Cheap Scope Bites the Dust!

[Picher]

I was at Capitol City Range in Augusta, ME yesterday and a guy proudly showed me his latest "used" conquest, a Ruger .44 Mag Carbine with a Bushnell Sportview scope. We talked about the rifle for a bit, then I went back to my bench.

A few minutes and several shots later, he came over for my opinion about a problem with the scope. It was damaged so bad internally, that I couldn't see any image through it. The worst lens/reticle movement I've ever seen in a scope.

I think semi-autos are particularly hard on cheap scopes, since they slam in both directions and cheaper scopes aren't made to take a bolt slamming forward.

I don't know if he got a used-gun guarantee from the big-sporting goods store, but probably wishes he'd bought it at LL Bean, KTP, or another store that gives a warrantee.

 

[G.barnes]

What would a junk scope failing have to do with a used gun guarantee. I can't believe anyone would warranty a low price used optic. An aimpoint I can see a warranty not on a bushnell.

 

[marine6680]

Was it sold as a package?

 

[Mobuck]

Just my thoughts. If I were selling a "used" rifle, I'd mount a junk scope just to make the buyer feel he was "getting something for nothing" w/o actually costing me anything. I keep several junkers just for that purpose-some received in just that circumstance(taken in on traded rifles).
The older Sportview scopes were not all bad but the newer ones aren't much good. I used an old Sportview on a 300 WM for several seasons w/o issue and traded the rifle with scope in place-how long it lasted after that I have no idea.
Regarding the two way slam of the semi-auto, I don't think this is nearly as much of an issue as it was in the past. I've tested numerous newer production scopes on high powered pellet rifles (which produce far more reverse recoil) w/o having failures.

 

[Picher]

Yes, it was a package deal.

He was also noting that the bolt didn't close fully unless allowed to slam shut. I explained that I'd seen a couple of those rifles that had blown apart when they fired without being locked up and showed him that it would do so.

I suggested that he should take it apart and clean it thoroughly. That was before the scope blew out.

Regarding two-way slamming mentioned earlier, it's widely known that cheap scopes attached to pellet guns often fail early due to the negative reaction, but seem to last well on rimfire rifles.

 

[bamaranger]

not surprised

The Ruger Mini family have a reputation as scope trashers. The newer Ruger .44 carbine seems to have an operating system that is similar.

I've had nothing but bad luck with most Bushnell's. The " 4x Banner" my dad bought in the early 70's is doing fine. The "Elite" fixed 10x, recently purchased and placed on a heavy barrel .22, has held up for a couple of years now. But everything in between those years, a 2.5x shotgun scope, a 3-9x, couple of fixed 4x's,have all been clunkers. The shotgun scope went back twice for repair, then I gave up on it. It was on a Mini-30.

 

[4V50 Gary]

That's why Ruger designed the scope friendly "Ranch" sub-series of Mini-14s. Given time, the regular Mini-14 was destroy even the best of scopes. The receiver is like a tuning fork that transfers the energy to the scope. It doesn't help with the brass being bounced up into the scope base or the scope either. Hence the buffer in the Ranch and the side ejection.