Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Night Force Scope For A Kimber Montana

Have a Montana on the way and I need a scope. Was thinking of a Night Force 2.5-10x32 but was wondering if this scope is too heavy for a lightweight gun like that. Didn't know if it would screw up the balance. My other choice might be a Leupold 2.5-8. Any opinions welcome. Thanks.

Go with the Leupold. Why buy a lightweight rifle and then mount a heavy scope on the gun? Defeats the purpose of a light rifle.

Agreed, night force is too heavy. If you are looking for something above the leupold range, the Swarosvki z3 I believe is also on the lighter side yet an excellent piece of glass.

Both Leica and Vortex have just released high end 1.5-8X32 scopes that are light weight.

I wouldn't listen to the naysayers, the NF will work very well on your Kimber. I have tried a variety of optics on my Kimber and finally settled on a SWFA SS 3-9x42, a scope similar in size and weight to the NF you are considering. The rifle balances and carries well w/ the SS.



David

Sure it will work,you just have to decide how light you want it to be. If you go NF, I hear the 42mm getting better reviews.

Exactly. For those who say "why buy a light rifle and put a heavy scope on it," my answer is, so that the rifle/scope combination is a pound or two lighter than it would have been with a heavier rifle.

I would say it depends on if you plan on twisting turrets often for making shots? If so, I say get the NF. If not, I'd get the Leupold, though I'd opt for a fixed 6X.

Yep!

Yep. Besides that, a heavy scope is built heavy for a reason. It has heavy (read that durable) components. There is no free lunch. A NF or SS is heavy and will take a beating. A Leupold is OK for a light scope. You can only do so much with light components.

Pick your tradeoff. Personally, I am done with light rifles. I will take a medium rifle with a heavy scope any day for the ease of shooting and dependability. But then again, I don't mind packing a little extra weight while hunting, either.

I say put whatever you want to on it, for whatever reason you want, and don't give a crap what anyone else thinks about it. It works for me pretty good.

Thanks for the replies. This gun is pretty light and I just thought I should get a scope that can hold up.

What caliber is the rifle? How do you intend to hunt with it? Will it be a long range shooter where you will need to dial or use a ranging reticle? Will it be a stand gun or one you will hike with quite a bit? All those questions will decide what scope you need.

I'm of the opinion that the Leupold 2.5-8x36 and the Kimber MT are a match made in heaven. But I've only owned 17 Kimber MT's so I'm not very well informed.

Send the 2.5-8x36 to Rupold and have a CDS installed.

Don't give up Brad - one day you'll find a rifle/scope combination you like well enough to keep...



Ever try a NF on one of your 84m's?

David

I've got two Kimber MT's, neither of which will ever leave. Especially given Kimber has bubba'd the current one's. Mine, if they ever get changed, will be due to re-barrels.

As to scopes, I love NF's... have used them. Perfect for what they are, and designed for. But a 19+ oz scope doesn't belong on a svelte Mtn rifle.

Ever carried an actual Mountain Rifle on a mountain in Montana?

The 2.5-8x Reupold is a Goat Fhuqk,in that they don't hold zero,track or repeat. Never been tough to cypher who shoots and who don't...and I've only shot out a few Montucky barrels.(grin)

Pass glass that'll do all the things the 2.5-8x won't/can't and then some,be it Montucky or otherwise.

Hint.






Though I've only bought a coupla hunnert scopes to compare/contrast and the R&D is NEVER fhuqking ending.



Hint.

Laughing!..................

Yeah, but you don't hunt on actual mountains and only hunt off logging roads.

HINT.

Nope, sorry you lost me at "in Montana". It's on the list though....

David

Figured...