Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Dangerous Game scope

Looking for some guidance on scope selection.

I’m in the process of purchasing a CZ 550 FS in 9.3X62.
For rings I’m pretty much set on Talley QD rings.

Not sure what scope to go with.
Seems like lower power scopes are $3,000 Swaro Z8s or tall turret LVPOs intended for AR15s

What mid price scopes should I be looking at.
1-4 or 1-6 power range and $400-800 is my price range unless there’s a much better option that’s slightly more expensive.

As of right now I’m leaning towards a Leupold VX3HD in 1-4X20

A great mid-price scope that I have used for years is a Bausch & Lomb 4200 Elite 2.5-10x40 with Rainguard. It has served me well for over 20 years, never a single issue. Good glass, no fogging in any condition.

It is not a long-range scope, but for bush hunting at mid-ranges, hard to beat. When I bought it I was told that it is the go-to scope for many guides in Canada.

I use Tally rings on my long-range rifle and like them as well.

This is it on my M1917.

Accupoint 1-4 in that price range.

Next up would be the VX6HD 1-6 Patrol with duplex and firedot. Heavier reticle than the VX5, and for DG, that matters.

Is the Trijicon AccuPoint a tritium based scope and in 10-15yrs I’m SOL?

Trijicon Credo 1-4?

I had good luck with a Leupold VX-6 1-6x24 on my last buffalo hunt. Good bold reticle with daylight bright illumination and very good glass. Took 2 buffalo with it. Fairly light weight at about 15 ounces and true 1X for up close. It's a bit over your price range though.

I tried a Trijicon Credo 1-6x FFP before I got the Leupold but decided the illumination was not bright enough for me.

Not SOL they will replace for a fee, and it would still work in daylight anyways. The tritium is for when there is inadequate ambient light.

Or 1-6. Credo HX 1-6 is daylight bright if that matters.

GPO or Kite both have 1-6 magnification.

The only scope I've used on dangerous game in the alders after brown bear was a Leupold 6x42.

My 375 H&H wears a 3-9X Trijicon Accupoint with the green post reticle. My 416 Rem wears a 1.75-5X Burris Signature Safari Posi-Lock with a taper plex reticle. My 9.3x62 wears a 2.5-8X Leupold with standard plex reticle.

Used Nikon AFRICAN MONARCH.

One heck of a scope.

100% Agreed. The Nikon African was a popular pick for dangerous game and a recommendation for a lower budget scope. I have several and the last game animal I shot was with one of these scopes.

If this is truly a scope for dangerous game, having a scope that goes well past 4 in power magnification could be a disaster if an immediate close range snap shot was needed. Dangerous game hunting is not a long range proposition and a high power scope is a risk if accidently set on the highest power when you need the lowest power. Imagine being jumped at close range and your scope is set on 9 power. A risk many do not take. The guides I have used had no scope at all and used iron sights.

While not as bright, the Weaver 1x3 is no slouch either for a budget scope. I would choose either of these scopes over the Leupold.

Want to offload a Nikon African?

I picked up a new/new old stock Meopta Optika6 1-6X24.
It has an illuminated German #4.

This should be perfect.

Czech rifle with a Czech scope in a German caliber with a German scope reticle.

I don't know that scope but if it handles recoil it sounds perfect

I'd love to find a 9.3 in a 550fs. Seems like they bring big money now when you do find one. I regret not buying one back when they were closing them out.

Bb

Seems I spent a few lifetimes sitting in a willow swamp or alder tangle with a short barreled rifle wondering about Deja Vue!

The vast majority of my experiences with such conditions involved a Leupold... it was 3x... it was either an M8 or a FX3... and it worked, repeatedly. Mostly riding a 77 in 300WM, but there were others.

Since then I have used a VX3.5-10 X50, a 6x42, or a 1-4 Vortex. I have NEVER seen a 3x Leupold fail, period. To prove it, they sit on 10/22s these days.

The Vortex has quite a few bears behind it, now. And a few other critters. It will stay.

At one point the "consensus" was the heavy duplex for low light. The rifles in the safe suddenly found a new love partner on their backs; a heavy duplex 3x. A year later, with zero love found for the heavy duplex, a ton of scopes went on walk-about...

Czechs a lot of Bosches

This. Sage and wise counsel...