Scope for varied hunting rifles.

[riflewoman]

im taking a modular approach to my hunting rifles and their scopes. I’m in the process of replacing the Leupold/Redfield “JR” system of scope mounting to one piece Picatinny rails (from EGW) on many of my rifles. This is to allow scopes to move from one rifle to another and selection of scopes based on terrain and task. As an example, I’ll be able to swap a 36X or 6.5-20 for load development on a rifle that normally would have a 3-10X.

What has prompted all this is an upcoming hog hunt. The candidate rifles are my 30-06, my 284 Win, and my 257 AI. Others in the list of guns to be equipped with rails include a 7mmWeatherby Mk 5 and my M70 300 Weatherby on a Pre-64 magnum action.

So what I’m asking for is help in selecting a scope series. Sightron, Vortex and Leupold have scopes in the price range and reticle I can use. For reticle, a Ballistic drop in MOA is preferred.

I have a Sightron 36X, Redfield 6400 24X, a Nikon 6.5-20X, and two Bausch & Lomb scopes (3.5-10 and 4-12) currently. I’d like to complement these with a scope of good quality but I’d still like to keep the cost below $1200.

What say the hive-mind.

 

[msinc]

"hive-mind"???? Well, I guess I've been called worse....probably in Mexico, at least I hope so.
I just put together a rifle and I tried a Vortex Razor LH. Mine is the 2-10X40. They also offer a 3-15X42, which I probably would have got instead, but they didn't have that one in stock. I got the G4 reticle. It is a MOA SFP scope. The glass is great, not German but very usable. I especially like the reticle. It has a floating fine dot that really lets you repeat your point of aim on a target. It's very fast to get on target when hunting and it is a BDC.
Mine was on sale that day and just under $500.00, I think they retail for around $700.00. Never been a fan of Vortex optics, but this one changed my mind and that is getting harder to do with age. I would buy another one, in fact if I see them on sale again I will grab up on at least one more. Buy with confidence. Best of luck!!!

Edit: you might also want to see if you can scare up a Schmidt and Bender Klassik. You should be able to find a nice used one in that price range {new they are not really much more} and they are a fantastic scope. One more is the Leica er5...but I wouldn't count too much on finding one of those. Nobody seems to be getting rid of them.

 

[JFrank]

RW
I have always felt that ZIESS HD line was the Bees Knees" for a straight up hunter.
SPJ

 

[hogpatrol]

I'd vote for Sightron or a Nightforce SHV with illuminated reticle.

 

[msinc]

I'd vote for Sightron or a Nightforce SHV with illuminated reticle.

Yeah, I forgot about my SHV...I like it and it works good. It actually has way better low light performing glass than I initially thought...you have to adjust everything for optimum, but once you are set I have to say it is impressive.

 

[Gary in MD]

I like the SHV a lot with the Force Plex reticle. I put one on my 257 Wby and so far it is rock solid.
Gary

 

[slm9s]

So no dialing planned? I replaced Swaro z5 3.5-18s on my main hunting rigs with Leupold VX6 2-12s with the illuminated 'long range duplex' reticle with dots on the vertical that get me out to 500. I'm happy with the glass and i love that little red dot for hunting in the timber. I wish it was the 3-18, but I don't think they made it with the LRD reticle.
Other scopes I would look at:
zeiss with z600 or z800
swaro with tds
kahles with tds
swaro with brh
NF shv
Bushnell lrhs, GA precision was closing these out for like $799 recently,
Good luck.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Leupold is supposed to come out with new reticle’s for the VX5HD scopes.
Surely they will have something like the TMOA for it, for holdover.

 

[hogpatrol]

The Meopta line could yield one suited to your mission. Camera Land is having a sale on various models at some very good markdowns.

https://cameralandny.com/meopta-brand.html

 

[CharlieNC]

Using the reticle vs turrets, to shoot "quickly" and and in low light ( or low contrast ) conditions I suggest a ffp with illuminated reticle. Athlon offers a range of scopes and prices which meet these criteria. I have a low end Argos on a 223 trainer, and their top Cronus on a tac rifle. Both have functioned well, and the Cronus is an excellent scope; take a few minutes to check their lineup. Sightron glass is excellent, but I "think" their only illuminated ffp is the 10-50 which is quite large for hunting.

 

[Intell]

3x on the low end is to high where I hunt. I've have deer bounce in and be within 5yds in a flash. There nothing worse that pulling up and you see all brown, even on 3x getting on one that's close in is tough.
I've had some low power leupolds that worked good.
Now I'm using a nightforce NX8. 1-8 power. It covers everything pretty good for my hunting area, 125 yard max distance and 8x gets me there fine.

 

[Milo 2.0]

I've read your post 3 times, are you buying just one scope for use on 3-4 rifles?
If so, I cannot see a BDC reticle matching up to more than 2 of them. I'm not telling anyone how to hunt, but if you have time to use a range finder, the 10 seconds to dial the dope is miniscule.

 

[riflewoman]

I've read your post 3 times, are you buying just one scope for use on 3-4 rifles?
If so, I cannot see a BDC reticle matching up to more than 2 of them. I'm not telling anyone how to hunt, but if you have time to use a range finder, the 10 seconds to dial the dope is miniscule.

No, one scope to complement the ones I have and to add some sort of BDC capability. The hog hunt mentioned is in relatively open coastal hills near Lompoc Ca. There the country has ranges from 50 to 500 and beyond. Hence the BDC. I live in the west where ranges can get quite long. The scopes would be modularized. Swappable from one rifle to the other using one piece Picatinny rails. Scopes would be rezeroed if moved.

 

[JFrank]

Interesting
The cool thing about ZIESS is you can enter your scope,caliber and load data into their calculator, once this is complete it will tell you what power to set the scope 9.5 or 13.7 etc. to have the BDC hash marks be accurate.

 

[ms6852]

I have a Sightron Big Sky mounted on my 30-06. Sightron will not disappoint you.

 

[Bc'z]

Riflewoman,
Save yourself some serious cash and look at SWFA, great glass, great prices.
I have 2, 3x15 x42 with QDM retical.
Center diamond has points of aim to
375 yards for my rifles.

 

[X-Caveman]

I bought a Sightron 6-24 SIII FFP recently & so far i’m impressed. Very clear, nice turrets. It’s on a 6.5x47 fun/ hunting rifle. My logic behind the FFP was so I wouldn’t flub holdovers under adrenaline dump situations.

 

[hogpatrol]

I bought a Sightron 6-24 SIII FFP recently & so far i’m impressed. Very clear, nice turrets. It’s on a 6.5x47 fun/ hunting rifle. My logic behind the FFP was so I wouldn’t flub holdovers under adrenaline dump situations.

How's the parallax knob? I need a pipe wrench to turn mine. Been thinking about just leaving a pair of mini vise grips on it.

 

[X-Caveman]

How's the parallax knob? I need a pipe wrench to turn mine. Been thinking about just leaving a pair of mini vise grips on it.

It’s a bit coarse, but certainly not stiff. Strange the difference.

 

[JFrank]

Excess Grease maybe?