Best reticle for africa

[Ontario Hunter]

If you are over 40, the scope should be much better than the rifle. My eyes keep getting older.

I like a swaro 4-AI reticle. I seldom use the illumination. But when shooting something in low light or shade, it is hugely helpful.

I am NOT a fan of a scope that tops out at only 4x, I think it limits the utility of the rifle. For DG you may only be at 1x or 2x. Having the option to zoom in to 6x or higher is a big benefit when shooting PG on the same hunt.

I believe if you put an excellent scope on a rifle, you will be more inclined to use that rifle to the exclusion of others.

The tradeoff for using a higher magnification scope on a dangerous game rifle is the larger objective lens requires a higher mounted scope. High mounted scopes are often/usually slower to acquire the target because shooter is "off the gun." Being off the gun also increases felt recoil. Low power scopes typically have no objective lens bell which allows them to be mounted lower. Shooter mounts the gun with cheek to the comb and full field of view (+ crosshairs) is instantaneous.

I shot hundreds of big game over more than fifty years with only a 30-06 mounted with fixed 3x Weaver. I now have a 3-9x Nikon on that gun but never hunt with it above 5x. In heavy cover it's turned down to 3x. 9x is great for range work but that's about it. My 404 has 1-4x. I hunt buffalo with it usually set at 2.5x or 3x.

 

[grand veneur]

For me and after about 50 years hunting, a very useful reticle when it comes to shooting under bad sight conditions, by poor light at dusk or even at night. For shooting at longer range it works too. Ideally suited for hunting in Africa, especially with big game rifles.