Author Topic: Simmons Aetec master series 2.8-10x44WA (Read 2642 times)

Brithunter · « **on:** December 24, 2009, 12:37:34 AM »

Just recieved one of these in the post. Opened to box and took it out to examine it as you do and found that in the cold that the magnification adjustment ring is almost impoosible to move as was the fast focus eyepiece

. So sat it atop the radiator for a few minutes and got the rectilce focussed but the zoom ring is god almightly tight. Have set it on 6X and the image looks impressive and if anything with a larger field of view than the Simmons Pro Hunter Master Series 3-10x44WA that I brought about a month ago.

What really surprised me is that the Aetec is much shorter

Doh!!! I am not sure it will fit on the P-H 1200C with the Leupold mounts as it will not be possible to get the scope far enough back due to the position of the front ring and enlarged objective bell on the scope

so the whole reason for buying the scope has become moot

I looked at the Pro Hunter and held it up against the P-H 1200C and it looked good so I ordered this Aetec going for the better build and coatings of the higher model.

Well after taking a Collimeter reading of the setting with the 6x40 I took it off and tried the new Aetec in it's place but as I suspected it means stretching forwards to get s full view through the scope. It looks like I will have to drive over to the Gunshop and pick up a pair if 1" medium height extension rings

something I could really do with out as by the time I figure the cost of the fuel and the new rings it will have doubled the cost of the scope. It's an 60 mile trip to the Gunshop. Oh well!

LONGTOM · « **Reply #1 on:** December 30, 2009, 02:26:26 PM »

If you have the new AETEC MASTER SERIES mounted and have tightened the rings real tight you will not be able to adjust the power ring.
The scope rings will have the inner tube bound against the outer.
I am a SIMMONS AETEC nut but I will never again own a new MASTER SERIES adjustable scope.
After waiting almost a year for one of the first ones out I sent it back for a refund.
Mounted it as all scopes and there it was, locked up.
I called the MFG and was told to loosen the rings and it would work fine, which it did.
The question I asked was, how do you keep a scoped sighted if the rings are loose?
They would not give a true answer.
No more MASTER SERIES ones for me!
Get one of the old AETECS and be trouble free.

LONGTOM

squirrellluck · « **Reply #2 on:** December 30, 2009, 04:12:03 PM »

Also own an older Aetec and am a fan. Been mounted on a mauser 30-06AI 9 years ago and have not had to resight it since and is hunted with every year. Good scopes.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #3 on:** December 30, 2009, 05:29:10 PM »

LONGTOM: Thanks for information guys, I was thinking getting one to have around just in case, now I am thinking AVOID! AVOID!

Brithunter · « **Reply #4 on:** December 30, 2009, 10:41:01 PM »

Hmmm I will try your suggestion ..................... Ok did that makes no difference at all. I didn't think it would as it was tight before I fitted it.

Despite this I am still impressed with it's clarity but I will fax Simmons about it, seems you cannot e-mail them and unless I wish to either stay up or get up in the middle of the night due to the time difference and phone them.

I need a windage sticker for the dial on the Pro Hunter as it's missing and will ask them to send me one I will mention this extreme stiffness of the zoom ring to them then and see what they say.

As I said I brought it on the recomendation of soem frineds who use them in the US

one liked his first one so much he brought three more.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #5 on:** December 31, 2009, 06:55:11 AM »

http://www.natchezss.com/product.cfm?contentID=productDetail&prodID=SN512101&src=tpSlrHm

Brithunter · « **Reply #6 on:** January 03, 2010, 09:11:11 PM »

Well sadly I have to report I am returning the scope to the vendor. It seems that there is something wrong inside it as the elevation adjustment has virtually siezed up and it has an awful lot of parallax in the scope. Whilst shooting a test batch of handloads the target the target became sort of unfocussed, I thought it was my varifocal glasses and me not getting the right sopt to view through so changed them for a distance single vison pair but it didn't help, while trying to refine the focus I noticed the reticle "floating" on the target

If I moved my head slightly the reticle moves

which is no good and it probably explains the fliers I have been experiencing.

I have already sent the vendor an e-mail via their web site and will phone them later today to discuss the retrun fo the scope. Meanwhile I have done what I should have done in the first place

I took the 6x42 Schmidt & Bender off a rifle that I am not shooting at the moment and putt hat on the 25-06 with bit of luck I will get to sight it in later today

Graybeard · « **Reply #7 on:** January 04, 2010, 02:39:47 AM »

I've bought a grand total of ONE new Simmons scope. Like yours it was defective from the get go. It soured me on the brand and I've not bought another since and likely never will. I've gotten a few since on rifles I picked up new but like the first one I give them away or hold onto them to put back on rifles I trade in. The dealers around here expect a scope on a rifle but don't seem to offer anymore for a Leupold than for a cheap Simmons or Tasco.

