This doesn't sound good. Almost sounds like something failed internally? Based on what Sheridan provided about the warranty, I don't think I'd recommend you utilize it - you'll end up with a bill to repair a scope that you'll always question. As far as fixing it and selling it, you might consider what you're passing along to the next guy?

Hope you have better luck with your Pentax.

BTW - It's sounds like the seal broke and the gas escaped = cloudy (blurry as you call it).

Leupold makes great scopes...I have one on my Ruger M-77, one on my Knight Disc and one on my Remington 541-T...Never had a problem...

I have a buddy that has a Simmons, he is on his third...Sends them back, they send another...I don't have the time for such....

I didn't get a bill. Just took forever to get through to their customer service! Just ended up being hard-headed enough to go through it for the principal of it!


I considered selling the new one that they finally sent me, but I don't wish a bad scope on an enemy! So I threw it in the trash!

I think that you pretty much get what you pay for!
Cheap=JUNK
Quality=Quality
Expensive=How much do you need? Diminishing returns for the $$$

You said that you need one for sighting in and them swap out when the new one gets here. It won't matter what this scope or any other do if you are going to swap them out later. You will still have to re-sight when the new one gets here anyhow. Just save the ammo and wait for the new scope.

Welcome to the world of Simmons optics. I have come across several .... scopes and binos. Bought one $150 Simmons scope decades ago. Terrible at low light but has held up OK. Witnessed first hand an Aetec's guts come apart at the range ... first time , out of the box sight-in effort on an 8 mm Rem. Mag. Fifth shot ... toast. Could hear parts rattling inside the scope. The guy sent it back, received another in relative short order ... and same thing. A hand full of shots and the scope failed again. Could not withstand the recoil I guess.

I realize many folks swear by Simmons as a good, economical choice ... and I do not mean to offend Simmons owners ... but I have not been satisfied with any optics branded "Simmons". And I do not recommend anything that thay make.

If you are on a tight budget like most of us are, you can find a good value out there in the $300-$400 range. Leupold, Vortex, Burris, Bushnell, Nikon to mention a few.

Any of you have any experience with Cabela's or BassPro's house-brand scopes?

Swift Optics are quite good for the money.

I have a Cabelas Alpha 3-12x40 on my Savage 93 in 17HMR...It was on a super sale (think I paid like $79 3 years ago)...it's OK...It has held zero and is clear and I like the reticle...I'd rank it just a little lower in over all quality than the Nikon Pro-Staff...but for the money and for what I ask of it it has done the job flawlessly for a couple thousand rounds. I'd buy another one on-sale, but the regular price seems a bit high for me. I have heard the Alaskan and Euro scopes by Cabelas are better but have never really looked through one.

I much prefer Swift Premier scopes for the money...and warranty.

+1 for this....I currently have 4 Swift Premier scopes on rifles....

3-9x40 on a Rem 700 in .243
3-9x40 on a Rem 700 in .270
6-24x50 on a Savage 10 in .308
6-18x50 on a Rem 700 in .257 Roberts AI (currently being finished by my smith...I am getting gitty like a teen girl headed to prom! LOL)

They all perform well...but the real proof is in how they handle their warranty...even the best scope manufactures occasionally have a bad scope sneak out. I got one of those. About 15 years ago I had a 3-9x40 Swift on my 7mm Mag that was bad...took it off and returned it to the dealer, they replaced it no questions asked and off I went...that scope is now on that .243 above...and the one on my 270 has been there for 18 years without fail and has been hunted with at least one hunt every year since.