As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc, or its affiliates.
If you are an experienced shooter or hunter, there’s a very good chance that you have either heard of or are familiar with the Weaver brand of scopes, scope rings, and bases. Unfortunately, at the end of 2019, the parent company of Weaver, the ATK Group, opted to stop manufacturing the Weaver brand of riflescopes. I wrote a detailed post about Weaver existing the riflescope business here.
Being a fan of Weaver Optics, I was very disappointed to see them exit the scope market for several reasons:
- Since my first scope was an old Weaver model, I had a bit of a sentimental association with the brand.
- They were an established scope brand with a long and storied history of producing quality optics at reasonable pricing.
- Weaver was priced well and offered a good value for the money.
Well, Weaver didn’t actually stay out of the sporting optics business all that long, but they aren’t officially back to offering a complete line of Weaver scopes again, either.
Weaver Partnered with Natchez Shooting Supplies
Instead of jumping back into the riflescope side of the business, Weaver’s parent company, the ATK Group (or Vista Outdoors as they are commonly called now), entered into an exclusive deal with a shooting wholesale and retail company called Natchez Shooters Supplies.
Natchez has a wholesale division that only sells to gun stores and firearms dealers and a retail-only side that sells direct to the public.
The terms of the arrangements are as follows:
Weaver will produce updated versions of their Weaver Classic scope series in a limited range of models, and those models will only be sold through Natchez Shooters Supplies.
I’ve been aware of this arrangement since it was first announced but did not make any references to it on this website yet for the following reasons:
- Initially, I was unsure if this was a way to move the old Weaver scope inventory, so I wanted to verify that these Natchez models were updated Weaver models.
- I wanted to get my hands on one to inspect and handle first.
- I wasn’t sure if this arrangement was designed to be long-term or just a short-term plan.
Now that the arrangement has been in place for a bit, it appears that it’s more of a long-term deal.
Natchez based Weaver Classic Scopes vs the Original Weaver Classic Scopes
One common question that I’ve been asked is comparing the original Weaver Classic scopes to the “new” Natchez-based Weaver Classic scopes. Here are some of the differences that I’ve noticed:
- The original Weaver Classic scopes were part of a broader, overall family of scopes that included sub-families such as the Classic V-Series, the Classic K-Series, Classic Rimfire, and Classic T-Series of scopes. This entire scope family consisted of 20+ scope models. The new Natchez-based Weaver Classic scopes are a much smaller series with only six models.
- The original Weaver Classic scopes were only available in a 1-inch tube, while the newer Natchez models are available in 1 inch and 30mm models.
- Most of the original Classic scopes were equipped with an adjustable objective, while most of the newer series feature a side focus adjustment.
- The optical quality of the newer Classic scopes seems better than the optical quality of the original Weaver Classic scopes. I’d say that these newer Classic scopes offer glass quality that is about on par with the older Weaver Grand Slam series of riflescopes.
- The original Weaver Classic scopes were available in various reticle options, including duplex, fine duplex, Varminter reticle, Dual-X reticle, etc. In contrast, the newer Classic scope models are only available with the Weaver Dual-X reticle.
If you’re in the market for one of these scopes, they are only available through Natchez, and more info can be seen below:
FAQS
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding the newer model Weaver riflescopes:
How do these new Weaver Classic scopes compare to the Weaver Kaspa scopes?
The Weaver Kaspa series of riflescopes was one of Weaver’s entry-level scopes before they exited the scope business. The new Weaver Classic scopes have better quality optics, more features, and better controls compared to the Kaspa scope models. Plus, the Kaspa scopes were only available in a 1-inch tube, while some of the new Classic scopes are available in a larger 30mm tube.
What’s the warranty on these Natchez-only Weaver scopes?
Although these scopes are only available through Natchez Shooting Supply, the actual scope warranty is covered by Weaver Optics.
The warranty is a limited lifetime warranty for the original owner and covers defects in materials and workmanship. However, it’s important to note that the warranty only applies to the original owner or purchaser and is non-transferable. Also, the original purchase receipt is required for warranty coverage.
How do the new Weaver Classic scopes through Natchez compare to the original Weaver Grand Slam scopes?
The glass quality between the two series is very close to being equal. However, the Grand Slam scopes may have a very slight edge in optical quality, especially at higher magnification ranges.
The original Grand Slam scopes models featured an adjustable objective, while the 2nd generation of Grand Slam scopes featured a side focus adjustment. The newer Classic riflescopes sold through Natchez have side focus, but the minimum adjustable focus distance is shorter than what was designed into the first and second Weaver Grand Slam scopes.
However, the original Grand Slam scopes were covered under a better version of the Weaver warranty.
As I come across any new information or questions, I’ll update this page.
I’ve been working in the firearms and sporting optics industry for over 20 years, with a personal and professional interest in all things related to rifle scopes, Through a combination of work experience, formal training, and personal experiences, I have extensive experience mounting, testing, and evaluating different rifle scope models across most major optical brands.