Rifle scopes you'd love to see Form test

[Formidilosus]

There's not a specific one that I have in mind. I'm just looking for something with a friendly eyebox, lower magnifications that is drop proof/kid proof. Mil reticle. I could live with SFP but would prefer FFP. Part of my thinking is that when I dryfire with my Burris Fullfield II 2-7x35 it's easier to get behind than my SWFA 3-15. I'd like my kids to have a scope that easy to use. My hunch is that the fullfield wouldn't pass the drop test, although they are well spoken of on 24hourcampfire.

The older FFII’s were decent scopes for most lighter use. I haven’t seen enough of the new ones to say.


As for LPVO’s, pretty much-

NF ATACR and NX8
SWFA HD 1-6x and older 1-4x HD
Trijicon Credo/Accupower 1-4x, 1-6x, and 1-8x generally work well
S&B Short Dot II 1-8x

 

[Justin Crossley]

@Formidilosus, I'm dropping off a Vortex Gen III Razor 6-36 and Zeiss LRP 3 6-36 with @Ryan Avery this weekend. I believe he'll bring them to you next week.

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus, I'm dropping off a Vortex Gen III Razor 6-36 and Zeiss LRP 3 6-36 with @Ryan Avery this weekend. I believe he'll bring them to you next week.

 

[ChrisAU]

@Formidilosus, I'm dropping off a Vortex Gen III Razor 6-36 and Zeiss LRP 3 6-36 with @Ryan Avery this weekend. I believe he'll bring them to you next week.

Anxiously awaiting the results from these!

 

[DangerRanger]

I will send an athlon helos 2-12x42 to be curb stomped if the gods wish

 

[Formidilosus]

I will send an athlon helos 2-12x42 to be curb stomped if the gods wish

Contact Ryan if you want to.

 

[nobody]

I will send an athlon helos 2-12x42 to be curb stomped if the gods wish

Contact Ryan if you want to.

Hasn't the Helos already been done?

Athlon Helos BTR Gen2, 2-12x42mm Field Eval

This is a field evaluation of the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2, 2-12x42mm scope. This scope was handed to me from from Ryan Avery for evaluation. It was sent to him from a forum member. The ammunition used was Hornady Black 168gr AMAX that was purchased by Ryan. The 20 round proof group was just over...

rokslide.com

 

[DangerRanger]

Hasn't the Helos already been done?

Athlon Helos BTR Gen2, 2-12x42mm Field Eval

This is a field evaluation of the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2, 2-12x42mm scope. This scope was handed to me from from Ryan Avery for evaluation. It was sent to him from a forum member. The ammunition used was Hornady Black 168gr AMAX that was purchased by Ryan. The 20 round proof group was just over...

rokslide.com

Oh sweet thanks, missed it

 

[Castle Rock]

I would like to see another one tested, seems I remember that one may have been faulty from the start

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Seeing multiple failures of the same model would end a lot of the naysaying about this testing. Send the Athlon.

 

[Formidilosus]

Hasn't the Helos already been done?

Athlon Helos BTR Gen2, 2-12x42mm Field Eval

This is a field evaluation of the Athlon Helos BTR Gen 2, 2-12x42mm scope. This scope was handed to me from from Ryan Avery for evaluation. It was sent to him from a forum member. The ammunition used was Hornady Black 168gr AMAX that was purchased by Ryan. The 20 round proof group was just over...

rokslide.com

Yes, however I would prefer to see 3-5 of each scope used to see trends.

 

[nobody]

Yes, however I would prefer to see 3-5 of each scope used to see trends.

Roger that, making sure I hadn’t missed something and he wasn’t suggesting a different model or something

 

[dingle]

Has anyone ever opened up any of these scopes to evaluate their internal mechanisms? I get that you might need to get your hands on a defective scope or be willing to destroy one, but wouldn't understanding how they do or don't work help settle hurt feelings and bolster designs that perform?

