Why do scopes weigh so much?

[Keyman62421]

Aluminum tube, 3 or 4 glass lenses, some fancy screws and we have a 3lb mechanism. I don't see why this should be more than 1. 1/2 lb. MAX!!
Now that's silly me. Some one please illuminate. 

 

[addertooth]

I am sure JohnWayneRhea has a good definitive answer, but for me it is basic. Well made mechanical assemblies weigh more. What is hard to find is really good and rugged scopes which are light.

 

[JoeWayneRhea]

Dude you nailed it ! It's part of the reason I keep going back to Leupold scopes . Very light weight, and compact compared to most any other maker

 

[Ghostmaker]

@keyman You're just buying poopty scopes.

 

[Brian10956]

It’s simple glass weighs more than plastic

 

[T3PRanch]

Because we all want scopes with as many adjustments as possible. Each requires more glass and more aluminum which adds up to MUCH more weight than fixed power, fixed parallax, non illuminated scopes.

Thurmond

 

[toku58]

Because in order to make them light they would have to sacrifice durability. So it's a trade off.

Sure they could put lens in a cigar tube and it would be really light weight. But would you buy it??

Manufacturer do NOT add unnecessary wieght just for poops and giggles.

They could make a scope tube out of carbon fiber and that would be light but would you be willing to pay the price?????

 

[c_m_shooter]

Why do so many on this forum think weight is a bad thing? A 12 pound rifle is way more stable to shoot than a 6 pound rifle, I'm guessing there aren't too many of us that are wandering the woods living as nomads where weight would be an issue.

 

[addertooth]

Yes C_M_Shooter,
​I am certainly not a nomad, but after an hour of walking about in the wilderness, a heavier big bore gun, with a "feature rich and heavy scope", gets to be a drag.
Case in point....