Rifle Scopes Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

[Ratbert]

Went to Sean Little's shooter/spotter class this weekend and discovered something about the Premier Heritage scopes. There is a pretty wide variance in how the turrets perform and what each click feels like. We had 4 samples at the class, all of which among the first 50 shipped from the factory. Two of them had turrets that felt like turning a S&B or winding a fine watch. Each and every click was distinct and tactile and spinning the knob was a joy to operate. A third Heritage was more the sensation of opening a camelbak or plodding through a tar pit. It was difficult and sluggish to turn and clicks were basically nonexistant. Mine was somewhere in the middle, if you pay attention and are very careful you CAN make out a click (wearing Sordin's cranked up) and sort of feel at least every other detent but it was nothing to write home about.

Anyway, given the amount of bickering over "The turrets suck!" vs "What are you talking about? They're fine!" I thought I'd just pass this along. I know that whenever I send mine in for the 15Mil turret and XR reticle installation I'm going to specifically request that they do whatever they have to to make mine hum like a swiss watch.

Here's a little promo pic for you. 10-12mph winds and rain in 40* weather kind of sucked ass. Click on the image for the full-size.

 

[Ratbert]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

A couple more pics:

 

[TexanAviator]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

Oh man now you've got me nervous about the one I have coming in

I hope it is perfect out of the box. Nice looking rig there, need bigger pics next time though

 

[Ranger70]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

Mine was the same, working the turret fixed it right up! #26

 

[SSGC]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

Ive looked at the desert tactical rifle what do you think of them its either that or a GAP

 

[TexanAviator]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ranger70</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mine was the same, working the turret fixed it right up! #26 </div></div>

<noob

what do you mean "working the turret"?

You would think if you were not happy with the turret function, they would warranty it right?

 

[Cixelsyd]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TexanAviator</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ranger70</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mine was the same, working the turret fixed it right up! #26 </div></div>

<noob

what do you mean "working the turret"?

You would think if you were not happy with the turret function, they would warranty it right? </div></div>
I'm thinking he means cranking the knobs a few times. Left-Right Up-Down. Repeat.

CHRIS

 

[TexanAviator]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Cixelsyd</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TexanAviator</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ranger70</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Mine was the same, working the turret fixed it right up! #26 </div></div>

<noob

what do you mean "working the turret"?

You would think if you were not happy with the turret function, they would warranty it right? </div></div>
I'm thinking he means cranking the knobs a few times. Left-Right Up-Down. Repeat.

CHRIS </div></div>

ahh ok thanks, figured maybe they needed a little settling in.

 

[Whiskey 2-1]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

I did my own little data gathering on this while at SHOT show this year. The boys at Premier really put a lot of scopes out for demos at the show. I think there was a Heritage on a rifle at nearly all the precision rifle booths.

I made a point to stop by when I saw one and spin the turrets. I must have worked the adjustments on 20-30 single turn 22mil scopes. I also spent quite a bit of time on the 15mil DT and 15mil ST versions at their booth.

When all was said and done, I think I had found 2 or 3 where there was a noticeable difference in the tactile feel of the clicks. Since I went there looking for this, I honestly can't say if I would have noticed it without paying close attention. I also didnt pay attention to scope serial numbers and I dont know the history of use of the scopes in question.

Anyway, that was the ratio that I found in handling a pretty large number of their scopes. Take it for what you will....

Sean

 

[Ratbert]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

One other interesting thing to note was that the two that felt just fantastic were also two that had issues with a screw being out of spec originally and had to be sent back to get the turrets working again. They owners claim they always felt that good, so I didn't mention it originally, but it's possible that 2nd trip home is the difference.

Regardless, you have to believe me when I say that it was night and day between the worst and the best. Mine, in the middle, feels not much better than my falcon menace. The two that were nice were REALLY nice. I really didn't expect there to be much difference either when I reached down to give it a spin, so IIRC my response was "Holy Shit!"


Anyone heard when the 15mil ST and XR ret upgrades will be available?

 

[gunsmithcat]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

im also waiting to upgrade to the XR ret, i'm anxious as hell.

 

[zink14]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

I noticed I could impact the tactile feel with the Quick Release cam torque, if I screwed it all the way down hand tight and backed off a quarter of turn until it latched my turrets clicks felt perfect, If It was looser it felt mushy….just my observation.

 

[Ratbert]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

I'll try that, though I'm pretty sure that's exactly what I did when I last floated the cap.

 

[Smokin]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Ratbert</div><div class="ubbcode-body">One other interesting thing to note was that the two that felt just fantastic were also two that had issues with a screw being out of spec originally and had to be sent back to get the turrets working again. They owners claim they always felt that good, so I didn't mention it originally, but it's possible that 2nd trip home is the difference.

Regardless, you have to believe me when I say that it was night and day between the worst and the best. Mine, in the middle, feels not much better than my falcon menace. The two that were nice were REALLY nice. I really didn't expect there to be much difference either when I reached down to give it a spin, so IIRC my response was "Holy Shit!"


Anyone heard when the 15mil ST and XR ret upgrades will be available?

</div></div>

I talked to Premier last week and they said that the DT knobs are still about 4 weeks out. Not much longer.

 

[phlii]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

I have found that I can 'tune' the feel of the clicks. When I release the lever-lock toggle, I turn it a little clockwise or counter-clockwise, lock it back down, check it, and adjust it until it 'feels right.' As stated in the instruction manual, you have to be careful not to loosen it too much, otherwise it the reticle won't be adjusted despite audible clicks.

When I got the scope, I also worked the turrets a bit and that seemed to help, too.

 

[LibertyOptics]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

I can't wait for the DT knobs, these will be the "stuff" IMO.

We are very close to getting our shipment of Heritage scopes in.

Thanks for the pics, Ratbert. Looks like the Heritage thrives just fine in nasty field conditions.

Take care,

Scott

 

[Ratbert]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

Well I went to try floating the knobs again just to see if it was an issue that could be changed by the level of tension on the locking lever. When I did I discovered a little bit of grit that had worked it's way into the turret housing so I pull the turret caps off for the first time to get in there and clean out a few specs of sand.

In the process I decided to try removing the O-ring at the base of the turret housing, just to see what the they would feel like without it. The effect was quite noticeable, I could immediately feel the clicks much more distinctly and it took a lot less force to break the coefficient of friction and coax the turret to move. So I made sure the O-ring was clean of any grit and replaced it, making certain it was fully seated into the little channel machined for it. When I replaced the turrets this time the feeling was much better and with a little bit of spinning full revs up and down it has not "broken in" to the point that it's almost, but not quite, as nice as an S&B. The clicks are still too close together, IMHO, but at least now you can truly hear and feel each of them.

I wonder if perhaps the horrible feeling scope from this weekend has it's O-ring not fully seated or with a little too much grease stuck behind it in it's little channel or something. I'll email the owner and suggest he takes a look.

15Mil is plenty for me, I'll take the lower profile of the ST knob.


Now if I could just get the magnification bar broken in to the point that I don't have to come off the gun to make an adjustment...

 

[Aries64]

Re: Not all Heritage scopes are created equal

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: TexanAviator</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Oh man now you've got me nervous about the one I have coming in

I hope it is perfect out of the box. Nice looking rig there, need bigger pics next time though

</div></div>
Place your mouse's cursor over each photo and "click" on it and a new "window" will open up and download the full resolution photo. I did this, and each of the three (3) photos Ratbert linked to are 3504x2336. Anytime you see the little gloved hand it means the subject is "clickable".

Keith