typical testing of very expensive scopes (from what I've seen over time anyways)
https://youtu.be/gMNg0q7IMB0What really happens to a scope when you use it as its intended
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5pVya7easka little tongue in cheek there.
I've personally had a leupold go bust. At 100 yards with a very accurate 6mm I couldn't get it to keep the same POI from one day to the next. It came back with a fully rebuilt tag.
I first hand know of three NF go bust, two in the middle of Nats (many years apart) and one in club days. One of the scopes the elevation mechanism went...so the repair tag said.
Scope problems are/can be very difficult to track down...you have to have a lot of confidence in your other gear to put the finger on the scope. generally it looks like trying everything but the scope and then sending the scope away out of desperation and the fault goes away.
IMO despite the scopes being very expensive the "easy" option of testing are used. I guess I would hate to think how expensive they might be otherwise.
I do agree that side impact testing is useful. However that is only a part of the usage. Rifles have a unique recoil and torque pattern. Most testing I have seen is monolithic in that there is a vertical or sideways whack and definitely not when a recoil pulse/vibrations are being transmitted down.
The most relevant testing I have seen so far is a known frozen scope locked into place along side the scope to be tested and shots fired.
I really like my NFs - got rid of everything else...doing some research though...the Kahles are coming through the side by side shot testing very very well....mmm...