How do you “use” a Jeep Rubicon? If I ask for a durable and reliable off road vehicle, and you start telling me how awesome your rubicon is, and yet when I look at your jeep there is not a single scratch on it, doesn’t look like it had ever gotten dirty, the undercarriage looks pristine, there are no marks on the rock sliders, no dirt whatsoever inside, and when I turn it on I see that you have 5,000 miles on the odometer. So I ask you about it, and you reply “well, no I don’t beat it up, I take care of it”…

How do you know it’s reliable and durable for off-road use, when you have put zero off-road use on it? If someone takes their vehicle off-road, it’s going to show it. That’s use. If after two hunting seasons or in the case of what I referred to (PRS shooters) your rifle and scope doesn’t have marks showing use- worn spots in the paint on the grip from carrying, worn spots on the anodizing of the scope from turret use and marks from straps cinching it down- you haven’t used it, you’ve babied it. And while that’s perfectly fine and people can do what they want, your opinion or belief in its “durability and reliability” is not based in reality and should carry no weight.

I don’t think slowelk is letting his stuff sit on the shelf.

Because you take care of your gear does not mean you don’t use it, and if you buy reputable brands then you should have confidence it works if it does see some inadvertent abuse correct?

What’s reputable? According to most every scope is reputable and all about the same.


But I’m not sure how slowelk or you got on “I don’t abuse my gear” train. Unless I’m mistaken I didn’t say anything about anyone except that if your equipment looks new, you have not “used” it, and you have no idea what it does or doesn’t so. These aren’t benchrest scopes, they’re field scopes. Most are marketed or directly pushed as “sniper” optics. I don’t give two flips if a benchrest scope has marks or dings or shows use, as that’s not what it’s for. A field scope? Yeah, when it actually gets used, it shows.

That’s the whole point of the drop tests right? Pretty sure he’s rocking NF scopes. Are you suggesting everyone drop their scopes before hunting? Why not buy stuff that has a rep of working and take care of it

Yes. If you actually care about your system holding zero, you have to drop it and check. The scope might hold zero, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the system does. At no point have I ever suggested that people take what I am doing on its face value. You need to check your system.

Think about the ludicrousness of this- “my custom rifle is awesome, and I trust it in backpack hunts any where…. But I’m afraid of it getting dropped on a padded mat and will go out of my way to keep it from getting a scritch…”

 

[Formidilosus]

Yep, exactly my point.

Use your stuff enough to know it’s trustworthy, but no need to abuse it.

Not being a dick..

How did you- you personally, determine that your rifle was trustworthy? Where is it’s breaking point, or better said- where is the point that you know you need to be worried on a hunt that it might not be zeroed, or that the rifle might start having problems mechanically?

 

[Clark33]

And



How do you “use” a Jeep Rubicon? If I ask for a durable and reliable off road vehicle, and you start telling me how awesome your rubicon is, and yet when I look at your jeep there is not a single scratch on it, doesn’t look like it had ever gotten dirty, the undercarriage looks pristine, there are no marks on the rock sliders, no dirt whatsoever inside, and when I turn it on I see that you have 5,000 miles on the odometer. So I ask you about it, and you reply “well, no I don’t beat it up, I take care of it”…

How do you know it’s reliable and durable for off-road use, when you have put zero off-road use on it? If someone takes their vehicle off-road, it’s going to show it. That’s use. If after two hunting seasons or in the case of what I referred to (PRS shooters) your rifle and scope doesn’t have marks showing use- worn spots in the paint on the grip from carrying, worn spots on the anodizing of the scope from turret use and marks from straps cinching it down- you haven’t used it, you’ve babied it. And while that’s perfectly fine and people can do what they want, your opinion or belief in its “durability and reliability” is not based in reality and should carry no weight.






What’s reputable? According to most every scope is reputable and all about the same.


