Federal Intensity scope

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   Anyone have any thoughts or words of wisdom concerning a Federal Intensity 3x10x44 riflescope.  I am waiting for one I bought from Sportsmans Guide to arrive and am curious as to actual quality and durability.  In other words should I mount it on a quality rifle or leave it for a knockabout gun. 

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cedarchopper Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/29/2009 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Quote Reply Topic: Federal Intensity scope Posted: October/29/2009 at 12:30
	Anyone have any thoughts or words of wisdom concerning a Federal Intensity 3x10x44 riflescope. I am waiting for one I bought from Sportsmans Guide to arrive and am curious as to actual quality and durability. In other words should I mount it on a quality rifle or leave it for a knockabout gun.

supertool73 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/03/2008 Location: Utah Online Status: Offline Posts: 3725	Quote Reply Posted: October/29/2009 at 12:34
	Being a $50 I would not put to much faith in it.
	Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack. "A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own."

Dogger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/02/2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 4025	Quote Reply Posted: October/29/2009 at 12:58
	Hmmmm. Their ads state: Designed and manufactured by the Weaver® Optics and Federal® Ammunition Company Says limited lifetime warranty but by whom? Have never heard of them and assume from the price they are Chinese made. Not in itself an automatic disqualifier but not sure I'd want to stake a hunt of a lifetime on one. Would not put on a heavy kicker.
	God save the Empire!

300S&W Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/27/2008 Location: Burlington,WV Online Status: Offline Posts: 3483	Quote Reply Posted: October/29/2009 at 13:14
	First off WELOME to OT,cc! I'll add a +1 to the above replies. With so many decent priced entry level scopes on the market now,I wish you'd have checked in before spending your hard earned money on something new and missing the test of time.
	"I ain't got time to bleed!"

cedarchopper Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics GrassHopper Joined: October/29/2009 Location: Texas Online Status: Offline Posts: 4	Quote Reply Posted: October/29/2009 at 14:24
	Maybe I didn't do so bad....I hope.......I found "Intensity Optics" products at competitor with the 3x9x44 version selling for $185.00. Maybe it's the same scope.....maybe not...why do I feel like a crash dummy?

Dogger Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Visit Members Homepage Add to Buddy List Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/02/2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Online Status: Offline Posts: 4025	Quote Reply Posted: October/29/2009 at 14:25
	Don't know until you try and you're only out $50. Might work fine, let us know. I sent a note to Weaver asking what their affiliation was. Not sure if I'll get a reply or not.
	God save the Empire!

supertool73 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/03/2008 Location: Utah Online Status: Offline Posts: 3725	Quote Reply Posted: October/29/2009 at 14:34
	I dare bet the $185 is just the MSRP. I would suggest buying from SWFA in the future. Just call and talk to one of them and tell them your budget and your use and they will get you setup with the best scope available for your budget/needs.
	Lifetime warranty and excellent customer service don't mean a thing when your gun fails during a zombie attack. "A Liberal is a person who will give away everything they don't own."

oldguy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics GrassHopper Joined: April/10/2009 Online Status: Offline Posts: 11	Quote Reply Posted: October/29/2009 at 18:11
	Actually not bad scopes I have a 5-20x44 ($99)mounted on a 223 it's very close in clarity with my Nikon Monarch,also have the Intensity 4-12x44 ($60) both from Sportsman's guide it Is mounted on a Marlin 22, not as clear as the 5-20,but OK for the 22.

No Quarter Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics GrassHopper Joined: August/04/2007 Online Status: Offline Posts: 9	Quote Reply Posted: October/29/2009 at 18:40
	The Intensity line is made in the Philippines not China.

300S&W Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/27/2008 Location: Burlington,WV Online Status: Offline Posts: 3483	Quote Reply Posted: October/29/2009 at 18:56
	Things are lookin' better. A positive review and not manuf. in China.
	"I ain't got time to bleed!"

rjtfroggy Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics Apprentice Joined: August/24/2009 Location: WTBY. CT. Online Status: Offline Posts: 66	Quote Reply Posted: October/30/2009 at 06:40
	If I remember correctly the Intensity scopes are made by ATK and have been discontinued, but not actually done away with I believe Chris said that they were switched over to Weaver and now have the 40/44 designation. I have a 3.8-16 that was on a 223 savage and it held zero and was pretty clear through all adjustment ranges, replaced it with a ss20x but will remount on a 25 06 when it comes in until I can afford a Trijicon 5-20 or settle for another 20x from swfa. One last thought the original price for these scopes was anywhere from $269-$295 and then cut drasticly when the decession to move over to Weaver was made.
	froggy

Smokey53119 Members Profile Send Private Message Find Members Posts Add to Buddy List Optics Apprentice Joined: November/02/2005 Online Status: Offline Posts: 77	Quote Reply Posted: October/30/2009 at 07:21
	Early last year ATK wanted to get back into selling scopes and rolled these out along with the Nitrex line. When they first came out I suspected that they were reincanations of the older Simmons 44Mags and Aetecs because the specs are pretty much identical. A little while after that ATK bought Weaver, Bushnell bought Simmons, and Leupold bought Redfield, all from Meade when they got out of scopes. In August of 2008 I spoke with an ATK employee at an outdoors event. I asked him what ATK was going to do now with Intensity, Nitrex, and Weaver. He said that they would probably sell the Intensity scopes through independant dealers. He also admitted that the Weaver deal was a surprise to them and it kind of fell in their laps. He was saying how wonderful the Nitrex scopes are. At this time it looks to me that the Intensity line is being discontinued and sold as closeouts. I bet Nitrex also disappears within the next year or so. The guys on Rimfire Central have many reviews of these scopes, particularly the 6.5-20x44 version which by all accounts is a near copy of the Simmons 44Mag model 1048. Remember that when the 44 Mag came out it was a several hundred dollar decent scope, not $50 Chicom crap. I personally have not purchased one of the Intensity scopes, because I just do not need one now, but I do have a few 44 Mags and they work just fine even on regular centerfire rifles. Were I in need of a scope like this I would not hesitate to buy one at todays closeout prices.