Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Alaska Scope for a brown bear hunt

Buying a new stainless 375 H&H tomorrow for my brown bear hunt. I'm going to need a scope for it. I have a Leupold 1.5 - 5x on my 500 Jeffery I like a lot. Some folks have recommended an illuminated scope, I want one with enough eye relief and one that will stand up to recoil. I'm thinking of the Leupold 1.5 - 5x illuminated, just wondering if it has enough light gathering for a fall brown bear hunt. Another option is the Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x50mm Illum. Reticle.

I'd get a Leupold 3-9X40 VX-II, in fact that's exactly what I did.

If your hunt is in the fall, you'll likely be hunting up close, along salmon streams. Another 1.5-5 that you're already familiar with, is probably a good idea. Have yet to use one of the new 3x's, but one of them, or a fixed 4x at the most should do. I'd think the 3.5-10 would be a pretty impractical scope for such hunting, on such a rifle. JMO.

Jeff

I seriously doubt you need lots of magnification. Bear shots are generally relatively short. I would imagine 9-ish power might be a frequent cause of ground shrinkage issues. I have never felt under-powered with a 2.5X on my bear rifles. That would be my choice, but the 1.5-5 would be near the top if that was one I was quite familiar with.

I'm really not looking for much magnification, just wondering if I need more light gathering than my Leupold 1.5 - 5x will provide. If not, I'll just move the Leupold 1.5 - 5x over from my 500 Jeffery.

That might not be a bad plan at all. If it's survived the .500, it's obviously mechanically sound. Quite frankly, if it's so dark that a shot can't be made with a 1.5-5x, it's probably too dark for a quick recovery anyway.

Jeff

Sounds like a plan. It will save me some money too and I can shoot the 500 Jeffery with open sights when we go to the range. A few shots through the 500 Jeffery and the 375 H&H will feel like a 30-06 afterwards.

The little Luppy's let you see just fine in bad lite!

Sounds like a plan, I'll use the money I've saved by not having to buy a new scope for the rain gear I'll need ...

My guide rifle is a 375 H&H with a Leupold 1.5 x 5 scope. It is wise to get a stainless rifle with a synthetic stock. The Leupold 1.5 x 5 scope will get the job done.

welcome to the campfire.... I have a copy of your lodge video, would love to visit some day.

Chuck,

The Leupold 1.5x5 is a good scope with good eye relief.

I'd never go back for brownies in the fall without some sort of illuminated or fiber optic dot. You can use a bigger objective to "gather" light but you still have to see the reticle - damn near impossible at dark-thirty or even later against a dark bruin.

For me, about model perfecto is the Trijicon 1x4;
http://www.trijicon.com/na_en/products/product3.php?pid=TR24-3G


And good luck on the hunt. You're likely obsessing over every piece of equipment, scenario etc., and will continue to do so until you depart.

Maybe I'll buy a Leupold 1.5 - 5x illuminated then. I really like the 1.5 - 5x, it's light, very quick to acquire at close range and 5x is plenty for max power.

I'll start saying I know nothing about bears or bear hunting, but how about a good quality 4x32mm or 4x36mm with a German No 4 /Illumination relicule???

I put a 4x32mm Meopta of a 9.3x62mm for a trip to RSA, and it really worked well..

The 32mm objective will mean the scope is slightly brighter without it becoming too big and bulky...

A 4X is sometimes too much for a shot at a deer in the forest, much less a bear closing fast. It's just me, but I'd have a forward mounted 2.5X Leupold Scout scope (that I could remove quickly) with backup ghost ring irons.

I've seen that said before, its not a problem I've encountered.

I tried a 1.5-6x42mm S&B and hated the thing with a passion when it was cranked down to below 2 1/2 power..

That said, the first scope I used extensively was a x4 SUSAT so may be I am just plain comfortable with a x4..

Re the iron sights, I would think that is a good idea...

On an expensive hunt like that, it would'nt harm taking a second pre zero'd scope in QD mounts along as a spare..

Your 1.5X-5X will work just fine and they have a good reputation for handling the weather you may encounter.

That said, I bought 1x-4x trijicon last year with the post/triangle reticle and had use for it right against dark on a bull moose....It will stay on my 375.

The Trijicons are heavier and the 20mm [1.25X-4X] is too short for most 375s.

Good luck on your bear hunt!

Vern-

The nice thing about the Trijicon is that it's always "on"....
No batteries to worry about or mess with.

There's the same question posted over on Accuratereloading. Was that one by you? Just wondering.
Anyway, I use a Leupold, Vari-X III, 1.5-5x scope on my .338 mag. This rifle is mainly my moose rifle and has been used on Afognak Island for elk. Both areas have thick brush/timber and open areas as well. Grizzlires are a possibility in our moose hunting area and we've run into what seems like countless brown bears on Afognak. Never, ever, would I want a scope with high power - even a variable. In addition, I've never seen the need for the illuminated crosshairs. The principle is
simple - KISS!!! In addition, I'd recommend a set of open sights on the rifle as a backup should something happen to your scope. You've got lottsa money & time tied up with your hunt and open sights are cheap insurance. Don't even go there with "take an extra scope on your trip" comments. That doesn't fly with me.
In addition, I wouldn't use a scope that was over a 1x variable. Up close & personal and you can well be looking at nothing but fur. Had that happen to my partner on Afognak with his fixed 6x. In short, get a top quality, 1-xx variable scope & use QR mounts. My preference is my 1.5-5 Leupold and, as I recall, the crosshairs are the THICK duplex. Fast target acquisition. Just my thoughts & good luck.
Bear in Fairbanks

Just curious, but why not? Not suggesting the OP carries it with him while hunting, but I don't see why a spare pre zero'd scope back at camp isn't good insurance against Mr Murphy..