But I’m not sure how slowelk or you got on “I don’t abuse my gear” train. Unless I’m mistaken I didn’t say anything about anyone except that if your equipment looks new, you have not “used” it, and you have no idea what it does or doesn’t so. These aren’t benchrest scopes, they’re field scopes. Most are marketed or directly pushed as “sniper” optics. I don’t give two flips if a benchrest scope has marks or dings or shows use, as that’s not what it’s for. A field scope? Yeah, when it actually gets used, it shows.





Yes. If you actually care about your system holding zero, you have to drop it and check. The scope might hold zero, but that doesn’t mean the rest of the system does. At no point have I ever suggested that people take what I am doing on its face value. You need to check your system.

Think about the ludicrousness of this- “my custom rifle is awesome, and I trust it in backpack hunts any where…. But I’m afraid of it getting dropped on a padded mat and will go out of my way to keep it from getting a scritch…”

"your opinion or belief in its “durability and reliability” is not based in reality and should carry no weight."
I'm talking about YOUR drop test dude lol. So they don't carry any weight???

"But I’m not sure how slowelk or you got on “I don’t abuse my gear” train."
You are correct, I don't LARP. I usually don't get 20ft from my pristine rubicon, and I specialize in 16oz Coors Curls

"Think about the ludicrousness of this- “my custom rifle is awesome, and I trust it in backpack hunts any where…. But I’m afraid of it getting dropped on a padded mat and will go out of my way to keep it from getting a scritch…”
Using a scope coat isn't moving heaven and earth to protect an optic on a hunt.

And I'd never buy a rubicon, how in the HELL am I supposed to load the doe whole that I just shot from the shoulder of the road into that without messing up the interior???

 

[Formidilosus]

"your opinion or belief in its “durability and reliability” is not based in reality and should carry no weight."
I'm talking about YOUR drop test dude lol. So they don't carry any weight???

"But I’m not sure how slowelk or you got on “I don’t abuse my gear” train."
You are correct, I don't LARP. I usually don't get 20ft from my pristine rubicon, and I specialize in 16oz Coors Curls

"Think about the ludicrousness of this- “my custom rifle is awesome, and I trust it in backpack hunts any where…. But I’m afraid of it getting dropped on a padded mat and will go out of my way to keep it from getting a scritch…”
Using a scope coat isn't moving heaven and earth to protect an optic on a hunt.

And I'd never buy a rubicon, how in the HELL am I supposed to load the doe whole that I just shot from the shoulder of the road into that without messing up the interior???

Haha. That’s why I’m confused with slowelk and your response after- I haven’t said that you should abuse your equipment. Someone needs to abuse the equipment and find it’s limits, and every person definitely needs to validate their gear themselves, but I do not believe or say that y’all need to beat the hell out of it yourself. Very possible that I took his and your response wrong, or y’all took/take mine wrong. If so, I apologize.

 

[SDHNTR]

I want manufacturers, both scope and automobile, to beat the living piss out of their wares and find the limits! So I don’t have to on my dollar! Why is that an unrealistic expectation?

And BTW, I went through two Jeep Rubicons. They remind me of a Swarovski riflescope. The specs and features seem incredible so you buy one. And then they break and leave you stranded! I now drive a Toyota!

 

[NateTP38]

I want manufacturers, both scope and automobile, to beat the living piss out of their wares and find the limits! So I don’t have to on my dollar! Why is that an unrealistic expectation?

And BTW, I went through two Jeep Rubicons. They remind me of a Swarovski riflescope. The specs and features seem incredible so you buy one. And then they break and leave you stranded! I now drive a Toyota!

Toyota = SWFA? Not sexy, but they work

 

[SDHNTR]

Toyota = SWFA? Not sexy, but they work

No. Toyota = Nightforce. Because when I want a Toyota, I can go buy one. They actually exist.

 

[Mike Islander]

No. Toyota = Nightforce. Because when I want a Toyota, I can go buy one. They actually exist.

You can back order a nice SWFA 6X42 today for $209. You'll get it eventually, like when you order the exact car you want. Or you can buy one used, like new or even NIB, almost every week here (as I did from mod Luke in June) and on various internet resale platforms.

I did wait months for the last two I bought. How many would I have received if I didn't order them? None.