Is there a way to permanently "lock" a scope adjustment?

I guess this would be a question for anyone who has ever successfully dismantled a scope that was giving them trouble in attempt to fix it. It would certainly apply to anyone who has done this in response to a scope with a "wandering zero".

My scope is one of those cheaper ones that everyone was warning me about. It's a Simmons. I've zeroed it in only to have begin shooting 5" too low. While readjusting the elevation, it then started shooting a couple inches to the right. While still only adjusting elevation, it then started shooting about 6" to the right. I was ready to give up on it at this point, but then looked up some videos on Youtube about fixing cheap scopes. However, my Simmons scope doesn't appear to have a way of disassembly. Not sure how the manufacturer got it together in the first place.

But now I've managed to get it zeroed again and I have a question about keeping it that way. Is there a place that I could put in a few drops of lock-tite in order to keep it from straying from it's current adjustment? It might involve some minor disassembly that I'm not knowledgable right now about how to do. I know that would mean not being able to adjust it again, but I see no need to do so once it's lined in perfectly. It's either that or throw it in the garbage. Since I only bought it less than 2 months ago, I'd rather not do that. Just looking for an option to keep it lined in while I'm still able to make adjustments. I had an even cheaper scope in the past that started behaving like this one is and then it lost its ability to be adjusted at all.

Varminterror said:

Call Bushnell, they'll repair, replace, or refund it.

If the adjustment control isn't twisting, then nothing you can do to the external control knob/dial will stop the inner spindle from continuing to slip. Opening a purged scope to "fix" a slipping zero by permanently locking the erector tube adjustment instead of having the OEM fix it under warranty is just foolish.

Click to expand...

It's actually a Simmons, rather than a Bushnell scope.

The adjustment control twists freely. What I was hoping to do was to permanently fix the slipping zero by "locking" it in place so it can't slip anymore. Once I have it right where I want it, I'd be happy to keep it that way. As for warranty, Simmons says in their Limited Warranty that I have to pay $10 to pay for return shipping, plus the shipping cost to get it to them. If that's another $10, then that's already half of what I paid for it. I was just hoping there was something I could do myself. Since there are apparently some people around that have tinkered around successfully with scopes that stopped working rather than just throwing them away, I was hoping someone here could share their knowledge about it.

243winxb said:

From what i read......

If you froze the scope, the zero would have changed. This would require adjustable external mounts to correct.

The cost of tools to take the scope apart, would cost more then the shipping.

I had an old Weaver scope that the cross hairs started rotating clock wise. Easy fix as the cross hairs were in the eye piece. I would guess , most are not.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm not quite sure how to disassemble it. I used to have a small Tasco scope and it was easy to take apart. All I had to do was unscrew it and the eyepiece came right off and the reticle was right there at the end of the barrel. I thought it would be the same with the Simmons, but there's nothing on it that unscrews at all. I have no idea how they assembled it if there's no way to disassemble it. I was hoping maybe there was a way to access the reticle by somehow removing the turret knobs.

Varminterror said:

SMH... So what you might not know, but are about to learn...

Simmons is owned by Bushnell (which itself is owned ultimately by Vista Outdoors itself) and customer service issues for Simmons Optics are handled by the Bushnell office in Kansas City. When you call the customer service contact number on Simmons' website (800) 423-3537, you will hear the automated computer service say "Thank you for calling Bushnell Customer Service..."

So put away the bailing wire and duct tape, Bubba, call Bushnell/Simmons, and get your scope taken care of properly.

If the adjustment is slipping as you say - Simmons/Bushnell/Vista will replace/repair/refund it...

Click to expand...

Thanks for letting me know! I wasn't aware of this. Hopefully, a "repair" won't cost as much as they told me it would since their warranty states I'd have to pay $10 for shipping each way. That comes out to half of what I paid for it. It was normally $50, but I got it on sale for $40.

Odd Job said:

The amount of time and effort you will have to put in to fix that Simmons is more than what a new scope will cost.

Click to expand...

A new (decent) scope, if I'm to believe what I've been told by others, will cost about $120.

jmr40 said:

Stop screwing around and buy a decent scope!

Click to expand...

