First off, I'm not a dial twister and never will be. I use one of my company's recurves to bow hunt for moose in Alaska every year and always have a rifle in camp for wolves, etc. If I or my hunting partner are carrying the rifle with us each day while hunting it's as a backup - not the primary weapon for hunting. That's why saving weight in the overall package is important. Since it could potentially be used up close for bears if things go south I've always mounted a variable with a pretty low end on the range, something like 2 or 2.5. Max upper range would be something in the 8-10 power area. I haven't hunted with a rifle now for about 30 years and I do not go to the range to burn powder and see what size groups I can shoot. I want a rifle and scope combination that, after being sighted in, I can count on. Minimizing weight while maximizing dependability and durability are the most important considerations in my decision. Cost of the scope is relatively unimportant. Since my first-hand knowledge about scopes is decades old I wanted to pick everyone's collective brains for what brands of lightweight scopes I should consider in 2018.

The rifle we had with us last year was a Barrett Fieldcraft in .308 Win. It has a Leupold VX-3 2.5-8 on it right now and the combination weighs an ounce either way of 6#. This year it will be either that same rifle or a NULA in .308 or 35 Whelen (if I ever receive the two I have on order).

What scopes should I consider with the above being said?

I know you mention a light weight variable; but I would go with a either Leupold or Weaver fixed 4X.

You'll get a ton of different opinions and now it is en vogue to rip Leupold. I don't trust their variables but do like the fixed 4X for light and fairly rugged.

If what you have is working, why change ? I've known dozens of serious hunters who have used that scope over the years. E

I'd think about a 2.5x Leupold.

djb, the biggest brown bear I've ever seen was back in the late '70's. I was carrying a 300 Win Mag sporting a 2.5-8 power Balvar scope. While fighting my way down hill through terrible alders I jumped him out of his bed. At 20 yards I could barely get both of his eyes in my sight picture. I was essentially in a closed room with an agitated and very large brown bear boar whose beauty sleep I had interrupted. Thankfully he didn't like my looks and ran off before I could do something stupid like pull the trigger. The next bear hunt I was carrying a 375 H&H with a 1-5X scope that was (on the low power setting) in focus halfway down the barrel. A fixed-power 4X would NEVER be on the gun I carried in bear country.

mathman, 2.5X is okay for close work, but (now as a non-resident) where I hunt I can kill 5 wolves without a permit thanks to the smart game management philosophy of the Alaska Department of Fish & Game. I also want to be able to dial in some magnification if that opportunity arises.

How far are you shooting?

It's possible that I would see a wolf 300 yards or so away. With low magnification the cross hairs would come pretty close to subtending the entire body of something the size of a wolf.

John Harvard: I would stick with that Leupold 2.5x8 power variable!
Mine have been tried and proven true on Hunts all over the west and Alaska.
Best of luck on this years Hunt!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy
P.S.: Buy a Wolverine tag for this year - I just have a premonition you are going to come across a Wolverine.

You have to go with what you're comfortable with, I understand. That said, I believe there is some hyperbole in your statement.

I made the suggestion based on the stated maximum importance of light weight and reliability. Clearly it's light weight, and hopefully the FX-II version of the scope upholds the heavy duty reputation established by the M8 version over the years.

I shoot enough at 300 yards with low magnification that I wouldn't want to be a wolf out there in front of me even at 2.5x.

Nobody does lightweight better than Leupold.

I sure agree with this!

VarmintGuy, I got this wolverine back in 2008 with my recurve. Not sure how many people have taken one with a stick bow.

Unless the 2.5-8 Leupold leaves something to be desired, I wouldn't mess with success.

The Leupold 2-7x32 is even lighter and has more forgiving eye relief from my experience. You might want to give one a try.

My suggestion was based on this statement. A variable doesn't typically come to mind first if durability and lightweight are most important. A 4x is very easy to use up close yet allows precision out to 200-300 yds. The 2.5x would be great too, especially if at extreme close range.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Haven't had an issue with my Leupolds as yet, but am a little leery of them these days. My pick for something light now would probably be a Trijicon 3-9. I've yet to see someone complain about them.

Pappy, I was thinking of the Accupoint from Trijicon too. Mine is a 1-4 w/ green topped post and has proved to be bombproof. It would be perfect for dg as it has great eye relief and is very fast on 1x. Using it at 4x it is deadly on coyotes past 300 yds.


mike r

Not sure where you draw the line for 'lightweight', but the new NF NX8 1-8 comes highly recommended. It has daylight visible illumination, so it works a lot like a red dot sight on low power, and you can zoom up to 8 power if you need it. I am going to put one on my 375. It is very compact and weighs 17 ounces as I recall. About six ounces more than the 2.5-8 Leupold, but it is very tough and has some additional features.

So whats wrong with getting another VX-3 2.5-8?

