Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Best scope for DG rifle

I have a Leupold VX-III 1-4x20 in Warne detachable mounts on my .404 Jeffery. So far, the combination is working well for me.

I like the looks of that one.

Someone posted 3.2" ER. I'm seeing 3.5" on line.

That's better than 3.2", but still seems a bit close. Anyone having problems, 3.5" ER with this scope on big boomers?

DF

I have one on a .416 RM, no problem at all. Great scope.

Reach out to DocRocket. He raves about his. He ‘s actually got two for the same rifle in QR rings. They’re zeroed for two different loads.

Bushnell 6500 1.25-8x32MM. Works great in my .416Rem Win70 Safari Express. Killed lots of big stuff with it.

I have 3 dangerous game rifles right now, the scopes include a vx5HD 1-5, vx3i 1.5-5, and a Nikon monarch 3 1-4.

Obviously the leupolds are nice but I’ve been very impressed with the Nikon monarch 3.

Dang DF, that old 3X Leupold you sold me would have been perfect, that said, I used a 1.5-5 Leupold on a pre-64 375 H&H in Africa for plains game, one shot at near 200 yards on a Nyala bull was cake, as was a 20 yard shot on a Bushpig in the dark fleeing the light at 30 MPH.

THIS.

I sent 2 Leupoold VX-II 1-4x20 to their eternal reward with my 375HH in less than 25 rounds each. After Leupold replaced it the second time I put it on eBay. The 6500 Bushnell i replaced it with has now at this point seen over 500 rounds and has never had a cap off to adjust POI.

I sold the rifle to a family member recently and he's shooting the living heck out of it and its still going strong as ever.

I also had a Nikon Monarch that served me very very well on a hot loaded and lightweight 45/70 that never gave me a stitch of trouble. Shot literally thousands of rounds through that gun and the scope never moved...and it kicked a lot harder than the 375 did

The Nikons are excellent scopes I agree. They dont seem to get the respect they deserve around here but you have to spend a lot more to get anything better...and even then your not getting much more

DF, your 1.5-5x20's likely have the standard Leupold Duplex, but don't overlook the heavy Duplex as a low light option. It is no target setup, but does that heavy Duplex ever stay with you into full dark long after a finer cross hair has disappeared. My all time favorite low light scope is the 30mm Zeiss Diavari-V 1.5-6x42 that is on my 7mm-08. The heavy side crosshair sections do a pretty strange optical illusion and fill in the narrower crosshair center section in the near dark. I can't explain it, but it happens at least with my eyesight. Looking through one of those upper end Euro scopes in the near dark is like someone has a light on the target over your shoulder. Those Euro guys go out and stay out and hunt lots later than we can and they have some outstanding glass. The 1.5-6x42 Ziess is a little better than the heavy Duplex 1.5-5x20 Leupold into full dark as I've compared the two side by side, but not by much and both will easily go an hour after we can legally deer hunt in Wisconsin.

He can't have it, you got it...

He doesn't like the 1.5-5x20 very much. May get him interested in the Trijicon TR-24.

DF

I have seen quite a few Leupold 1.5-5x20 scopes on kickers, but if he is concerned about low light performance it is not optimal.

A good quality 1-4x24 would be an interesting option. With Fortis replacing VIsus in Leica line-up, it may worthwhile to see if Visus or ER 1-4x24 are being discounted anywhere.

Meopta Meostar 1-4x22 is another good option.

ILya

Whatever I could get with a German #1 or trijicon triangle.....not that I shoot a lot of African DG, but I’ve found nothing faster for shooting hogs and such being flushed out of thick cover, in a 1-4 or similar. I love both my Trijicon and Leupold 1-4s with pointy posts in the middle. No issues in the lowest of light, inside 100 yards, anyway.

Thanks, Ilya. I'm trying to help him get the best option for that big gun.

I just don't know as much about those kinda guns and optics as I do about mroe conventional ordinance.

I appreciate all the help.

DF

I hear ya.

At least he has a good bit of time to consider his options. He looks to me for technical stuff; I'm more of a Loony than he is.

DF

10-4, it's riding nicely on a syn stocked 98 Mauser 458 win Mag in Leupold short lever rings and bases, perfect setup imho.

I’ve actually ended up ordering a few more of the nikons, I really like them in this role.

Zero issues with them for 40 years.

Nice buff!

I used a 1-5x20 Leupold on a 375 Weatherby to take a 42 inch buff in the Selous in 2010, I think. It worked, but when I got home the view through it was fuzzy and it got to go back for some of that wonderful customer service. It's on a 416 in the back of the safe now, but if I was going to ready that gun for a hunt the first thing I would do is swap scopes. Like I said, just bad luck, because a lot of folks use them and like them.

I've been a Leupold user for many decades.

Recently had to send some back for failure to maintain zero. Great CS, they fixed or replaced everything I sent.

BUT, it's hard to send one back from out in the boondocks, and I've been out there with them without an issue. So far, that is.

Like some posters, I may do something else for a serious hunt. I'm thinking I've been pretty lucky so far, maybe I shouldn't push my luck.

I know, high dollar ones can fail and the more robust tactical types seem overly bulky and heavy.

So far, I like my NF SVH 3-10x42 Forceplex. Heavier and bulkier, but not that bad. But, it's on a Creed, not a DG rifle.

DF