This is from another post on mounting optics by Form over on RS. This will give a tiny insight as to the volume of testing done. So even though the test eval's have started, keep in mind that on some of these optics with "one test", that is one test posted. If you go into the Q&A's of each scope you will see some of them Form discusses seeing the same behavior over lots and lots of samples.
Here is the relevant part of this thread:
After multiple requests for an explanation of how to mount a scope in order to have the lowest possibility of loss of zero, a discussion of a scope mounting video, and the latest thread about scope bases and action screw coming loose, I took some pics of what I do with a rifle when I get it and...
rokslide.com
The background quote by Form:
"To start- a bit of background of why I say what I say.
I am a backpack hunter. What I write below is tailored to hunting.
Having sid that, I work at a place that fires a lot of ammo. I see over half a million rounds a year on average get fired. 90% of those rounds are tracked. Weapon zeros are checked nearly daily, scopes, mounts, rifles, ammo, etc, are being tested constantly. If a rifle has even a .5 MOA shift in zero we will see it almost immediately. My thoughts are this- scopes are an aiming device. They are a container to hold my reticle so that I can hit targets. I do not care about scratches, dings, or ring marks. I do care that the bullets go where the crosshairs are pointed. My first requirment is that the rifle stays zeroed through use. To do that the mounts, rings, and action screws can not come loose...."