I hunt in brown bear country all the time. A 4X would be just fine for me. 6' FOV at 25 yards is still a lot and shouldn't have any problem getting both eyes in your sight picture.

Maybe consider a 1-4 or a 1-5.5 or 1.75-6 or something if you really want more FOV.

lanche, there's nothing wrong with a Leupold VX-3 2.5-8. That's why I have one on my relatively new Fieldcraft. In fact, from the '70's until I stopped rifle hunting in the early '90's I've used various Leupolds on just about every type of rifle I've owned. 375 H&H's, 300 win mags, 30-06, 308, 7 mag. I had a 7mm STW but I had a big honking Nightforce on it. I've also owned and used Swarovski and Zeiss scopes through the years. All I'm wondering about is whether or not there's something better out there that I should at least consider.

Chet, I'll have to take a look at the NF you mentioned. I did not know that they made a 1-8X scope.

Swarovski Z3 3-9x36 comes in at 12 oz. I have two and really like them.

The Nightforce NX8 1-8x is literary tailor made for your use.


Get it in mil/mil. If you don’t like it, contact me. If you still don’t like it after talking to me,, I’ll buy it from you.

Herein the definition of rifle loony:

Nightforce NX8 1-8X MIL.MIL - 17 oz $ 1,715

SWFA 3-9 Tactical FFP mil/mil - 19 oz - $ 479.96

($1715-$480)/2 oz = $1235/2 oz = $617.50 per oz saved and no real increase in capability.

I have 1.5-5X VX3 for lightweight. We never shoot 200 yards here.

This covers the difference in "need" and "want".

I've looked through many scopes and honestly nearly all are just fine for 99% of hunting. As long as the reticle stays pointed in the right place, nearly all scopes are adequate visually.More a matter of how the features work for your situation.

What about a S&B 1.5-6x42? Or a Zeiss or Swaro of that magnification?

[quote=David_Walter]


Except 1x. The OP stated he wanted a 0-300 yard scope, with emphasis on close range bears (or dangerous game). The SWFA 3-9x is a great scope, but it ain’t no 1x scope.

This would probably be my choice:

https://swfa.com/swfa-ss-hd-1-6x24-tactical-30mm-riflescope.html

It may cost a few ounces, but it's $1000 cheaper than the NF. I guess it depends on how much you're willing to pay per ounce of weight savings.

You probably know what I think of the SWFA 1-6x (it’s the best 1-6x on the market) and for the $700 range it’s tops... But the illumination isn’t daylight usable, and the reticle donut covers up too much (IMO). The NX8 corrects all of that and adds a more forgiving eyebox at 1x. It is more expensive, but you are getting more scope- and it’s tiny.

A good set of iron sights!

3-10X 42mm Swarovski weighs 12oz

I'd be looking For a Z-3.. In 3-9-36 Or My Favorite 3-10-42 With 4A..

“Relatively unimportant” and throwing money away are different things.....

There’s no flies on the SS 1-4, either.

That’d save $1400 ish under the NX and it’s 14 oz.

But, I’m cheap that way.

https://swfa.com/swfa-ss-1-4x24-tactical-30mm-riflescope-109309.html

.

My sample of 1 and several others I know samples of those is less than favorable of that SWFA model

Formidilosus,
Weren't you messing around with a Trijicon Accupower 1-8? How would you rate it or compare it to other optics you mentioned?
thanks

While I love the 3-9 and 1-4 SS scopes as much as the next guy, and find them nice, reliable, scopes for their price point, I would prefer more than 3" of eye relief on a ultralight 35 Whelen. I recently tried a Burris scope with 3" of eye relief on a 7.5 pound 338 Win Mag, and there were a couple of times when it tapped my glasses. The SS 1-6 has 3.75" of eye relief and would be the one I would run if I wanted to save some cash.

However, this scope is being mounted on one of a pair of $3,500 rifles, so I am guessing saving every penny on the scope is not a primary priority. As always, YMMV.

Yes, indeed. We have a couple of 1-8x Trij’s. Generally they have done well, with about 6k and 17-19k respectively. About a 1,000 rounds ago the one with the most use/abuse had the reticle start rotating. It’s now at about 30-35 degrees. Of course zero maintained and it tracks good, but not in sync with the reticle... grin. That scope took a tremendous amount of abuse in that time, and while it is unacceptable, I do think it is an isolated incident.


Having said all that, the SWFA SS 1-6x and most especially the NF 1-8x’s are real combat optics, while the Trijicon AccuPower and AccuPoints are really just well built scopes.

It doesn't exactly qualify as a lightweight at 22oz, but I just ordered one of the SWFA 1-6 for my compact .308 bolt gun. I don't have any plans to use it in griz or brown bear country, but I do plan to use it to hunt blacktails in thick brush, re-prod, and timber. Often shots have to be quick and at close range. I'm excited to have illumination for first and last light, and the low light that comes with heavy timber and bad weather.