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

When I get to the point where I need a 1X massive FOV because I am hunting something that might eat me, I'll consider a lower power optic.
Until then, where i am the predator, and hunting hooved beasties of all sizes (tiny and massive) the extra few X's on the top end AND an objective that allows for longer hunt time fits my criteria.

I actually bought another Leica ERi and a Meopta 1.5-6x42. Both have illuminated #4 type reticles. I will look at both and make a decision. The 1.5-6 may be the schizznit.

Also to add.....my .375 “is not” regulated to big game “ONLY”! My most recent coyote was taken at a measured(after the shot) 280 yards. For varmints and “small” big game.....a little extra magnification isn’t a bad thing! memtb

One of the things about hunting in Africa is that you shoot what you brought with you for the most part. On a month long Big Four hunt in 2011, I brought a .416 Rigby with an illuminated circle dot reticle Swaro 1.5-6x42 (now sadly out of print) and a .470. Both leopard and lion were on the menu and those shots are often taken in low light conditions. My thinking was that a 42 mm objective lens would gather more light at dusk or dawn than a 20mm objective lens, so that's the Swaro was mounted on the .416.

Perhaps someone with lots of scope knowledge (such as MD) could let us know if that reasoning was correct or if a 1-5 x 20 would have worked just as well in low light.

I changed out the Leupy 2-7 on my .458 Model 70 with a new Freedom in 2-7 which Leupold sent to replace the repair. (Fogged scope)

Had to change the front mount as the Freedom tube is too short for a standard action (A massive sales reducing design defect in my opinion) but the optics are far superior to the older Vari X 11 , cross hairs are thicker and better suited to a heavier caliber rifle and so far have handled the recoil well, being easy to track when sighting the scope and holding zero to this point.
Like the scope, hate the short scope tube.
John

We all understand that bullet weight affects animals due to its addition momentum but then tend to ignor it's effects when mounting large and heavy scopes on hard recoiling rifles.

Phil,
Absolutely agree with this comment. Small scopes are the best choice for all big bores. My own rifles in the past have mostly been 1-4 or 1 1/2-5 Leupold's with a few larger scopes tried for review purposes, some of which, did very well, the best of them being a Tasco Titan on my .460 Weatherby. Simply can't break it.
John

Ed,

I guess the question that jumps out immediately to me is “What for?” For my purposes, a scope is a sight, but I swear some guys buy theirs to double as a spotting scope too? I just see nothing that a big, heavy, cumbersome, complicated high magnification variable scope is going to do for me with a 375, or 30-06 for that matter, that a good fixed power or low magnification variable will give me. In fact, that high magnification variable will give me much less on a hunting rifle. I’m not a scope twirler, I consider myself a hunter. There seems to have been a trend developing over the last 20 or so years where a significant number of gun owners seem to think they need a high magnification variable, when in reality (at least my reality), it’s more of a hindrance than anything. Whether handguns, black rifles, or hunting rifles, if guys would spend more time and money on getting some quality instruction and then actually shooting, instead of hoping that the newest, latest greatest accessory will make the difference. One can make hits on deer-size targets and larger all day long at 400/500/600 yards with a lowly 4 or 6x fixed scope. Heck, as a member on my Regiment’s small arms team we used to do that all the time with iron sights before we got magnified optics. Sorry for the long winded answer, but a high magnification optic on a hunting rifle, especially a medium or large bore, seems to be an answer in search of a question ( Jeff Cooper?).

I’ve thought about putting a more powerful scope on my 375HH, I actually need another scope because I recently ordered up a talkeetna but I keep going back and forth, the 1.5-5 seems to be good for me so far.

For me hear are almost strictly for dangerous game or hunting moose in areas where I’m worried about big bears, I used my current 375 on a grizzly last year and didn’t feel like I needed more scope it was nice to dial it back to 1.5 after the Bear was down but more importantly I love the quick detach rings so I can ditch the scope quickly if I need to wander into denser/darker areas.

I started out with a Leupold 1.5-5x20 because it seemed like the appropriate scope in magnification and esthetics for a DGR. Soon realized 99% of my hunting with my .375 will be white tails/black bears at dawn/dusk so I moved to a Z6 1.7-10x42mm that I'm very pleased with. For the money, I probably could have bought a Leupold 2.5X and a 3-9x50 will QD Talley's and come out cheaper. If anyone ever makes a 1-6x40+ I'd jump on it but I'm not holding my breath.

I use a leupold FX-3 6x42 onmy 416 remington and I love it. Very clear, very accurate, holding up to the recoil so far. If it was a dedicated buffalo gun, I'd go with a fixed 4 or fixed 3, but for all around use, I like the fixed 6 power. Good from 20 yards to 1000 yards.

I like the S&B 1.1X4 straight tube, field of view is huge.

Wrong forum.

I use Bushnell 6500 1.25-8x32mm on all my large rifles. Has a 4" eye relief for recoil, adequate 8x for distance and low magnification for close work. They hold zero without any worry. A guy can buy them for around $500. I mount them with QR rings so I can remove them if needed. They are compact and balance the look of a DG rifle.

I use an older Leupold VX11 2-7 x 33 on my 375 Rem Ultra Mag.

When I started using this scope years ago, I too was bugged by seeing the sights but after a while realised that I was starting to ignore them and focused on the reticle instead.

I now have two 1.5-5s and three other similar scopes that have become a favourite choice on shorter rifles. I suggest you give it a fair shake and try them out. Even setting them on 3x will pretty much eliminate the front sight from view.

monarch 2.5-10x42 on my 9.3x62. Personally best of both worlds. wide field of view close and I can reach out if I want to

The additional 5-10 minutes a large obj. may give me is not very important to me. My season goes from oct-jan and I have 9-10 deer limit. I have used a 2-7 in near darkness on an afternoon hunt that happened under a canopy of poplars. No problems.

Just bought an old beater Tasco Titan 1.25-4.5 with German #4 reticle for my 35 Whelen. Dirt cheeap! Liking it so far.

Good luck beating up that old beater. They are as strong as money can buy.
You have done very well.
John