I had heard some good stuff about Simmons , and I bought a couple to check out. I ended up giving one to my son which he mounted on his 243(2x7). The other a 6.5x20 I've been using as a sight in scope when testing rifles. I had just built a rifle, and tested it with the 6.5x20 and was getting 1.5-2" grouping which didn't satisfy me. I changed my scope to a 2.5x8 Leupold and the groups went down to .5-1" with simply a scope change. My son was trying to sight in his rifle at the range yesterday, and after about a box, couldn't seem to get it sighted in. I asked him to let me shoot it, and I couldn't keep it on paper. After checking mounting, tried again with same results. I removed the 2.5x8 Leupold and put it on the 243 and "Walla" 3 shots later its sighted in.

JD, I have found Simmons to be crap to. I had obe mounted on a marlin .22 mag. I got rid of both because I though the qualit was crap on both items. Mayeb the rifle needed a better scope ?? I suppose I will never know.

Personally I have liked the 3 Simmons 8 point scopes that I have had. However I have not had them for a long period of time. 3 different scopes 3 different rifles all shot 1" or less groups at 100 yards. Sounds like you got a lemon. I think that the real difference in scopes is the lemon to good scope ratio.

Being an old time photographer, I've learned that in optics you get exactly what you pay for. The difference between cheap optics and expnsive optics is the quality of the grinding and polishing the glass, the coating on the glass, the colimination, I think that how it's spelled, the alinement of the optical groups in relation to one another, the manner that the mechanical parts are set up and what they are made from. The machining of the major metal parts.
I loved using a 4+5 camera because if you were reading a paper when I made the exposure I could read the paper also, when I made a print. I had good optics and a good negative size.
A good test for cheap optics is to look thru them for a minute or two. See if you start feeling eye strain. Look for detail in the bark of trees at 100 yards then look at detail at 50 then 200. Cheap optics can't do it.
I have a big Tasco scope that I use for load tinkering. It has all the bells and whistles, internal focusing, 30 mm tube, but it still won't focus to really sharp. This scope is only fit for using at 100 yards. When I finish tinkering with the loads I put a Nikon on it, that's good and sharp but not as sharp as my old Leopolds.
Jim

Hi all, agree with you guys heartily. I have a BSA Deerhunter on my.308 Howa and I have had enough of its crappy focus, bad intake of available light and lack of accuracy (it doesn't keep its zero very well). I am thinking of upgrading to a Leupold or Swarovski.
AJ1

I HAD A SIMMONS AND SAME TROUBLE SIGHTING IT IN. STARTED BLAMING THE POOR SHOT GROUPS ON MYSELF. KNEW THE RIFLE SHOT VERY TIGHT GROUPS PRIOR TO THE NEW SCOPE. THOUGHT I MIGHT SWAP A LEUPOLD FROM ANOTHER RIFLE TO SEE IF THAT HELPED AND WITHIN A FEW MINUTES MY RIFLE WAS SHOOTING THE SAME TIGHT GROUPS I KNEW IT WAS CAPABLE OF. I NOW OWN 5 LEUPOLDS. I THINK ITS LIKE THE OTHER GUYS SAID,YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

There is a good reason they are priced so cheap.
This is one case I agree you get what you pay for.

I have a Simmons Aetec and love it. On my 257 AI it'll shoot 1/2" groups all day long. It's clear and has all the eye relief I need, deffinatly worth the money to me.

I've had a couple of Simmons Pro Hunter 4x12s on two rifles for a few years...all shoot under moa anytime I'm up to the task and never had a lick of trouble with any. Both clear as a bell.

I'm happy with them.

I have used simmons scopes for years and I have never had a problem.I know you can't compair there optics to swarovski or some of the other top brands but for the money I don't think you can beat em.

I have a Simmons scope that was given to me for free. I really like it and haven't had any problems with it loosening up or anything. It is currently doing duty with my daughter and is a fine bat for wiffle ball practice. I have heard of people who have actually tried to use them for a rifle scope, but I think that is just asking for trouble.

For rifle scopes, I have had good luck with Nikon, and Leupold.

My opinion, If your not having trouble with Simmons, you're not shooting enough. Its a matter of time.

Mike, I shoot close to 1000 rounds a year if not more so that can't be the problem. Maby I need to smack it on a few trees or rocks and see if I can break it.

I just went through my reloading log, and my Aetec now has 1354 rounds under it. How much shooting is enough? Dutch.

