Scope suggestions please

[Parsons]

I am going to need scopes to put onto the two rifles I am building for my trip. For the 375 H&H I am wanting a 1-4 or 1-6 magnification and want to hear which ones you all have used and what you do and don't like about them. I will be in the bushveld(?) in SA so don't plan on real long shots.

For my 300 H&H (probably) I do not know a good power magnification to use. I think I read some people prefer 2-9ish for this. I am looking at getting scopes around a $1000 or so. Any thoughts would greatly help.

Please move this to proper section I just realized I put this under the wrong category.

 

[Grumulkin]

I'm assuming you're going on a plains game safari. If so, are you really going to use less than 3X on the scope? I doubt it.

I don't know what you consider a long shot but if you were up to it, 200 to 400 yard shots come up on occasion. That said, I don't doubt your PH could work with any limitations you have and get you closer if needed. A 3-9X or 4.5-14X scope on both rifles is probably what I'd choose.

The scopes also don't have to be expensive. The scopes I've had on my 375 H&H Magnums have been Leupolds the most expensive of which was less than $300 if my memory serves me correctly.

 

[EDD]

3x9 would be more than sufficient, maybe use quick release mounts for future DG hunting....?

 

[Grumulkin]

Quick release rings are what I use of the majority of my rifles. I mostly use Warne QD rings on Warne bases. Talley and Blaser QD systems also work well. Leupold QD rings I had on a 375 H&H Magnum shot loose.

 

[enysse]

The 1-6x would be fine for the 375 H&H and a 3.5-10x would be great for the 300 H&H. You could buy the "best" Zeiss or Swar. Or you buy the one huge eye relief- Leupold, for 300-500+$. Again I love my Leupold. Nikon is also another good option.

 

[Grady]

I would use Leupold for both, but if you have the excess cash you will not go bad with either the Zeiss or Swar as Enysse mentions above. I am a big Leupold fan because of there customer service, reputation and they make a high quality scope.

For the powers, I have a Leupold 1.25-4x20 (30mm Tube) Illuminated on my 375 with Blaser QR and Iron sights, and on the 300 I would recommend a VX3 in 3.5x10x50 or a VX6 in 2-12x42. I personnally like the illuminated versions, but I have many scopes that are not illuminated also.

Either way, get the best quality scope that you can afford and one that you have had the opportunity to look thru outside in the morning and evening and you will not go wrong. If the store that you are going to purchase from will not let you look thru it outside, walk away and go to a different store. To many people make the mistake of only looking thru the scope inside and when they get to the range in cloudy or overly sunny conditions, they don't like the optics.

But those are only my opinions and there will other that will have their opinions.

 

[DOC-404]

You could also have a look at this scope. I use one on my 404 and find it to be excellent.

http://nightforceoptics.com/compacts/1-4x24-nxs-compact-riflescope/

 

[Velo Dog]

I am going to need scopes to put onto the two rifles I am building for my trip. For the 375 H&H I am wanting a 1-4 or 1-6 magnification and want to hear which ones you all have used and what you do and don't like about them. I will be in the bushveld(?) in SA so don't plan on real long shots.

For my 300 H&H (probably) I do not know a good power magnification to use. I think I read some people prefer 2-9ish for this. I am looking at getting scopes around a $1000 or so. Any thoughts would greatly help.

Please move this to proper section I just realized I put this under the wrong category.

Parsons,

The 3 times I have hunted the general area / conditions you are booked for, I used in the following order, with total satisfaction:

1. Leupold compact 2.5x in claw mounts / Merkel .SxS .375 H&H / 300 gr Hornady RNSP @ 2400 fps, I also made some shots with the scope off/express sights (9 animals total, both scope & open sight).

2. Zeiss 3 to 9x Conquest in Brno mounts / Brno ZKK Mauser / .30-06 / 220 gr Hndy RNSP @ 2400 fps. Guide's rifle & scope / I left it on 4x the whole trip (lost count of the animal numbers, did some culling as well as sport hunting "on license").

3. Wide-shallow "V" rear & oversize German silver front bead (appears more or less white when using it in bush conditions) / Army & Navy SxS .450 No2 NE / Hndy 480 gr soft & solid @ 2050 fps (buffalo shown as my avatar plus a zebra, then I shot a common reed buck with the guide's .30-06/scope/ammo again.

Now my eyes are older and the compact 2.5x Leupold is too short for my eyes (lenses too close together to be focused at maximum clarity).

Aside from that, I have no plans to change anything in my future except try other calibers for the heck of it.

Incidentally, my first trip to Africa, I used a .300 H&H in Namibia (longer shots) and 180 gr Nosler Partitions with older Zeiss 4x and did not regret it at all.

As I age, I might opt for a 6x on the .300 but underline might.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[Parsons]

Thanks for the replies guys. I had thought about the Nightforce 1-4x24 but wasnt sure if only going to 4x would be enough so thats why I was thinking the leupold VX-6 1-6x. On leupold I get a generous discount so I could easily get two of their better scopes and stay within budget. I am going to drive around this afternoon to a couple shops and see if they do have a couple of the scopes I am interested in just to get an idea. I am not sure of anywhere local to where I am for next two weeks that carry zeiss, swar, or nightforce. I will let you all know if I find a scope that interests me and see if any of you all have used one.

