I've seen lots of threads about singling out "just one rifle" and even asked myself about using just one bullet; but I don't recall seeing anything about narrowing down to just one scope. If someone settled for just one rifle and just one bullet for all-around hunting, what scope would you guys put on it? Let's say that means the typical deer/elk hunting that most participate in.

This forum seems to be pretty pro Leupold and pro fixed power. How many of you would pick just a 4x or 6x Leupy over the many good 3-9ish variables out there today?

I have a beautiful 30-06 featherweight, the rifle I've lusted for since I was a little kid. It currently wears a nice 3-9 variable in Talley's. I know that this is a capable and versatile setup, but a little part of me can't help but think it would suite the rifle to mount up a 6x36 Leupold in dual dovetails...

My vote is a 2.5-8x36mm, 3-9x40mm, or 3.5-10x40mm variable with some sort of turret on top. I know lots of guys like 'em, but fixed power scopes just don't do it for me.

Seven Miller, this is what I did with one of my favorite rifles. I'm assuming it looks much like your 30-06 fwt, but mine isn't really "beautiful", just damn functional.... ..I'll also tell you this much, it wears the most expensive scope I've purchased to date....Just put it on today too, I think I'll be pretty happy with it (Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x44 in steel talleys):



Again, this is my favorite rifle with a scope I just purchased used here on the fire. Thanks again 257 Oh and a side note: I don't do 4x and 6x scopes....Nuff said...

Leupold 2.5-8X, B&C crosshair. I've used one (not necessarily the B&C) on everything from rimfires to a .357 mag bolt action to a .338 RUM, however, I think the perfect home for one is a .257 Roberts.

Tom

You steered me towards those all those years ago <g> and it was good steerin'.

I really love them on short action rifles. With my unusual preference for head position, eye relief is at a premium, and the 2.5-8's shorten up a bit too much for my taste at full power. Anyway, the 3-9x40 Conquest really rocks my world on long action rifles.

bsa, I was a little kid in the 90's, so the rifles I lusted after had schnabel stocks and that distinctive checkering pattern. Don't burn me at the stake for saying this, but I've never taken much of a liking to the old pre-64's.

I will say that your rifle looks more proportional that mine did when I mounted up a 3-9x40 Conquest. That scope just seemed a little big for the rifle. Also, the eye box on the Conquest just doesn't suite me. I find myself adjusting my head position when addressing the rifle. And to my eyes at least, the optical difference between a Nikon Monarch, Elite 4200, or even Fullfield II and a Conquest aren't all that great. Those are my three current favorite scopes, but I've never used a Leupold.

Personally, I think the choice of scope matters more than the rifle under it. At least given that the rifle under it is accurate. Particularly if you use monometal bullets I think this is even more true, there is much less difference in performance between calibers if that's what you're shooting.

For glass, give me a Euro 1.5-6x42 and I'm happy. The brightness and the clarity you get easily give you a much better sight picture than even 10x until you get to VX-III class glass. The FFP reticles are great for shots to 400+ yards and as close as 25 feet. They're not fun to pay for, but damn they are nice to use.

Ah ha...I get ya now...Newer rifle with a schnable forend, maybe like this one? :
This one has a leupold VX3 3.5-10x40 with CDS. If I had to suggest a good leupold scope to someone, I'd suggest this one as it is truly great:




I also run the same scope on my Extreme Weather model 70....

Swaro PH 3-12x50 with TDS reticle in the FFP.

Leupold VX3 3.5-10x40 with CDS sitting in Talleys. I could roll an M1 turret as well.

+1 on the rifle, the great wood and the glass.

First rate X3.

DF

Yes, bsa, like that one. Mine is also one of the 2008 LE's. The walnut was too good for me to pass up. I sure do like the look of those dual dovetails...

I usually go vx-3 3.5-10x40 on LA rifles and vx-3 2.5-8x36 on SA rifles. I also have a couple of 3-9x40 conquests on LA rifles that I really like as well.

Your post and your thread question are not the same. I will answer the thread question.

One Favorite Hunting Scope? Swarovski z5 5-25X52

It has more field of view than my Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30 on the low end. It is great in low light and is lighter than the other high magnification scopes by a bunch. Presently it is mounted on a Savage .257 Wea in Burris Signature rings.

