Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Express Rifles and Big Bores Only Scoping a Big Bore

I also posted this in the Optics forum but thought I'd put it on 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

4x is plenty of power for any plains game shooting you might want to do. I really like Burris Posi Locks for big rifles. Hard to make 'em go out of zero when abused.

I'd buy a Leupold 1.5x5 to primary use on the rifle and use the Elite 4200 1.5-6 x36 for back up.


.

IMO the 1.5-6x42 PH with a 4A reticle is a far better option.
Good combination of low light performance, good field of view for brush hunting and ample magnification for longer shots.

Osix, I bought the 1.5-6x42 PH from RickyD and will use the 4200 as my backup. I have gotten lots of repsonses and I sure appreciate everybody's help.
Lee

If I can make a couple of suggestions, I'd buy a good quality set of lightweight shooting sticks to take with you, get plenty of practice with them before you go.
Take plenty of photos, the compact digitals are OK but they do have limitations especially if you need to use the flash.
We took something like 800 photos over three weeks, you can never have too many, you'll apprecaite them in a couple of years.
Best of luck, enjoy every minute of the trip.

I'd toss a 3x Leupold in the duffel as a spare...

Bob, I'm taking the current 4200 as my spare.

Osix, I've got the BOG tripod which is what I've been practicing with. I'll take them with me. My PH uses the long-grass type sticks but I'm gonna take mine with me.

I feel better after practicing. I've been shooting to 300 yds off them and was able to keep a 2.5" group yesterday. I still have to practice a good deal more but I do feel slightly better than I did.

I need to do more off-hand, kneeling, leaning over the bench kind of shots. My opportunity may not be with plenty of time off the sticks. One can hope thoguh!

I will definitely be taking lots of pics. I have a Nikon SLR that I took with me on my last trip over. I took about 500 pics with it. I still look at them weekly and remember back fondly.

Lee

If you are shooting near on on dusk, make sure you turn your scope down before your final stalk. Try and get at least a 7mm exit pupil. ie

2.5x20
4x32
4.5x36
6x42

and that will also optimise the field of view.

Turn the 1.5-6x36 down to at least 4.5x to gain the most benefit.

I shot my Eland at 40 metres right on dusk with a 1-4x20 scope turned down to 1.5x.

Scoping a Big Bore

Personal experience and recommendation is a top quality 1-4x. By 1x I mean a "true" one power. This would usually be 1.1. Most 1x are above 1.1x. The reason for 1.1x is so as the sight can be used with both eyes open as is done with red dot and reflex sights. Life insurance on moving targets. The eye can tolerate the slight magnification in a both eyes open situation. A positive with the 1.1x results in improved clarity for older hunters in a glasses off application as compared with nil magnification a red dot. Market research will reveal others. Nikko Stirling manufacture a tolerable true 1-4x 30mm tube Euro class scope with illuminated reticule. However, I have only seen them perform on 30-06 class rifles. I am not aware hoe they handle dangerous game recoil

A scope as above capable of tolerating dangerous game class recoil will not be found at a middle or budget price range.

Schmidt & Bender supply a proven performer.

I mounted a Nikon Monarch 2.5X10-50MM with a 30mm tube on my CZ375H&H. I like it a lot. The 2.5 seems to be ok for close work in the bush. Then again I am in Canada not Africa. The 30MM main tube with 50MM bell gives me lots of light and the scope is not that expensive and seems to withstand recoil. I have shot 210 rounds through my 375H&H and the scope is still solid. The Swaro will get er done for sure but they do cost a pile of scheckles.
Cheers & Tighter Groups: Eaglesnester

+1 (plus very long eye relief)

Here is my CZ 550 American Safari Magnum rifle - 458 Lott caliber - Nikon "Buckmasters" 1x20 scope sight in Talley QD mounts/rings:



JP

Love the looks and feel of the lightweight 2.5x Leupold on my .375 Number One, but...


Have switched to a 2-7x for the upcoming season, in anticipation of some longer range shots. Longer shots that can be done with the 2.5x become easier at 6x, and I can still carry it set on 2x for stalking & closer range opportunities.


Guy

I prefer a 20mm objective lens on a DGR..mostly because you normally cannot knock one out of wack. The bigger the scope and the bigger the objective the easier it is to knock the zero out of wack IMO..I have seen this many times over the years and the bigger the scope the more problems we have had in our camps.

My favorite scope for DGR is the 3X Leupold, followed by the 1x4 and the 1.5x5 Leupold. No other scope is even a consideration with me..