I some times buy used rifles just for the scope on them and then trade them back with an elcheapo scope on it and generally am allowed same money I paid for it on trade for another. I've picked up several Leupolds that way.

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #8 on:** January 04, 2010, 04:08:23 AM »

Not an Aetec, but I had an older Simmons Pro 50 that spent time on a variety of guns until it started fogging internally after about 10-12 years. Returned to Meade who made the Master Series. After 3 months of providing them documentation,etc. that they had actually rec'd the scope and it was somewhere in their possession, they sent me a new Master Series scope. I hope the person who bought that new scope from me on ebay gets more than the year or 2 of use I was thinking it would be good for, lousy quality.

Brithunter · « **Reply #9 on:** January 04, 2010, 04:47:51 AM »

Well we will see what the replacement is like. I liked the view through the Aetec that I have already said the vendor is quite willing to refund but if the scope works them I will be happy. The defective one will be in the post tomorrow back to him and then once he sees it's as I said a replacement will be on it's way.

The dealer is being fair and I will give the scope a fair crack of the whip

heck I even brought a Butler Creek flip up for the Objective they didn't have the right size in the the eyebell.

30-30man · « **Reply #10 on:** January 04, 2010, 11:21:57 AM »

If you are looking for an old Simmons Aetec, try the Federal Intensity that the Guide is selling. They are an ATk repeat of the Aetec, have the aspherical lenses, not made in China, and are being sold at a discount. I have one on top of a k31 and it has been rock solid for many rounds and it's just as clear as my old Aetecs were.

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #11 on:** January 04, 2010, 11:55:07 AM »

Quote from: 30-30man on January 04, 2010, 11:21:57 AM

If you are looking for an old Simmons Aetec, try the Federal Intensity that the Guide is selling. They are an ATk repeat of the Aetec, have the aspherical lenses, not made in China, and are being sold at a discount. I have one on top of a k31 and it has been rock solid for many rounds and it's just as clear as my old Aetecs were.

I've been looking really hard at these, the price point is great. Thanks for the info. Really haven't seen too many reviews on them.

tigercat · « **Reply #12 on:** January 04, 2010, 12:09:49 PM »

check out the maine vue scopes they are as clear if not moreso than a leopould and cheaper

charles p · « **Reply #13 on:** January 04, 2010, 12:33:41 PM »

I've owned one Simmons product. It was a pair of binocs. Mold grew on the inside of the lens after I left the binocs in a deer stand during the season. This happened many years ago. The binocs were their Mariner model in 7X35. One would assume the mariner binocs are designed to be left on board a boat, in a humid environment. Not!

Brithunter · « **Reply #14 on:** January 04, 2010, 03:09:47 PM »

Hmmm who or what is:-

"The Guide"?

Sorry but this is the first time I have seen such a person or place mentioned.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #15 on:** January 04, 2010, 03:35:55 PM »

Might be the following>

http://shop.sportsmansguide.com/default.asp?kwtid=271428&&pmdgtl=1

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/federal-intensity-optics-3-10x44-mm-rifle-scope-matte-black.aspx?a=534399&pn=2

Brithunter · « **Reply #16 on:** January 04, 2010, 04:15:16 PM »

Cheers

not sure if the can or will ship to the UK so I sent an e-mail asking just that. There is no restrictions this end but somehow I doubt they can be bothered with getting the export permit to do so.

Some bother and some don't we will see what they say and if they reply even.

Siskiyou · « **Reply #17 on:** January 04, 2010, 05:35:55 PM »

A very long time ago I bought a Remington 700 in .270 Winchester for my son. My in-laws jumped in and bought him a scope. They also bought a scope for my father-in-laws 30-06 which I received after he passed away.

At one time Wards and Sears were America’s stores, but those Western Field 2x7 scopes were junk. I tossed both of them. I had on a hand a new Simmons Whitetail Classic 2-10X44 scope. I mounted it on the 270 Win. M700. I did have concerns but this was not my favorite rifle. I had cut the original stock down for my son and I needed to do something about that.

I found a new replacement stock at the Big Show, Gun Show in Reno, NV. There was a table with a large number of Remington 700 stocks on it. I found one for a Mountain Rifle and the rest is history. The worse part of it is that I hate hunting with the rifle because I might mar the stock.

