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The Illuminated reticle would be good for pig hunting at dark or a full moon

I have had a 2.5-8x36 Leupold on mine for 25 years. I recommend it highly. It is very useful. I really like the ability to use a lower power in close cover.

I started with a Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40 on my .338 back in 1996. It was a poor choice. The .338 shook the crosshairs loose in about 2 years.

I bought a 1998 2.5-8x36 Leupold for it. I still have the scope but swapped it out for a new one in 2009. Its still on there.

The Bushnell/B&L 4200 2.5-10x40 is a great option for a 338wm. I've had a couple of those on 338wm's. One had a firefly reticle. Loved that feature, but the reticle was way too wide for my likes..


You want a tough as hell scope, that 4200 is it...


Burris FFII 3-9x40 with ballistic plex reticle:


Zeiss 3-9:


Even ran a Swaro, but didn't like it after it went haywire:

I used a 338 Win as my primary hunting rifle for 10-15 years and was happy with the 2-7 scope mounted on top. I now prefer a bit more magnification but that is because I tend to shoot better groups with more zoom. Strictly for hunting situations 2-7x works well for me but it is very rare that I take a shot over 300 yards. It all boils down to personal preference and your style of hunting.

You can order from Doug, gives us good deals

Depends on what range you plan on shooting at and your style of hunting.


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I have a NF SHV 3-10 on one of my .338's. I'd rather it were FFP and mil, but I can certainly live with a SFP that tops out at 10. It's been a reliable scope so far through a fair amount of shooting. I do dial on it frequently at the range, mostly to see how it holds up, and it's been spot on so far over a few years' of bouncing around and several hundred shots. Not a definitive amount of use on a sample of one by any means, but the .338 it's on has done 3 scopes in with much less shooting and use so far, so pleased enough that it's still doing what it's supposed to do.

ER, EB, and glass quality are good, and the X range is a good fit for a caliber that's well suited to shots both up close and farther off.

If I wasn't satisfied with the NF on the .338, I'd go with an SWFA 1-6 HD. I have one on a 375h&h and I really like it. On low X the reticle is fast like a large aperture peep; on 6x it's the bare MQ. I've found 6X to be plenty for anything big enough to point a .338 at, even if it's standing further off.

This is good to know.

A great option would be a MeoTac 3-12X50 RD Mildot from Meopta. You can dial in your shots or use the reticle for bullet drop. Great glass and excellent low-light performance. This would be nice for an elk gun even though some might not like the 34.2 oz weight of the scope. 40% off right now which is one heck of a deal.

For me it would depend on which action it was housed in. Some .338s are on an '06 length action, some on an H&H length action. I'm a Leupold fan. So for me, on a shorter ('06 length) action like a Win 70 or Ruger 77, I'd probably go with the VX3 2.5-8X. On an H&H length action like a Remington 700, I'd go with a 3-9X VX2 or 3.5-10X VX3. There are 2 things you want in a .338 IMHO .. eye relief and some rifle weight. Both protect your eyebrow.

Tom

Mine has a Swarovski Z6 1.7-10x42 BT. I wouldn't change a thing.

Leupold 2.5X8X36

Mine also wears a Leupold vx3 2.5-8x 36mm

34.2 oz's? No thanks. A good elk rifle only needs a good 2.5-8, 2.5-10, 3-9x40. Most shots are going to be within 400 yards anyway. Most likely less than 100 yards. That is a beast of a scope Bart. No one is going to want to put a scope on their rifle that outweighs their damn stock. The stock on my 338wm, for example, is only 26 oz's. So throw the nice balance out the window, if you were to use that scope. Just not feasible on a good elk rifle. You ever hunt elk????

Good point TOM. You wouldn't be able to use a 2.5-8x36 on my Pre 64 338wm because it is built on an H&H action.

My No. 1 wears a Leupold 2.5-8x36. If that ain't enough magnification, I need to get closer.

I have a Zeiss 3x9x36 on my custom pre 64 M70 338 win mag.

My Remington M700 KS 338 win mag has worn 5 scopes since I bought it in 97.

Leupold 2.5x8
Leupold 1.75x6
Zeiss conquest HD5 2x10
Swarovski Z3 3x10
And it now wears a Leupold VX6 2x12. Excellent scope with a range of magnification for all scenarios, illuminated firedot and turrets for dialing long range shots.

FX- 6x

My Sako 338 wears a Schmidt’s& Bender 3x12x50 Klassic. Bought from Poland of all places.