Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Leopard illuminated scope recommendation

I appreciate your expertise- which scope/reticle and is it easy to resell as this will probably be a one hunt and done for this tool.

I expect it will be mounted on a pre 64 Fwt 338-06.
Thanks

They are easy to sell. Leopard hunting is out of a blind unless you are hunting with dogs. The shot will be 40 to 80 yards.I used a Leupold VX -3L with a 4.5x14 30mm tube with a 50mm ob. It had the small illuminated cross hair in the center. It worked perfect.

This will be a blind hunt and your inout is much appreciated. I did want to stay with the 30mm tube so my tally’s would not need replacing.

Thanks.

I've hunted spots every year for about the last ten and have certainly taken more than my share. But I expect the do-gooders will eventually prevail and stop our importation of the leopard so I want to get mine in before that happens.

Most of mine were taken with the aid of a Swarovski PH or PV scope, 1.5-6x42. 30mm tube, heavy duplex or #4, first focal plane. All were shot before it got dark enough to need an illuminated reticle. A couple were shot in the morning and all with a 375H&H.

A couple years ago I used a Swaro PV-i 1.5-6x and liked it alot...similar to the PH but with a lighter reticle and an illuminated cross at the center. I may use that one again this year. It was on a 338WinMag.

Another scope I like, but haven't used on a cat is the Leica Visus with illuminated dot. 2.5-10x42, IIRC second focal plane and a lighted reticle. It's mounted to a 358STA I put together just for leopard.

The only thing I don't really like about the Visus is the 2.5 on the bottom end. After shot, spots will often run and if you're lucky you'll be invited to help find him and it's nice to drop the power down for that adventure. Usually they're dead after twenty yards...if they go much farther you may have a problem and need to call in the calavry!

All those scopes are discontinued but they hover around $750-$1100 used and you should be able to get your money back if you decide to sell.

Who you hunting with and where?

Thanks so much for sharing your experiences. I will be hunting with John Sharp in the BVC.

Just a thought about following up a wounded animal. I prefer open sights over a scope. My scoped rifles have quick detachable mounts or I use my double.

I'll tell you what the PH I hunt with (John Sharp) likes. Leupold VX3 3.5X10X50 with ill reticle. I have a VX6 ub similar rig

[quote=McCray]I've hunted spots every year for about the last ten and have certainly taken more than my share.


That is awesome!

Will be hunting leopard with John end of April. Going to use his rifle this trip. First time I've ever used a camp rifle. Just easier this time with flight going through London this go round.

Haven't been, no plans to go.

But, this would be a good rig. Chopped and fluted 21" NH SS M-70 .375 H&H with NECG irons, front windowed hood fiberoptic, wearing a Zeiss Victory 1.5-6x50 T* in Warne QD's on steel Warne bases. Not illuminated, but excellent glass and reticle that would work as long as one could see a cat. May be able to see the target longer with top Alpha glass vs a lesser scope, illumination notwithstanding.

I've seen these scopes sell used for $850-900, would be pretty easy to turn over when done with it. IMO, hard to find better glass for low light.

DF

Schmidt & Bender Polar, Stratos or Zenith with the Flash Dot would be my choice.

Leopard hunts are expensive. I wouldn't skimp $ on the scope.

No skimp. Could buy the Cadillac and would not be 3% of hunt. Will check flash dot as I have not run into it yet.

Thanks for the info.

I think if I showed up with anything without illumination PH would not be fun to hang out with.

Thank you for your ideas.

I have zero experience with hunting leopard, and very limited experience with illuminated reticles, which of course makes me an expert on this issue (if the smiley does not give it away humour font is in use on previous sentence).

I have really been impressed with my illuminated Nightforce NXS 2.5-10 which is presently mounted on my .375 and will be going with me to Namibia in 2021 (no cats in the hunt plan) Not sure if that fits your thoughts but it would be an easy scope to sell once you were done with it.

Just a couple more things about the follow-up...

The problem with iron sights are two-fold for me. First, my 59 year old eyes don't like them! Second, any follow-up will most likely happen when it's somewhere between damn dim and pitch-black! More than one PH has said he would actually prefer to do the follow up in the dark so he might spot the cat's eyes reflecting light before any charge can start. For shooting glowing eyes in the dark, I think I want a low powered optic.

Anyways, enough about scary follow-ups. I'm sure your leopard will be dead under the tree or at the end of a short run. All of mine have been! (Knock on any and all wood!)

Then comes the hand shaking/congratulations/laughter/dancing/drinking and picture taking!

I will have sights but both my PH and I have ancient eyes. Hopefully no nightmares in the Dark! I am still mulling the rifle/caliber but leaning to two pre 64 338-06’s. One for 210 TTSX and backup with 160 TTSX. Take two just because its Africa. No buffalo so neither 375 or 416 making this trip. Eland would be our largest opportunity animal.

No large Caliber is needed for Leopard. The Minimum in Zim is a .270 . The minimum in Namibia is rated in Joules. So a 6.5 Mag is acceptable but the APHA recommend a 7mm Mag minimum..I have yet to see a PH backing up for dangerous game using a scope. There is some good info at Pro Safaris (https://www.pro-saf.com/) It used to be owned by Norman Crooks but he sold it to his Kids. I know Norman personally and the only Person that has taken more cats them him is the Man that taught him. I believe Norman told me he has harvested around 220 Leopards. He is know in Africa as The Cat Man.

No Africa experience, but a LOT of dark hunting hogs before night vision/thermal came along.

I have a Zeiss illum. And one not. All I can say is I rarely ever choose the illumination, but when I did, if I'd have had a single power not a variable lightness so to speak, it can get so bright it will burn out the target. I prefer to be barely able to turn illumination on.

We have RMRs on our pistols for hunting. Early and late the battery operated RMR is way to bright, it blurs out what I need to see on the target. The ambient light ones are almost self adjusting but we keep a piece of tape on top for middle of the day when they can get VERY bright.

Just a few things tossed out having shot so much at night.

And like DF said, IF you can see the target( in my case pigs) then you can see enough crosshair, though on a black pig I have to center vertical and horizontal bars but that worked pretty easy as far out as I could see.

Again, adjustable brightness... I'm sure they all come that way though.

Leupold VXR 3-9 illuminated dot. I have one that has taken a beating all over africa and never had a problem great low light scope.

rost495 is right. The darker it is outside the lower the setting (dimmer) needs to be on the illumination dial. You will need to learn how to dial the illumination up or down.Go outside in the morning,evening. and at night before you go to Africa. Good Luck.