Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Optics? What’s on your big bore, express, DHR?

What are you using and why? What are you avoiding and why? Likes and dislikes?

Of what’s out there today (new and obtainable used) what would you buy? Thanks.

1.5-5x20mm on the .375 H&H. Rugged. Around 1,000 rounds now down the tube with no issue. I tend to have it on 5x from the bench, but leave it on ~2x in the field.

1.5-4x20mm on the 400 Jeffrey #1. Mostly as an experiment to see if it will eventually puke. So far, so good. I just leave it on 1.5x. It's more than this cartridge needs.

2.5x20mm on the 9.3x62mm. Simple, rugged, though only 275 rounds down the tube. Taking the setup with me to Africa in the next couple of months chasing Cape Buffalo. Afterwards, I plan to swap scopes between the 400 Jeffrey and this rifle as I think it will be a better fit.

I used two VX6 1-6's on my 375 and 404 Jeffery the last time in Africa. Both of those rifles are gone.

My 416 Remington is going to get a Trijicon 1-6, and a backup Leupold VX6 1-6.

VX3 1.5-5x20 on my .400 Whelen with the Heavy Duplex. Seems pretty useful from in-your-face close to out further then I would ever shoot something with a low velocity round.

1.1X4 S&B on my 458 Win mag

IX8 LPVO Tract Toric on my 416 Rem mag

My preference is the 1X8

Swaro Z6 1X6.

My .416 Taylor wears a VX II 1-4, but that scope is going to be replaced by a Trijicon Accupoint 1-4 to match what's on the 9.3x62. The trijicon is a definite step up from the Leupold. My .375 has a Vari X III 1.75-6. It crapped out years ago and was sent back for re-education, and has been functional since.

@Puddle. Are the scopes you referenced Leupold's?

My 375 has a 2.5 - 8 Leupold, I had a 1-5 X 5 but my eyes needed a little more magnification for taking a shot through a window in the brush. The extra magnification helps to see unseen twigs and stuff. On th elower end 2.5 is about perfect for me.

Burris fullfield posi lock original 1.5 x 5. Duplex

Would prefer a post as they are my favorite but Burris want swap reticle anymore.

I leave it on 3x most all the time.

Yup

Currently this is my lineup, though arguably my rifles are all mediums and I haven't used them for animals other than brown bears and moose within Alaska.

I've a Leupold 4x28 on my .375 H&H.

I have a Leupold 2.5x8 on my .400 Whelen.

I have a Zeiss 1.8x5.5 on my .416 Remington, though I've mostly hunted that rifle with a Leupold 3X.

For me, anything that brackets 3-4X is fine from the muzzle to as far as I intend to use those rifles. All of the scopes have a "duplex" type reticle.

M8-4x with FX2-6x as back up scope Leupold quick detach bases/rings on my 375H&H AI. Iron sights on 45-90, 45-70’s, & 375Whelen AI.

Thanks Puddle.
Looks like Leupold is well represented.

Leo 2.5-8x36 on 375 H&H w/ Leo 1.5-5x20 as spare
Leo 4x33 on 416 Ruger w/ Leo 2x20 as spare
Leo 1.5-5x20 on 9.3x62

Iron sights on all of them as well

To the guys with the 1.5-5 Leupolds, can you comfortably shoot with both eyes open on 1.5?

Yes. Ditto at 5x.

Ditto with the 2.5-8x36 that's on there now. Ditto with the 1.75-6x32E that was on there before.

-Chris

I do.

I move scopes around at times. But, presently:

2ea illuminated 1-6x24 Swarovski EE on 458 Lotts

1-6.3x24 illuminated Leica Magnus on a 416 Ruger

1-4x24 illuminated Schmidt & Bender Zenith on a 416 Remington

1-6x24 non-illuminated Swarovski Z6 on a 375 H&H

1-8x24 illuminated Tract Toric on a 375 Ruger

1-5x24 HD non-illuminated Leupold on a 20" Marlin 45-70


Optically have no complaints with the aboves. Mechanical time will tell.
I have a 458 Winchester to decide on what scope. I am currently leaning towards a 1.1-4x24 Kahles. But undecided. I have a few lower powered straight tubes to place somewhere.

