Has your scope actually lost zero? Completely failed? Gas released?

[LeftFootOfDoom]

I wonder how many scopes - say over 5 years old - still have their original gas charge inside the tube? and how would you know?

i;d guess that if the nitrogen or whatever gas leaked out of your scope you'd have a problem with internal fogging of the lenses. That would be fairly easy to detect in certain weather or seasons.

 

[AP]

i;d guess that if the nitrogen or whatever gas leaked out of your scope you'd have a problem with internal fogging of the lenses. That would be fairly easy to detect in certain weather or seasons.

I guess so...but I have a Zeiss Jena that has never been nitrogen charged (wasn't designed to be..nor was done at factory) that has never fogged. How often can you zoom or twist the W&E dials (or the parallax if equipped) on a nitrogen filled scope (if it is) before their rubber/silicon seals wear and leak? Just curious as OP specifically identified gas as one of the failure points...how do you know???

 

[Sleeper]

I have a Leupold vari-x-II that I owned for 4 years then failed. Sent it in for repairs, maybe took 6 months to get back. worked well for 9 more years until I sold the rifle. Scope is put away somewhere but I am sure its still fine. have other Leupolds with no issues.

 

[joe-nwt]

Had an older model Zeiss 10X that was first mounted on an SSG69 for many years and then spent a few seasons on a 93R17. One day in the gopher patch I shouldered the gun and everything was fuzzy through the scope and there was a rattle. Somehow, the second lens in from the objective lens had worked itself loose. Had it repaired and now it sits on a 10/22 takedown.

 

[geologist]

I had the erector on my 12 year old B&L 3000 3x9 shake loose. I had hunted it for years on my 30-06. No problems. I put it on my .375 H&H and shot it from the bench maybe 60 rounds and the POI started to wander.

I sent it to Bushnell, called them once a week and had it back repaired free of charge 4 weeks later.

It's back on my 30-06 and no problems.

 

[MackForce]

Hope people don't take this poll too seriously.

It doesn't matter how many failures there are from a certain brand. This is skewed data as it doesn't take into consideration the difference between a quality product vs a ####ty one from the same manufacturer. It also doesn't take into consideration how many of each scope was bought. Maybe scope X has the twice the number of failures but triple the number of sales compared to scope Y.

Not to say that this isn't an interesting thread but I hope people don't use it as a buying guide.

I think most people have a favorite brand(s) and most do some levels of research before buying scopes. Was never meant to be a buying guide. I just wanted to hear about what has happened to some from experience and not just hearsay. The poll was an after thought, and I was just trying out the function to be honest. Just f ing around.

I was assuming, if the gases released, the scope would have some noticeable differences.

I appreciate all the responses on their crapped out scopes. The scientists posting have made valid points, just didn't think anyone would take the thread so seriously. Just for fun fellas.

 

[MackForce]

Also, since almost 100 people voted, It is actually more common than I assumed.

Thanks again all.

 

[smiley1]

I won a Ruger 10/22 rifle at a shooting competition that came with a new BSA scope. It only lasted a few months and wouldn't hold zero.

Also had an ancient Redfield fall part completely inside mid hunt.

 

[sgt.rock]

knocking on wood here, but other than the "toss away" scopes that come with the scope package guns, I've never had one fail. I don't own any soft kicking rifles either. (other than a single .223) I actually have had awesome experiences with Bushnell, Leupold, Redfield, and Burris. These brands seem quite rugged for the price point. All the same, my personal "minimum standard" scope for any rifle is the Bushnell 3200 series. This ,in my opinion, is rugged enough to last any rifle, and yet cheap enough for most to afford.