 

[JCMCUBIC]

Has anyone ever opened up any of these scopes to evaluate their internal mechanisms? I get that you might need to get your hands on a defective scope or be willing to destroy one, but wouldn't understanding how they do or don't work help settle hurt feelings and bolster designs that perform?

I've been very curious about this idea. I'd love to see someone do a compare/contrast of the internals, design, and tube wall thickness of the various scopes that have passed the dialing/drop tests and those that have failed the dialing/drop test. I could talk myself into a drop test but not so much taking one apart....

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Some manufacturers have objected to warranty repairing evaluated scopes. Taking a band saw to one would be informative, but that $ is gone forever.

 

[dingle]

I've been very curious about this idea. I'd love to see someone do a compare/contrast of the internals, design, and tube wall thickness of the various scopes that have passed the dialing/drop tests and those that have failed the dialing/drop test. I could talk myself into a drop test but not so much taking one apart....

For example, a cursory internet search for "rifle scope internals" yields a bunch of Swarovski 3D models and section drawings, including the apparently unique X5, the 4-coil Z5 and Z6, and the leaf-spring Z3:

Swarovski X5 3.5-18X50 Review

Swarovski X5 3.5-18×50 Scope Review Ryan Avery, Rokslide Co-Owner If you talk with long range hunters very much, you will inevitably end up debating which scope is the best. While everyone will have an opinion, one thing we all will agree on is that if your scope does not dial correctly, then...

www.rokslide.com

http://www.opticstalk.com/what-makes-swarovski-better_topic19469.html

A Tough Scope is Good Scope — Ron Spomer Outdoors

The most important attribute in a riflescope is its ability to retain zero. Here's advice on how to find a tough scope, a durable scope,.

www.ronspomeroutdoors.com

A Weaver Super Slam:

X-Ray Vision — Inside Look at Riflescope with Cutaway Weaver « Daily Bulletin

Based on its external appearance, a modern riflescope may seem simple. It's just a tube with two or three knobs on the outside right? Well, looks can be deceiving. Modern variable focal-length optics are complex systems with lots of internal parts. Modern scopes, even 'budget' optics, use...

bulletin.accurateshooter.com

A magazine article:

Inside High-End Riflescopes | Shooting Sports Retailer

Riflescopes have evolved, and fully understanding their features and functions is the key to serving your customers.

www.shootingsportsretailer.com

@Formidilosus has said he's not an engineer and I'd venture to claim he's more interested in the "what" of the results than the "why" of the designs (please correct me if I'm wrong). The results take precedence for me, too, but I'd call myself highly curious about the design features that produce those results. I admit I am not curious, rich enough or motivated enough to start my own competitive production line to start buying scopes to chop them up, but maybe someone else is.

 

[prm]

My guess is there are a couple engineering features for the erector that result in reliably holding zero. My attempt to figure it out has not been successful. But it seems to be positively holding the tube in place vice simply pressing on the tube against the erector ‘leaf spring’.

 

[JCMCUBIC]

Like everyone else, the results are most important to me. Still, I'm interested in learning what common internal design features the reliable scopes have in common....as well as the common internal design features the unreliable scopes have in common. Like everyone else though, I'm not interested enough to wreck multiple scopes to find out.

If there were enough members interested to spread the cost, I'd contribute to a pooled fund. Next problem would be finding someone with an optical engineering background to understand the design/materials/implementation differences.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

it seems like the problems are probably mroe in a Mech E's wheelhouse than an optical engineer, but that could be my personal bias creeping in.

 

[freddyG]

I’m not an optical expert, but have done some research on this topic.

The things that reliable scopes have in common are, brass/bronze internals, titanium coil erector springs(Nightforce claims to run theirs in a tumbler for 24 hrs), one piece machined aluminium tubes, and no lens to metal contact anywhere.

Scopes that suck include plastic parts to save weight, thin tubes, and leaf springs.

I don’t think that it’s rocket science to build a robust scope, but they are a precise instrument. That costs money, and cuts into profit.