OpticsTalk by SWFA, Inc. Homepage SWFA     SampleList.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Scopes > Rifle Scopes
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - scope weight
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Visit the SWFA.com site to check out our current specials.

scope weight

 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
Author
Message
tahqua View Drop Down
MODERATOR
MODERATOR
Avatar
Have You Driven A Ford Lately?

Joined: March/27/2006
Location: Michigan, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 9042
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/23/2008 at 18:53
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

Originally posted by Longhunter Longhunter wrote:

Safari Club's magazine contains a series of articles by Stan Skinner that touch on on this subject.  The third installment was in the January/February 2008 issue.  He tested 11 different name brand dangerous game scopes by firing at least 60 rounds each on top of an unbraked Weatherby .460 magnum.  All of the scopes survived this test.  He noted that weight and reticle design were two important attributes of a dangerous game riflescope.
 
He concluded that "...a good quality riflescope is capable of withstanding just about any punishment you can subject it to, assuming normal use....despite this fact, an occasional defective scope slips through....From all indications, a broken scope is pretty rare, and our experience during this test reflects the norm more closely than do these tales of failures."
 
However, during the test "....we sheared off scope base screws, bent Picatinny rails, and damaged the recoil lugs on otherwise sturdy Warne scope rings.  These things invariably happened while testing the heaviest of our test scopes....Accordingly, we recommend choosing a relatively lightweight, compact dangerous game scope."
 
As to reticle design, he concluded that:  "In general, a bold design that is easy to pick out in poor light conditions is best and an illuminated reticle helps you pick out your aiming point quickly."  


Sounds reasonable.  A heavier scope will put more stress on the mounts.

ILya

 
Also, the large objective scopes that have to be mounted high have a greater moment of inertia around the ring base interface. The whole system, high mounts and heavy scopes are a bad combination on heavy kicking guns.
Back to Top
Jon A View Drop Down
Optics Journeyman
Optics Journeyman
Avatar

Joined: March/14/2008
Location: Everett, WA
Status: Offline
Points: 670
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Jon A Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/23/2008 at 18:53
A heavier scope will certainly put more stress on the mounts holding all else equal.  

Though the thought that more weight in and of itself in a scope means the scope will be less durable (especially with respect to recoil) is false but unfortunately this "wive's tale" has reached mythical status.  When broad generalizations are used to compare specific items, misinformation unsues.

Where the weight is added is just as important as how much weight was added to a given scope design.  Increase wall thickness of the tube and it will be heavier.  Increase the diameter of the tube and the scope will be heavier.  Replace plastic and aluminum parts on the inside with steel and the scope will get heavier.  Add another erector spring, use a heavier duty erector springs and the scope will get heavier.  Etc, etc,...

To think any of that makes the scope less durable with respect to recoil is silly.  And yet there are those who will put a scope on a scale and think they can then tell you how it's going to be destroyed by recoil more quickly by the reading on the scale alone.  

The generalization is often true, of course, which is probably why some believe so strongly in it--noting that a little cheap brand X scope holds up better than a big giant high magnification cheap brand X scope and applying that universally.  You sure can make a scope weaker by adding weight--make it longer (often a given with higher magnification), make the ocular/objective assemblies bigger and heavier without adding strength in the middle, add features like a side focus but build them poorly, etc....

In short, it's not as simple as a number on a scale.  One needs to use his brain and find out where the weight went.  But regardless, the heavier the scope the better mounts it will require.
Back to Top
Dale Clifford View Drop Down
Optics Jedi Knight
Optics Jedi Knight


Joined: July/04/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 5087
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/23/2008 at 18:56

lower mass anything will have lower inertial moments--- high school physics, -- the weakness of the four mounting screws, peening of lugs on both mounts and rings have been gone over in this forum 100's of times, nothing new here.

Back to Top
Graysteel View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
Optics Apprentice
Avatar

Joined: October/02/2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 200
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Graysteel Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: March/23/2008 at 21:34
Not to add fuel to the fire, but I am a little dubious about finding value in comparing scope weights. I have seen many more scopes damaged from being dropped or bumped than I have ever seen damaged from recoil. Sure if you have a very specific application that requires a scope be a specific weight then give it some consideration, other than that, the variances don't seem to make enough difference to really worry about.

While it is true that heavier scopes can be hard mounts, the answer is easy... use durable mounts. My two cents is use decent grade military style mounts and you won't have a problem. If you can't use military style mounts, then use all steel mounts with largest diameter mounting screws you can find and you shouldn't have any problems.

Other helpful tricks are with all else being equal pick the mount with the largest bearing/friction surface (widest width) and use a coating of loctite on all bearing/friction surfaces.
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply Page  <12
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.191 seconds.