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What Leupold scope would you put on a 7mm Rem Mag. for late season elk in AZ. Would it be a 3.5x10 or 4.5x14?

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I'd vote for the 3.5-10, I have the same powered swaro on my elk rifle and have been very happy with it.

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4.5x14x40 LR is my least favorite of my Leupolds the 3.5x10 is a much nicer scope, but even better is my VX6 2x12x42...good luck!

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I like my 2.5-8 Leupold


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I would probably go with the 3.5-10.. I have several 4.5-14's.. I love them but they are on varmint rifles.. Unless you are going to specialize in long shots, the smaller scope would work fine. I think I am going back to my 3-9 next season..


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Of the two you mentioned, the 3.5-10x40 for sure. Last year, I mounted one on my daughter's 7mm-08, as she wanted a little more magnification for the shooting games at our Quemado get togethers. I was surprised to find that I actually kind of like the way it feels, and I darned sure like the way that it shoots. It's more scope than I use on my hunting rifles, but my grandson used her rifle and scope to take a cow elk this fall at a little over 300 yards, and now he wants one for his .270.


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My favorite scope is the 3.5-10x40 VX3


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Depends on your eyes. If you see details well, the lower power is more than enough. However, if small things get fuzzy, you might find the higher power really helps at long range.
I should know. I had a Leopold 3-9 on a 30-06. I found that I just couldn't quite get the long range accuracy I wanted. I switched to a 4-12 and it helped a lot. Getting old is a bitch.


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If it were me I'd use a 2X-7X.

Holding the cross hair where it needs to be is what is important.
A 16" hold-over when the target appears 4 times larger than with the naked eye is no different then a 16" hold-over when the target looks 16 time larger then with the naked eye.

The difference is how fast you can get on that target and make a good shot. And that difference is HUGE between a 2X or 4X compared to a 9X or 16X.

Higher magnification comes at the cost of a larger scope and less field of view. ( and more money too) Elk are big targets and don't need much magnification.

In the Marines we shot to 500 yards with iron sights, and when I was young (and had outstanding vision) I shot very well at the 500. In fact I shot very high scores, usually going between 235 and 247 of a possible 250 for the K.D Qualification.
Now that I am old I need a scope, but I have shot a very similar course of fire just 2 years ago using my AR-15 with a Weaver K-4 and I shot a 244. The scope doesn't make the target bigger at all. It only makes it look bigger. It also does nothing to make your hold steadier. Clear sharp images and a WIDE field of view do help, but magnification does not.

I think most men use more scope than they should, and if they tried something a bit smaller I am guessing they would be happier. That's my conclusion from not just my own tests, but from pretty constant feedback from my students. I ask them to try a rifle and use 2 different scopes, on moving courses of fire, with shots coming from 35 to 600 yards. So far only 3 out of I don't know how many (probably over 100) have said they liked the higher magnification for a running course. All the rest told me the course was easier with a low powdered scope.

If you are setting up for bench rest competition or for prairie dogs, having 9X or more is nice.

But for hunting anything from deer up, I have found that a lower magnification is better.

I have 3 rifles with 3X-9X scopes, and my 222 Remington which I like for prairie dogs has a 4X-12X

ALL my other scoped rifles have fixed 4X scopes or 2x-7X scopes. And the 2X-7Xs usually "live" on 2 or 3 power.

I killed my elk this year with an 8MM Mauser at about 200 yards with the scope set on 3X. I killed my deer with it set on 4X. Last years I killed an elk with a 270 WSM at 400 yards with the scope set on 2X. I used a Ruger 9.3X74R and the 8MM for my deer. The 9.3 was set at 2X.
I find it's a lot easier than when the target in a smaller field of view.

I have removed several 4X-12X and 3X-9X scopes from my rifles over the last 25 years or so, and sold them off, and replaced them with lower magnification scopes. I am very happy with the results.
You might try it and see. My guess is that you'll like it too.

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Of those two, I would say the 3.5x10, but I prefer a fixed 6x on an elk rifle.


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Originally Posted by StrayHorse
What Leupold scope would you put on a 7mm Rem Mag. for late season elk in AZ.


6x36 with LR dots. smile




The 280 Remington is overbore.

The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Originally Posted by BobinNH
Originally Posted by StrayHorse
What Leupold scope would you put on a 7mm Rem Mag. for late season elk in AZ.


6x36 with LR dots. smile


Bob, have you tried the Leupy FXIII 6X42, and if so, did you like it better than the 6X36 variety(FXII)?


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340: Had both old and new versions of both scopes. I like the 6x36 better. I think the 6x42 is sensitive to ring spacing and a 6x42 gave me problems on two rifles a year or so ago.

I don't bother with the 6x42 and just use the 6x36.




The 280 Remington is overbore.

The 7 Rem Mag is over bore.
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Bob,
Thank you! I have had several 6X36s also, and was happy with them. I just assumed, I guess is the word, that the 6X42 would be better.
Thanks again.


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Scope Opinion on Elk Rifle.

Answer to the thread title: A friend of mine who hunts elk in three states every year, looked at my Nightforce 12-42X56 and said, "I can see no reason that scope is not mounted on an elk rifle."

I have no idea how far he will shoot at game, but he has made lots of shots between 500 and 600 yards. The last scope I saw on his rifle is a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50. Before that it was a 6 1/2-20X.


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Of the two you listed, I'd opt for the 3.5-10.


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StrayHorse, I'd go with the 3.5-10. A little wider field of view,if in timber. And, 10 power will take you beyond where most of us have any business shooting at an elk!! memtb


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The 3.5-10X40 is a good scope.

Wish you luck on your hunt.


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3.5-10


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3.5-10x40 for me as well, however the 3-9x40 would work equally well...


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