 

[bassasdaindia]

hi parsons,I am in SA and have a Nikon Monarch African edition 1-4x20 with woodleigh turrets for sale

the scope has seen little shooting and is in perfect condition.

you are welcome to PM me for more details

 

[rnovi]

Hi Parsons,

Short answer: if you're doing Plains Game it's really hard to beat something like a Leupold 1.5-5x/1-6x24 scope.

Longer answer: I used a 2.5-10x42 scope on my first Safari. The make is irrelevant (Zeiss Victory FL), what actually was more important is that the added power was more of a hinderance than a boon. I shot my first Kudu at 280-ish yards with the scope set on 4x. The second kudu was at 287 yards and the scope was on 3x. I had no issues getting on target.

In fact, it was the Blesbok that really taught me the value of low power. I'd turned the scope up to 10x earlier in the day and didn't turn it back down. I ended up late in the day on the sticks with Blesbok coming in...and didn't realize it until the dang Bok's were 30 yards out. All I saw was shoulder...made it hard to pick the right Bok out from the file of 30 of them.

I certainly didn't need the light gathering capabilities of the x42 bell either - hunting was done when the sun set...and we boogied to the Bakkie as quick as we could when the sun went down. If I were hunting leopard into the absolute last hours of the night I could justify the value of the x42 bell...but for normal hunting, spot and stalk during the day? Nope...

And therein lies the truth: for hunting in normal PG conditions I'd want something between 4-6x that's light weight and user friendly with an easy to use reticle.

This year that's going to be a Leupold FX3 6x42 fixed power scope, with the LR duplex.

In my perfect world I'd want a VX6 1-6x24 e-dot with an LR dot #4 reticle (*dots set for use on 6x). That Reticle doesn't exist though...I can get a #4 with an elevation turret...but spinning a turret isn't quite the same thing as the LR dot plex. That adds complexity I don't want.

 

[bassasdaindia]

agree with rnovi's post

most of my PG hunting is done with my scope set at 3

 

[Velo Dog]

Hi Parsons,

Short answer: if you're doing Plains Game it's really hard to beat something like a Leupold 1.5-5x/1-6x24 scope.

Longer answer: I used a 2.5-10x42 scope on my first Safari. The make is irrelevant (Zeiss Victory FL), what actually was more important is that the added power was more of a hinderance than a boon. I shot my first Kudu at 280-ish yards with the scope set on 4x. The second kudu was at 287 yards and the scope was on 3x. I had no issues getting on target.

In fact, it was the Blesbok that really taught me the value of low power. I'd turned the scope up to 10x earlier in the day and didn't turn it back down. I ended up late in the day on the sticks with Blesbok coming in...and didn't realize it until the dang Bok's were 30 yards out. All I saw was shoulder...made it hard to pick the right Bok out from the file of 30 of them.

I certainly didn't need the light gathering capabilities of the x42 bell either - hunting was done when the sun set...and we boogied to the Bakkie as quick as we could when the sun went down. If I were hunting leopard into the absolute last hours of the night I could justify the value of the x42 bell...but for normal hunting, spot and stalk during the day? Nope...

And therein lies the truth: for hunting in normal PG conditions I'd want something between 4-6x that's light weight and user friendly with an easy to use reticle.

This year that's going to be a Leupold FX3 6x42 fixed power scope, with the LR duplex.

In my perfect world I'd want a VX6 1-6x24 e-dot with an LR dot #4 reticle (*dots set for use on 6x). That Reticle doesn't exist though...I can get a #4 with an elevation turret...but spinning a turret isn't quite the same thing as the LR dot plex. That adds complexity I don't want.

Rnovi, Bassasdaindia and Parsons,

My first scope (I was 18 years young) was a Redfield 6 to 18x (on a Model 722 Rem in .244 caliber) and while hunting vermin in Nevada, I had more than one incident like your blesbok encounter.
Finally, I gave up and left it on 6x always (and it still bagged plenty ground squirrels, jack rabbits and coyotes, at short, medium and longer range).

Therefore I cannot abide variable scopes (too many moving parts for my ADHD eccentricities to keep straight).
Even for longer shots at most deer and PG size animals, I personally would have little need for anything over 6x in more open country (prairie, grassveld, desert) and 4x has so far been plenty even for that.
Not sure if Leupold still makes their 6 power scope with the 36mm bell or not but that one was a good scope for me pior to moving to Alaska, 30 something years ago (around here, a 4x is more than enough, even on the open tundra for caribou and such).

Likewise, during my sordid youth/prior to moving up here to AK, I had put together a Ruger 77, in .257 Roberts, with a 3x Leupold (no longer made as far as I know), for shooting running jack rabbits.

However, with it, I shot very dead a standing coyote (from sand bags on the hood of a pickup truck) at a bit over 400 paces (across a dry pan).

3x was plenty evidently, and it's endorsed by bassadaindia for African PG hunting as well.