The Simmons scope has been okay. Sighting in the rifle was easy with predictable move of the crosshairs to the bulls eye, then 2.75 inches high at 100-yards. The first buck I shot with it was a 252 yards. I had spotted a group of three legal bucks, I turned the scope up to 10X and from a seating position I kept track of the buck I wanted. When he presented a good target I took the shot and it was time to fill out a deer tag.
It was a cold clear morning with moisture on the trees and brush. There were no fogging issues when moving from the warm pickup to the outdoors. I had been hunting an hour or two before I spotted the deer. I had switched from my binoculars to the scoped rifle two or three times before deciding which buck to take. This would have cause fogging on earlier scopes I had used.

My only complaint is with myself. Normally I hunt with a scope set at its lowest power setting. Because of the distance and the opportunity to setup the shot I turn the scope to 10X. I had a case of the wondering crosshairs and the fault was mine. Of course I am normally steady as a rock! I had to tell myself to take in a breath, and then let it out, squeezing the trigger when everything was steady; it worked.
Admittedly I need to practice shooting at higher power sittings and I have been do some of that.

I had taken the rifle on a hunt as a backup rifle, and it got the call to first string. Again it has not been a favorite. One of my hunting partners and I made a trip to a range a day before taking off to hunt. I was not happy with my selected rifle and pulled out the M700 with the Simmons scope on it. The rifle/scope performed great at 100 and 200 yards at the range.
The next morning it was raining on the mountain. The scope did not fog up, and I took a buck. Without a doubt the rifle could become a favorite. My hunting partners think it should.

My only complaint is the scope is not as bright as the newer scopes I have on rifles.

The rifle is in the light to moderate recoil range. Using a recoil calculator my favor handload is producing approximately 20 pounds of recoil. I have fired 200+ rounds out of the rifle since installing the Simmons scope, and it shows no sign of failing.

LONGTOM · « **Reply #18 on:** January 04, 2010, 06:40:29 PM »

About all of the older Simmons scopes (pre MASTER SERIES) were good as long as they were above their RED LINE model.
The RED LINE was one of their cheapest models offered.
On par with a cheap TASCO.
The older PRO 50s and the WHITETAIL CLASSICS along with the old AETECS were as good as any name brand and all have served me well over the years on a wide variety of calibers and guns.
To me the only real draw backs to them are the short tubes on the PRO 50 model.
You can't slide them back far enough in the rings to get a full field of view with out stretching you neck forward.
Just like all brands, some swear by them and some swear at them.
To each his own!!!

LONGTOM

Brithunter · « **Reply #19 on:** January 05, 2010, 08:45:28 AM »

Well I got a reply from the Guide and they do not ship anywhere but the US and Canada so that was a bust .................

Oh well.

DEACONLLB · « **Reply #20 on:** January 05, 2010, 09:20:46 AM »

I just picked up a new Simmons scope 3X12 I think and when I took it out of package I can see why they were on a special buy, like to have never got the thing to break free to adjust power and the focus could not be moved at all was luckey that it was ok where it was at and the cost to return was to much to bother with. I have a number of the Bushnell 3x9 and have never had this problem so no more simmons for me.

Deaconllb

Halwg · « **Reply #21 on:** January 05, 2010, 10:11:05 AM »

I have had the same adjustment problem with a couple Master Series ProHunter scopes. When I loosened up the ring nearest the adjustment, it freed the adjustment ring up. But, I have an older ProHunter scope with a totally different adjustment ring and I never had that problem.

LONGTOM · « **Reply #22 on:** January 05, 2010, 05:10:19 PM »

Only the NEW ones has the adjustment problem.
The old SIMMONS scopes were fine.
Has to do with the way they are made now.
They work on a tube within a tube idea.
One slides inside the other.
Lousy setup!
They should have stuck with the traditional way of building scopes.
Never had a problem with them.

LONGTOM

hunt-m-up · « **Reply #23 on:** January 06, 2010, 04:15:08 AM »

The older Japan or Phillipines made Simmons were a whole different story. I had a Prohunter 6X40 that I should never have sold with a gun, not expensive, but reliable and clear. It saw time on 4 different guns.

KEM-MN · « **Reply #24 on:** January 09, 2010, 02:18:40 AM »

I received an Aetec master series for Christmas, put it on a 7mm-08 Handi rifle, used Weaver Grand Slam solid steel rings. I tightened the torx screws as tight as I could get them with the wrench that came with the rings. The power change ring turns with out any problems. Now if it would just warm up -24 this morning I could take it out and try the scope out.