Does anyone use the scope as a carry handle?

[Canuck Bob]

Dumb question of the month. Searching returned AR15 hits not sporting rifle hits. Would it hurt a Leupold to carry this way for a 7 pound gun?

[madman4570]

Yes!

It is not April yet what is up ???

Absolutely insane to do so, would look like a fool and the animals will even laugh at you.

Someone doing so shouldn't be allowed to own a gun!
Is this post tied to that smoking weed post?

Good grief!

[Old Savage]

No, not in my experience.

[Griff]

I have picked my scoped rifles up by the scope, carried? No so much.

[JerryB]

Hey Bob it must just be a smart aleck term, if it ain't a carrying handle why call it that. Never do hear any bad mouthing when a picture of a bolt gun with a scope shows up. Must be to late for me to be up, sorry.

[Canuck Bob]

I was counting on the only stupid question is the one you don't ask! I actually thought what a good idea to carry the clumsy bolt action by the scope. The question was not a direct response to whacky tobaccy but a mis-spent youth might have played a factor!

Don't blame the idiot blame the idiot question, please disregard this thread while I stop blushing.

[Mac in Mo]

Wait a minute.... I have my slings attached to the tubes on my scopes.....well, not really slings.....I scavenge straps off of yard sale luggage and old gym bags. I use these, zip tie them to the scopes. Works good.

Kevin

[rjohns94]

I think the scope can handle you carrying it that way but I'm not sure if the zero would. I have always had the mindset that the zero could be affected by using the scope as a handle or carrying device. I'm thinking the gunny's on here would take great umbridge to such behavior. It may be worth a field test, kinda like myth busters, to see if anything goes wrong.

[crs]

I have carried my pre 64 M70 .308 by the Leupold 4 power M8 scope handle many times with no ill effects.
This was usually in rain, sleet or snow when I wanted to minimize blocking the lens; also before the cute little pop up lens covers were available. And a few times when I was so tired or wet that the sling kept slipping off my shoulder.

I do not recommend this practice, but it has not caused any apparent harm to my scope, mounts, or rifle.

[Old Ironsights]

I think the scope can handle you carrying it that way but I'm not sure if the zero would. I have always had the mindset that the zero could be affected by using the scope as a handle or carrying device. I'm thinking the gunny's on here would take great umbridge to such behavior. It may be worth a field test, kinda like myth busters, to see if anything goes wrong.

If you think about it... IMPACT is the worst/most likely thing to affect Zero.

If your Zero can handle being carried in a soft case/gun rack then it can handle being picked up by an essentially rigid aluminium tube.

Not that I would do so... because I thought the Idea of a "carry handle" on the M16 was a Crock... but still, if your rigid aluminium tube is PROPERLY secured to PROPERLY secured mounts... "carrying" a gun in such a manner would be less harmful than having it fall over when leaned up against the truck...

[Malamute]

I've done it some, there isn't that much room to get your fingers around it from that position with low rings though. I don't see what the big deal is to some. I don't see how you could hurt the scope or zero unless something was wrong with either scope or bases/rings.

An easier way to carry a bolt gun, and has truly changed how I think of them in terms of ease of carry, is to hold the gun upside down with my finger tips between the scope and action. It gives a good grip around the action (so long as the wood around the action isn't too fat. A valid reason to get the rasp out in my opinion), and less hand fatigue than even carrying a scoped lever gun where you cant really get your hand around it and are basically cupping it in your hand. I almost never carry by the sling, it scratches the gun up on cartridges in the belt and is clumsy to carry and get into action compared to carrying in hand. For me, the sling is mostly for places I need both hands for some reason, or when dragging something out. 5 hr hike at 9000 ft el with a 71? Yes it was in my hand the entire time when walking.

[Blaine]

I can't remember if I've picked it up that way, or not. No doubt that I have never carried it that way. Not because it might be bad, but, because it would seem awkward that way. (Not a stupid question)

[model55]

Have done so in the past with a bolt gun with no ill effect but then went to one piece bases.Also seldom if ever use a sling as I don't want to be tied up with my rifle should a shot be presented. Just my .02

[gamekeeper]

Do you guys really mean there is another use for a scope?...

[madman4570]

Might have been a little hard on you Bob! Sorry, because your question was sincere.

Probably in the handling of guns I go overboard in respects to once my gun is dead nuts it gets treated like a precious jewel.
My YES response and the hurting something factor was mostly all to do with rjohns reasoning.

When hunting or actually for anything I want the absolute highest degree of certainty that the zeroed in weapon stays dead nuts.
To me carrying it around by the scope, honestly until this popped up never ever heard of such a thing?

Again, maybe I go overboard handling my weapons ??

Anyhow, if you do carry them around like that truly hope it works for ya!

[Malamute]

They don't actually carry very well by the scope as a handle, but I find it hard to imagine you could hurt it by doing so unless something was loose or fragile in the mounts.

[Rusty]

I think today's scopes and mounts are actually tougher today than in years past. Over time we have been programed that scopes and their mounts are delicate and cannot stand up to any mis-use, much less abuse. It might be an interesting test to see just how tough modern optics are.