I've learned recently that it's nice to be able to fix things when possible. Besides, I thought I WAS buying a decent scope when I bought this one. My previous one cost only $10 and it allowed me to hit perfectly and I was completely satisfied with it for a couple years, and then it broke. When I was told at that time to get something "decent", I figured one that costs 5 times as much should fill the bill. Now I'm told I have to at least double that amount again. Heck, I have a pair of 7x35mm binoculars from Simmons that cost $40, and they're perfectly good as well. I saw no reason why a $50 scope wouldn't be just as good.

Varminterror said:

There is no $50 optic which is "decent." There certainly is no $10 optic which is decent. Frankly, I'd contend there really is no $120 optic which is actually very good either. If you spend some time shooting optics which are ACTUALLY decent, you'll change your position about that $10 scope, this $50 scope, or those $40 binos. No knock on Simmons, really, they manufacture, market, and sell low quality optics at commensurate prices - can't blame them for the willingness of foolish people to pay for low quality products. They do make some better stuff, and the prices reflect the quality of those particular items.

Click to expand...

So I guess there's even debate on whether or not a $120 scope is decent. Well, I haven't spent any time with better scopes, but I've had a chance to try other optics that were much higher priced and couldn't see really any difference. I've been in stores where binoculars costing many hundreds of dollars were on display and I got to try those out to see how they compare to ones I'm used to such as my $40 Simmons. Honestly, I couldn't see any real difference. I've tried other products too, such as headphones. I've tested ones that cost $30, and they were decent. They seemed to get better up to around $100 and then I didn't notice too much difference from that point upward. I guess different people perceive different things. My very biggest concern with a scope is that I can adjust the reticle so that it matches where the bullet impacts, and stays there unless I adjust it again. Beyond that, I'm not into fancy reticle designs that are designed for long range shooters, or huge optics for very low-light shooting.

Varminterror said:

I've never been charged return shipping from Bushnell on any warranty repair/replace/refund item. They will also typically send you a RMA, so even the shipping to get it back to them is usually free.

Click to expand...

Ok, well maybe I'll give this a try. Right now though, my scope actually seem to be holding zero again. I'm afraid to try any more adjustments lest I knock something loose. If it loses zero again, I'll give Bushnell a call.

Varminterror said:

Now... If you've already tampered with this scope to the point they have a justifiable position to say you caused damage, then all bets are off. Lesson learned, throw it in the trash and go buy a new optic. Hopefully a REAL one this time.

Click to expand...

I haven't. I did attempt to take it apart, but found that there was nothing that could be unscrewed in order to take it apart.

burrhead said:

I have been poor and understand needing to cut corners but there is a bottom line when it comes to optics. There's no such thing as a "decent" cheap optic but there are some get arounds. If I only had $150 or so to spend on a scope I'd look for a used Weaver K4. They're good scopes and will satisfy most needs to 200 yards. If you must go new, save up about $250 and look at the Nikon Pro Hunter line. If you treat it gently and don't run a lot of magnum loudenboomers you should get a fair amount of life out of it. Or you can move up to a Leupold VX2 or better for not a lot more cash and be happy from now on.

That's just the hard truth. Cheap optics aren't really cheap.

Click to expand...

Here's a question for you: What scope brand would you get if you were buying one at an auction? There's a LGS in town that just went out of business and will be having an auction later this month, and I think they'll have some scopes there. Of course, there would be no warranty unless a company had a lifetime warranty regardless of owner, such as Leopold. I bought a used scope from this store (I don't recall the brand exactly, but I think it was a bushnell) in the past and the reticle wouldn't adjust. I got a refund for it. Anyway, I was just thinking maybe I could get a good auction deal, but I'd like whatever I get to have some sort of safeguard in case it's junk.

Varminterror said:

I'm willing to bet this guy (or anybody with a $50 Simmons) isn't dialing ranges. He's talking about epoxying the dial adjustment (no turrets on a cheap Simmons), so dialing for range isn't in his game.

Click to expand...

Yes, this is true! I'm using (forgive the use of this term) "just a .22", which doesn't really require me to change adjustments since I only shoot within a narrow set of close ranges anyway. I've been able to sight in at 20 yards, and then shoot at 50 yards and get the same impact point. When I go out to 75 yards, the bullet drops about 4", but I usually just shoot between 20 and 50 yards anyway. Of course, if I were shooting something bigger and more serious such as a centerfire rifle for hunting purposes, then I could see the need for something more elaborate in a scope.