Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Optics for big bores

Thinking on a quality 2-10x42 (something close to these specs) for my 375 project based on what I have immediate plans to use it for... Large plains game and possibly elk and the larger exotics in TX.
If I ever get into true dangerous game, I would look at lower powered variables like the Swaro Z6i or Z8i.

What are you using on your big bores?

For many years a 2.5 -8 Leupold, a few years ago went to a 3.5 - 10 Leupold. Had a 1.5 - 5 for a back-up (Leupold QD’s), now the 2.5 - 8 is my back-up. My first .375, from the early ‘80’s, still wears a 2 - 7 Leupold. memtb

The old stand-by the Leupold 1.75-6X. Crosshairs are a tad heavy out to POA but they are findable undler poor lighting or adverse conditions. Compact and doesnt affect balance.

That would have been my first choice, on my H&H, with range limited to around 400 yrds. With my AI, and wanting to stretch the range a bit, I went. 2.5 - 8 and then on to the 3.5 - 10. memtb

I have used a variety of scopes on 375's. 2.5, 1-4, 1.1-4, 2-8, 1.5-6, etc.

My favorites thus far are the 1.1-4x24's, 1.5-6x42's. I will be trying the 1-6x24's and a 1-6.3x24 and a 1.5-8x42. I suspect, for an all-around it is going to be a toss up between the 1.5-6 and 1.5-8 42's. They seem to do all well. When the light is fading, I have no issues with their bulk over the straight tubes.

I have been tempted a time or two, to put a 1.7-10x42mm on a 375.

I feel anything that gives me at least a 60' field of view on 1, 1.5, or 2 power is sufficient for close in hunting. More is nice and sometimes Really nice, but 60' seems sufficient for me.
So far, I have had no issues with below 4x making shots. But, do like having the 6x ability with an objective to support it in lower light. I have seen the lower light difference.

My 375 Ruger LH Hawkeye wears a Leupold VarX-III 2.5x8. Worked great on an AK grizzly hunt. Plenty bright @ 12 midnight last June, killed a nice grizzly. This year it's going to South Africa on a cape buffalo hunt. Bob

I have a Swaro z6i 1-6x24 with BRT for 9.3x62

Burris 1.75-5x32 Sig Safari, Posilock on a stainless Ruger African in 375.

I've a Swaro Z6i 1-6 on mine with the illuminated CDI reticle. Love the scope, shoots well out to 200yds (longest I shoot it at). I'd be quite happy with the 1.7-10 version, as well, I think.

I have a vx3i 1.5-5x20 mounted with Talley quick detach rings and steel based on my 375HH.


I don’t really like it, I can see the iron sights when looking through the scope.

I have Swaro Habicht 1.5-6x42's with illuminated circle dot reticles on several big bores, including my .416 Rigby. If you find one used in good shape, jump on it. If not, look at the Meopta 1.5-6x42 with illuminated reticle. ~ $1,100, I think.

A common situation with lower powered scopes. It does bother some, and some it does not. It does not bother me usually.

I did find the glow of a fiber optic front sight bothered me this year in very low light. To the degree that I taped over the sight.
The various variable scopes that I have in the 1, 1.1, and 1.5 low end, all show some barrel in the low range. Not an issue with regular sights, but the glow of the fiber optic was annoying to me.

My 358 and 375 both wear 1.5-5x20s.

This is exactly what both of my 375s have, with the heavy duplex.

I have used several different scopes on 375's over the years. I used to run Leupold 1.75-6's, and I like them a lot, but the erector crapped out on my last one after about 35 rounds or so. It may have been a one time thing, but it spooked me enough that I switched over to a fixed 2.5 power Leupold for when I want to go light and a 2.5-10x32 Nightforce compact for when I am not concerned with weight.

Now I want to try one of the new Nightforce NX8 1-8 scopes. On 1x, it supposedly works a lot like a red dot sight, but you can up the power when you need it. 106 foot FOV at 100 yards.

http://www.nightforceoptics.com/nx8/nx8-1-8x24-f1

I looked at the NF 1-8 but thought a more traditional optic would fit a wood and blue gun better and was not crazy about the reticle.
Have a Leica ERi 2.5-10x42 that should fit this rifle well.

I have a Leupold VX-III 1.75-6x32 that has made two trips to Africa and used on three elk hunts--all on a .375 H&H. It has also been on elk hunts with two .338-06s, a 9.3x62 and a 9.3x74R, and it currently resides on a .338-06 Improved. In addition to the hunts, it has been used in a lot of load development in those rifles, as I have never used anything but hand-loads in the rifles mentioned. I also have a VX-III 1-4x20 that has been used on several different rifles including a .458 Winchester Mag, and which now cycles on and off of a custom 7 lb 4oz. .404 Jeffery. Both were purchased used, here on the Campfire, and neither has been back to Leupold for service or repairs.

Wow, lots of high- magnification scopes for a .375. I guess higher magnification does seem to be a trend these days, but to each their own.

I first ran a B&L Elite 1.75-6x with the Firefly reticle because I like a thick reticle on a hunting rifle, but it never really got used much above 4x. Then I tried a 2.5 x Leupold with a heavy duplex. I loved how light and compact it was, but found its performance at dusk and dawn a little lacking. I’ve since settled on a matte Leupold FXII 4x33 with HD reticle and find it to be the perfect combination of a tough, compact, light weight hunting scope and bright enough for any hunting or defensive purposes not requiring a light.

Jaycee,

With a .375 H&H offering roughly the same trajectory as a .30-06, why not have a higher magnification scope?

Not talking 6x24 or stuff like that, but certainly up to a 12x or even a 14x in a variable?

Ed

While mine has just a bit more velocity than a standard .375.... I consider it very capable to 600+ yards for big game under ideal conditions. For that range 10x is not really that much scope! memtb