[rjohns94]

OI and others, I can't disagree with you at all. Should be fine but I still wouldn't do it. It's not its true function and as such, probably ok to do but not ideal.

[Canuck Bob]

This has turned out to be better than I thought. Gamekeeper why am I not surprised by your response. Us under privileged shooters from the Commonwealth should always stick together.

This came about because of my new used CZ 527. It has the extended magazine which doesn't bother me except for hand carrying. Besides I can call myself Tacticool now. I can't scope a lever because they carry so sweet in the hand. Well I might scope my 9422. Using the scope as a handle reminded me of the fold down handle on the FN I was issued. I really like that handle, it just made sense for a combat rifle.

The upside down idea would be great except for the extended mag. A sling and the barrel down off shoulder carry will be my first experiment. It used to be called the Jaeger carry when I was a kid.

An experiment might be in order after all.

[Mescalero]

Jaeger, a german word meaning ....... hunter.

[MrMurphy]

Also known as African carry. Good for heavy brush, I've always carried muzzle down with a standard sling if possible.

[Joe S.]

Just put see through rings on it and it will carry a lot better. (I just threw up in my mouth....)

[Canuck Bob]

Just put see through rings on it and it will carry a lot better. (I just threw up in my mouth....)

Me too,

[Hawkeye2]

Too short to be a pry bar and too light to make a good hammer, might as well use it for a handle.

[gamekeeper]

Too short to be a pry bar and too light to make a good hammer, might as well use it for a handle.

[wolfdog]

Carried my 10-22 that way a whole lot hunting tree rats in the Florida swamps. Never had a problem, and easier to push through heavy brush.

[rogn]

Anyone remember the old Leupy adds using the scope for a hammer to drive nails then return it to the rifle and proving 'zero'. Ive seen a few scows that were more adversely affected by shooting than using them as a handle. I really prefer the 30mm tubes for comfort over the skinny 1" jobs. Never had a problem from this type of use, barring target knobs.

[Old Savage]

I have had four rifles with an average of 1200 rds through them, two Leupold 4x, one new style Weaver 4x, one Leupold 1.5x-5. Carried them every which way. Many,many range trips. None of them ever changed zero to my recall. One did a lot of riding in a truck at the ready in Wyoming.

I like the normal sling carry, under the receiver or using the scope.

[PriseDeFer]

The Carry Handle, would be a good name for a super duty scope and mount if the maker had faith in it. Carry at the balance point, go on, we can take it, you know you want to.

[Old Savage]

David Miller of Arizona made a scope mount that functioned as a handle.

[7.62 Precision]

Most really good quality modern scopes and mount systems are pretty tough.
The easiest way to damage your scope is to drop it off at your local gunsmith for mounting. We almost never get a scoped rifle in that the rings are not torqued down way too tight.

Just one example of many:

This rifle came with the scope rings so tight the tube was dented. I sent it back unmounted, and the guy took it back to his gunsmith for mounting. He called me up and told me I wrecked his scope because the elevation adjustment would not work (I tested it prior to finishing due to the damage to the scope tube). I told him, "loosen the scope ring and try." Sure enough, it worked when the rings were not over-torqued. If the scope was a cheaper brand, it likely would have been wrecked.

Other than that, I have seen scopes take horrific abuse. Leupolds in combat, and if you saw what happened to my IOR (Valdada) scope over a year in Iraq, you would not believe it.

[stretch]

Should be fine but I still wouldn't do it.

That probably says it all! Most modern kit is tough enough to withstand
all sorts of abuse. Still.....

-Stretch

[Canuck Bob]

7.62 I sure appreciate your common sense advice based in experience. It is a pleasure to read your threads.

It has been a learning experience but it now seems some scopes are not a one piece tubes and some are cheaper grades of aluminum. My budget turned left all of a sudden so the scope likely to get installed on this rifle is a Leupold 2.5X20 M8 Compact, current Ultralight series. I would be a liar to say it will never get carried by the scope. If it fails I'll 'fess up to educate folks about this.

The rifle has tall rings so the scope will make a dandy handle!

[7.62 Precision]

So the thing is that it is not comfortable to carry forward of the trigger guard due to the magazine?

I try to be very careful of the scope, but realistically if the rifle is going to be used, the scope will get banged around, so a scope that can handle hard use will not likely be damaged by carrying the rifle from it, but who knows? Maybe it could change the shape of things a bit over time.

I have been off and on trying to think of an inexpensive scope to recommend, It is tough because a lot of the inexpensive ones that are still somewhat decent have poor features, like adjustments that are way to fine, and stuff like that.

The advice to look for a used Leupold was not a bad idea.

What exactly to you want in a scope (magnification range, reticle, adjustments, target knobs or not, illuminated or not, tube size, etc.)

[LIBERTY]

I have a Savage 110 in 270rem with a 4x Leupold scope on it and that's what I thought the scope was to be used for when not looking thru it. Been carrying it that way for over 45 years and never had a change in POI and have killed over 100 head of big game with it. I don't think it would work very well with a one piece base or low rings but my set up is great when going thru thick stuff and keeping the rifle handy. Liberty