Scope for new 375 Ruger Guide Gun

[ActionBob]

I just ordered a new Ruger Guide gun in 375 R for my wife... We are in the early stages of planning for a Lion hunt and as her first gun is a Guide Gun in 30-06 and fits her so well, we thought it would be best to stay with the same model.

She has a little Leopold VX3 in 2.5-8/32 on the 30-06 with the Boone and Crocket reticle... Which I don't think she has used.

So this gun will be for DG but if a plains game species on her list walks out and this is gun she is holding, I assume it is getting blasted! So for a scope she will want some magnification but more importantly a good "eye box" that comes right up naturally for her and something she can acquire quickly.... I think the key to the little leupold she has is that it is able to be mounted really low and so it fits her well... But with the Ruger mounts, there is a little room left. I just checked it and she has it set on 5x, I'm guessing the PH set it there and she never changed it for all her plains game.

A natural choice would be to put that same vx3 2.5-8 on it, probably without the Boone and Crocket lines in the way. (keep it simple for DG, right?)...
Leupold as a whole seems to have a good eye relief so other thoughts are a VXR in 2-7, that is what the salesman is recommending, gaining a 30mm tube and an illuminated reticle. Still looks like it would mount low.
Or a VX6 in 1-6, illuminated, double the money but that is ok if it is worth it. That shop does not have one for her to try and the salesman noted that with it mounted low and on 1x she will see the front sight thus his recommendation to go with the cheaper 2-7 (and it is what he has in stock). This particular 2-7 is very compact so might look good and mount low.
Or a VX6 in 2-12 illuminated like I have on my H & H, if it will mount low enough..... I also have a 30mm Trijicon 1-4 with the triangle green post... love looking through it but I was not very accurate off that triangle so I swapped it out for the VX6 2-12 on my 375 H & H.

So do we go with what she knows realizing it is a small tube and only a 36mm objective and that it is not going below 2.5x for close range, or do we opt up to a 30mm tube and more light gathering ability? What about illuminated reticle? I strongly suspect this gun will be used on Buffalo some day and it could end up on a bear hunt... Maybe Leopard, moose?

What do you guys recommend of these choices or any others you want to throw out?

Bob

 

[enysse]

I know a few guys that have the the 2-7 on their big bore guns. It's a cheap option! All the other options will work too. I think the 1-6 is very nice!!!

 

[High Desert Hunter]

I have the 2.5x8-36 on my 375 Ruger, same scope on my M77MKII in 300 Win Mag, nice having the same bolt throw and scope setup on both of my hunting rifles. The 2.5-8th served me well in Alaska, even in the thick alders after grizz.

 

[Voodooracer]

I have a leupold vx-3 1.5-5x20 mounted on my cz 550 375 h&h and i love it, the only gripe is the action is long so on 5x i have to move my head a bit closer to the scope but still have adequate eye relief, with the shorter action on the ruger i see no problem with mounting a shorter tubed scope. Looking back i wish i went with the model that has the illuminated reticle, i would pick an illuminated reticle for sure. That's the route i'm going to go on my guide gun in 416 as it will be used for black bear in Pennsylvania this upcoming season!

 

[High Desert Hunter]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/57...2-5x-36mm-6-reticle-gray?cm_vc=ProductFinding

On sale.

 

[CAustin]

I think we traded private mail on this and I suggested the Luepold VX6. The biggest reason was the field of view which would be important for the dangerous game. At a setting of 1 that scope has a field of view that is 120 feet wide.

 

[ActionBob]

Thanks everyone for all the input so far!

Yea I'm kinda thinking the VX6 1-6 illuminated is top dog for the price (compared to a Z6 for example), or maybe the 2-12 as this gun could very well make it's way to Alaska and I suspect with the right ammo it can be effective as far out as 300 yards, I doubt Ann would take a shot that far but she will surprise me every now and then. And I may want to use it myself! But the VXR 2-7 is at an even more attractive price and at least vs. the 2-12, it has smaller objectives and might mount more compactly/lower.... On the other hand I think it will only hurt once to pay double the cost for the VX6 over the VXR, and it might hurt every time we pull the gun out to not have the better glass and wider range of the VX6. Of course both are illuminated.

The shop I ordered the gun from does not have a 1-6 or 2-12 in stock. He has a couple 3-18's and was willing to discount them down to $1000. I suspect he would order in whatever we want and still do a similar price break.... He was pretty interested in selling the 2 guns and 2 higher end scopes.

A side note is I also ordered a Ruger Predator with the same green mountain laminated stock in 6.5 Creedmoor... I was thinking a VX6 3-18 on that for Pronghorn, steenbok, springbuck, jackal etc. And the guy has one with the Boone and Crockett reticle and one without, both illuminated... they both have CDS so I can send in for the customized top turret. Leaning towards the plain reticle and get the customized turret... Advise on that please?

Then he also has a Swarovski Z5 3.5-18 with the 4 reticle with the windage lines on it and that programmable top turret with the color coding... I really like that scope as well but not illuminated, although I don't think the illumination is a big deal for that gun. So gotta decide between the Swaro Z5 or the VX6 3-18 on the Creedmoor. Of course the Swaro is half again as much money but it is also a 1" tube and sleeker scope for a sleek gun. But the Ruger comes with 1" rings so that may help a little. But when it comes down to it, the larger tube VX6 is really only 3 onces more weight.

That Zeiss on sale is real interesting especially as it looks like the color may match closer to the gun's. But it does not look like it is illuminated and I really think we should have that option.

Ann is likely going to want the best eye relief and I sure don't want her getting scope eye. She may ultimately decide she just wants that little VX3 2.5-8 because it is what she knows.

The gun should be there tomorrow.

 

[CAustin]

Let me know how the new rifle feels when you take it to the range

 

[tarbe]

I recently put a 2-12 VX6 on my 300 H&H. If I were looking for a new scope for my 375, I would most likely get a 1-6 VX6, unless I knew I would never use it for DG, then I would get another 2-12!

 

[ActionBob]

Another Ruger scope question;
Ruger guns come standard with 1" rings included... Will they trade them in for 30mm rings or do I need to buy new rings to mount a 30mm scope?

Bob

 

[tarbe]

Never tried to trade. Would not get my hopes up!

 

[CAustin]

I ordered mine with the bigger rings do they have them. Just call them up, might be some shipping charges.

 

[Wheels]

At some point low light will probably be an issue in your hunting. My only recommendation is to make sure it is an IR. VX6/VXR.....both good.

All the best in your choice.

 

[bebo]

With all my .375 H&H I was using a Leupold VX2 3-9x40 . No pb.