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

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

Thanks ..... I've been looking for one of these for a while.

This one sat for sale buried in an obscure ad on-line titled for other items. It was covered with camo tape so didn't look very good and I don't think the Tasco brand helped much either. $150 got it.

Last weekend at the Michigan Campfire Shoot, my 375 Ruger Alaskan killed it's second scope.
It was a mid 90's Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5 x 20.
The other was a Leupold VX-1 2-7 x 33.

Granted, both of those scopes had spent time on a 416 Rigby, a Remington 700 Classic 35 Whelen, a Mossberg 835 slug barrel, and last before this was an Ithaca M37 w/Hastings rifled slug barrel.
Can't say any of those was a cushy ride, but I'd like to find a tougher scope to put on the 375.

I've had a Nikon 1.5-4.5 on my 416 Rigby for 15 years, no complaints. Recently installed a 20 year old Leupold VX2 1-4 on my 500 Nitro in Talley QD rings, holding up well so far.

I have a low powered Leupold on my 375 H&H AI.
My 416 Rigby will stay -- iron sights only. Open "V" rear and post front.
My 375 Whelen AI also will stay -- iron sights only. Lyman steel aperture rear and post front.
While not quite a "Big Bore" my light 350 RM Remington 600 recoils like a "Big Bore", I have a 1x4 Weaver on it. That 350 main use is for the woods and a high power scope has no place there, IMHO.
Other heavier kickers all have Leupold VX-2 or VXIII's. After reading MD's stuff, I think I'll be looking for a Fullfield II to try.

I don't think any of these heavier kickers will be shooting at much over 250 yards, probably less than 50 yards, and I'd bet 100 yards max - Perhaps my 375 H&H AI, might go to 200 yards. These limitations are limitations of the mechanism that is pulling the trigger, not the rifles.

I did all of load development for my 404 and 375 with a SWFA 3-9.

Then went to Leupold VX6 1-6's on both for my upcoming trip to Africa. Both Leupolds have over 200 practice rounds through them with no issues. Last three shot group with both was well under an inch with all shots touching.

Still have at least another 100 rounds of practice to run through both before the June departure.