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Rifle Scopes I'm so tired of Butler Creek

Doyputasos

Doyputasos

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Jan 11, 2012
235
2
Southern California
#1
I've had tens of pairs of regular BC flip caps and recently got a rubberized pair of the tactical live hinge caps. The regular caps are great until they break, sometimes in less than a month with little use and no abuse. The rubber ones probably won't be breaking anytime soon, but they suck so bad I don't even know what to do. They are almost impossible to close and don't stay shut when you actually close them. I'm not really a fan of bikini covers. Where's the free market entrepreneur who will come in and make a superior product along with a bunch of money after it has passed the test? I have a Vortex Viper PST 6-24 if anyone has suggestions.
 
#4
I know you're running a Vortex but Leupold alumina flip open caps are the "best" on the market IMHO right now, not sure if they will work (probably not). I just don't understand why $1500-$3500 dollar scopes all come with cheap caps. Sorry this post does not help much but I feel your frustration, I am surprised no one has "copied or improved" on the alumina flip caps.
 
#5
dont like bikini covers and like the way butler creek covers work but damn are they pieces of shite for breaking at the drop of a hat.sick to deat of replacing them on my hunting rifles
 
#7
Yeah its tough to find caps that are durable and practical. The BC are flimsy, but I can deploy them like second nature. Rifle to shoulder and I have them open in milliseconds. For non hunting rifles I just use a scopecoat, it protects the entire scope.
 
#8
I broke the BC caps that came with my Schmidt and replaced them with Tenabraex, I loved them on my Premier and now I can love them again on my Schmidt. These are the best IMHO but they don't make them for many scopes which is a bummer.
 
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#9
Vortex has their own brand flip up covers.

Go to vortex site, find your scope and look under 'accessories' tab.

Give them a try as an alternative to breakage prone BC. I've no experience with them, but I know they offer them.
 
#10
I wish I could find some flip caps that would fit my S&B 5-25x56 with the clearance I have. I have about just under 1/8" space from the rail to the scope. Butler Creek caps fit, but it wedges in between the scope and the rail
 
#12
roggom said:
Yeah its tough to find caps that are durable and practical. The BC are flimsy, but I can deploy them like second nature. Rifle to shoulder and I have them open in milliseconds. For non hunting rifles I just use a scopecoat, it protects the entire scope.
Click to expand...

roggom,

Thanks for the Scopecoat recommendation, just order several of them for Steiner 5-25 x 56 MSR's. Scopecoat called me same day from a special order web request and got them ordered over the phone. Tired of breaking BC caps as well.
 
#13
117D-RTO said:
I broke the BC caps that came with my Schmidt and replaced them with Tenabraex, I loved them on my Premier and now I can love them again on my Schmidt. These are the best IMHO but they don't make them for many scopes which is a bummer.
Click to expand...

Although I do not believe they make any to fit the OP's scope, Tenebraex are far better. I've been using Tenebraex on my Schmidt's and Premiers for quite sometime now without breaking any. For me, Butler Creeks usually break after a month or so. I am not sure if there are any other viable options for the PST.
 
#14
What's wrong with bikini covers? You zip tie them to the tube and they pop off just as fast as a set of BC's. They don't break and they cost the same as one set of BC flip ups. I use NF for everything above 50MM and Leupold for smaller.
 
#15
Although all Butler Creek caps "flip up", I've had better luck with the Multi-Flex than the Flip-Up or the Blizzard covers.

Every pair of Blizzard covers I have owned has ejected the transparent windows, pretty early in the ownership process.

Whoever comes up with a workable solution will be rolling in the dough.

Mark H.
 
#16
Looks like when I'm feeling better I'm going to have to go hit the machine shop so you guys will throw your money at me. Just post your suggestions below, I'm listening.
 
#19
OpticsPlanet said:
Whoever comes up with a workable solution will be rolling in the dough.Mark H.
Click to expand...

