Scope carry?

[NomadHunter603]

I’m not sure why the OP and some others got so riled up over this or even the point of this post actually haha. If that’s how you want to carry it, go for it. I personally don’t carry that way, I’ve never had a situation where I couldn’t handle carrying a rifle a normal way. The hunt dictates how I carry it. If it’s a backpack hunt, I’ll usually have it strapped to my pack, plenty of quick ways to deploy that still such as SG quick release or Kifaru gunbearer. If I’m hunting back East, I don’t usually have a scope because it’s brushy. Scopes and brush don’t make much sense. And if I’m hunting that, I just carry it like normal, left hand on the fore end and my right hand on the grip, finger straight and off the trigger. That’s a lot quicker than holding it by the scope. Not to mention it’s so damn cold out sometimes that you try to avoid touching or holding anything metal if you can.


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[Jimss]

It's fairly obvious from the numerous posts that carrying a rifle via hand....and especially by a scope IS NOT popular! I agree...if it works for you and your style of hunting then go for it! I can see a lot more negatives than positives carrying a rifle....especially when still hunting and using optics or hunting super steep and nasty country.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Carrying it by the stock in one hand with the rifle upside down doesn't require me to bend my wrist...you are trolling at this point. And if I saw you carrying a rifle by the scope in the woods I'd assume you were an amateur who was never taught any better, I'm sorry if this isn't making sense to you.

Interesting, I didn't envision you carrying it upside down until this post. Do you use a scope cover or caps of some sort?

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[ChrisAU]

Interesting, I didn't envision you carrying it upside down until this post. Do you use a scope cover or caps of some sort?

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Yes flip ups of various kinds, but they are open if I’m carrying like that, unless it’s raining/snowing. My carry technique is probably less popular than the OP’s, and I only do it when I’m walking between destinations and get tired of carrying it with both hands, or when I need to have my phone in one hand or something. I also utilize a Kifaru Gun bearer when carrying a big pack. I’m also not a fan of slings, me and OP have common ground! Wasn’t trying to start an almighty e-fight, just was told something was too hard for me to understand and didn’t take kindly to it. Used his exact words and got accused of being impolite.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Yes flip ups of various kinds, but they are open if I’m carrying like that, unless it’s raining/snowing. My carry technique is probably less popular than the OP’s, and I only do it when I’m walking between destinations and get tired of carrying it with both hands, or when I need to have my phone in one hand or something. I also utilize a Kifaru Gun bearer when carrying a big pack. I’m also not a fan of slings, me and OP have common ground! Wasn’t trying to start an almighty e-fight, just was told something was too hard for me to understand and didn’t take kindly to it. Used his exact words and got accused of being impolite.

It is pretty unique. I would probably be a little worried about the glass getting scratched or dirt getting on the lenses with them uncovered, but I imagine if you can wrap your fingers around the stock between the scope it would be a pretty comfortable and secure carry.

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[Mike Islander]

I always did it but did wonder about it. Then I saw some PHs doing it on a safari show and haven't thought about it again until this thread.

 

[Fatcamp]

My scopes are mounted too low to carry them that way. I wouldn't regardless as I would be too worried about breaking my fingers if I fell. Always carried long guns with my fingers curled underneath. Most often use a pack and gunbearer now. Never carry a sling.

I have rifles set up for muzzle down carry and agree that is very fast and ideal in some situations. That's not big game hunting for me.

 

[manitou1]

No I don't do "strain tests" on scopes. I do my work on fighter aircraft... oxygen lines, flight controls, hydraulic and fuel tubing. 7075 T-6, 2024-T3 as-well-as 5051s and various other "aircraft grade" alloys such as hastelloy, inconel, titanium, 301 CRES. We deal with mutiple "strain tests" as you call them... from tensile strength to shear strength to torsional stability. We fabricate/make aircraft structural parts, tubing components, skins, panels, bulkheads, stiffeners and spars. Many have to be formed, then heat treated... or heat treated, then formed, then re-heat treated. Also, composite skins and exterior coatings.
We have never dealt with anything as high tech as scope aluminum (ie: aircraft grade aluminum) as rifle scopes.

 

[Newtosavage]

I always did it but did wonder about it. Then I saw some PHs doing it on a safari show and haven't thought about it again until this thread.

Well at least I'm in good company. LOL

Now that you mention it, I bet that's where I got the idea years ago. It does sound familiar.

 

[Newtosavage]

It is pretty unique. I would probably be a little worried about the glass getting scratched or dirt getting on the lenses with them uncovered, but I imagine if you can wrap your fingers around the stock between the scope it would be a pretty comfortable and secure carry.

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Any LEO trained to carry a shotgun on a sling has more than likely been trained to sling their weapon this way. That's where I learned it. Before that, it was muzzle up when slung. Nowdays that seems odd to me and muzzle down/inverted scope is the only way I sling a rifle when I use the sling. It allows you to keep a hand on the forend for quick control of the weapon.

