Simmons scopes

[Redgum]

I have always been a fan of Simmons scopes,my first , a WTC was and is brilliant especially for the money. Now Meade industries have moved assembly to China the quality is no more. I have defended Simmons in the past and for good reason as the ingredients in the Aetec make for an excellent scope. The glass is ground by Meade industries and they should know a bit about glass as they make the stuff that goes in the high powered telescopes that look out into space. The Aetec looks good, the sidefocus is excellent, its compact and the ir works well,all this means nothing when the eye box rattles loose from the not so heavy recoil of a 243. I was starting to think the barrel was shot out as the groups that had been excellent started to become eratic, thank goodness I noticed before pointing the rifle at a 160yd fallow pricket on Saturday morning.

 

Thanks to optics warehouse ( everyone should look em up for excellent deals on scopes, reloading gear etc, excellent services from an internet company ) the Simmons will be sorted on the limited lifetime warantee, sorted by not seeing it again hopefully.Optics warehouse gave me a cracking deal on a Nikon Monarch 4-16x50,with a bit of a rush around to get it zeroed for the weekend I made it out on Saturday morning, just as well when the malenistic fallow pricket stopped to look back at what was lying in the long grass.

[Hamster]

This issue is not restricted to Simmons but others too including Tasco. In the olden days the scope to have was a Tasco 2-7x32 but few could afford them , when I eventually bought mine (off a very well known mail order firm) I was gutted to find the optics similar to an empty beer glass .

 

They`d forgotten to mention they were selling sub-standard poo. I have had the same problem with Simmons, one or two I`ve come across have been superb, others lame quality rejects.

[wymberley]

It's always a shame when this sort of thing happens, but as regards scopes, all is not lost. Redfield are back. OK, not at the top end of the market, but very certainly real value for money: One word explains all, Leupold. If anyone is in the market for a quality bit of kit that won't upset the bank manager or, more importantly, the wife, have a shufti.

[foxbuster]

Personally dont understand why reputable companies do this, they move manufacturing to the countries where they get cheap labour but ineviably get a lower standard of quality. Believe Simmons has lost a lot of loyal customers for doing this. I run WTC's on by both my rimmies and cant fault them-they are the older models. I myself would not consider buying any of their new models as i've heard so many bad things against them.

[Colster]

Always found Simmons a bit hit and miss tbh, I've had 3 WTC's (3-10x40, 3-10x50 and 6.5-20x50) all Filipino and I didn't much rate any of them but also had an Aetec on my old springer and an 8 Point on my FAC Air and found them both to be great scopes.

 

Maybe it's just me as I sold the 3-10x50 WTC to a mate to go on his R10 and he loves it.

 

I'd have to say I agree about the Redfield, had a look side by side with a Revolution and a Bushnell Legend, to my eyes the Redfield was streets ahead even in daylight.