In my opinion, Leupold's Alumina caps are pretty close to ideal. No extra diameter to worry about barrel clearance, flip up instantly, fold back flat, stay with the scope so no chance of loss, made out of metal for durability, look great. I've never broken one. Now, if the other scope manufacturers would start threading their eyepieces, we would be set. I'm guessing there must be some patent that it preventing them from doing so, otherwise, it's just silly for them not to. For those that like bikini covers, fine. The threaded eyepiece doesn't stop you, but it would give the rest of us another option.
 
#21
I've tromped around all over from Texas to California and have never- ever- broken a butler creek flip cover. I would wager that for most people (most people NOT being SH forumites), experiences mirror my experience more than the "I broke 3 pair last week" crowd. This is the major inhibitor to a widely available high quality product. I am not defending BC caps as a high quality product. But, for most people BC caps are (just) worth the cost most of the time. Making a truely superior product would price the product out of the truely lucrative segment of the market (shoppers of Walmart, cabelas, bass pro, etc). My rifle has hit the ground precisely twice, once I dropped it and the other it slid out of a truck. While I will grant that I hunt and shoot in a moderate climate unlikely to make the plastic brittle in winter, I still have to ask "what are you doing to break your caps???" This has, however, inspired me to go out and pick up a set of Leupold caps for one of my rifles.
 
#22
hlee said:
I've tromped around all over from Texas to California and have never- ever- broken a butler creek flip cover.
Click to expand...

I've never actually broken one either, but the new ones I've purchased fit like crap. By that, I mean that there was enough distortion in the molding that the cap didn't want to stay closed. The older ones were fine.
 
#23
hlee said:
Making a truely superior product would price the product out of the truely lucrative segment of the market (shoppers of Walmart, cabelas, bass pro, etc).
Click to expand...

I gotta call bullshit on that one. Ten years ago, Butler Creeks were awesome, very difficult to break, solid close every time. Now, they suck balls. This often happens when a company sells to someone with no pride in the name.

BC's are far inferior to what they were many years ago. And at the same price. I don't need a "superior" product, I just want what it was I got when I bought the old Butler Creeks.

I actually posted on the same topic over a year ago. To his credit, the Butler Creek rep PM'ed me, asked me exactly what broke, then sent me replacements. To BC's discredit, those too broke in short order. I now go with bikinis on most scopes, I'm done with Butler Creek (except the box of old ones that are still awesome. And yes, I have duct-taped a few objectives to get it to a size where an old school BC fits; it may look ghetto, but it is far better than having a crappy new BC fail when I really need it most.)
 
#25
With the cost of quality factory ammo going for $1 to $2 bucks or more a trigger pull, bitching about breaking a $8.00 scope cover is foolish. Just buy the damn things a half-dozen at a time, like donuts, and rock on. Breaking a BC cover is just a cost of doing business when shooting in the field.
 
#26
19Scout77 said:
If you have never broken one...then you are not shooting very much, or need to get off the bench and shoot like a man.
Click to expand...

I'm not sure if that was directed at my comment about not having broken one, but your comment is incorrect. Some of my older BCs were on hunting rifles that got years of use in all conditions and never broke. If hunting in below zero weather in MN doesn't satisfy your criteria for "shooting like a man", whatever.
 
#28
19Scout77 said:
If you have never broken one...then you are not shooting very much, or need to get off the bench and shoot like a man.
Click to expand...

Please define "shooting like a man," and with that also define how "shooting like a man" equates to breaking stuff. "I took my rifle out of the safe and the damned caps were broke" doesn't wash any more than does "I dropped my rifle off of a cliff and the damned caps broke..." What are you doing to break the caps?