 

[Newtosavage]

No I don't do "strain tests" on scopes. I do my work on fighter aircraft... oxygen lines, flight controls, hydraulic and fuel tubing. 7075 T-6, 2024-T3 as-well-as 5051s and various other "aircraft grade" alloys such as hastelloy, inconel, titanium, 301 CRES. We deal with mutiple "strain tests" as you call them... from tensile strength to shear strength to torsional stability. We fabricate/make aircraft structural parts, tubing components, skins, panels, bulkheads, stiffeners and spars. Many have to be formed, then heat treated... or heat treated, then formed, then re-heat treated. Also, composite skins and exterior coatings.
We have never dealt with anything as high tech as scope aluminum (ie: aircraft grade aluminum) as rifle scopes.

Sounds like you're the guy to ask then. What would you guess it would take (lbs of force spread over the width of say, three fingers) to bend a scope tube on a 6" supports?

 

[Backpack Hunter]

Any LEO trained to carry a shotgun on a sling has more than likely been trained to sling their weapon this way. That's where I learned it. Before that, it was muzzle up when slung. Nowdays that seems odd to me and muzzle down/inverted scope is the only way I sling a rifle when I use the sling. It allows you to keep a hand on the forend for quick control of the weapon.

I was under the assumption this was carried this way without a sling.

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[Newtosavage]

I was under the assumption this was carried this way without a sling.

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Maybe someone else was, but I was referring to sling carry, muzzle down and scope down. For LE shotgun use, you have your weak hand on the slide so you can bring it to ready gun position and rack the slide in one motion.

 

[ChrisAU]

I think that’s the whole disconnect. I’m talking about carrying it in your left hand unslung upside down, muzzle forward.

 

[manitou1]

Sounds like you're the guy to ask then. What would you guess it would take (lbs of force spread over the width of say, three fingers) to bend a scope tube on a 6" supports?

I would say you have really wide fingers if three of them span 6"!
Kidding aside, l would "guess" less than what some would think and more than others.
None of the responses I read on here condemned you or anybody else for carrying your rifle the way you prefer. We answered the question as to how we preferred or didn't prefer to carry our personal firearms, as per the your post. I have personally bent a scope tube many years ago and I learned that I didn't want to repeat the mistake. I was not carrying the rifle by the scope, but nonetheless the scope tube bent much easier than anticipated.
Like I said, I saw nobody on here condemning or talking down to your or other's preference of carry. I did see folks get bent when others did not feel comfortable carrying their rifle in a manner that coincides with your preferences.
I am also OCD about my accuracy and reloading techniques, leaving as little possible to chance or failure... but then again, I like shooting things a long way away.
Have a great new year.

 

[Newtosavage]

I would say you have really wide fingers if three of them span 6"!
Kidding aside, l would "guess" less than what some would think and more than others.
None of the responses I read on here condemned you or anybody else for carrying your rifle the way you prefer. We answered the question as to how we preferred or didn't prefer to carry our personal firearms, as per the your post. I have personally bent a scope tube many years ago and I learned that I didn't want to repeat the mistake. I was not carrying the rifle by the scope, but nonetheless the scope tube bent much easier than anticipated.
Like I said, I saw nobody on here condemning or talking down to your or other's preference of carry. I did see folks get bent when others did not feel comfortable carrying their rifle in a manner that coincides with your preferences.
I am also OCD about my accuracy and reloading techniques, leaving as little possible to chance or failure... but then again, I like shooting things a long way away.
Have a great new year.

Actually, I never asked how people preferred to carry. I asked if anyone else carried their rifle by the scope.

Who else here carries their hunting rifle by the scope?

Some folks just volunteered to explain how they carry their firearm, which is great. Others went into detail about why they don't carry their rifle by the scope. That's fine, but it wasn't the original question.

To answer your question, I can only fit three fingers between the Talley rings on my scope. My guess, eyeballing it, is 6" but it could be less. I can't fit four. I would still love to know what the amount of weight one would have to apply across that span to bend a 1" aircraft aluminum scope tube. I suspect it would be more than any person could hold with one hand, which gets back to the point I was trying to make from your response. That's all.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I think that’s the whole disconnect. I’m talking about carrying it in your left hand unslung upside down, muzzle forward.

Ah, that is how I was envisioning it since..I started quoting you I guess.

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[Crowmangler]

I been to 2 worlds fairs & a goat ropin & ain't never seen a gun carried by the scope... what in tarnation?

 

[Jkrugster]

No sir. With sling. Just seams like a bad idea but probably fine if you have a good scope and rings

 

[howl]

Have done, but I switched everything to Picatinny. No room anymore.