Scope for varied hunting rifles.

[Racebannon3855]

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.

I have spent the past few years going through the same process you are working on.

The Leupold QRW Rings have worked great, no loss of zero. After shooting a Leupold Varmint Hunter reticle in a 6.5-20 for about three years I tried a 4.5-14 with CDS (300 WSM) Windplex, and now I am shooting a 3.5-10 (7MM-08) that I sent back to Leupold and had a TMR reticle installed in it. In a perfect world I would have a 3.5-10 TMR and a 6.5-20 with a TMR for my 6 Ackley and 300 WSM. The varmint hunters reticle works great if the target is at exactly 400,500 or 600 (Shooting a 115 Berger at 3150 I use a 300 yard zero.). Between 500 & 600 the trajectory falls fast and if I don't get an accurate range for whatever reason it quickly turns into a gong show.

The last couple of years I have hunted from an elevated blind and watched tons of deer through the three different scopes on three different rifles. At 600 yards the 20X is nice, out to 400 the 10 is more than sufficient. More than once I have practiced for a year at 400 yards for a hunt and then filled my tag at 150 yards or less. In my experience limited field of view is a bigger issue than limited magnification. Over the course of a decade I harvested about 25 animals with a 300 Win Mag and a 3-9 Leupold. Maximum range was about 450 yards. Killed a great Boar in Texas at 115 yards. I shot the barrel out of a Model 70 and that Leupold never had an issue. I site in a lot of rifles for people, some very well healed and some living check to check. Of all the scopes I deal with, the Leupolds offer the best value and best service. None of the folks that I help out ever regret going with Leupold. Above your price range (Which is above my price range), there is some amazing glass from several manufactures. At your price range and below, Leupold is the way to go.

My plan is to send my 6.5-20 back to Leupold, leave the VH reticle in it and have it converted to CDS and put it back on my 6 Ackley. For my all around rifle I really like the TMR reticle and a 3.5-10. In any kind of cover for shots under 100 yards even a 4.5-14 is tight on field of view.

Hope the response is not too long and whatever you choose I hope it works out for you. Good luck on your pig hunt and the small pigs taste better than the big boars!

 

[riflewoman]

I have spent the past few years going through the same process you are working on.

The Leupold QRW Rings have worked great, no loss of zero. After shooting a Leupold Varmint Hunter reticle in a 6.5-20 for about three years I tried a 4.5-14 with CDS (300 WSM) Windplex, and now I am shooting a 3.5-10 (7MM-08) that I sent back to Leupold and had a TMR reticle installed in it. In a perfect world I would have a 3.5-10 TMR and a 6.5-20 with a TMR for my 6 Ackley and 300 WSM. The varmint hunters reticle works great if the target is at exactly 400,500 or 600 (Shooting a 115 Berger at 3150 I use a 300 yard zero.). Between 500 & 600 the trajectory falls fast and if I don't get an accurate range for whatever reason it quickly turns into a gong show.

The last couple of years I have hunted from an elevated blind and watched tons of deer through the three different scopes on three different rifles. At 600 yards the 20X is nice, out to 400 the 10 is more than sufficient. More than once I have practiced for a year at 400 yards for a hunt and then filled my tag at 150 yards or less. In my experience limited field of view is a bigger issue than limited magnification. Over the course of a decade I harvested about 25 animals with a 300 Win Mag and a 3-9 Leupold. Maximum range was about 450 yards. Killed a great Boar in Texas at 115 yards. I shot the barrel out of a Model 70 and that Leupold never had an issue. I site in a lot of rifles for people, some very well healed and some living check to check. Of all the scopes I deal with, the Leupolds offer the best value and best service. None of the folks that I help out ever regret going with Leupold. Above your price range (Which is above my price range), there is some amazing glass from several manufactures. At your price range and below, Leupold is the way to go.

My plan is to send my 6.5-20 back to Leupold, leave the VH reticle in it and have it converted to CDS and put it back on my 6 Ackley. For my all around rifle I really like the TMR reticle and a 3.5-10. In any kind of cover for shots under 100 yards even a 4.5-14 is tight on field of view.

Hope the response is not too long and whatever you choose I hope it works out for you. Good luck on your pig hunt and the small pigs taste better than the big boars!

Nope, not too long at all. Just some confirmation. For 90+% of hunting situations 15X is plenty IMO, and I generally put a variable at the middle of the range for snap shooting. This will give me a decent accuracy and field of view. Leupold is very high on the list that’s for sure.

Thanks.