Which scope for the new rifle?

[troy fairweather]

Really? Okay, seven figures then. That would get you some new hunts with money to spare.

will get a good scope and put a Simmons sticker on it, win win. There was a hunting show way back where the host did that, can't remember the scope brand he had as a sponsor but it was pretty clear he was using a leupold with the gold ring sharpied out lol.

 

[LoonWulf]

will get a good scope and put a Simmons sticker on it, win win. There was a hunting show way back where the host did that, can't remember the scope brand he had as a sponsor but it was pretty clear he was using a leupold with the gold ring sharpied out lol.

Those old hunting shows always made me laugh, The new ones are almost as bad but they don't have the charm.

 

[HowieG]

I've just had to many Simmons fail for me to trust using one on anything other then a plinking 22lr, the shop I was working at I seen a bunch crap out even 2 that were bad out of the box I was mounting.
I do like the older tasco even the new ones are clear. Any scope after 20 years of more worries me some.

I got that early to mid 90s leupold vari-ii I really like but it's getting some age on it. I like the old weavers but have had some break or fog up, age is the only reason for the failure usually.

If it has a good warranty, I'm good to go. I had a Bushnell Scope Chief VI AO that I bought many, many years ago. I used it on a varmint rifle and later stored it away. A couple of years ago, I pulled it out to make use of it and the range finding function had failed. I mailed it off to Bushnell to see what they could do, and they said they couldn't repair it, so they replaced it with a Bushnell Elite Long Range Hunting Scope! I was more than happy with that swap, but I noted a small problem with the index marks on one of the turrets. I called Bushnell and mentioned that too them as an FYI. They wanted that scope back immediately. I was happy with the scope, but sent it in as requested. Bushnell then sent me a brand new 3-12 X 44mm Elite Tactical LRTS with illuminated reticle. I found that kind of upsetting, LOL, because I had to purchase a new Savage long range MSR 15 to mount the thing on. Darn it . Needless to say, but I will anyway, Bushnell has one heck of a warranty service.

 

[troy fairweather]

Best warranty in the world won't help when it fails in the field.

 

[Seedy Character]

The only scope I have had fail is
Leopold Vari-X II
Left side crosshair broke. I bought it used, it a gun show. No idea the age of it. I heavily used it on a 7 Mag for 20 years, before it failed

Dad bought a Bushel ScopeChief in 1968. Good quality scope, except for the POST reticle. Still shot sub 1/2", 5 shot, 100 yard groups.
In 1983, I sent it to a guy in Georgia (IIRC). He built the scopes for the US Olympic team.
Replaced the post with a duplex, polished lenses, purged and resealed. It is as good as my new Leopold and still producing fantastic groups and filling the freezer.

 

[cdb1]

The only scope I have had fail is
Leopold Vari-X II

Same with me, a VX-3 1.75-6x32 that was defective right out of the box. Windage adjustment didn’t work but Leupold more than took care of it.

Yeah, being made in Japan is certainly a good thing now. When I was a little kid, that certainly was not the case.

It is funny how things change over time. My remembrance is like yours. As a kid in the 60’s and a teen in the early 70’s, “made in Japan” was bad juju.

Couldn't pay me to use a Simmon

I’m in your camp on that

Bet youd use a WTE if i sent u one!.....if not id be sad....
View attachment 1047538
Having played with meopta and athlon side by side a bit more, the Meopta definitely got nicer glass, But at least in hand I prefer the form factor of the Athlon better.

Low light clarity is I guess my number one consideration in a scope. The vast number of four legged animals I’ve shot occurred early morning, late afternoon or after dark if memory serves me correctly. On the other hand my memory has been messed up a little since they switched Darren’s on Bewitched. In their respective price ranges I’ve found Meopta’s better in low light than Pacific Rim origin scopes and Leupold. Leupold has narrowed the gap considerably over the past decade, at least to my eyes.

 

[HowieG]

Same with me, a VX-3 1.75-6x32 that was defective right out of the box. Windage adjustment didn’t work but Leupold more than took care of it.

It is funny how things change over time. My remembrance is like yours. As a kid in the 60’s and a teen in the early 70’s, “made in Japan” was bad juju.

I’m in your camp on that


Low light clarity is I guess my number one consideration in a scope. The vast number of four legged animals I’ve shot occurred early morning, late afternoon or after dark if memory serves me correctly. On the other hand my memory has been messed up a little since they switched Darren’s on Bewitched. In their respective price ranges I’ve found Meopta’s better in low light than Pacific Rim origin scopes and Leupold. Leupold has narrowed the gap considerably over the past decade, at least to my eyes.

If the light is that low, are you sure it's legal to hunt? If so, politely ask the species in question to move over into better light. You might offer a snack also.

 

[HowieG]

will get a good scope and put a Simmons sticker on it, win win. There was a hunting show way back where the host did that, can't remember the scope brand he had as a sponsor but it was pretty clear he was using a leupold with the gold ring sharpied out lol.

Frankly, you just can't realistically make a blanket statement concerning many rifle scope brands. When you talk about Simmons scopes, are you talking about the product way back in 1983, more recently when they were bought by Meade Instruments, or now under Bushnell? I haven't tried one, but I thought the Aetec line, as developed by Meade opticians and continued under Bushnell, was supposed to be pretty good.

 

[LoonWulf]

. In their respective price ranges I’ve found Meopta’s better in low light than Pacific Rim origin scopes and Leupold. Leupold has narrowed the gap considerably over the past decade, at least to my eyes.