You have a point. I just meant to get the discussion rolling and added my general thoughts that got me on the subject. Sorry.

I really like the new Leupold VX-2 3-9X40. Light and bright.

Zeiss Conquest 2.5-8x32. Best hunting scope I've ever used.

What MShuntfish said:

Swaro PH 3-12x50 with TDS reticle in the FFP or the same scope now by Schmidt & Bender.

I do have a passion for Zeiss Diavari 3-9X36, but A Z-6 is truly great, but still more money than 4 of my Diavari's...

Z6 1.7 - 10x42 with TDS or S & B Klassic 3 - 12x42 with TDS.

I currently have three big game rifles and three Leupold 6x36's.Guess that tells you what hunting scope I think is best.

I like the FX3 6x42, Conquest 3-9x40 and 3.5-10x44, and I really like the S&B Summit I had were it not for my 51 yr old eyes and a super thin reticle which just didn' work that great for me. My favorite scope I've ever used though, even though I've only had it several months, is the VX6 2-12x42. I also really like the VX3 3-10x40 CDS as well.

I like them too. I figured you would too since that's what your first post was suggesting . Sometimes the talleys just don't cut it . This is a 300 wsm (short action) and the talley lightweights just didn't look right so I put the Leupold DD's (lows) back on

Leupold 2-7x, the all purpose short action scope.

I've got dozens of 'em, from pre-prefix 2-7x28s to VX-IIs 2-7x33s. All work all the time. Not too big, not too small, just right for most of my needs.

Jeff

For a big rifle this is it.

For a smaller more trim or shorter rifle i'd vote zeiss victory diavari 2.5-10x42

Got'em both. I haven't had my VX-6 2-12x42 long enough to hunt with it. It sure seems like a fine scope with great glass.

I have a VX-3 3.5-10x40 CDS on my primitive weapon for whitetails, a BPCR in .45-70. The CDS is set up for the Barnes 250 TSX FP and I use their 2,550 fps Vv 120 load. Great 300 yd. primitive weapon that's not so primitive. Best 300 yd. group so far, 4 1/2".

DF

Mounted the K3 tonigt

This is a new scope in Conetrols on a mauser.

One of my favorite low light scopes is a Bushnell Elite 4200 2.5-10x40 with the Firefly reticle. I don't use the illumination feature much but I just love the super bold posts for low light, but still has just enough thin wires in between for precision aiming in good light. If you haven't looked thru one you should check it out in person.

Tough question. I like my 1.75-5 Burris Signature Safari with illuminated reticle on my .375 BUT Swarovski almost sent me to divorce court with it's 1-6x, Stunning and amazing!

I'd like to try a Gunwerk's customized Nightforce out on my .300 Win Mag.

WYcoyote,

My Bushnell 4200 4-15X40 matches my Swarovski z5 5-25X52 in low light up to 16X. It is a fantastic scope for those who purchase scopes to use instead of brag.

I may be a dinosaur but my favorite hunting scope is my Weaver K3 with a post and crosshair reticle atop my 35 Whelen. Just got a Unertl 2.5x Falcon today with a PCH reticle that I'm anxious to try.

Mart

I am the roughest, toughest, shoot em uppest hunter to ever field a scoped rifle.

I will outhunt the lot of ya, with a Leupold 3x.

And I will do, too.

You have good taste in scopes! That makes me want to try a VX6 2-12x42.

NightForce 3.5-15x50 w/ a Mildot reticle

JeffO, I've only got 200 or so rounds through the VX6 on a 7mag, so time will tell how well it holds up. It seems very well built though.

cmg, hasn't anyone told you about German scopes??? Vastly superior, I tell ya. And you're 1X shy of the proper magnification.

A 4x32 Conquest matches by backwards ways, (and backwards choices in cartridges) just perfectly. I only have 3 of them, darnit.

FC

2.5-10x32 Nightforce with the NP-1 reticle and Zero Stop.

I don't deliberately steer anyone wrong. Yep, been a fair bit o' water under the bridge since those days, huh?


I'll give ya that. On a long action, there's zero flexibility for mounting location front to back. A full size Leupold 3-9X or 3.5-10X fits a long action a little better. On a long 700, sometimes I'll use a reversible front base with the small scope since I don't like extension rings.

