Is it a bad idea to pick up an airgun by the scope??

My personal opinion is I wouldn't do it ...Scopes can take tremendous abuse from front and rear shock , but I'm pretty sure they weren't designed to be uses as a grab handle for a heavy gun ...Mlst hollow tubing can handle a lot of pressure applied directly , but are weak when pressure is applied sideways ...Think of it like this ...Crushing a coke can straight on takes a lot of strength , crushing it fron the side can be done with two fingers ...But I do rest my airguns in the closet against the top turret cover of the scope and butt of rifle . Leaning most airguns against its barrel is a pretty quick way to cause POI shifts

My Marauder days taught me to pick the gun up by the scope, And never never lean the gun on the barrel ,
I had to sight that 25 marauder in when I cleaned it, Leaned it on the barrel even for a second, If I even farted while shooting it the POI would shift...
But when it was sighted in, It would shoot with any gun I got,
The Marauder days still have me treating my guns like very very gentle. Old habit now.
Mike

Thanks for mentioning it being bad to lean a gun against the barrel I've never seen it in writing before nor heard of it but it does make sense. I'll have to change my ways. 

Carrying a rifle in such a manner is considered a bit 'gung ho' ie: all a bit military (citing Vietnam) you may have seen soldiers doing at the cinema / films but I'm absolutey sure you never saw a real (not in films) military Sniper do such a thing.

>Your scope mounts were not designed for that (vertical hold) purpose.

>Your riflescope was not designed for that purpose (excluding some very crude articles from 30 years ago).

I believe one should carry the full weight of the rifle (let's remember here: possibly 'capable of harming others from 'accidental discharge') in two hands, supported.

As Joe says above, it likely wont do your (hopefully) carefully set-up scope any good, but I'm adding that you are ceding safe rifle control / handling to a set of comparitively cheap mounts...


It also looks sloppy !

Sorry Moe. the above may have sounded a bit 'heavy', accusatory (or something). We have all done this, I'm sure, and in the relatively safe environment of your gun room at home, then go ahead,no problem.

Outside, amongst people is what I'm talking about (varaibles beyond one's control).

I'm not condoning it but I've seen Ted do it in a lot of his videos and then make an incredible shot.

I think it depends on the pcp. Most.....my answer/opinion would be no.

If your mounts have been installed correctly and are of decent quality then there shouldn't be an issue carrying your airgun by the scope. My 2 Royales are carried in this way when I am at the range and they are stood up in racks during ceasefires leaning against their barrels have never had an issue with changes in point of impact.

It's just like eating green chips. Nobody is really sure if it's ok or not but it seems like something to be avoided.

I dont even like to lay my rifle down on its side with the scope touching anything....LOL so I definitely dont pick em up by the scope.

I was 14 and my dad and I was at the range sighting in my first rifle with a scope, when he seen me pickup the gun by the scope he said after a barrage of insults did you buy a scope or a handle for you gun. he gave the same response when he seen me carrying my bow by the string.

I pick may FX Gladiator up by the scope all the time and have no issues with POI change.

I pick my vulcan up.by the scope all the time no issues. I have an impact now and will continue to do the same. I don't believe it'll Hurt a thing. Although I have no limit rings and a 30 mm tube on my guns

I pick up my 12.5 pound TM1000 by the scope all the time (carefully, of course). How else are you going to do it?

Pick most of my rifles by the scope and have never seen a POI shift. As someone mentioned earlier, as long at it's mounted properly and a decent quality mount used.

Hawke airmax 30mm tube, sportsmatch mounts on a Wolverine B hilite. I pick the rifle up by the scope all the time and have never had a poi shift. I accidentally bumped the scope today on the benchrest while loading the mag.......no poi shift at 60 yards. I have owned airguns that were very delicate with regards to how they are handled and poi shifts tho. I think it depends on the gun and mounts. I like knowing I can literally carry my wolverine by the scope between the mounts.....like a handle with no poi shift. Tells me its as solid as a rock. This is not how I carry my rifle tho.......I just like knowing its thats solid.

I've been picking up my rifles by their scopes for as long as I can remember, never had any issues with them like changing POI or anything like that. As long as you don't go bumping the thing around, there is zero chance of damage or POI change. Absolute zero! Just use your common sense, and don't swing it around like your handling a baseball bat or something. From a safety perspective, that's not a sensible thing to do anyhow.