I have also use an illuminated 1-4x24 Zeiss HT on a 416 Ruger. No complaints, just wanted a couple of more magnification steps. I think, the 1-5 and 1-6 are my favorite power ranges. Though this 1-8 Tract is definitely growing on me. But, 5 & 6x are about perfect for me.

1.1 - 4 Kahles on the 700 in .458WM

1.5 - 6 Kahles on the 700 in .375 RUM

1.5 - 6 Kahles on the 721 in 9,3 x 62m

The AR-10 in .458 Lott/American will get a Holsun 510C to start with (may change it out later)... bullet and shotshell loads are getting played with.

Nikon African Monarch on my 375. Also have a 1.5-5 Leupold for the 375 but like the Nikon much better.

1-4 Trijicon Accupoint, Green BAC reticle. 460 Weatherby
Fixed 6x Leupold AO 378 Weatherby
Ruger #1 450 Nitro Express - Irons
Ruger #1 458 Win Mag - Irons
Weatherby 416 - Undecided

Tony

2 - 7 x 32mm Nikon on my Ruger #1H in .458 Win Mag. Ideal range for me and a very tough scope. Sadly, Nikon is out of the rifle scope business now. By now, probably 1000 rounds. Previously on my #1 in .45-70 LT (Long Throat) with ballistics equivalent to a .458 but in a much lighter rifle.

3 - 9 x 40mm Bushnell Elite on my 9.3 x 62 Tikka Lite. Since I'm a dedicated black bear and wolf hunter, I need lots of light on the edge of darkness in thick bush.

3 - 9 x 40mm Diamondback - for the same reasons on my .35 Whelen.

Previously, I've owned a couple of fixed 4x 21mm Burris with 5" eye relief, one on my former #1 in .45-70 LR and another on a CZ550 in .458. Excellent scopes.

Generally though, I find the 2 - 7 x 32 Nikon ideal for most situations.

Bob
www.bigbores.ca

My 416 Rem M70 wears a Burris 1.75-5X Signature Safari duplex reticle with Posi-Lock.

.411 KDF - Swarovski 4x
.404 Jeffery - Meopta 1-6x42
9.3x64 - Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40
.370 Sako Mag - Meopta 1-6x24
.376 Steyr - Leupold 2-7x FireDot

Merkel 140AE 450-400-3" Nitro Express - Karl Kaps Classic, 1-4x22 non-illuminated FFP heavy #1 reticle
Sako Kodiak .375 H&H - Kahles Helia 5, 1-5x24mm SFP Illuminated P-Dot
Verney-Carron Impact Plus takedown bolt action, 9.3x62 - Noblex ( Docter Optic) Inception, 1-6x24mm SFP Illuminated #4
Beretta Silver Sable 9.3x74R O/U double rifle - Schmidt & Bender Stratos, 1.5-8x42mm SFP illuminated #4

They are all good scopes, no complaints or problems. My favourite of all is the Kahles. Simply wonderful.

In 1988 I installed a Leupold VariX lll 1.5x5 standard duplex on my .416 Taylor. Lots of load development and lots of use in Africa and no problems. Looking back, there were several occasions when a heavy duplex would have been a better choice. But overall, I have no complaints.

Weaver V10 on my .375 Bee.

Just wanted something in that power range that was light and had clear glass. Very inexpensive and has been flawless for 16 years.

I have a Leupold VX6 2-12, illuminated reticle on a 375 H&H. I got this rifle and scope last fall and so far I am really happy with the performance of both rifle and scope.

Burris 1.75-5x32 Sig Safari #4 posilock.

I use a fairly lightweight 9# 1 oz. (Scoped, loaded, slung), Win. Model 70 in .375 AI as my only hunting rifle. As the vast majority of my hunting is in fairly open country offering shots as far as you dare to make…..it’s wearing a 3.5-10 Leupold CDS in Leupold Quick detachable base/rings. As a back up scope or if spending more time in thicker stuff…..a 2.5-8 Leupold also in QD’s already zero’d and ready to hunt!

Obviously, if you were going to spend much more time in really thick stuff, it may be worth considering a lower powered variable such as a Leupold VX3HD 1.5-5 or a Leupold VX6 1-6!


I’ve used Leupold’s for over 40 years on fairly heavy recoil rifles……and have never been disappointed. I like to keep my rifle as light as possible/reasonable….and generally, the Leupold’s are among the lightest.

