Rifle Scopes Revisiting drop testing

[MikeMiller]

Not many, 5 in 2025. Likely done for the year because hunting seasons are open.



Forces are different for sure and from different directions. My understanding was that much of scope design and testing was to resist loss of zero from recoil which is in a different direction to forces laying flat in a case on an ATV rack.

In short like putting reg scope on spring air rifle. Beats it in different direction then designed.

Not sure how much modern scopes are designed for side impacts. I know most are now air rifle rated. I broke a few nice scopes back in 1990’s putting on spring guns

 

[supercorndogs]

Not many, 5 in 2025. Likely done for the year because hunting seasons are open.



Forces are different for sure and from different directions. My understanding was that much of scope design and testing was to resist loss of zero from recoil which is in a different direction to forces laying flat in a case on an ATV rack.

And where did you get this understanding?

We can see a scope body flexes laterally with every shot.

 

[wind gypsy]

And where did you get this understanding?

Partially from rokslide reports but also wandering or lost zeros from side impacts and riding in vehicles when the same issues didn't show up from lots of rounds down range. Also because the durability testing i've seen like with the Leupold "punisher" seems to be just recoil related.

We can see a scope body flexes laterally with every shot.

I struggled a bit with basic college physics but i dont believe the forces to be the same just because there is flex under front and back recoil.

 

[supercorndogs]

In short like putting reg scope on spring air rifle. Beats it in different direction then designed.

Not sure how much modern scopes are designed for side impacts. I know most are now air rifle rated. I broke a few nice scopes back in 1990’s putting on spring guns

My springer destroyed more mounts than scopes. First mount bent and the rings dug into the scope tube. I would guess the rings cut half the thickness of the tube for about 1/4". I went to get a picture but I put it on a buddies 10/22, 2-7 baraska. He shoots pdogs with it.

Here are some rings that broke off the tip off. Reticle in that cheap scope is broken also. Still holds zero though. A 29 flip valuation new would be genrous.

My current Gamo whisper wears a cheap hawk scope. It's been shot a lot but I haven't had to rezero. A lot is 2k+ shots. I had zero troubles on it too until I got the rings to stop sliding and the scope to stop sliding in the rings.

 

[supercorndogs]

Partially from rokslide reports but also wandering or lost zeros from side impacts and riding in vehicles when the same issues didn't show up from lots of rounds down range. Also because the durability testing i've seen like with the Leupold "punisher" seems to be just recoil related.


I struggled a bit with basic college physics but i dont believe the forces to be the same just because there is flex under front and back recoil.

So to try to get right to the point of this. You think if you bump a scope sidways, there is something inside the scope that moves and causes small shifts in zero. And this movment would not happen under recoil, because the physics of recoil are only front to back. Correct?