Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting scope recommendations

For a 1:9 twist 6.5x284 for lower 48. Thanks

I am a little partial as to the fact that I just recently purchased both, and I don't know how far you plan to shoot, but I recently purchased a NF SHV 3-10X42 for a 280 AI and a Weaver Tactical 3-15x50 for a CTR 6.5 creedmoor. The key that sold me on both of these for my purpose in order of importance was - 1. Reliable tracking and return to zero 2. Robustness and quality of Construction, 3. optics.

For both up close and long range, the SWFA 3 x 9 SS with mil quad reticle is the most bang for your buck.

I love my 4-16 vortex hst on my 7mm mag

SWFA or Nightforce,depending on budget.

I just bought a Sendero in 264 Win Mag. I’m driving myself nuts with picking out a scope. I bought this rifle to hunt bean fields and take out west for Muleys. Also to shoot steel.
I was locked in on a Huskemaw. Then read if you compare a Huskemaw vs Nightforce for the same money go with NF. Then I read the VX6 is best in low light. I want a good scope with a dial to dial in the range.
To the OP I’m in the same boat as you.

The simplicity of a fixed power scope has always interested me and I finally bought a couple of SWFA SS scopes in the last year or so. I installed a 6x on my longer range 7mm-08 and I have the SS 10x on my 300 Win Mag. Once you settle on your load and run the ballistics, and create your dialing data sheet, (I think they call it a dope sheet), the fun begins. I couldn't be happier with these scopes. Money well spent.

Nightforce is clearly the winner for accurate dialing of those. Huskemaw is a pimped product from a show built around advertising. Leupold adjustments have never been considered accurate or precise in tracking by anyone who dials a lot.

Thanks I’ve pretty much convinced myself to buy the NF SHV 5-20x56. I don’t want any woulda’s, coulda’s or shoulda’s.

Bushnell LRTSi has become my almost universal recommendation. Fantastic scope that performs way above its pay grade.

John

Whoa. Hold the boat. We haven't gotten inputs in terms of target sizes or distances from Dogger or RMerta.

Frame the question(s) better to get good feedback. Distances? Target size?

For me target shooting out to 8-900 yards. Metal size to replicate vitals of whitetail. Hunting range out to maybe 600 depending on wind and weather. Maybe further in right situation.

My recommendation would still be the Bushnell LRTSi, or, if you can find one, the LRHS.

John

I have a Huskema that i purchased when Aaron was there it tracks awesome, I have taken 4 bucks and 3 bulls from 250-890 with it and not once has it failed me. Don't assume just because its a NF that its gonna track good go to accurateshooter.com and read the thread on scope testing you will see what some well respected BR shooters are testing scopes and finding out what scopes track good and the ones that don't I think you will be surprised.

I’ll head over and read up. Thanks

When you throw “600 yard hunting” in there... it changes my answer a little.

We shoot a lot out to the ranges you mentioned... 700-900... but most of our shooting and “practice” is inside 600. Almost all the rifles we shoot wear 3-9s, all Leupolds and SWFAs. I feel 3-9s are in no way handicapped when we’re talking 1.5-3 MOA targets, hell, a lot of dudes here make those kinda hits with 6x’s.

Our 12” round gong at 600 yards is known as the “Plate of Humble Pie”, that’s right at 2 MOA size, and it really is bigger than a deer’s “vital area”. It can be awefully easy to miss.... but that’s not a magnification issue. 9x/10x top end is more than enough, to make good holds on those size targets, in hunting situations out past 600. Plus, the field of view is still adequate enough to allow you to see impacts and spot your own shots. I killed a deer this year at 550+, using an SS 3-9.... it was no issue at all... and I got to watch that deer pile-up in the glass... shooting an 8lb 7 Mag.

Seems like the whole “I wanna shoot to 1k, and hunt to 600” mantra is pretty common these days. For that... I really see only a couple options in optics.

SWFA: Fixed 6x or 10x, whichever terrain allows. OR... 3-9 HD, which is my personal favorite scope.
Bushy: 3-12 LRHS..... or new LRHSi
NF: 3-10 or 4-14 SHV.... or drop the dough and go 3-15 NXS.

I’ve owned and shot all the above, suffice the SHVs, and my vote goes to the the 3-9 SWFA. If I felt I needed more X’s, I’d go LRHS.

I have a caldwell 10" Steel Gong setup that I bought a couple years ago to shoot long at. You tell yourself that 10" shouldnt be no issue at all, but to date, once you get that thing out past 450-500 yards - even with very little wind - as dog shooter says - it can be very humbling.

With that being said, on other rifles I have owned as well as friends rifles, that were taken out long range - I personally seem to do better with a little more magnification - not a lot but something in the 12x-15x has treated me well. I respect those that can bang steel out there consistently wth a 6x or 3-9x.

Did you read up on the thread on accurateshooter.com i mentioned? If so what do you think?