If doing it over again, I wouldn’t change a thing……unless of course, I won a very large lottery and money was no object. That said……I still want light and quality! 😉 memtb

Leupold 2.5x8 on an FN Sako in 375 Weatherby

BTW, I'm working through the details of a .416 Ruger build and this time, instead of automatically defaulting to something Leupold, I'm gonna take a fresh look at what's available in 1-4x, 1-5x, or 1-6x.

Something along those lines, anyways.

Leupold Patrol 6HD on my Ruger M77 RSM 416 Rigby. I am enjoying shooting it (really) and I am getting better with it each time. August hunt to Mozambique for Buffalo and Croc. Have older Zeiss 3-9X40 on my M77 RSM 375 H&H for croc. Thots? First Safari.

Swarovski Z6i 1-6x24EE on a 375 H&H. Previously wore a trouble-free Leupold Euro-30 1.25-4x20. Back-up NECG irons.
Kahles Helia RD on a 458 Lott. Back-up NECG irons.
Express sights only on a 470 NE double.

I put a 1.5-5 vari-x III on my Lott. It lasted 15 rounds and the reticle fell out. I put a 1-4 Burris on. It lasted 5 or 6 shots and broke. I put a 1-4 Hawke with the radial spring set up. It's been going great for several hundred rounds. Has an illuminated dot. Great scope

Redfield 2 3/4x with a PCH on my 400 Whelen. Love the reticle and that’s ample power for any shot I’ll take with the 400.

Leupold 3-9x VX2 duplex on my 375 H&H. It’s light and seems appropriate for a KS Mountain rifle. Could just as easily go with a Leupold 4x and be happy.

Vx3iHD 1.5-5 on my 9.3x62

That's as near as have to a safari caliber.

That's what I use on my 500 Jeffery works well quick acquistion yet enough magnification for a 300 yard shot. Held up well under the recoil too!

On the 375 class DGRs I have low power - mostly 1.75-6x scopes on different QR mounts - and backup open irons or peeps.

On the heavy mediums 416/404 class DGRs I have had low power scopes - 1-4x or 1.5-5x on QR mounts - with back up peeps. I have mostly now moved to peeps and front white beads.

On the large bore - 450s & 500 - I have only iron sights. Started out with open sights and have now wound up with peep rear sights only. This combo is easily and quickly picked up by my eyes, with white front beads. They are accurate and very reproducible for fine accuracy for the shots out to 50 yds I take with these DGR cartridges.

On my .375 Wby, a Bushnell Elite 1.25-8x32mm.

* 2-7 Leupold on my .375H&H……low enough power for timber, enough power for ranges likely used (out to 400 or so) on big game! Satisfied

* 3.5-10 Leupold CDS on my .375 AI…..reasonably good for close shooting, plenty enough power for big game to 6 of 700 yards, though my limit is 600 under ideal conditions

* 1-4 Votex on my 45-70……great for up close, and 4 is plenty for the longest shot I’m subject to take with it. An OK scope…..but there are some much better at an additional cost

memtb

Nikon Monarch Gold 1.5-6 w/German #4 reticle on a CZ 550 Safari, laminated stocked .416 Rigby. Worked great for Buf in Africa.
Zeiss Diavari C 3-9 w/"Z" plex reticle on a Whitworth Express .375 H&H. Used it for plains game.
I wouldn't change either one as I find them perfect for my use.

That Leupold was my choice as well and yes its easy peasy to shoot with both eyes open.

Mine had 2K rounds out of a .375 H&H under it without a bobble.

I shoot both eyes open on 1.5 with the Nikon. Easy to do.

I simply can't shoot with both eye's open. Shoot right handed and left eye dominate. Doesn't effect me one bit. Close the left eye, aim with right and pull the trigger!