Also, to the point about "price point," even 10 years ago $20 was more than it is today- it is called inflation. If they are at the same price point (absolute $ amount) they were 10 years ago then they are actually substantially less expensive... There is a reason why Tenebrax (Sp?) cost what they do, and why they are only made for a few high end scopes. Also, there is a reason why the Alumina caps cost ~$50-60 per cap and are specific to Leupold. The lucrative market is selling to the guys buying bushnell sportview, Nikon prostaff, BSA, Redfield, Tasco, etc.

I just got home with a pair of Leupold Alumina caps for one of my Leupold scopes. They are definitely a step up from the BC caps. However, the rather fragile hinge still appears to be a weak point in the design. I am somewhat glad that my older Leupold scope does not have a threaded objective as that saved me from dropping ~$100 on a modest gain in performance over the BC caps that have not failed in the 7 years they have been on the scope.

I am not now, nor have I ever been, in the military. I do not fast rope into hostile territory nor do I kick in doors and hunt "bad guys" in the Intergalactic War on Terror. I do not shoot tactical matches and the closest I get to "run and shoot" is old Houston Oilers games. I do not subscribe to the zombie apocalypse theory of self preparedness, even though I have bought a few boxes of Hornady Zmax ammunition (it's Hornady match with a green tip- what's not to love?). I don't "bang steel," although, I did recently buy a small resetting steel target for my son and his 22lr. ("I don't shoot for groups, I shoot steel" is always good for a laugh- at least for me). I shoot on a "square range" to make sure that my gun is sighted in and the remainder of my shooting consists of hiking as far as necessary to find my intended quarry, then making a single well placed shot. The cold bore shot is the only one that matters, but then again... Maybe real men need follow up shots...
 
#29
I have had bc caps on a few other scopes and they have seemed ok. But on my nightforces they wont last 2 weeks!!!!!! I handle my rifles very gently you wont find a scratch on them but i do use them. And I will never buy another B.C. cap i would use 2 dixie cups and tape before i wasted my time even taking them out of the package. I currently have tenebraex they survived a tactical match and so far so good.
 
#31
Katahdin said:
I know you're running a Vortex but Leupold alumina flip open caps are the "best" on the market IMHO right now, not sure if they will work (probably not). I just don't understand why $1500-$3500 dollar scopes all come with cheap caps. Sorry this post does not help much but I feel your frustration, I am surprised no one has "copied or improved" on the alumina flip caps.
Click to expand...

Yeah those are great, im fucking tired of butthole creek, cheep ass bla bla.
 
#34
The Vortex covers that came with one of my Razors are no bueno. You guys know I don't like Vortex anything, but I am giving an objective assessment here...the ocular lens's cover will no longer stay closed on it's own. In fact, I was shooting it this morning, and the damn thing was driving me berserker.

I am not a huge fan of bikini covers, but compared to what we have available to us, I believe they are the best choice.
 
#37
I'm not easy on my rifles and never broke one Knock on wood. LOL. I have at least 6-7 sets I would think.

But I can tell you this, all of mine seem just finebut the set I bought for the SS 5-20 are noisy to open or close and take to much force to close, its on a loaner rifle so it doesn't bother me but I have had no complaints with any of mine really. I treat them as they are, cheap protection for my lenses. I just open and close them, and watch how I do it, If they might get in my way I pull em off and throw em in my pack.

I use them on my NF's with low rings mounted on surgeons as well but you have to find the sweet wpot on the ocular end as if you want to change magnification and run the bolt you cant just put em anywhere. On my short 308 I use the factory bikini that is 550'd to the scope and its not a fix all either. the thing has messed me up running the bolt a time or two. Like when it flipps over the rifle or when the the close one cups over the end of the bolt. Just get an extra pair and rock on.
 
#40
Doyputasos said:
Where's the free market entrepreneur who will come in and make a superior product along with a bunch of money after it has passed the test? I have a Vortex Viper PST 6-24 if anyone has suggestions.
Click to expand...
Darn it. Don't you people know how busy I am already? :) Are you really going to make me bring these to market?

