Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics How far would you shoot game with a Leupold 3X?

It's a stretch for me to post this question, because I ought to be able to figure it out for myself. But the rifle in question is in Colorado and I am in Mississippi for a bit. And when I get back to Colorado, I don't have long before I head to South Africa.

I would especially appreciate hearing from anyone who has used this scope -- it's the new model of Leupold's 3X and has the heavy duplex reticle.

The scope is on a 375 H&H magnum that I "created' with a buffalo hunt in mind. Long story short, I decided that for about the same money, I would get more enjoyment out of treating my sons to a plains game hunt. So that's the agenda. I have other rifles, and know I don't need this one for what I'll shoot, but it just seems this rifle ought to go to Africa. And it shoots 270 grains Barnes TSX's into great groups at 2650 fps.

I would not expect to shoot over 250 yards, but shots that long are possible because of the terrain. I'm not into super magnification and mostly shoot 6X's and 4X's on other rifles.

Of course I could put another scope on it and get it sighted in, but then I wouldn't have the comfort of having a scope that has proven it stands the recoil as the scope I have on there now has. I know 375 H&H isn't the biggest kicker in the world, but still ....

Appreciate any thoughts, especially from anyone with the same scope!

I don't have the same scope, but I would be very leery about breaking in a new scope on a trip to Africa. Hope you and your boys have a great time!

I wouldn't shoot at game with any 3X scope. The minimum scope I use is a 4-16X.

As far as I could see it and make an ethical shot. It depends a lot in your skill and comfort level.

A kudu at a couple hundred yards should be doable, but a dik dik might be another matter.

I've taken several deer at 200-300 yards with a Weaver K-2.5. Of course the K-2.5 has a standard duplex crosshair.

A couple of my coyote guns have 1x4 Leupolds on them and a couple of them have 1.5x6's and I don't never remember cranking them up all the way and feel very comfortable out to 300 yards.

My drilling has 1.5x scope on it and would again feel comfortable taking the 7x57 barrel out to 300 on a deer sized animals with a good rest(sticks).

I do get out and shoot them at that range regularly.

This is at 100 yards with a K-1.5x scope. I'd have no problem taking it to 300 yards.

300 yards on bigger animals; 200 on small antelope.

I'd not feel handicapped shooting hoofed critters at 250 yards in the least with a 3x. I would feel handicapped shooting at hoofed critters at 250 yards if I hadn't been practicing at 250 yards with said arrangement.

I'd feel the same if it were a 10x too.

The farthest I've taken a big game animal specifically with the new 3x Leupold is right around 300 yards, but its magnification is actually around 3.4x if I remember correctly.

I've killed pronghorns at 400 yards with a 2.5x, and caribou at 350 with irons, so wouldn't feel too handicapped with the 3x beyond 300. Of course, it would depend on the animal, light conditions, etc.

Most of my hunting rifles have 3-9 x 40 scopes mounted. When hunting the scope is set at 3x. When hunting in a ladder stand over an Alabama hay field the shots are frequently 250+. My Montana Mule deer was ranged at 220 yds. Not a problem with a 3x if you practice throughout the year.

Have used a 3x [or less] for the past 38 years and never felt underscoped out to 350. Nearly all my variables are shot on 3x as well. Spend some range time and practice practice pratice.

Thanks for the replies! I think this is doable. Of course when I get back to Colorado I'll take it out to the range and shoot at longer distances to see how it looks and feels. I've just never shot this particular combination past 100 yards because I never though of this for anything other than short range hunting. But as I sat here in Mississippi and thought more about it, I increasingly wanted to take this rifle to Africa. I have several others that are ready to go if need be.

I don't shoot thousands of rounds a year as some here do. But I do shoot a lot and have a fair bit of hunting experience, having started when I was 8 and am now 73. I'm conservative and think of my personal shooting limit at an unwounded animal as 300 yards. I pushed that a bit for an Ibex that I shot with a fixed 6X. And when I took that shot, I never thought, "Damn, I wish I had more magnification!" I have one 2.5 - 8 scope that I keep because it has a Premier Reticles modification in it. All my other scopes are fixed 4's or 6's.

I checked the specs on the Leupold 3X, and Mule Deer is correct that the actual magnification is 3.4. That's not far from 4X. And that would make a target at 250 yards appear to be less than 75. I grew up shooting iron sights and still do pretty well at 100 with them.

I would think that early in the year it will be pretty green in SA anyway so your shots won't bee too long. Make your PH work to get you close and quit riding around in the buckie.

So far the furthest has been around 220 on Deer. Friend took one at 150 with the same rifle.

Your scope's magnification shouldn't cause problems, but the coarse reticle might, especially on longer shots and/or smaller animals. That reticle covers up a LOT of target, which can make a precise hold difficult. I used a Leupold 2.5x with a coarse duplex reticle on an Daniel Defense M-4 in a Pat McNamara class a couple of years ago. That carbine shot just over 1 MOA from the bench with a standard-reticle 4x Leupold, but it was much harder to groups that small with the 2.5x/coarse duplex combo. The coarse duplex was great for shooting on the move and other fast work, but checking zeros and getting decent groups in the BRM portion of the class was far harder than necessary.

To figure this out in your case, I'd get an idea of the size of the smallest animal you plan to shoot with this rifle and the typical distances at which that game is normally taken in the area where you'll hunt. Your outfitter can probably tell you this off the top of his head. Then shoot some groups with your 375 at those ranges and you'll have your answer.


Okie John

Farthest for me has been about 250. That was on a buck.

400 yards or so reticle permitting. A scope is an aiming device, not a telescope. Actually seeing an object clearly is secondary to being able to see just well enough to direct a bullet to the point of aim.

I've shot deer in excess of 300 yards on 3x with a 3x9 scope. I've hit targets with that setup much farther than that.

Like someone said, the heavy reticle might be more of a problem than the magnification.

I have the same scope with the post and duplex reticle on my 9.3X62. I shot it last week at about 250 yards at water filled gallon milk jugs. I was able to hit them from hunting positions with that scope just as well as I could using other rifles with scopes set at 6X. (Regardless of magnification, I need more practice!)

Simply try your rifle at longer ranges and see if it works for you. Then as others have said, practice, practice, practice.

Good luck on your trip and after it give us a report!

As far as I could consistently, shooting from hunting positions, keep the bullets on a paper plate.

Michael

Thanks! I've been with this outfitter before. He doesn't allow shooting from the truck and that is why we chose him. His byline is, "Come prepared to walk and stalk the game." We drive to hunting areas and then park and leave the truck. There are canyons in this country, and that is where longer shots can come in -- cross canyon shots. Two years ago I took animals at distances from 60 yards to 250. Most were about 180.