The Simmons Aetec Scope

Today I use a Simmons Aetec scope, but if you are not new to hunting you’ll probably remember the debate about whether or not you should put a scope on your deer hunting rifle. I can remember how much more confident I became when we put the first scope on my Marlin 336C lever action .30-30. I shot my first deer, a trophy spike, that year and have not returned to iron sights since then. (Except for my muzzleloader where scopes were illegal in West Virginia until just a couple of years ago.)

Like many hunting products today there are many quality rifle scopes on the market today. You can spend as little as $50 to as much as $1,700.

When selecting a rifle scope for your favorite deer rifle you want a good quality scope that is waterproof, fog proof and shockproof. You don’t want to have to stay inside when it is raining or snowing because your scope cannot handle the inclement weather.

The field of view is another quality that I look at when choosing a scope. The field of view is just the measurement of the width of view at 100 yards that you can see when you look through the scope. The magnification has a bearing on this as the field of view will decrease as the magnification gets higher. My Simmons Aetec has a field of view 44 feet wide at the lowest setting of 2.8 power and 14 feet at 10 power.

Magnification is another variable in deciding what scope is best for you. The 2.8 to 10 magnification range was good for me, especially the 2.8 for the close hunting that is common in thick areas. The capability of setting the scope magnification to 10 also comes in handy on those occasions that I see a deer across an open field.

I also like the matte finish that is available on the Aetec. I like to keep shiny things down to a minimum. I have a hard enough time keeping them from seeing me fidgeting around.

The Simmons Aetec is a good quality rifle scope in the middle to lower price range. I have missed a couple of shots since I’ve had the Simmons Aetec Scope. A couple of years ago I heard a commotion coming towards me. A spike buck was hot on the trail of a doe. I had already shot a decent buck that year, so the doe was just what I was looking for. As they started to run by, I whistled them to a stop. Since I did not want to drag the doe back up over a hill, I decided to shoot her in the neck and have a nice short drag. I pulled the gun up and made a quick shot and watched her run off with a confused spike behind her. Obviously, I had not taken my time and jerked when I should have squeezed the trigger. I could only laugh since the shot was under 30 yards. I would probably have pulled off this shot easily with my compound bow. Not even the best scope can correct poor shooting form.


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