Tom

Probably the 2-7x Leupold.

4.5-14x44 Conquest with Z-plex #20. Running 3 of them right now among many other good scopes and those are consistently by far my favorite scopes for big game hunting.

also real happy with the zeiss 4.5x14x44 like 2 oz's heavier than 3.5x10x44
just used mine 4 a call sheep hunt worked great

That's a good way to have a reticle not break.............remove it altogether.

Great horny toads. A critic.

TKL 4 MOA dot on thin crosshair.

Leupold 6x36.

Schmidt & Bender 4-16x50 w/MOA turrets and Holland's 30 MOA reticle. It's a killer combo; I just have an easier time with MOA than MIL.

Must be a great mid-day reticle.

I have several Leupold 3x scopes. They are great scopes. All of mine have duplex reticles (in fact if anyone has a Leupold 3x PCH they would like to trade for a Leupold 3x duplex shoot me a PM). That old Weaver 3x PCH on my 35 is my favorite mostly because of the reticle. I seem to be able to shoot very good groups with it and have no trouble with the reticle on shots to 300 yards.

Mart

RDFinn,

let me tell you a little story.

Here in Germany we are only allowed to shoot deer until 1,5 hour after sun down and 1,5 hour before sun up.

Yet, we may shoot wild boar all night.

Most of our hunting is done in groups. Each group is anywhere from 3 to 8 people, that enter stands dispersed in the area. The guys furthest out are the dog handlers and the group leader. On the way back, we pick up the hunters, load up the game, check and track game if necessary.

The group leaders stop hunting usually half hour after sun down and we start the pick up.

Here is the rub -

1) I do not at all am hindered by this scope and reticle until this time at all.

2) The number of cleanly shot, correctly identified animals taken after this time on these hunts do not justify to me the expense and bulk of all those 3-12x56 Zeiss, Svaros, S&Bs mit illuminated reticles that all those other hunters field.

YMMV.

Zeiss Conquest 2.5-8x32
AMRA

+1

Good one.

DF

Maybe it's just my eyes then or the trough the lense photo you posted, cause I don't see anything in that pic except for a small dot.

Yup. It's a great low light reticle w/o being "charged" and works well on targets too.

edit to change mind.

Leupold 3x20. Weighing next to nothing, moderate cost, and being "enough" 90% of the time counts for a lot.

Runner up, Kahles Helia C 1.5-6x42 #7 or #4; Zeiss Conquest 2.5-8x32 or 4x32

If I had to pick one, Leupold 3.5x10-40. I've used them on everything from 223s to 7 mags. It's light for it's size, has the length to fit on most rifles without extended rings or bases, an objective lens that will mount low enough for me, good optics and a versatile magnification range.

Weaver Grand Slam 3-10X42, V-9 is a close second.

The 3.5-18 Swaro Z5 on my 7mmRM ULA.

RDFinn,
That's what I'm talking about. Great pic.

While I have some scopes with higher magnification, I could probably run 3.5-10X40 Leupolds with M1s for elevation on all my rifles and not feel handicapped in the least.

Hard to beat a vintage Leupold M8-4X.

Burris 3-10x40 Signature Select with the Ballistic Plex reticle. It is no longer made so it I had to replace it I would get a Zeiss 3-9x40 Conquest with the Rapid 600 reticle or the Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40 with the Boone & Crocket reticle.

3-9X40 Conquest

Hard to beat for the $$$$

Leupold 6x42's for me on my big game killing rifles. M8 heavy duplex on the 35 whelen and a fx3 wide duplex on the 270win, both with elev turrets. A std duplex would be fine or even better on both.

I have leupold varixii/vxii in some form or another on all my other rifles. But the rifles i carry for big game both have the 6x.

Hand Down For Me. Swarovski 3-10-42 With A 4A..

VX3 2.5-8x36

What he said.

I have a Swarovski PH 6X24X50 with the TDS reticle on my long range Weatherby 300 magnum. Quite the rifle and scope combo. The scope is fantastic.

Favorite is a older 1" Zeiss VM/V 3-9x42 with a #4 reticle.

If you could put that same exact Zeiss reticle in a Lupy VX3 3.5-10x40 CDS, it would be my new favorite--and the VX2 3-9 CDS would be right behind it...