I'm starting to think scopes are like hood ornaments. For some it's more of a status thing that just an optical sight.

Personally I'd rather have TWO rifles with inexpensive but working scopes than ONE rifle with some $500 scope sitting on top of it.

I've done just fine with these scopes, thank you.
But if you got it, flaunt it.

I don't know about Simmons but I have a Leupold 4X33 that I have sent back to Leupold twice over a span of 20 years to be repaired - missed one of the nicest Mule deer bucks I ever shot at (four very frustrating times) because the scope failed - they repaired free both times - but!. Also have a Weaver K4 and K6 that have been thru hell and back and never failed. A new Weaver K4 I have is superb - so far. At the local gun shop here they sell reconditioned Nikons - enough of them must fail to have a recondition program. But then again I just spent some serious cash on a new Leupold 3X9X40 for a 338 - why? That stylish gold ring has the best reputation in the business.

I think arkypete is on the right track. You do get what you pay for in optics.
I have noticed that when you buy the cheapest thing out there, there seems to be more problems or breakdowns with it. The better you purchase, the better your results. GENERALLY!
The Aetec scope by Simmons has been one of their better inventions. It was this scope and several others similar to it that forced Leupold to finally make changes in their hallowed VXII models. Something I personally felt was long overdue.
Most of my big game scopes are Leica's or Swarovski's and I do have one Leupold VXIII that I have.
But on my 'play' guns, I have mostly old Weaver K4's or the old variable. In fact, I just got my old Weaver varialble back from them. This is a scope that's almost 40 years old and finally had gotten so foggy, I could barely see through it.
It came back clear as a bell w/ new seals.
They did charge me $56 for the repair and return, but I figured if I get another 40 years use out of it, I'll have gotten my money's worth out of it.

I have never had any Simmons problems either...I favor Aetecs also. Buy a decent scope not the $19.95 specials from Wally World.
Cant see matching up with all you Leupold lovers either. Have too many rifle and not enough moola to play on that field. I dont believe my last couple elk could have told the difference anyway.

I had a bad scope from Weaver. Sent it back...they fixed it free. Works fine...I suppose that they are crap too. Lets see the forest for the trees here guys. swede

How much shooting, how bout 1000 rounds in 2-3 days. I find Simmons to be quirky on eye relief and target aquisition. Not suitable for me. But to each his own if it works for you use it. Simmons did not work for me.

I've been gone for a few days, but I see my post got some attention. I sometimes fire 1,000 rounds in a few days. These 2 Simmons were over $100 a piece, not the $20 ones. I have had failures with Nikon, Leupold, Burris, Weaver and these have all been fixed to my satisfaction. My son is going to send his junk Simmons in; I'll report back when it's received. For now, he's using one of my Leupold's. I shoot a lot, and I hunt a lot. Hell, I've even had failures with iron sights or more than one occasion.

I have the 6.5+20+44 and I have had it an a 338 win mag and a 300 win mag.Both guns have had alot of rounds throught them and There is still not problem.So..Shooting and recoil doesn't seem to be an issue.They have been shot plenty of times and the simmons just keeps on going.

I have a Simmons Aetec on my 7mm mag. I have shot this combo for 5 years with approx. 700 rounds through. Never a problem with the scope. If you buy a cheap Simmons you might have problems as with any low end product from any manugfacturer.

I put the simmons pro hunter (or maybe it was the 44 mag?) 4x on my pistol, and after about 100 rounds the crosshairs had turned into an X. The internals had spun from the recoil.

It wasn't the cheap one either. I'll send it in to get it fixed, and then sell it at a discount to someone who needs a scope on their 25 auto or some other light cartridge.

I had a simmons on my .223 Handi-Rifle and it shot fine for at least 3,000 rounds at prairie dogs in the 1.5 summers I used it. Had another on my big game rifle and it worked fine for several hunts (3 years in WY that equals roughly 9 animals with a hard hunt for each) until the recticle broke and turned into an X instead of a +.
I would rather have a cheap scope than shoot junk ammo/bullets.
I replaced the broken one with a leupold BTW. It probably depends if you are more of a hunter or a shooter.
If you shoot once over the hood of a truck to sight in your rifle a high dollar scope will not help you kill stuff.

I've never had a scope failure of any kind, and Iv'e got scopes from Tasco, Pentax, Leupold, Bushnell, BSA, Weaver, and Nikon. I have a $59 Bushnell 4x12 AO on a Savage 22-250 that shoots in the .3's!