Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics VX-3i , VX-6, Zeiss HD5 or other?

Jeff,
A year or two ago, there was a guy on here asking questions ad nauseam about scopes. He had only used one brand of scope in his hunting career and he
ended up trying a Meopta. Shortly after receiving it, with a mere two scope brands/models under his belt - sure as the sun rising in the east, death and taxes, he's Johnny-on-the-spot in trumping Meopta.

My long route in getting to; don't be that guy.

I have two VX6 1-6X for the woods. I think the eye box and glass is excellent. I would assume a 2-12X to have the same quality.
I also have two 4.5-18 Bushnell LRHS for long range work. These also seem to be excellent glass and great turrets. The LRHS also has a really nice reticle that can be used effectively. It is FFP but reticle seems to be very well designed for that operation. I don't have that much time behind the LRHS but I am actually going to use them for silhouette matches this season and groundhogs.

I hear ya.

But now I am forced to say, I have owned and used 4 Burris', a half dozen Zeiss, a Swarovski, and a small herd of Leupolds.... as well as some other stuff not pertinent to this. Spun turrets in volume on the Leupold, Zeiss, and Swaro. Used two different types of Leup turrets. Two types of Zeiss turrets. Used range-compensating reticles on Leup's and Zeiss as well. Now I have a Nightforce NXS and am plotting another NF or two.

My opinion isn't based on one model or brand of scope. It's based on dicking around with mid-level scopes for a long freaking time and hitting the limitations inherent in them. It's based on doing numerous scope tests in the last 6 months to pound it into my thick skull that yes, that level of scope has some inherant mechanical imprecision and yes, it WILL show up in your shooting if you dial 'em. Depending on how rigorous the OP wants to be with his LR pursuits he might be happy as a clam with any of his stated options. But for VX6 or HDS coin he has other options that would likely make him happiER if, again, he's really gonna do this stuff to a high level of precision.

No? If you disagree let's talk. I'm listening.

What you think you've done, and what you've actually done isn't even close.

Has anyone checked the tracking on the VX-6's ? Like I said in the original post, I'm really looking to be confident at 600, practice farther for fun, and in all reality, shoot most critters under 300 if at all possible.

Yup -

Dump it -

I like Zeiss glass on rifle scopes it seems better to my eyes than competitive models and even superior models of scope. The Z 6&800 reticles are way to busy for a woods rifle in my opinion. The plain Zplex, I think it is #20 is perfect to my eye for all around including woods at lower magnifications.

If at all possible my goal hunting is not to have to adjust my scope in any way because rushing and adrenaline are good causes of screw-ups in the field. If I have to touch something it is simpler for me to crank the magnification all the way to make my reticle accurate and I can do that without losing sight of the animal. Inside 400 yards with a 7 RM neither the turret or reticle are necessary. I have enjoyed ringing gongs at 800 yards with the Z800 and the added confidence I have at longer ranges isn't something I plan to give up but there is a trade off. To me adjusting with a turret makes perfect sense for target shooting and not much sense in the field because it is one more thing to potentially go wrong. Just making sure the darn safety is off is challenging enough with a nice bull in sight.

^ if you can turn a power ring, you can turn a turret. Can't get any more simple than holding dead on and pulling the trigger.

With a graduated reticle (elevation and/or windage) of any variety, it is also a matter of holding dead on. Just on a different part of the reticle. And no risk of losing zero or forgetting to reset.

I'll put in a dig for the VX-6 2X12X42 been hunting with one since they came out, Sent mine back in had a fine duplex installed I've been impressed with it and highly recommend one for a hunting rifle if you can live with a 30 mm scope !

I can turn a power ring without losing sight of my target animal, I take ranges to several landmarks if I am sitting for any length of time so I don't necessarily have to range the animal either. Twisting a turret is more precise, but slower and I wouldn't trust doing that without looking. Elk vitals aren't 10 rings but i understand shooters who aren't comfortable with estimating, won't shoot moving animals etc. it is admirable when hunters know their limitations. I try to stay within mine and screwing around with a turret isn't something I'm comfortable with in most shooting situations.

Unless one needs to hold off for elevation as well as windage...

What about huskemaw scopes?