Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Long Range Hunting LR scope specs recommendation

On the cheap - I’d go SWFA 6x MQ. An all around’er that cover elk bases to 500.
Simple to use. Good eye relief. Quick and intuitive.

For a little more $$ I’d choose (and did x2) the SWFA 3x9 MQ.

I’ve been using the Zeiss HD5 3-15x50 with a Z800 reticle it matches my trajectory on the 300 Weatherby perfectly all the way to 800. We practice that far getting ready. Longest shot so far 550 yards 3 shots shared the same exit hole no thinking or dialing is good for me to 600 yards in any normal conditions. The V4 should be almost as easy to set up in the 4-16x50 with a couple of reticle choices with lots better glass.

If you get the V4 4-16x50mm, and intend to dial, go with the #93 reticle IME. If you intend to hold over I guess one of the xmas tree reticles but I hate those things for general purpose huntin’. The #93 presents very cleanly to my eye as a crosshair BUT has the windage hashes if I want them for holding off.

Forget the FFP, SFP is better 95% off the time for this application. I wouldn't go over 18-20 power as your field of view will do compromised you will struggle to find the elk in scope and lose it at shot.

You can go to 500 yards with just a hold over style reticle but turrets will certainty work. .
There are so many great options for this that it boils down to what your budget is and what feels good to you. 30mm scope is a great call as many of the good scopes for this application are of the 30mm variety.

A good quality 3-15 will work. A 4-20 will work great too. When you get to 20x magnification you will want a better quality scope or this no point in having all that magnification

I also agree that SFP is probably a better option here. I know I prefer it for hunting. Find something 12 to 16 on the higher end and three or four on the lower end, with a reticle you like.

Good choice, simple and the reticle is uncluttered for close shots. There's no way to screw up by using the wrong line and the fire dot is nice in low light or deep woods.

I’ve taken dozens of elk, with most at 350-400yds. Elk are large so I sighted in for 350yds, which gave a point blank range of about 435yds using a 340wby. When ranges were longer, I simply held higher. For this kind of hunting, a 3.5x10 SFP was perfect (these were vari-x-III scopes). For what you are doing, I think a Tract 3x15 with a duplex reticle would be perfect. IMO, these ranges don’t require dialing or putting up with a hard to see FFP reticle at close range. Great thing about the Tracts is the tracking is outstanding if you decide you want to play the game.

As most have said skip the First Focal Plane reticles.

Keep the top end mag below 20X and 15X is a sweet spot.

The Leupold 3-15x44 with a wind plex and CDS checks all the boxs includinge price point while delivering best in class performance.

But what do I know about killin elk?

Sightron makes a 3-16 with duplex reticle that might be a good choice for medium ranges. I've not used one but reviews are positive and say it's adjustments are repeatable.

This has been my experience as well. I have 2 VX5 3-15's and a VX6 3-18. They are on a 270, 280ai, and 300 wsm. I have only killed 2 Elk, A nice Bull at 250 yd and a cow. So I am certainly no expert when it comes to Elk hunting, but I have killed my share of deer. I also enjoy long range shooting and these scopes work well for me. You may not need the 18 power on the top end, but it sure makes it nice for identification purposes at distance.

3x15 vx5 with windplex reticle.

I absolutely agree. I stretch mine out to 800 yds a lot and don't feel underscoped. The clarity of the scope makes it perform better than expected

Same scope I have on a couple of my hunting rigs. Good friend used it for elk this year.
His longest shot was beyond 500 yards, but the scope works great.

20x is ridiculous, if the elk takes a step or you need a follow up you will never find it

If you need to count points 14,15, 16(maybe to much)

Brown and down 10-12 max is all you need

6x is all you "need", but if you have to count points/etc higher mag can come in quite handy.

Exactly this^^^ Good post. I would use a simple Burris FFII 3-9x40 with a ballistic plex reticle and have ho issues at all. The op did say he would use this rifle for close shots too. No need for a FFP or wasting time dialing if shots are only 500 either. Just practice with a set up that has a ballistic plex type reticle and know your limits. I was shooting with a guy yesterday that wanted to use his elk hunting rifle in a long range varmint silhouette match. He was shooting off of his pack, the rifle was a Remington 700 and he was using a Vortex 4-16x50 with a ballistic reticle of some sort. He managed to hit the 600 yard target once. Said he had shot a bull with the rifle last year that was 500 yards away, so it can be done with a simple set up like that. However, he needs a chit ton of practice, which was apparent yesterday: I don't think he shoots the rifle much and relies on factory ammo. He possessed 3 big downfalls, that I could see, if you want to attempt shooting and taking big game animals at longer distance. As much as I don't like Vortex, the scope was not one of them. JMHO..

The Hilarious FF2's are steaming piles of fhuqking schit,that can't/won't track/repeat/hold zero. Hint.

Bless your hearts for trying though.

Hint.

Fhuqking LAUGHING!...................

This is the problem where I hunt. Point restrictions and muleys with ridiculous two point racks and not even a nub that would make three points and legal.

Otherwise, I have to carry a spotter as well.

If I can find them in my 10X binos, and confirm through the rifle scope, then the shot is just a trigger pull away.

Bino, spotter, scope is a lot of movement.

Looking to buy my first real dialing scope as well, for hunting coyotes and antelope out to 500-600 yards and banging steel to 1000. So far leaning toward the LRHS-2. Seems to be the most bang for the buck, with a solid reputation.

My question is, how does it do in very low light? Is the G2H reticle still usable?

Any other recommendations for a $1K scope that will dial reliably and also perform well in very low light in open country?

I don't have the LRHS2, but the unlit G2H in the LRHS 3-12x is just fine in low light, and certainly still usable, unless you're in the jungle.