Well I grenaded the 3X-9X Burris scope that I had on my 416 Rigby this morning. I was shooting it at 200 yds set on 9X when after my 5th shot everything got real blurry. I turned the power down to 5X and the picture got clear again so I continued. Anyway to make a long story short the scope finally became a 4.5X-5X after 40 shots and the sight picture got blurry again. However, it held zero until 57 shots and then the group dropped about 4" low and 4" to the left.

There was visible debris inside the scope also. Actually, some of the "debris" looked like nicks on the inside surfaces of the lenses. I have broken Leupolds before and they always went to sh!t immediately. The burris while no were near normal performance was still a viable sighting system for 50 rounds.

I cannot wait to hear back from the repair shop should be interesting.

Todd E

Thats not uncommon with the big bores as they are hell on scopes and it can get really serious if you have a recoil reducer on them and particularly in 458 Lott and up...

The only scope on the real big boys that stands up to repeated shooting is the Leupold compact 2.5X as it has the adjustments in the center of the tube...

Most, if not all, that claim no problems with their wonderfull scopes of various makes simply do not shoot these big kickers as much as they claim...

I, at one time had several boxes of various scopes that got trashed by the 458 Lott and 505 Gibbs..Good scopes last about 200 to 250 rounds...David Miller has had simular experience apparantly, as well as many other smiths that I have discussed this with...

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Ray,

This is by means not the first scope that I have destroyed. I am not exactly sure what let go, but I am curious to know. I do not want to give Burris any excuses so I am not going to tear it down.

Anyway, what I found amazing was how long the scope continued to provide service (albiet reduced) after the initial failure. I mean this thing held zero. The target was a little blurry and there were all kinds of dirty spots in the picture (which actually now appear to be chips in the lenses, but it held zero for about 50 rounds. The Leupolds I have broke always did the same thing smoke ringed immediately. This rifle does have a brake on it, but it doesn't do much other than make a gaud-awful amount of noise.

I think you are probably right about the guys that never have any issues with the big bores scopes. To date I have only had one scope that hasn't broken on one of my big bores (knock on wood) and that is a Leupold Vari XII 1-4. It has been on a 12 gauge for 100 or so slugs, around 1500 rounds through a 458Win Mag M70, and about 100 rounds through a 500 AHR. I personally think that this particular scope is a freak, but I happy it is my freak!

Todd E

Ray....This is more or less a duplicate of a question I posed to you on "scope for 416" but just now noticed again your comments regarding the leupold 2.5 compact.Between a 416 rem,458 win & 460 wby,I have around 1200 rounds fired with absolutely no problems.Each one uses it's own leupold 2.5 compact.On two of these rifles,I occasionally shoot with iron sights but the majority is with scope mounted.On another 458 win mag,I use a fixed 4 power leupold but frankly haven't fired that one more than about a hundred rounds or so.....The focus of my question is...Is there something internally unique about this model that I've been unaware of???Thanks.

Jagtip,
Yes the difference being the adjustments are in the center of the tube on the 2.5 Compact, and that seems to have solved the problems....Scope 101 to follow:

I have had no problems with the 3X, 1x4 or 1.5x5 on the 416 Rem. unless I install a muzzle brake on them, and then all hell breaks loose....as scopes are designed for rearward recoil an the muzzle brakes drive them back then pulls them forward and that trashes the insides of any scope...that's why the air gun scopes are different, they pull forward and a airgun will trash a fine scope that's designed for a cartridge rifle....

I went through a long period of trashing scopes on the 458 Lott and 505's I was building at one time and had a box full of varius scopes that companies quite making good on...All except Leupold, who just kept fixing them and sending them back, after about a dozen returns Leupold started sending me new 2.5 Compacts for my old scopes, and the problems quit...I trust the guys at Leupold, yep I am a Leupold groupie.

Keep in mind this was ONLY with the muzzle brakes on them, so I finally figured out the forward movement was the booger boo...I have tried to convince other scope companies how to correct the situation, but they just are not concerned, the big bore market is not great and the bean counters and computer nerds can't understand the simple fix, I have always wondered why gun companies and scope companies don't hire people like gunsmiths and folks that know guns, scopes etc. but they don't...Just try to tell the guys at the booths something about guns, jeeze but they are uninformed these days and they don't even know it......Well time to get off my soap box. Hope I answered your question.

Ray....Thanks!!!!...jagtip

Have 1.5x5 Vari III's on both 416REM and 460WM for the past 12 years. Lots of rounds through them with no problems as of yet. Cobalt

Cobalt,

Do you have a break on either of those rifles?

Todd E

Todd,
On both. The .460 has a cap that replaces the brake and I have shot it a bunch without the brake The .416 is on a Sako action, fairly lite bbl and a McMillan stock. I have not weighed it, but it can't go over 9 lbs. The .460 is more like 10.5 lbs. It is on a Brno 602 action in an MPI stock. The smaller rifle has a bit more felt recoil, but neither is uncomfortable to shoot. Cobalt