I had my deer rifle leaning on the seat of my side by side while I got out to check a trail cam. The gun fell over landing on the scope and falling out. The scope is a Nikon Buckmaster 4x12-40. I put it on the shooting bench and the first shot was 8" high and 1" to the right, I adjusted 3" down and 1" to the left. The next shot mover over about 1.25" left, and maybe 1/4" down. I adjusted 5" down, and shot a kill shot, but nothing accurate. Next shot dropped about 2.5" with no adjustment, next shot dropped about 3" with no adjustment. I started trying to bring it back up and it is just throwing bullets everywhere. First question: Is this scope now junk? Second question: Can you recommend a good quality scope in the 4-600 dollar range? I'm leaning heavily towards a Leupold, and considering a Vortex, or another brand. What's your thoughts??

I would call Nikon . Tell them what happened. They may not charge you to repair it. ANY scope can break if you drop it like that. The price of telescopic sights is usually mostly lens quality. IMO lens quality from a 200 dollar scope isnt worth 800 dollars over a 1000 dollar scope. 2-300 dollar scope IMO is your best value if you replace it.

I'd say it's junk. I have no experience with $500 scopes, so can't help ya there

The very first thing I would do is check the mounts and rings to see if they got bent or came loose.

I would get a new scope.Not worth the risk of using and missing.

Seems like if the scope fell out from just falling over from leaning against an ATV, something was not very secure in the mounting to begin with. I would check all rings, screws, and mounting hardware before anything else.

Burris - Fullfield

Or a Leopold like your thinking.

Does the scope show any outside damage? If not I'll bet Nikon will either fix or replace it at no cost; I know Leupold would.

I have not seen any visible damage.

The scope did not fall off the gun, the gun fell over landing on the scope. The scope is mounted using Leupold PRW2 rings, and I have a Wheeler scope mounting kit. The rings were lapped and polished, and the base plates and rings were tourqued to manufacture specifications, and loctite used on all threads.

kart I believe he means it was in the side by side leaning on the seat and the whole rifle fell out of the side by side not the scope fell off the gun itself, but I could be wrong that's just the way I read it.

ranger109 you cant beat a leupold or a vortex in my opinion and they both have a no bullcrap warrenty you break it they fix or replace it no questions asked. I go with vortex as they are in Wisconsin not to far north of me so if I have a warranty issue I can just drive up there rather than have to ship it in the mail.

Nikon CS is pretty helpful. Call them.

Check the mounts thoroughly. I am embarrassed at the price I sold a really great rifle that I couldn't get to shoot well because of a mount issue.

Nikon is getting out of the scope game, still worth asking if they may repair it though.

As far as a 400-600 dollar scope, I have had great luck with Leupold VX-3 on multiple rifles.

Dang 400-600 .So you pick a scope by price range.? Some really great scopes available in the 250 -300 buck range. Unless you are getting a torrent "adjust on the fly" MOST scope makers use the SAME components in there 250 dollar scope that are in their 400-600 range scopes.
Just saying. Vortex and never look back !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Leuopold 100% if it was my primary.

I'd go luepold, dont buy stuff made offshore! Its like cutting your own throat.

Vortex is my favorite. In my opinion the have the best glass for your money and a lifetime no-matter-what guarantee. You could have thrown it on the ground on purpose and they’d still replace it free.

I had a rifle fall out of my gun rack on my utv. I hit scope first on the gravel. Nikon replaced it with zero issues. I even wrote a letter saying it was my fault, they responded NO Fault warranty and replaced it with a brand new scope. I bought a new scope and replaced that one as it took a month but they sent me a brand new upgraded scope in the box a few weeks later.

Nikon no fault warranty ship it and they will replace it.

Since Nikon quit the rifle scope market they require a original receipt for warranty work to prove it was purchased before 2019 is what I was told. So I would not get your hopes up for them backing their product.

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