Simmon Pro 50 Scope

[skifast]

I have a Simmons Pro 50 4x12 AO scope on a 7mm Rem Mag. It is an older model made in Korea. I do not have much experience with scopes. I have looked through some in LGS, but the Simmons is the only one I have owned.

I often read in forums that Simmons scopes are not very good. Based on this, I am considering replacing the scope with a Elite 4200.

I am trying to decide if it is worth doing. The scope has handled about 100 rounds of 7mm RM without losing zero. Last night, at 11:00, with a full moon, clear sky in Akron, I zoomed in on a tree about 500 yards away. I could see the individual branches clearly. I was impressed.

How much better will a higher end scope perform?

[CarterMccoy]

I had a Simmons 6-18 x ??? Presidential series I bought in 1987 or 1988 on my last 25-06 and it was the deadliest scope I have ever owned.
I have a Zeiss 6-20x50mm now for 800 bucks, but that replaced a simmons whitetail 6.5 to 20 x 50mm that I got less than 100 rounds out of for 125 dollars. It just would not hold zero.

You really have to shoot it and see how it goes IMHO.
Good luck.

[ndking1126]

I had that same scope (although I don't know where it was made) and it gave up after about 200-250 rds of .30-06. Up until that point, I was pretty happy with it. Just one day at the range, shot after shot became consecutively farther away until I wasn't even hitting on the paper. I replaced it with a Burris FFII (about 3x as expensive) and have never looked back. Image quality is much better and holds zero.

As far as the new scope.. while I agree with people about you get what you pay for, if you are happy with your scope (ie, it gives you the clarity and magnification at the ranges and amounts of light you shoot at) then don't worry about having a cheaper scope. As long as you can put the bullet where you want it, then technically the scope is good enough to get the job done, right?

The 4200 is an excellent scope, I'm sure you would be happy with it.

PS--Murphy's law always applies. If your scope does mess up on you, it will certainly be at the worst possible time.

[Dougw47]

I had Weavers, and Japanese and Korean Scopes in the 70's and 80's that were pretty good glass for the times, then the mfg's went to Taiwan and China and the scopes bottomed out.

In the 80's to 90's I had Weavers and Redfields...midrange scopes and the classic T-10 of course was great.

Now I have Leupolds and two Weavers left, and a Nikon Monarch that I like.

I would never buy another Bushnell, Tasco and you can not run fast enough to 'Give' me a Simmons.