package scopes are worthless or airlines are that rough?

[Nick]

Bought my savage 111 (in .300 WIN MAG) a few years back for hunting. It was on of those package deals that comes with a bore sighted scope, mounts, ect. I immediately took it to the range to sight it in at 100 yrds. No problems there. Took it out a few weeks later and shot a nice deer. Cleaned the rifle and put it in the gun case. I have not hunted with it since (for other reasons, not the rifles fault).

I recently had a chance to go to New Mexico for an antelope hunt. So I pulled the rifle out of the case, took it to the range to confirm the zero, again no problem. We left on a flight 3 days later for NM. Once we arrived, I sighted in the scope to again confirm the zero. The scope wouldn't hold its zero. It shot high left on the first shot, high right on the second, ect, ect. I shot about a 12" group at 100 yrds. NOT GOOD. (for reference, I shout 1.5" groups at 100 yrds before the flight)

This package scope is a simmons 8 point. 3x9x40. I don't believe it to be an expensive scope, but should it break based on one airliner ride? Anyone else have issues with this scope? or airlines?

To make a long story short, I ended up in New Mexico with a worthless scope, with no hunting/sporting store (or any store for that matter) with in 200 miles or so. Luckily, my friend had brought his Weatherby .270 mag with a zeiss scope, and I was able to drop an antelope at 380 yards with one shot. I believe my Savage would have been up to the task of that same shot if it had a decent piece of glass on top.

[sinman]

they are pretty cheap thats for sure. Your action screws or scope mounts or rings could be loose too.

[louthedog]

The airline baggage handlers throw gun cases just as hard as other baggage so, yes, one airline trip could have done some damage.

[Nick]

Side note on TSA airline rules. When I flew out on that trip it was 9-11-09. The rule (as I was told at BWI) was the rifle case had to have TSA approved (accessible) locks. When I flew home 3 days later, the TSA rule had changed. they wouldn't allow me on the plane with TSA locks, they now had to be non TSA locks (which they don't sell in the airport). I had to barter with some agents to buy the locks off their lockers to make my flight.

In any event, Im in the market for a new scope. Anyone have a .300 win mag with a scope on top they like?

[lal357]

like sin man siad i've never been a fan of simmons scope had a few that were off after riding around in my bronco . but like sinman siad check your mounts and rings i had the same thing happen to me with a bushy ar nikon mounted always shot great then i noticed it was all over the place turned out to be the quick release mount screws came loose . loc-tited them back(blue so i could remove if neccesary ) and have never looked back.

[Cycler]

"You get what you pay for" applies to optics more than almost anything else. There is no way anyone, even the Chinese, can build a rugged, reliable scope for what some of these brands sell for.

I trust Leupold, Burris, Nikon, Weaver's higher lines, and Pentax and I'm willing to pay accordingly. To me these brands are the "sweet spot" in both price and quality.

I also trust Zeiss, Kahles and Swarovski but can't see paying that much extra for the small improvement over the brands named above.

[Woodser]

The airline baggage handlers throw gun cases just as hard as other baggage so, yes, one airline trip could have done some damage.

Most definitely. They toss things around like they were a bunch of gorillas.
Hey wait, there are a bunch of apes, just like UPS package handlers.
And yes, Simmons scopes will not take bumps and bangs. Had one on a 223 I carried on my ATV in a rack mounted gun carrier. Lasted one summer. I put a Weaver on it and so far so good. 5 years. Not that Weavers are such great scopes, but better than Simmons apparently.

[lal357]

In any event, Im in the market for a new scope. Anyone have a .300 win mag with a scope on top they like?


i put a bushnell dusk to dawn on mt savage 110 300win mag as a temp scope that was 5 years ago never has been off still shoots 3 shot groups in a clover leaf 1 " high (my setting) so i left it on it if aint broke dont fix it theory

[dcloco]

I like the Leupold fixed 16x40 on my Savage in 300 Win Mag. Has turrets as well....just dial it up to 1200 yards if you wish.

[savageboy]

I have a Burris Sig. Select 3.5-10X on my 300Wmag. It is clear and takes the abuse of the .300

[BobT]

In any event, Im in the market for a new scope. Anyone have a .300 win mag with a scope on top they like?


I have an older Leupold Vari-X III 6.5-20 with target knobs on my .300WM, I like it a lot!

Bob

[Eric in NC]

The scopes are cheap, but the real weak link in the package deal is the rings. I would look at that first.

And yes - when sending anything via air cargo, you need to package it so that it can survive a strong man throwing it as far as he can ont concrete.

[DGD6MM]

I shook one of those scopes to pieces on a .30-06 in about 100 rounds, crosshairs turned about 45 degrees. A few years back took a working trip out to Wyoming, had 2 rifles in a nice aluminum case that was borrowed and brand new. I put the more exspensive scoped rifle with the scope up at the handle of the case and the lesser one on the bottom. That rifle was a nicely built up 10/22 Ruger. When my rifles finally arrived home 4 days after I did the 10/22 scope which was not the best nor the cheapest one could buy was pulled loose from the base and the threads were gone out of the receiever. After days of argueing with the US airlines I gave up and fixed it my self. Boy will that rifle shoot.

[lefty o]

a riflescope should easily handle anything an airline can throw at it, short of crushing it. simmons makes some of the worst junk in the industry!