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

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.