Weaver Grand Slam 3-10x40mm Riflescope

By Chuck Hawks

Grand Slam 3-10x40
Illustration courtesy of Weaver

The modern hunting scope was developed in Germany and improved in the United States. W. E. "Bill" Weaver introduced the first affordable scopes in the U.S. in 1930. Weaver scopes became known for delivering good value in the medium price (3-star) range.

Over the years the company has changed hands several times. Blount, Inc. acquired Weaver in the 1990's. The product line was modernized and the premium (4-star) Grand Slam line was introduced. These scopes are made in Japan to Weaver specifications and design. Weaver is now owned by Meade, a U.S. telescope manufacturer.

Grand Slam scopes can be identified by the green ring inside the front of the objective lens housing. The 3-10x40 Grand Slam is available with either matte black or silver finish. This scope is built with a 1" (25mm) one-piece main tube of aircraft quality aluminum alloy. Metal parts are machined to close tolerances. Lenses are camera quality optical glass, and fully multi-coated to reduce glare.

The 3-10x40 features Weaver's four point Micro-Trac adjustment system. Windage and elevation adjustments "click" in 1/4 minute of angle (MOA) increments and can be turned by the fingers alone; no coin is required for the low profile target type adjustments.

The sure-grip power ring is easy to use even when wearing gloves, and the numbers face the shooter so that the magnification can be adjusted in the shooting position. The European style fast focus ring is also rubberized for a positive grip. The scope is focused to be parallax free at 100 yards by the factory. The Grand Slam is warranteed to be shockproof, waterproof, and fogproof.

Weaver Grand Slam scopes come with a Limited Lifetime Warranty. This warrants the scope to be free from defects in materials and workmanship for as long as it is owned by the original owner. Weaver will repair or replace any defective Grand Slam scope at no charge under this warrantee.

The 3-10x40mm is probably the best selling of the Grand Slam scopes. It is supplied in both matte black and silver finishes with a Duplex reticle. The exit pupil diameter is 12.6-4mm; field of view at 1000 yards is 35' at 3x and 11.3' at 10x; eye relief is 3.5-3"; overall length is 11.875"; weight is 13 ounces.

The 40mm front objective lets in as much light as the human eye can use, even when fully dark adapted, at magnifications up to about 6x. Most importantly, it allows the use of low mounting rings on most rifles for fast alignment and good cheek to comb contact. This is a good scope for a wide assortment of all-around and long range rifles in calibers such as .243 Winchester, .240 Weatherby Magnum, .25-06, .257 Weatherby Magnum, 6.5x55, .264 Magnum, .270 Winchester, .270 Magnum, .280 Remington, 7mm Magnum, .30-06, .300 Magnum, and 8mm Magnum.

The scope tested for this review was a matte black 3-10x40mm Grand Slam (stock #800473). I mounted it on a Weatherby Mark V rifle in .257 Wby. Mag. caliber using Leupold bases and rings. Mounting was simple and trouble free.

The Grand Slam immediately impressed me as a very well made and finished scope of excellent quality. Its soft contours made it as attractive as a matte black scope is likely to get, and the green Grand Slam ring at the front of the objective does look good, as does the oval green and gold Weaver medallion on the left side of the saddle.

The ergonomics of the Grand Slam 3-10x40 are excellent, the best I have ever used. Its 1/4 MOA click adjustments proved simple to adjust using just a thumb and forefinger, and very accurate. It is a pleasure to sight in a rifle with this scope.

The 1 1/8" wide sure-grip (rubberized) area on the zoom ring really does afford an excellent grip, making the zoom ring a snap to adjust. The magnification index mark is on the left side of the tube (in the 9 o'clock position as viewed by the shooter), making it possible to accurately adjust the zoom range with the rifle at the shoulder. A right-handed shooter can see the numbers with his left eye while his right eye remains behind the ocular.

The optics are excellent, and flare is very well suppressed. Center to edge sharpness is excellent. Focusing is easily achieved by turning the rubberized fast focus ring on the eyepiece. No locking ring is required with this design. It is much like focusing the eyepiece of a binocular. Eye relief was adequate for the .257 Weatherby Magnum caliber, and would be for almost all other calibers, with the possible exception of the kind of big bores normally used on thick-skinned dangerous game. (For which a 3-10x scope would not be appropriate in any case.) As expected, the 3-10x Grand Slam did its job flawlessly and there were no problems of any kind.

I have used Weaver scopes for decades, and this Grand Slam riflescope is the best Weaver yet. Weaver scopes have always represented solid value at a reasonable price, and the Grand Slam line extends this philosophy into the deluxe 4-star class. The 3-10x40mm Grand Slam is perhaps the best riflescope in its class.




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