Thoughts on Weaver 2.5-10 x 50mm Scope?

[jasonprox700]

What are your thoughts on the below scope?  Not sure what to think of it.

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/weaver-mil-dot-tactical-25-10x50-mm-scope-matte-black.aspx?a=862827

[jager]

Jason - I own a Weaver, "Classic" 2.5x10x38 scope and it is now on my .308 Encore (the 3rd rifle I have had it on in the last 10 years). It is a medium priced scope that is bright, rugged, waterproof, has decent "eye relief", and has never failed to perform as advertised. However, my model is a 1" tube scope that uses standard size rings and weighs about 13oz.
   The model you are looking at is a 30mm scope tube that will need "special" rings that will have to be the "high" version to give the 50mm objective clearance on your rifle barrel. It is also listed at 23oz which will really alter the balance of your intended firearm by the time you add the mount and rings (another 8 or so oz). The features specified for the scope are many in that you have battery illumination, tactical windage and elevation adjustments, and Mildot cross-hairs. All these features in one package under the Weaver label looks pretty good and is hundreds of dollars less than most tactical scopes with these features.  I have owned many Weaver scopes over the years and believe them to be great values for hunting rifles. If you purchase this scope, I would like to hear your review of its performance! It might be just the "ticket" on a tactical rifle where weight or size is not an issue.

[jasonprox700]

I know Weaver is a pretty decent brand and this scope pretty much has all the features I'm looking for.  It is going on a Olympic Arms .243 WSSM.  It already has a heavy barrel so the little bit extra weight isn't going to matter all that much. 

It's funny, 10 years ago wanted to get the highest magnification possible on varmint rifles.  Now I keep going back to the 3-9, 2.5-10 or less power range.  I have a 1.5-6 on my .308 which is about perfect for woods hunting.  Funny how time and experience change your way of thinking!

If I purchase the scope, I'll post my findings.

[Brithunter]

Hmmm not about the US but here in the UK 30mm scope rings mounts stopped being special at least a decade ago. 50mm objectives are also fairly common as are 52mm and 56mm ones. Lot of night shooting for pest/vermin control done here..


Now the height of the rings/mounts will vary depending upon the rifle it's going to be fitted on. Some may need highs other will only need medium height mounts/rings.


Mounts/rings are a highly personal choice and what others like and rave about I would give you tuppence for like the Warnes for instance. I really dislike those vertically split rings although I have a cheap set of 30mm's on a rifle and they work but damn are they awful to get set up when compared to normal horizontally split rings.



That's them holding a 7.5x50mm Falcon Menace CSS scope


Compare the same rifle holding a 6x42 1" tube with horitonally split rings





Would never bother with the Warne style again and as of tactical type scope a waste of time for my shooting. I brought this to try out the Mil dot reticle to see what all the fuss was about ....  .

[scratcherky]

Personally I would never buy a scope above 9x without adjustable objective lens and also would have no use for a scope over 1 inch tube diameter or over 40 mm objective diameter.

[jasonprox700]

Personally I would never buy a scope above 9x without adjustable objective lens and also would have no use for a scope over 1 inch tube diameter or over 40 mm objective diameter.

The scope in question does have parallax adjustment.  Also, the price difference between 1" and 30mm rings is the same.  I have many of both the 40 and 50mm scopes and I don't feel handicapped with either. 

[Brithunter]

Personally I would never buy a scope above 9x without adjustable objective lens and also would have no use for a scope over 1 inch tube diameter or over 40 mm objective diameter.

You will never use a really top notch scope in that case  .



Ahhh well if you buy quality scopes with good glass an PA adjustable objective or 3rd turret is needed less than the cheap stuff. On the Nikko Sterling Gold Crown 4.5-14x50 the depth of field was so small it was virtually useless of bunny bashing on a .22 L/R because if the Wabbit ,  Oooooooooo I hate that Wabbit  , moved more than a few feet the scope needed adjustment as it was out of focus. Have never had a scope that was so fussy before.


Quality in construction and especially the lenses and their coatings is WHAT matters. Even the Tasco Titan 3-9x42 scopes do not require an Adjustable Objective and they are clear and bright but of course these particular scopes are not budget ones..


  Although they were not cheap I have 2x Simmons Competition Airgun scopes of 6-18x40AO scopes with 1/8" clicks. At anything over 6x magnification you have to focus the scope using the AO which can be used as a range finder on 18x mag but no other setting. The lenes and coatings appear to be quality, certainly not budget type, but these copes were built for a certain use and they do that well. Both of mine were acquired used when the owners had upgraded to more "modern" competition optics which usually means side focusing.


Years ago a friend of mine used to think buying top quality optics was a waste of money as he used to say " just how good are your eyes anyway" meaning that you had to have damned good eye to tell the difference. This all changed when he splashed out some of his compensation from the Handgun ban on a pair of Swaroski 7x42 SLC binos and discovered that he could see more detail on the 100 yard range with them than his 8-24x40 Tasco and Bushnell scopes. He was then offered a good deal on a used Schmidt And Bender 8x56 scope which really opened his eye to the difference in quality scopes. With that 8x56 S&B he could see far more detail than any scope he had owned or used up to then. If you visit the shop he now now works in he will always advise you spend as much as you can on the scope of binos as quality does matter in optics and he is doing it from personal experience.


I am sorry to have to say that a lot of American shooters really do skimp on their scopes and use ones which would never even be considered for even rabbit shooting here. I recall my buddy from St Louis showing me his hunting scope and frankly it was dreadful. The optics were not clear at all and he thought it was great and had been using it for years.  I let him have a gander at mine and you could see the reaction on his face when he realised just how fuzzy the scope he was using really was. It was noticeable that after my hunting trip he upgraded his scopes. Before that he was in denial as his brother had brought a Swaroski but he was puling his leg about spendign so much on a scope. When it had to be returned to Swaroski as the grouping was unreliable it reinforced his view even when Swaroski returned it as nothing wrong/faulty found. Turned out it was the 30-378 Weatherby MkV that was faulty  which was not finally sorted until it was blueprinted by "Butch" the secret agent man but that is another story.