Id agree, there isnt a to of difference between most of my scope in good light, especially the Meopta and the Athlon, but as it gets darker i can still run the Meopta at 20 and have about the same image quality/brightness as the Athlon at last light.
(Actually I didn't think about it, But I have an Argos HMR with the same top end as the Meopta.... and while i know its glass is a step down from the Midas HMR....im now curious if ITS still useable at 20x during the wee hours of the afternoon.)

My Vx-3i dosent do as well, even tho its 5x lower....but it does have a 40mm objective.
Interestingly the little vx-3hd does really well, allowing 7x right till dark.

 

[LoonWulf]

Frankly, you just can't realistically make a blanket statement concerning many rifle scope brands. When you talk about Simmons scopes, are you talking about the product way back in 1983, more recently when they were bought by Meade Instruments, or now under Bushnell? I haven't tried one, but I thought the Aetec line, as developed by Meade opticians and continued under Bushnell, was supposed to be pretty good.

Shaken confidence, is shaken confidence. I avoid specific brands and lines of stuff for the same reason.

I like the Simmons scope lines, especially the Philippines ones. I've had two older Aetecs, half a dozen WTEs, And a bunch of their other random Korean and Philippines made scopes.
I've had a couple of their Chinese scopes too, including one that is still working after most of the plastic parts fell off, including the power adjustment ring.
I've also used a number of the rebranded-rebranded Weaver/Bushnell/Simmons scopes of recent years, and generally those have been pretty good also.

 

[troy fairweather]

Frankly, you just can't realistically make a blanket statement concerning many rifle scope brands. When you talk about Simmons scopes, are you talking about the product way back in 1983, more recently when they were bought by Meade Instruments, or now under Bushnell? I haven't tried one, but I thought the Aetec line, as developed by Meade opticians and continued under Bushnell, was supposed to be pretty good.

Once you lost trust in something it's very hard to get that trust back or any at all.

 

[HowieG]

Once you lost trust in something it's very hard to get that trust back or any at all.

Does that apply to the Ruger Marlins?

 

[troy fairweather]

Does that apply to the Ruger Marlins?

Never had a remlin so not a problem for me,

 

[HowieG]

Never had a remlin so not a problem for me,

It just so happens I feel the same. I have had problems with GM products so I doubt I will ever own GM again. Ditto with my wife's Subaru. And Hyundai. Man, I better be careful, or I won't own a car! Haven't tried a Simmons, so I am willing to give it a shot after considered research. In other words, I'll ask Loon, the Simmons expert.

 

[HowieG]

Shaken confidence, is shaken confidence. I avoid specific brands and lines of stuff for the same reason.

I like the Simmons scope lines, especially the Philippines ones. I've had two older Aetecs, half a dozen WTEs, And a bunch of their other random Korean and Philippines made scopes.
I've had a couple of their Chinese scopes too, including one that is still working after most of the plastic parts fell off, including the power adjustment ring.
I've also used a number of the rebranded-rebranded Weaver/Bushnell/Simmons scopes of recent years, and generally those have been pretty good also.

What does WTE stand for anyway?

 

[LoonWulf]

Whitetail Expedition..... fat fingers and long names suck...

Ive had really good luck with Hyundai/Kia/Mobis also ......

 

[HowieG]

Whitetail Expedition..... fat fingers and long names suck...

Ive had really good luck with Hyundai/Kia/Mobis also ......

Korean cars are hit and miss. Mine missed.

Thanks for the info on the Simmons WTE. I will have to hunt one down and take a look.

 

[LoonWulf]

Wierd two of mine have been hit!

 

[HowieG]

Wierd two of mine have been hit!

No not weird. My was a 2001. Do you have more than 100k miles on either?

 

[LoonWulf]

01 Tiburon 180k, 03 Tiburon 140k...by hit, i mean they got hit by another car lol.



My kias an 05 at 130k, it didnt get hit....

 

[HowieG]

01 Tiburon 180k, 03 Tiburon 140k...by hit, i mean they got hit by another car lol.



My kias an 05 at 130k, it didnt get hit....

No WTE scopes on Ebay at the moment. Might actually be hard to find one.

 

[LoonWulf]

No WTE scopes on Ebay at the moment. Might actually be hard to find one.

If you'd like to try one I have one I can send you, you can keep it if you like it.

 

[troy fairweather]

I'd that really like to find one of the weaver k4 classic or whatever they called them, just be over 10 years now when they came out. They were a near perfect copy of the k4 in steel or aluminum tube but with modern glass. I really wanted one but they were $400 or so, one would be perfect for the pre 64 m70 I'd like to update but not loose it's classic looks.

I may look for a luepold m8 4x they were nice scopes, but bring good money when they lol up. The Lyman all American were really good.

 

[LoonWulf]

I Don't think I've seen one of those weavers since they were first announced. Anniversary edition or something I can't remember what they were called...... I'll keep an eye out for a fixed power Leopold for you.

 

[HowieG]

If you'd like to try one I have one I can send you, you can keep it if you like it.

Which one do you have?

Unlike the endless summer where you are, it's the middle of the winter here and it's hunting season. I have a Javelina ticket for January through March, plus quail is on, so I will be doing minimal range work until spring. I certainly appreciate the offer, but it would just sit if you sent it to me now. Let's revisit towards summer.