Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Scopes For Medium Bore Rifle

Wild Bill 375, It's pretty hard to beat a Leupold 2.5-8 unless up close and personal is on the menu, then a Leupold 1.5-5 is real good. Get both, put'm in QD base/rings and you've got it all covered as well as a great back-up system. memtb

The latest, higher end, 2-7X Leupold, VX-II, VXII, VX-Duece, whatever the hell they call it.

For those that are following I went through and counted the recommendations up. Must say it's all over the board out of 35 totaled. Surely most suggested Variables @ 26. The Fixed power scope still has some votes but not even 1/2. So it makes me wonder when the Variable style bino's will become more popular.

Fixed Power = 9
2.5x - 3
3x - 1
4x - 1
6x - 4

Variables = 26
Max 5x - 5
Max 6x - 2
Max 7x - 2
Max 8x - 7
Max 9x - 1
Max 10x - 4
Above 10x - 5

Now if I were to break it down for my need/use. I already have a variable setting on my rifle a 1-4x. And I very seldom move it off 4x. That would take the Fixed powers out of the equation up to and including 4x. So I'm looking at a Fixed 6X. Which was one of my first choices. I do live and hunt in the west were I need a little more power. I also subscribe to the KISS theory. No fiddling with power rings or forgetting to lower the power and missing an up close opportunity. Also don't have to worry about reticle shift when going from low power to high and back.

Looking at the Variable suggestions: Increasing my current 1-4x to 5x isn't going to give me an increased power that would be noticeable so they are out. Above 10X not much of a fan. Parallax comes into play with that range and I don't need to be fiddling with side focus or adjustable objectives. I'm a Hunt and not a paper or steel killer.

For me a 4X to 10X variable would probably fit the bill perfectly without over lapping what I already have. Nobody that I know of makes that range. Which means I'm going to have some over lap. 3-9x, 3.5-10x, or 4-12x. 4-12x is out because my max need is 10x plus the parallax issue.

Here we go now I'm getting somewhere, full circle from where I started. Fixed 6x for the KISS factor or 3-9x or 3.5-10x. HUM!

Wild Bill,

How about a Leupold VX-6 in 1-6x24? They have a HUGE field of view at 1x. Another SUPERB option is the Swarovski Z6 1-6x24. You can get this with extended eye relief, which makes it ideal for any medium or big bore!

-John

I generally keep mine set toward the lower-magnification end because (i) that works better for close range, (ii) works well-enough for moderate range; and (iii) often you have that extra 1/2 second or so to adjust the ring when you're looking to shoot something 400 yds away.

As to the reticle shift, how prevalent is that? I'm just asking because I don't know. With my Bushnell 6500s, I often adjust mine back and forth between hunts and range sessions when I dry-fire practice out the back window. And for example, the point of impact on my 2.5-16X 50mm 6500 on my .340 Accumark hasn't changed in four years. Two years ago before I was going to hunt with it, I made sure to take it out to the range to make sure something hadn't moved around, and just like every year, fired a tiny three-shot group from a rest centered about 2-1/4 inch above the point of aim. I mention that rifle becuase it is the most accurate rifle I can shoot/have shot. With some other rifles, I can't tell as easy whether the point of impact has moved a little or not. But with those tight groups it is obviousl that it hasn't moved. So, are there some scopes that typically don't have a problem with reticle shift, and some that do? Or am I just lucky with that one?

Go take a look at Mike Thomas' article in the March 2013 Rifle Magazine on the fixed 6X...of course he makes a good argument for the 6X and I have been using them more lately than ever before the past 4-5 years...I like them.

In the article he mentions guiding a fella with a 375H&H and a fixed 4X;I know the rifle, and the scope because Steve, the fellow mentioned, is a good friend of mine,and I helped him spec the rifle,a left handed M70 with Lilja barrel and Brown stock.

The 4X scope ended up on the rifle, because Steve turned a variable to rubble in about 300 rounds(he actually shoots his 375);after going back and forth he finally decided to stick a 4X on it and has been happy as a clam ever since.The rifle has taken the elk mentioned in the article,moose in Newfoundland,and a variety of plains game in Africa from eland, gemsbok,kudu to impala.

Of course he has other rifles for deer hunting so the OP may want more power,which to me says use whatever but a 6X will work just fine I think.

I have never had an issue with whatever version of Leupold's 2-7X, the earliest to the latest, I have ever used. I have used them in California (north and coastal seasons), Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Alberta, British Columbia, South Texas and South Africa. Always worked, never missed an animal, pretty simple... Simple decision in my mind.

Ed Leupold 2-7's are IMHO an undersung scope...despite having seen some more expensive one's give up the ghost, 2-7's seem pretty tough to me.Never seen one quit.

You're right. I've used them on several guns over the years with no problems at all. They are a perfect lightweight scope for most general hunting with good low range for up close stuff.

WOW! .... That thing would kill at both ends!

I use a Leupold VX II 2-7x33 with LRD reticule on both my 358 Win and 9.3x62. I've been very happy with them.

Well guys I've decided to go with the Leupold FX3 6x42mm with a Heavy Duplex Reticle.

Thank you all for your suggestions and wisdom. Cheers!

I would agree that a 2.5-8x or a 3-9x would work fine and really be about perfect. I've also used a 1.75-6x Leup on a 375 in Africa and that worked fine too though ranges were at and under 200 yds. I can also agree that with dimming eyes or dimming light a 1.5-5x20 may not gather the rays you wish--I've been there.

If you divide maximum power of your scope into the objective diameter of your scope in mm, any number over seven is wasted weight in the scope and power since your pupil can only dilate to 7 mm at lowest light. With normal eyes, any number less than ~ 7 means your eyes could use more. In other words, 36 ( I think--low power variable Leup obj on that scope) divided by 8 (2.5-8x Leup) equals 4+ ; your eye can still use more. But 5 into 20 (1.5-5x with 20mm obj) gives you almost as much but less "xs". The extra "xs" can help too. Not until you get to high 40s and 50s in mm obj with 9 power scope (with high quality lense coatings) do you get all your eye can use--but its not quite that simple as mentioned above, because pure magnification can also help discern the target in itself.

So a blend of suffiicient power with a not-too-small-objective and good quality and enough lense coatings is probably your answer.

If you stick to deer-sized animals, I would suggest a variable with a high end of 8-9x power and an objective diameter in the 40s in a very good quality scope as the best compromise. It'll work for everything bigger too.

Never mind. Didn't note the date of the thread.

I agree with Gunner but I would say that the binos should be 10x40. Too compact will be of limited utility as the light fades.