Old scope question

buckpasser

Senior Member
Unfortunately, I recently acquired a 336 .30-30. It’s unfortunate because my grandfather left me all of his guns and I’d trade them all back for just one more visit with him. That said, there’s no going back, and in honor of him, the next gun season deer I kill will be with his weapon.

The scope on it is an old fixed 4x deer field. It’s not what I would buy, but if possible, I want to use it just as he had it for all these years. My question is, will this scope probably hold a zero? I know the old Simmons were notorious for moving all around if zoomed, but is the fixed any better? I don’t want to cripple a deer, and if the consensus is that it’s not an ethical optic, I’ll replace it with a Vortex or Leupold. Thoughts?
 

Milkman

Deer Farmer Moderator
Staff member
Glad to hear you are going to honor him like this.
 

Ray357

AWOL
Unfortunately, I recently acquired a 336 .30-30. It’s unfortunate because my grandfather left me all of his guns and I’d trade them all back for just one more visit with him. That said, there’s no going back, and in honor of him, the next gun season deer I kill will be with his weapon.

The scope on it is an old fixed 4x deer field. It’s not what I would buy, but if possible, I want to use it just as he had it for all these years. My question is, will this scope probably hold a zero? I know the old Simmons were notorious for moving all around if zoomed, but is the fixed any better? I don’t want to cripple a deer, and if the consensus is that it’s not an ethical optic, I’ll replace it with a Vortex or Leupold. Thoughts?
Shoot it and see.
 
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Stroker

Senior Member
Wished someone made a good fixed power 4x40 these days, I have several guns they would work great on.
 

lonewolf247

Senior Member
Shoot it and see, as others have said. If the scope doesn't seem reliable, you can still honor the rifle, and set it up, old school, with a new similar scope. This way it would be fair to the game you hunt, and your grandfather would still be proud!

My dad recently passed away, and if I'd happen to inherit his old Remington 742, the first thing I'll do is clean the heck out of it lol! Then second would be to put a good reliable scope on it. He always used open sights, until I had put a cheap Simmons scope on it for him. He used it a few years, then removed the scope, because, he could never get used to looking through a scope and picking up deer. He had hunted about 50 years with open sights, so it just didn't work for him. The last deer he harvested was with that scope though.

I'd like to restore his rifle, but set it up with a good optic, and I still feel that would do him proud, even though he was not a scope man!
 

Rich M

Senior Member
Stop reading all the stuff on the internet.

Go and shoot the gun, see how it works out. Nothing like a little bit of the truth to calm the nerves.

Back in the day I don't think it was the scope as much as the mounts. Them old weaver mounts would loosen. If you find that to be an issue - put some lock-tite on it.
 

rosewood

Senior Member
Sentiments aside, I would shoot at least 15 through it bf I would hunt with it.
At todays rates, that might be $75 worth of ammo.

Even the cheap scopes, unless they are broken will kill a deer at 100 yards. Choot'em.
 

killerv

Senior Member
no telling the last time that scope, bases, rings, etc have been removed. Remove and mount properly and take it to the range and see.
 

rosewood

Senior Member
no telling the last time that scope, bases, rings, etc have been removed. Remove and mount properly and take it to the range and see.
Good point.
 
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