Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Africa Scoping a Big Bore

I also posted this in the Optics forum but thought I'd put it here and the Big Bore forum as well.

I am headed to Africa. I currently have an Elite 4200 1.5-6 x36 on my .375H&H. I like the 1.5 low end and 6x is good for out to 300 yds on plains game. I have been thinking about getting a second scope to take as a back up.

However, I have found 2 deals on Swaro scopes. The scopes are the same price roughly. One is a 1.5-6x42 PH and the other is a 1.25-4x24 PH with illuminated reticle. I have now changed my mind and will probably take one of these as the primary scope and the 4200 as the backup.

Would it be better to have the wide FOV but decr low light performance of the 24mm tube or should I get the better low light scope with the narrower FOV? Will the 4x hurt me on longer shots on plains game?

FOV is 98 ft at 100 yds on the 24mm
FOV is 66 ft at 100 yds on the 42mm
FOV on my 4200 is approx 54 ft at 100yds

Thanks guys.
Lee

I took all of my plains game at 4x so either would be fine, but unless you are after dangerous game I suspect the 1.5-6 x 42 would be the closest to your 4200 so less adjustment would be needed if you needed to change scopes in the field. 12 feet difference in field of view will probably not throw your muscle memory, but doubling it certainly would.

Just my two cents worth of advice, take it at face cost value.

Randy

Any of the above would work well. Use what you like.

I used a Burris Signature Safari 1.75 x 5 on my 416 Rigby. Primary quarry was buff, but it also worked well on plainsgame.

If I hunt buffalo again, I think I will use the Trijicon AccuPoint 1x4. On one power, it works very well with both eyes open.

If you're only hunting PG, then personally myself I'd lean towards a VX3 2.5-8x36 A 1.5-6 would suit me fine as well. Although.... I have to admit, if it were me going on a PG hunt, the .375 H&H wouldn't be my first choice! YMMV

FOV and low light performance generally is a non-issue for PG hunting.

I'm a big proponent of the KISS principle. In this case, were it me and my Safari....both scopes would be identical.

Yeah, I know the KISS principle but I'd rather not buy another 4200. I'd rather upgrade a little.

Primary Quarry will be Buff. I'm hunting in Zimbabwe if that makes a difference. Plains Game only if its sometihng I don't have and a good representative on the species.

Again, just my opinion, but I'd dump the Bushnell 4200 as I've personally found the eye relief to be both critical and short.... especially for a .375H&H

VX3 1.5-5x20mm (more likely than not, I'd personally choose this one), possibly the 1.75-6x32mm would be a good choice.

I have a Swaro PH 1.25-4x24mm you referenced originally. Very nice scope, and attractively priced. It currently sits on my .375 Ruger.

Eye relief on paper (the specs) show it to be shorter than your 4200.... but personal experience has shown me that the ER is not as critical and I've yet to be whacked.

Now, having said that.... I've thus far only shot the rifle off the bench to sight in, and some shooting at targets off of sticks and free-hand.

I'd personally want to give a thorough "shake down" in field and actual hunting conditions, as in the heat of the moment (and in various field positions) I'd want to ensure it wouldn't cause me any issue (or pain!). Especially prior to going across the pond for Buff...


I guess that's what it boils down to.... choose what you like, just make sure you test it out thoroughly to ensure no surprises.


So, when are you heading to Zimbabwe? Who are you hunting with?

EDIT: I'm sure JJHack will be along shortly, and will inform you to ask your PH. Not a bad suggestion!

I head over in about 6 weeks. I'm hunting with Charlton McCallum. I've been doing a lot of field shooting up to this point and the 4200 has not whacked me and it seems ok. If I were to get something with the same eye relief or longer, I'd be good to go. I have looked at the VX3's and may go that route. I have sort of the same dilemma though. 1-5x20 or 1.75-6x32? Both of the Swaro choices seem to be a better fit than these though.

Thanks very much for the help

since you have the 1.5 x6 already, I would go 1.25 x4, I shot all my pg on 4 x with my .375 H&H

I'm kind of leaning that way. Thanks for everybody's help.

Any more suggestions?

Lee

Light gathering capability is ALWAYS important, even in Africa.

The small tube at the business end might look very stylish but believe me when I say that sooner or later, it'll mean lost shooting opportunities.

For example, buff are a herd animal and consequently as evening approaches, the herd is more inclined to stick together and less inclined to run because they don't like to spend the night alone.

That in turn means that the last hour of light can often give you more shooting opportunities than the rest of the day combined. It's also the same reason that the first hour of light is also often very productive.

The small hole at the business end will also probably mean the scope will be as much use as titz on a bull should you ever want to take a leopard from a blind.

FWIW, I have a Swarovski 1.5-6 x 42 on my loaner rifle (.404 Jeffery) and it's pretty much the perfect scope..... especially with that spring loaded eye relief.

Whether you opt for the illuminated reticule is entirely up to you but if you do, I'd strongly advise you make sure you have extra batteries attached to the rifle or scope because you wouldn't believe how often they go flat at the wrong moment.

Hard to argue with anything you've said Shakari. I have been playing with one of the new 3x9 Trijicons with the cross hair and tiny illuminated dot at the center and have been mildly astounded by the quality of the optics on a scope at that price point. I have been shooting it on my .375 for the last few weeks (probably 100 rounds) and in very unscientific SXS low light comparisons with my Zeiss and SW equipped rifles, there is little to choose between them. Curious, if you have had many come through camp and what your experiences, if any, have been.

You could try the 1.25-8-0 Elite 6500--it almost has too much eye relief, such that I had to put my scope moutn on backwards to mount it far enough forward (works well though):

378?

The 1.75X6X42 is about as good as it gets with the 375 and superb low light capability. I'd make that my primary scope. That combo took a buff at 40 yards and a kudu at 350 at last light. Can't ask for anything else. jorge

Nice rifle and scope with the Near base. Same as I have on my 378. But I think you got that on backwards.

I don't like big bulky long scopes on Safari as they tend to get knocked out of wack and I have done a lot of testing on this subject over the years...My favorite big bore scope re: 416 Rem and up is a 3X Leupold or my 2.5 Leupold Alaskan..

On a .375 I like the 1.5x5 Leupold or even the 1x4 Leupold..Even at long range I have no trouble with the lesser powers magnification. It doesn't help much on long shots to have extra magnification IMO.. If you have a good sight picture it does not really make much difference at all..put the cross hairs where they need to be and pull the trigger..The longest shots I have made on ocassions have been with the 3 or 4 power scopes..but I don't shoot game beyond 400 yards as a rule, I always felt I could get closer.

I haven't seen many Tijicons but those that I have seen have been fine.... Another one that impresses me are the Night Foece range. Maybe a bit heavy but very strong.

Frankly all of the better quality scopes are excellent and to me the most important thing is the light gathering capability.... or lack thereof.

I see a lot of clients coming through with straight tube scopes and to me at least, they're nothing more than a super mega bugly stuff up just waiting to happen and often owned by people who have read more old books about hunting than they have done actual hunting.

Can't agree more. I would use either the same scope or a 1.5-5x for backup. Both are sturdy enough to take the pounding of many miles in a truck gunrack on bad roads and stay zeroed, and have enough power to work out beyond 300 yds. if you need to take a shot like that. And those long shots at a trophy you just can't pass on do come along in Zim, once in a while.

It would not be a back-up for what you have now, of course, but you might want to consider the IER ("Scout") scopes from Leupold and/or Burris. 2-3X works fine out to my absolute sporting max for a .375H&H, a bit over 200 yards...no possibility of scope damage to your brow. Damn fine scopes, too.