It certainly can be but when you find that consistent load for a consistent rifle with a consistent scope, it can be an awful lot of fun. Last trip out:

I think Dogshooter is spot-on with the ~1x magnification per 100 yards recommendation, assuming ~1.5 MOA target, out to RMerta's primary distance of 600. The same 1x/100y still does ok out to his limit of 800 - 900, but for some shooters a little more magnification might help. I can tell you that I've seen even novice shooters do well on 12" steel at 1000+ using 10x MQ scopes. Under decent wind conditions

And less magnification, instead of more, is often overlooked and a good point by Dog. Spotting shots at medium range can sometimes be tricky from field positions, especially with lighter weight rifles.

I see the recommendations for 6x, 10x, 3x9, 3.5 x10 etc... on this thread for scopes for shots to 600 yards and beyond and I guess I'm a bit puzzled. This being the long range forum and all, I'm a bit surprised I'm not seeing recommendations for scopes in the 6.5 x 20, 6 x24, 5 x 25, etc... range for those long range shots. I've never been of the opinion you could "overscope' a rifle unless you really tried and for long range I've done fine with my 3x9 and 4.5 x 14 scopes, but for varmints I always like to have as much magnification as my rifle and carrying arm will handle- something in the 6.5 x 20 Leupold or 6 x24 B&L Elite series work best for me at the moment. I like to see what I am shooting at as well as possible and sometimes I Iike to see what I'm NOT shooting at, like small branches and things like that in the bullet patch you may not see otherwise. Also, sometimes you have a pretty narrow window to shoot through at the game moving or feeding in the trees or brush or among other animals and a little extra power can help pick through those instances. These seem to happen to me more often these days and a little extra scope power is sometimes a real blessing when it does.

So, what are your thoughts on this? Give me a minute to get my Nomex underwear on....

Bob

I am with you sheister on scope power, I believe the ole saying aim small shoot small.

Bob,

I don't think the OP, Dogger, ever responded regarding distances and target sizes. RMerta said deer vitals out to 600, and steel to 800 - 900. A 3-9x MQ handles that.

If you're shooting varmints, I'm guessing that the cartridge and/or weight of the rifle help keep recoil low. And if you have a solid rest, like a field bench, then a narrow FOV may not matter. However, shooting a heavier recoiling rifle from some contorted field position with a narrow FOV can make spotting your hits, or misses, difficult no matter how well you build your firing position. Here, a fixed 6x is not a handicap on big game vital sized targets, at medium range. In fact it can be an advantage. No big deal to dial down a high power variable either.

It's been said before. Many people are quick to over-scope themselves. That is why asked about distances and target sizes in my post on the first page. Unless you're shooting small targets, or have some vision problems, you can get by with a lot less magnification than some people assume.

Someone did a survey of various longrange & PRS shooters, and from what I recall, 12x was found to be the top end for many. Their scopes could go higher, but in general they used lower magnification in order spot their shots. Also interesting to see more shooters going from .308 to 6.5mm Creedmooor, and to 6mm Creedmoor. There are certainly advantages in external ballistics going from .308 to 6.5mm Creedmoor, but going from 6.5mm to 6mm is mostly about lower recoil... and spotting shots.

That is my experience. Distances, target size, recoil levels, and expectations, all factor into the equation and will vary from one shooter to another.

Jason

I'll take image quality over size every day. ....and if it doesn't track 100% bang on every time, it has no business shooting at game.

This.

i have been AWOL on this thread... this is a dual use rifle for me... shooting paper from a bipod out to 1000 meters, and varmints/deer with shots most likely from the prone with a backpack for a rest.

My standard big game rifle is getting a USOptics B-17 the rest are transferring to Nightforce.
The paper punchers have a variety of swfa ss and Leupolds on them.

Which reticle are you gonna go with on the B-17?

.

He ordered the IGR reticle assuming he didn’t change the order for the 5th time.

Got to visit Fred last weekend, drink his beer and whiskey and help the training of his deer to gunfire. Damndest thing you’ve ever seen as there were no deer around until his nephews started shooting shït with my 22/410 and the deer came running.

Here the kids were shooting grapefruits off the stump in the foreground and the deer could literally care less. 2 deer on the feeder here during a ceasefire the let the one coming out of the trees to the right get across.

Yes IGR! LOL. It’s not here yet but the rent is payed on it so should be anytime now.

If it’s better than my Nightforce’s it’s going to have to be really good. The 3.5-15x50 NXS in MOAR is quickly becoming my favorite. Was out Saturday afternoon she’s up to 1000 yards for sure. But th Shv f1 on the short mag7 is nothing to turn your nose up over.

Particularly like the SWFA single power scopes: 10X, 12X or 16X.

1-4X for battle rifles.

3-9X hunting.

Unless a dawn or dusk shot...cheap works fine.

Rovert....what’s you load in that 260? I am about to try that bullet in my Tikka hunter.

Swaro Z5 3-18. Done

S&B 10x42 PMII