For scopes my big rifle is a 30-06 and has a 2 3/4x Redfield widefield. Scope is about 50 yrs old and love it, bought it new about 1971 in Kalispell, Montana. Rifle was built in 1945 by Paul Jaeger. My 6.5x06 has a 3-9x Nikon on it. Lot more scope than I'd ever need but like the higher power for sighting in rifles off sand bag's. That 3-9x ever quits on me I'm going with another 2-7x onit. Next is a 6.5x55 and it has a 2-7x leupold/Redfield on it Gonna start hunting with it this year, got one hog so far. Got a 260 Rem being put together right now and it has one of those 2-7 Leupold/Redfields on it too. Sight in at 6x and probably never shoot a game animal over 2X, killed that hog on 2x! Have a 25-06 with a very old 3-9x Bushnell Banner. No idea why that much scope. Only have ever shot deer here at home and can't recall ever turning up the scope but one time. Close to a deer and wanted to try out 9x so upped it and then couldn't find the deer. Finally found it and at 9x a sage brush limb was to close and I didn't nitice it. Missed the deer hit the limb! Have a 243 with a 3-9x Vortex on it. Over the years I've killed three deer with 243's but just feel there's a lot better choices. But If I got a wild hair and decided to shoot some sage rats that 243 would be just the thing. Shot a Raven with it once at about 400 yds and 9x came in handy to see the thing, sitting in a tree!

Use 180gr bullet's in the 30-06, 140gr in the 6.5x06 and the 6.5x55; Hornady in the 6.5-06 and Speer Hot Core in the 6.5x55. The 260 I'm gonna run with 130gr class, hoping 129gr Hornadys work well in it! 25-06 has been killing deer about 20 yrs with 117gr Hornadys, If Hornady made a 120gr that didn't have a plastic tip or a hollow point I'd have given it a go. Only bullet's I hunt big game with are Hornady cup and core and Speer Hot Core's. The only things those do well is shoot in my rifles and kill things about as dead as dead can be!

Is that eye piece rubbing on the base?

Just noticed it said big bore's. Well shoot my 30-06 is my big bore. But at one time I had a 338 Win Mag and the 2 3/4x Redfield was bought for it. After the 338 went away the scope went on a Rem 660 in 308 for about 40 years. If I was to get a really big bore rifle, I'd put that 2 3/4x Redfield on it. Imagine digging a wounded lion out of brush and getting attacked very close and finding to late you forgot to turn the power setting down on your scope! That could be a real cluster real quick!

I have a 1.5X6 Leupold on a Model 70 .416 Remington.

I have to turn it up to about 3 power so that I can no longer see the NECG front hooded iron sight in the scope. It's quite distracting.

But I've used it on 3 power for a couple of buffalo. Works very well for that.

I pulled the 1x4 Hakko Supra German post off of my 458 Lott and went to straight open sights, NEGW four leaf rear with a hooded ramp front. The Recoil with the 400s would move the scope in the rings, eating into the tube.
My 45-70 in a 98 style Mauser, also wears NEGW rear leaf sight and a hooded ramp front ramp. It is stout loaded for a 45-70, bottom of 458 Win Mag loads.

LEUPOLD VX-2 1.5-4x28 IER Scout Scope on my 40-caliber wildcat. Could not be happier.

375 RUM 1-4x leupold
416 Rigby 1.5-5x leupold
375 H&H 1.5-5x Leupold

Same 1.5-5x Leupold on my 500 Jeffery with Talley steel QR rings. Over 400 full power loads, still works great.

2 weeks ago my 458 took a Cape Buffalo with a Leupold VX Patrol 1.5-4 at 20 yards works great

I mounted an Ultradot 1 moa with Alaskan Arms qd rings for 416 Ruder Alaskan. With two mounts, it is as fast and a little more precise than the Burris FastFire red dot which I moved to a pistol.

SB 4x on a Sako (FN) 375 Roy

I used to shoot only open sights on my 40+ bores. I recently mounted a Leupold 2.5 fixed power on my 404 Jeffery. Taking it to Zambia this summer for Buffalo. I think I’ll like it.

Surprising number of garbage Leupold's appear to be in use and killing stuff.

I’ve been looking for a specific scope for my Ruger Hawkeye African 458 Win Mag and found it today at a LGS.



It’s now mounted in Warne QR steel rings on the Ruger integral bases.

On the Win M-70 Classic the primary optic is a closed emitter titanium Holosun 530G on the OEM QR mount on the receiver ring modified Warne steel base with 8-40 screws secured with blue Loctite. The base is secured to the receiver with Loctite Black Max 480 in addition. Backup is a Leupold 1-4x25 in Warne lever QR steel rings.


Both rifles have backup iron sights.