re: Let's Talk Optics!!

Another thing to consider is that big heavy scopes are not as tough as smaller and lighter ones. It is simple physics. The bigger scopes have more mass and generate more momentum during recoil and are FAR more prone to breaking than smaller lighter scopes in most cases.

There are exceptions. Some of the tactical scopes like Nightforce are so heavy because they are built so strongly and completely over engineered to make sure they don't break.

On the other hand a Leupold or a Zeiss made with a 50 mm objective and made just like the 4x32 model is going to be much much more prone to breakage than the smaller lighter scope. And fixed power scopes are always tougher than variables.

The toughest hunting scope made is probably the little 2.5x20 Leupold. D'Arcy Echols uses one to test all of his really heavy big game rifles that he build for Africa and declares that it is practically unbreakable. He has seen nearly every scope made when customers send them in to be placed on their rifles he makes and he has said that many many scopes costing thousands of dollars have broken in just a few shots from one of his rifles.