Cheers,
velo Dog.

 

[35bore]

Every scope and suggestion thus far is what I would recommend as well. Only thing I would add, is that if some of these scopes seem out of the $1000 price range you mentioned, look online for some used scopes. Some of my best buys have been previously owned. Good luck to ya.

 

[rnovi]

Leupold FX3: $400.
Leupold VX3 1.5-5: About $400
Leupold VX6 1-6: $1k.

Velo, yes indeed, Leupold still makes the FX2 6x36. I have on on my #1 in 7x57 and have thought many times to have the duplex changed to the LR Duplex. I tell ya, in the field there's nothing that beats pure simplicity.

 

[enysse]

I like the gun writer Dick Metcalf, like as much power on the scope as possible. If money was no object if take a 4-12, 4.5-14, 4-16, 6-18 any day on a plains game rifle. Where 6 is fine 99% of the time I have mine set at 10x, I never have a problem picking the animal up either. I look at the animal and bring the gun up to my eye.

 

[ActionBob]

For the moeny, quality, features and eye relief, I am likeing Leupold more all the time.

Had a Trijicon 1-4x24 with the illuminated triangle on my .375 but just could not get real accurate with the post and triangle... The aim pount on the reticle is just not defined enough. If buying that scope again, I would get the duplex reticle with the little green dot in the middle. I think it may be great as a super reliable and fast pointing DG scope but before my PG hunt I took it off and put on a Leupold VX6 illuminated in 2-12. I then started getting some bench groups to touch (with help of a lead sled). I absolutely love this scope, it does take a battery but it also has an auto shut off and it made it through a month of practice and my 9 day hunt and is still going strong.

Shooting Hornady Superformance 270 grain SP RP ammo, this is a PG rig more capable than me out to 300 yards+. It worked great on the larger plains game, and it worked on a last minute Duiker and Jackal as well. The jackal was a quick shot just after dark but I managed to hit the button for the illumination as I was pulling the gun out and it worked wonders.

If you want a nice pair, do a 2-12 on the 375 and a 3-18 on the 300. Or if you want to spend less, look at the VXR in 3-9 if you want illuminated and 30mm. Or take a look at the VX3 line for a 1" tube, less weight and great optics for the money.

In that $1000 range I also like the Zeiss Conquest HD5 and Swarovski Z3... just don't compare them to their higher end stuff or you may need to spend more money.

 

[Velo Dog]

Leupold FX3: $400.
Leupold VX3 1.5-5: About $400
Leupold VX6 1-6: $1k.

Velo, yes indeed, Leupold still makes the FX2 6x36. I have on on my #1 in 7x57 and have thought many times to have the duplex changed to the LR Duplex. I tell ya, in the field there's nothing that beats pure simplicity.

Rnovi

Every scope and suggestion thus far is what I would recommend as well. Only thing I would add, is that if some of these scopes seem out of the $1000 price range you mentioned, look online for some used scopes. Some of my best buys have been previously owned. Good luck to ya.

Rnovi,
Good to know the 6x with 36mm bell is still being made.
For hunting springbok, or our pronghorn, I expect that would be a beauty.
I had mine on a .25-06 for several years and then put it on a 7mm Magnum.
The heck of it is, I had a 4x on the 7mm for several years before that and clobbered all sorts of deer with it (best fox I ever took as well), plus rabbits and marmots.
Only took a couple animals with the 6x on it, and then sold the rifle to help pay for a safari.

I agree with you that nothing beats simplicity.
In fact, I am such a simpleton that I even prefer standard crosswires, as opposed to even the duplex.
However, few scopes are available with just old fashioned crosswires, AKA: "crosshairs" (which I have read actually used to be made of spider web, not wire or hair at all).
Most scopes now have either duplex or some range-finding-gadget-combination-reticule, or another.
When I used to hunt ground squirrels & prairie dogs, (primarily with a .220 Swift but sometimes with others as well), I perhaps could have used an extra dot or two below the crosswire, for 400 yd+ shots on them.
But I don't live where I can do that now so, I am not concerned with it.
Out,
Velo Dog

 

[Velo Dog]

Every scope and suggestion thus far is what I would recommend as well. Only thing I would add, is that if some of these scopes seem out of the $1000 price range you mentioned, look online for some used scopes. Some of my best buys have been previously owned. Good luck to ya.

35bore,

Could not have said that better myself.
Most of my scopes (and peep sights/receiver sights) have been 2nd hand deals for me as well.

Regards
Velo Dog.

 

[Velo Dog]

I like the gun writer Dick Metcalf, like as much power on the scope as possible. If money was no object if take a 4-12, 4.5-14, 4-16, 6-18 any day on a plains game rifle. Where 6 is fine 99% of the time I have mine set at 10x, I never have a problem picking the animal up either. I look at the animal and bring the gun up to my eye.

Enysse,

You are evidently better at keeping your ducks in a row than I am when, after miles and hours of walking over the hills and plains, some prize critter suddenly leaps from cover, almost at my feet, and bolts for the next sea of brush, only 4 or 5 seconds away.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.