PICT0438.JPG



PICT0444.JPG



PICT0464.JPG



PICT0467.JPG



PICT0446.JPG



PICT0472.JPG



PICT0476.JPG



I started designing/developing them really just for my own use as I'm as tired as everybody else with BC's that won't last a day of hard use. The new "rubbery" BC's don't break but they don't work worth a damn either.

There's nothing really that special about these--they simply do the job and they're really, really, tough. A word of warning if I do put these on the market--they won't be cheap. I have no desire to compete price-wise with companies that poop parts out of molds in China by the tens of thousands. These probably cost me a good 10-20X as much to make as it does the BC's so they will be priced accordingly--probably around $50 each. However they are so well built and tough I think I'd be able to safely put a lifetime replacement warranty on them.

Anybody interested?
 
#41
Jon A,

Yes dammit, I'm interested. Can we have them by next week, or the week after at the latest. :cool:

$50. bucks each sounds great if you can make them for most tactical scopes that DON'T cost north of $2k. Since I'm already buying BC's by the six pack, the price is the same I'm spending now.

I have no problem with the Tennebraex covers price point for example, except that I have to buy an S&B to get a size that fits....
 
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#42
I'm so tired of Butler Creek

Jon A said:
There's nothing really that special about these--they simply do the job and they're really, really, tough. A word of warning if I do put these on the market--they won't be cheap. I have no desire to compete price-wise with companies that poop parts out of molds in China by the tens of thousands. These probably cost me a good 10-20X as much to make as it does the BC's so they will be priced accordingly--probably around $50 each. However they are so well built and tough I think I'd be able to safely put a lifetime replacement warranty on them.

Anybody interested?
Click to expand...

Your post got me really pumped! Then came the price point. I realize that saying this may come off a bit funny being that I am the one begging for a better alternative, however I think that you are going to put folks in a rough spot @$50 each. As an extreme example, I can imagine the guy who needs to cover 10 scopes feeling a little buyer's remorse after dropping $1k on some rubber covers. Sorry if I am sort of looking a gift horse in the mouth here, but there's got to be a way that a guy could get these made and sell them @ $50 a pair and still make a nice buck... Am I crazy?

All that being said, I am interested in a pair.
 
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#49
When you consider the price of some of the scopes we buy which could be easily supplied with Tenabreax covers or others of similar quality - it just makes you wonder what sort of customer relations/sales policies are in place with some manufacturers ?

Top marks to S&B for supplying these with their scopes ... can some of the other makers please rise to the challenge?

I have 5 Nightforce Scopes of which 2 are NSX models and one a new ATACR. All 3 of these scopes have rubber lens covers that never move out of the box the scope comes in. So if you are reading this NF ... maybe you could bring a welcome change to solve this issue in the future?

The BR models actually come with good screw in aluminium caps for Benchrest/F Class ... and these are their cheapest scopes ???
 
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#50
bigbear_98 said:
I'm interested. What are they made of? If an alloy/metal, how do you keep them from scratching up the scope where they slide on?
Click to expand...
It's a pretty stiff/strong plastic. They can be hard to push on but they won't scratch. While I think they function better than those of a more rubbery material, they don't stretch as much when means they're much less "one size fits many" as it needs to be pretty precise. I'll start a new thread where people can post requests/measurements.

Doyputasos said:
Sorry if I am sort of looking a gift horse in the mouth here, but there's got to be a way that a guy could get these made and sell them @ $50 a pair and still make a nice buck... Am I crazy?
Click to expand...
Not at this quality level. For example, the springs I'm using are large, strong, 270 degree springs made from stainless. They alone cost $5 each. I could use cheaper springs that aren't as strong, only flip 180, or will rust to save a few bucks. And that's just the little spring, you're still missing the entire rest of the cover. Don't get me wrong, if eventually there are orders in the thousands in each size the price could come down some, but for now they cost what they cost. If it was easy to make something of this quality at such a low price I think many others would already be doing it.
 
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