What scope brand and magnification would make permanent residence
atop this caliber?

One entry per household or person which ever need apply.

If you're looking for something different, what about an IOR Valdada 3-18x42?

I have 4 Zeiss Diavari VM/V's 3x12x56,I would highly recommend them,fantastic clearity and contrast,exceptional in low light situations.I bought them from Doug at Camera Land.

zeiss 3.5-10x44 or leupold vx-3 3.5-10x40

Your rifle is one of a class of rifles that is very hard on scopes and mounts.
As to scopes, you need to stay away from the large sporting scopes over 40mm in size. The smaller the variable the better. The trouble is that a small 32mm variavble may not give you the low light perormance you want.
You can go to any fixed magnification scope and probably will never have that break down from recoil. Would a 6X42 work for you ? You can get an 8X56 for low light work or a 12X40 for daylight shooting.
Or you can try one of the military style tactical scopes. I understand the the really ruggedly built, very heavy tactical scopes built on 30mm tubes do hold up better than the expanded sporting scopes with 50mm objectives. The Nightforce scopes are well thought for this application and I understand Leupold just brought out a 50mm, 30mm tube scope specially designed for the extreme range sniper rifles such as the Lapua and the 50 BMG.
So, there are your choices. Good luck. E

Good advise two fisted jerkoff........

Alot of scopes will hold up just fine on a 338 Lapua E... even 50mm scopes.I think a Zeiss conquest 3.5-10x44 would be near perfect for this rifle.

That's not my information. As a rule, you don't want to use that brand, unless it's a fixed magnification scope, and that size of a variable scope on that class of rifles. I do know a poster here who has a 56mm Zeiss on a .338 Lapua that has some 800 rds. through it. I also know a poster with a .458 Lott with a 42mm variable S&B. He has about 700 rds through his. These are exceptions rather than the rule as I understand the problem. Now if you, or he, wishes to give it a try, it's his money and his rifle. If it were a .300 magnum, I wouldn't have mentioned any of this.
I, for darn sure, wouldn't have a scope with 3.5 inches, or less, of eye relief on such a rifle. E

My 338 Laupa with a 50mm objective scope and NO PROBLEMS

Let me guess. That's a 32 oz., 50mm Nightforce. How many rds. have you put through it ? What does the whole thing weigh ? E

That scope has about 300 rounds fired under it.. That rile wieghs about 8.625 pounds without the scope and mounts....

Please don't take this wrong. Guys I'm thankful for your replies and thoughts on which scope and magnification would be a good choice for my caliber, BUT I really don'give a [bleep] if you don't like a persons above post for a scope recommendation. If ya want to argue about WHY your choice of scope is best take it to a PM. Give me YOUR scope choice for the caliber and call it good. Some have done that and I thank you.

We all know or very well should know that any product can and will fail at some point and some more than others. If you happen to be the one who gets the one that fails it can sour your opinion of the product, doesn't mean all of them are bad.

IOR Valdada 3-18x42 or a Kahles CL in close to same size would be my choice.

Rob

S&B Marksman 4-16x42 http://www.cameralandny.com/optics/schmidt-bender.pl?page=sb-marksman16x42

Schmidt and Benders are wonderful tools.This is the 3-12x50PMII.

Theres plenty of options from S&B.If it were me I'd be thinking about the 4-16x42 PMII or a 3-12x50 Flashdot with a precision hunter elevation knob added.
dave

A perfect choice in many ways. This scope does pretty much anything you can think of for a big rifle exceedingly well--as long as you don't mind carrying it up the mountain. From my elk hunt last year:



However, the FFP version (my preference by far) is a very new product. The very first batch they made (my first was serial #008) had problems. I broke two. They say they identified and corrected the problem, but of course that can't be proven until some more time goes by so I wouldn't blame a guy for waiting and seeing. It's a fantastic scope to use, once that's out of the way it'll be hard to match at that price.

If you need a sure thing right now and want the best, look to the S&B's above if you can afford them.

Who makes your rifle rest. Good looking gear, looks like the serious long range equipment Dave.

378Canuck,
The rest is from here.
http://www.targetshooting.com
Thanks,I,ve been known to build a rifle or two.
dave

Yep Nightforce 50mm scopes are quite delicate..

Like this one;



An AK-47 bullet hole completely through the outer tube and the Erector tube. As a matter of fact this scopes was so delicate that the soldger tapped up the holes and only used it for 3 more days before replaceing it. Hell it was so bad that it was only able to hold 1/4 MOA at 500 meters...
Yea, stay away from those 50mm objectives...

Thanks for the link. You guys are so lucky-you have all the gadgets. Have a good day. I may look at getting one of these units.

Oh! no here we go again. I better get a 6 pack ready for this one. JWP475 I'm with you on the nightforce scopes. Like I said before when your quad rolls down a ravine about 6 times and bends the barrel of a rifle busts the trigger guard off. The scope was not damaged. Try that with an egg-shell thin Leoupy.

Heres what I suggest.....
Lupie...

As long as hes talking about the fragile loopie E does pretty good.50mm loopies dont hold up.I agree.Kinda hard to argue that a nightforce wont hold up when it still worked with bullet hole in it.
dave