Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics IF You Could Only Choose One (1) Scope....

What if you had two or more rifles in the same model
<br>and length of action. Each rifle was equiped with Leupold QD mounts and your budget only allowed you
<br>ONE scope. This particular scope budget is $500.00 to
<br>$600.00. Depending upon Mama's ok. Know what I mean?
<br>
<br>One of your rifles is a 25 to 28 caliber and a flat shooter
<br>capable of a 300 yard zero. With this rifle you hunt
<br>goats, mountain and plains. Deer at 500 yards sometimes show themselves at dusk and you know they are BIG! You have only this one chance of getting one.
<br>
<br>Your 2nd rifle is 30 to 38 caliber. This rifle is the hammer
<br>of Thor. This one just hammers Mr. Big into submission!!!
<br>This rifle is best used with a 150 to 200 yard zero. The game seen with this show themselves very early in the
<br>A.M. Then suddenly disappear like a ghost in the thick
<br>forest. You go after them and then maybe see them
<br>from 20 to 60 yards. Your rifle has to come up quick for
<br>an almost snap shot at a fleeing hindquarters.
<br>Sometimes you see this game across a clear cut, say 2 to 3 hundred yards.
<br>
<br>Your given QD Rings and told to pick out ONE scope to
<br>fit the needs of both rifles, what or which ONE do you
<br>pick?
<br>
<br>

Either a Leupold 2.5 x 8 or a Bausch & Lomb (now Bushnell) Elite 4200 2.5x10. Matte black with flip up scope covers.

Leupold Vari X III in 3.5x10x40.
<br>
<br>Blaine

Logic recommends the 2.5-8 Leupold.
<br>
<br>But I can't really find fault with the 6X42 Leupolds that are on about six of my rifles. From 257 Robts to 338 UltraMag the 6x42 just works. And for 600 bucks I can probably pick up two used ones.
<br>
<br>Joe.

SU35
<br>
<br>Get cheaper rifles and TWO scopes so you don't have to sight in again each time you switch your single scope from rifle to rifle.
<br>
<br>Miki

And make them fixed 6x and 2.5x

I'll second AFPs vote for a Vari-X III 3.5-10x40. To me its the perfect scope.

From reading your post, it sounds like that you have a fair number of long range shots, and some low light conditions. So, with nothing against the Leo's that have been mentioned....... I'd go out on a limb and say take a look at the 5.5-16.5x Nikon Monarch. I took one of these up to Northern Quebec on a caribou hunt last year...... and yes a few hunters and the guide were chuckling at me when I showed up with it..... but when it was all over everyone I hunted with had used it at least once for one reason or another, and liked it a lot. And it did a fine job for me too.
<br>
<br>Great low light scope, very clear images, tracks and holds zero well also. Good luck on what ever you choose. WD

Leupold 2.5x8 would be my pick.

I got a flyer the other day(can't remember from who) that had Leupold 6x42 scopes on sale for $286.00 each. I would beg and plead with mama and order two of those puppies and still stay under $600.00 That's my 02.......

Ditto on the 2.5x8 Leupold

Quite likely I'd recommend the Leupold 2.5-8 also -- I do have one of those and it is outstanding.
<br>
<br>But if this were my actual situation I wouldn't want to do all the re-zeroing it would entail. I would probably drop back a level and get either the Leupold fixed 6x42 or the VX-II 3-9x for the long range rig, the Leupold fixed 4x33 or VX-II 2-7x for the hammer. I have the 4x on my .338 and the old model Vari-X II on a .30-06 and both seem well-suited for their purpose.
<br>
<br>John

I agree, the Leupold 2.5-8 would be my choice if I could have only one.

Leupie 6x42mm with mil-dot reticle.
<br>
<br>Next question?....................(grin)

Hmmmm....6x42 mil-dot
<br>
<br>And may I ask why a mil-dot? ..........(grin)
<br>
<br>better than a 2-8 Lupe?

I'd be the last to cuss the excellent 2.5-8x. It is a very robust scope that offers much latitude and is a proven quantity. Plus it is little and light. It is a very Good 'Un.
<br>
<br>But for me,I'd opt the 6x42. I just like it better and "like" is hard to quantify. So I can't say it is "better",other than that would by my personal preference.
<br>
<br>The mil reticle offers many avenues,without adding weight. Hard not to like a concept like that. My preference is to confirm distance via laser,but I can HAPPILY dope both windage and elevation with the mil reticle,though I'm even more fond of turrets. It is fast and foolproof,especially in a scope that is of fixed subtention. I find it very easy to "connect the dots",when playing the mil-game.
<br>
<br>You gotta make YOU happy,but I'm sweet on that 6x42.................

I would get the Leupold M3 3.5-10 Long Range Target with illuminated retical and bullet drop cams.

Where would you order this scope for 500-600 bucks?

SWFA has them on sale for $700.
<br>
<br>http://www.samplelist.com/

SU35: Consider the Grand Slam in whatever power you choose. The finger adjustabe knobs and the excellent tracking would make it very easy switching from one rifle to another. You could figure out how much adjustment it took from one rifle to the other and the scope would go back to the same place. I like mine very much.
<br>
<br>Good luck with whatever you choose!
<br>Marty