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shatodavis · Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 137

I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with these scopes. I'm looking for ancedotal evidence here. I'm a dyed in the wool Leupold man but I'm looking for less expensive options for varmint rifles.

I would love to be able to afford Leo's for all my guns but alas I can not. I've been looking into other options. The Bushnell elite 4200 looks promising, but is expensive. The Burris Signature series is nice but nearly the cost of a leo. I've heard good things about Nikon.The ost of the upper end Nikons are pushing near the leo's.

I've found Weaver Grand Slam 6 x 20 for around $350. I was just wondering what they are like. I recieved a Weaver T36 target scope as a present a few years ago. It is an excellent piece of glass. It tracks better than a leo in my humble opion. It holds Point of impact perfectly. There just isn't much to complain about. All that at about half the price or less than a Leo target scope. I Just wonder if that quality transfers to Weaver's other lines.

drum002 · Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 36 Location: Raleigh, NC

I've been researching scopes quite a bit as well. I looked at the Nikon, and they make good scopes. I finally came across Sightron, and was pleasently surprised. Sightron does the glass work for Leo's, so the clarity is there. They are very high end scopes for less money. An examle is the Sightron S II, which retails for around $200 (3-9x42) is the match to the Leo Varix-2 for around $300. Hope this helps!
John-

shatodavis · Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 137

Just to follow up. I used a grand slam this last weekend. It seems to be a winner. The optics are reasonable. I side by side tested the GS 3x10x40 and a Leupold VXIII 3.5X10X40. The Leupold is brighter and clearer, but not by a lot. I would say the Leo would be superior but the cost difference is substantial. Its a toss up. The Tracking system of the Weaver is excellent. We zeroed the weapon (7mm-08, built on Rem. 700 action with Shilen barrel) then shot the square. I moved the POI 8 clicks right, shot. 8 clicks up, shot. 8 clicks left, shot. and 8 clicks down, shot. then I shot 2 more. The results were a nearly perfect 2 " square box with a 4 shot group that measured approx. 1/2" at the original point of impact.

On a gun I was going to tote up in the mountains after a trophy of a lifetime I will stick to my leo's. But, on a Prairie Dog gun I think the GrandSlam will be more than Adequate.

NONYA · Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Posts: 409 Location: Montana

I went with a Simmons over a Leo 4 years ago when a local sporting goods store owner turned me on to them,they have the same coating on thier optics and thier light retention is the same for a much better price along with the same warantee,I have been shootin this 7 mag with the same scope for four years and i have only sighted it in once after i mounted it,every spring i go out and check the zero and i havnt had to adjust it once,im sold.

JTapia · Joined: 21 Aug 2003 Posts: 748 Location: Florida,USA

NONYA wrote: I went with a Simmons over a Leo 4 years ago when a local sporting goods store owner turned me on to them,they have the same coating on thier optics and thier light retention is the same for a much better price along with the same warantee,I have been shootin this 7 mag with the same scope for four years and i have only sighted it in once after i mounted it,every spring i go out and check the zero and i havnt had to adjust it once,im sold.

I have heard similar remarks about Simmons.
My Girlfriend bought me a Simmons 44 Mag at Bass Pro Shops for Christmas but I have yet to mount it. However I must confess that I am tormented by the thought of removing the old trusty Weaver K-4 that I have used for the past 14 years. It, like NONYA's Simmons, has remained dead on @ 100 yards every year only having to re-zero when I changed ammo. It is not the best scope for those twilight times though.

drum002 · Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 36 Location: Raleigh, NC

JTapia,
I guess you'll just have to get a new gun to put the new scope on. You don't want to offend the little lady!! 8)

shatodavis · Joined: 23 Sep 2004 Posts: 137

NONYA wrote: I went with a Simmons over a Leo 4 years ago when a local sporting goods store owner turned me on to them,they have the same coating on thier optics and thier light retention is the same for a much better price along with the same warantee,I have been shootin this 7 mag with the same scope for four years and i have only sighted it in once after i mounted it,every spring i go out and check the zero and i havnt had to adjust it once,im sold.
If you want to use a Simmons scope thats your business. Maybe you had good luck with yours. I've never owned a simmons myself, but I've seen several of them that would not hold point of impact. I seen one that was brand new out of the box, that when the eye focus was attempted to be adjusted the threads stripped. NO, I think that I will avoid Simmons. I know many have said that this or that Company uses the same coating as a well known company. I am here to say It takes quality lenses to start with. You can coat a crapy lenses with anything you want and when you get done its still a crapy scope. Maybe, Simmons has vastly improved there quality but I will never know because I will not buy one.