[yooper77]

jasonprox700,
 
I have a two Weaver Classic rifle scopes 2-10x38mm and 3.9x38mm and they are fine.
 
I can only suggest Leupold scopes for future purchases, and they are made in the U.S.A.
 
In my opinion no other optic company comes close to Leupold's quality and customer service.
 
yooper77

[jager]

It's true that we "Yanks" tend to "skimp" on scopes compared to our European "brothers", but it's hard to buy a Schmidt and Bender for every rifle we are allowed to own in our "huge inventories" !  All kidding aside, there are some great overseas scopes that offer a better "view" than some of our U.S. scopes, but until European makers started producing lighter scopes in smaller sized packages that were truly waterproof (without the turret caps on!), most Americans were not buying the high priced, large scopes.  However, many did buy Zeiss, Swarovski, and Kahles binoculars (thankfully being "scoped" over here is considered "impolite" while hunting). So, most American became Leupold, Redfield, and Weaver "loyalist" because of their tremendous "reliability" under some of the most adverse conditions of hunting in the Rocky mountains, southern swamps, and late winter hunting conditions in the "north land". Lugging an overweight rifle with an overweight scope did not appeal to even the most athletic, young hunters among us.  Besides, those large objective lens that work so well in the dark forest after "day light hours" were not needed since most such hunting here could end up in "court" explaining your "poaching" activities . While I can appreciated the "refined" taste of one who appreciates quality in some of the finest instruments devised by man, consider the fact that many of us less refined in the shooting sports consider the hunting rifle a "tool" and a scope a mere "sighting" instrument that allows us to shoot at targets at a desired distance according to our skill level. I've owned literally dozens of scopes and I have my preferences, just as most do on this forum, and I trust Weaver to stand behind their product. No, it is not the "brightest" on the market, it will not be the best in the dark (which probably won't matter), nor will it be the clearest when powered up to "max"; however, it will not change point of impact, "fog up", or fail to hold "zero" in most all cases. No doubt that Leupold makes a better scope, as well as some of the "big names" in European scopes, but that wasn't the question. It is a "buyers" market here where the competition is "keen" and as consumers we have a lot of choices in many price ranges. Weaver was one of our first American scopes, and it still is a fine option for the hunter and shooter in my opinion. If Jason finds he doesn't like the scope after he tries it, he can always sell it and buy another brand and type. (Isn't "capitalism" grand?)

[drdougrx]

I think the scope will be just fine.  I have a Weaver 3x9rimfire with AO and a 4x14x44AO on an 17HMR.
 
As to the AO issue.  Interestingly enough, I also own a Leupold 4x12x50 with no AO that sits on my 243.  I have no issue with its parralex setting.  I also have 3 or 4 VX-IIs 4x12x40 AO and find I'm constantly messing with the AO.  As an aside, focal clarity on these scope for shooting at 100yards is between the 50 and 100 yard setting...closer to 50.  A good friend of  mine just bought a 4.5x15 Vari-X III (IIRC)....no AO and clear as a bell...as one would expect to $550+.

[Brithunter]

It's true that we "Yanks" tend to "skimp" on scopes compared to our European "brothers", but it's hard to buy a Schmidt and Bender for every rifle we are allowed to own in our "huge inventories" !  All kidding aside,

Actually there is no limit in law on the number of firearms one can possess here in the UK    but what we do have is a lot of petty little empire builders in the Firearms Licensing departments and sadly the Chief Constables of each force have their own agendas it seems to. They have an organisation called ACPO (Assosiation of Chief Police Officers) who get together and dream up their next schemes and policies. The law and what is says does not seem to matter to these little empire builders and they make the rules up as they go along.


As my own budget is limited as I am on a low fixed income I have to look out of good used and S/H optics most of the time. Rare is it i get to buy new now however over the years i have gather these:-


Schmidt & Bender 6x42
Mepota 7x50A
Lisenfeld Jaguar 3-9x42  (have two of these)
Lisenfeld Jaguar 6x42
Khales 4L2 4x36
Zeiss 4x32 Rail Mount.
Pecar Champion 4x36
Pecar Klassic 3-7x36
Tasco Titan 3-9x42 (have two of these as well)
Leupold M8 Compact 4x
Leupold 2.5-8 Vari X 111
Hensodlt 4x dialtyn rail mount
Zeiss Jena ZF6/SC
Zeiss Jena ZF/4
Bushnell Scope Chief 3x
Weaver K1.5 (Steel tubed)
Weaver K3W (steel tubed)
Simmons 6-18x40AO Air gun Competition ( have two of theses)
Falcon Menace CSS 7.5x50
Meopta Prepov 3x




I also have some period Nikko Sterling scopes from the 1960's-70's that fit on some of my collection of BSA's and Parker-Hales and recently sold my 6x42 Karl Kaps scope to help fund the truck repair. Head gasket blew and warped the cylinder head which has cost around $800 US to get fixed    so I never really got to use that most excellent of scopes. I suppose my 3 dozen or so rifles is a small number to some American shooters/hunters but i'll wager a lot have many less than I do  .


The binos I use are a make unknown in the US but I brought them fro a Bird watching reserves shop and tested them in tha actual reserve before buying. They are Viking 8x44 rubber armoured water proof binoculars and whilst not quite Swaroski or Zeiss they are next teir in performance.