So What scope do you use and why?

[SaOsborne]

7x50 meopta on the 6,5 and 8x56 s/b on the 223,both good clear glass no faffing! perfect ,,,,,two hawkes on the rimmies cheap and cheerful,

A goodly number of fixed power scopes out there, I loved mine but just found the zoom catered for all occasions, especially when ranges start getting extended?

 

[AN DU RU FOX]

i dont mind fiddling with the scope when youve got loads of targets bunnies rats squirrels etc,but when you maybe will only get a solitary deer target to go for i feel the less meddling gives more time for everything else ,shot placement etc,

 

[rutland]

+1

 

[RED-DOT]

Cheers red, can always rely on your sound advice, I prefer Pepsi, better glass

Aye but i drink Irn-Bru HD.

 

[Psjunkie]

Have an old 6x42 habitch on my .22lr. Overkill maybe but it's simple great glass and didn't cost much

Have a z3 4x12x50 on my .223 foxing rifle. Only gets used at night. Really bright glass and more than enough zoom for anything I need it to do

And finally on the .243 I have a 30mm habitch 3x12x50

Swarovski all the way for me. I know any niggles will get sorted asap with their brilliant customer service

 

[30-06hunter]

I just brought back from Australia a Vortex Viper HS-T 4-16x44.. seems like a great scope, I had a look through some Leopold's, Meopta's and thought the Vortex glass to perform better. so can't wait to get it on my 30-06 and get it zero'd.

 

[Bavarianbrit]

Kahles fixed 7x56
Zeiss 3-12x56 w/illuminated point
S&B variable x 56 away at the smith for swing off mounting
S&B 1-4x24 for the driven also at the smith same as above
Both have gone on a Win 100 in .284 Win (scopes went up to 2K Euros with mounts and the rifle was only 400 Euros)
I hear that the Leupold x 56 scope with the funny bulge at the objective bottom is showing a performance match to the Zeiss on German hunting magazine but at 1000 Euros less cost.
Martin

 

[wraith]

kahles helia c 8x56 day light at night as near as damit the onley scope for low light sadley sold it wish I had not im sure kahles is part of Swarovski but kahles will not permit its coatings to be used on Swarovski glass

 

[AlexN]

I have a S&B 2.5-10x56 on my .243. But I don't use that rifle very much! I use my .308 pretty much everything I go out which is a Sako A7s and has a Hawke 6-24x56 sidewinder scope on it! £330 bit of glass but does everything

 

[Taff]

When in the UK, I used 6x42 Swarovski on my 270, and 6x42 leupold on my rim fire, because it was all I needed, since moving to NZ I have a 6.5 - 20x 50 leupold mk4 because the pigs and goats are always on the next hill

 

[Heym SR20]

This has been a very interesting discussion and in many ways far more insightful than the usual "what calibre". Fundamentally most calibres in the 243 through 270 to 30-06 with a muzzle velocity of 2450 fps plus, is perfectly good for any deer out to reasonable ranges.

But the sighting equipment is what really makes the difference and has a very real effect on how well you can put that bullet in the right place.

Joking aside, Red-Dots Iron-Bru can once properly cable tied and zeroed is probably good for about ten yards, although a bare barrel or open sights would extend this distance.

Once we get into scopes the choice is usually dictated by what the rifle is going to be used for. I think the best route is to have:

one rifle set up for hill work - flat shooting calibre, good from prone, mounted with a bipod with a 4-12x42 or 50 scope
one rifle for woodland / farmland - easy to shoot off sticks, quick handling - 6x42 is a good starting point but a zoom in the 1.5 - 6 or 8 x42 sort of size might be better.
one heavy barrelled varmint rifle - small flat shooting calibre with a high powered - x56 large objective, or even night vision - for shooting foxes at longer range at night

But for most of us three or four rifles is not an option - budgets don't stretch to that.

I don't think there is a true allrounder, but feel that quite a few of the latest generation scopes that have a 5 or 6 times zoom are worth a look - the z6 1.7-10 x 42 can be mounted nice and low, can be wound right back for close range running game, but then zoomed for a longer shot. But cost is high. If I was buying a new scope today I would probably go for Z3 3-10x42 - as its nice and compact, but will still have enough reach, and yet good enough light transmission for last light.

But I am blessed with good eyes and don't feel disadvantaged with a 6x42.

 

[yorky07]

what range are you shooting at for 24x mag??? with a .243

 

[bewsher500]

over the years I have flip flopped between fixed and variable, high end, low end and everything inbetween

I started shooting a .270 as a kid with a 4x32 Nikko Stirling that shot everything from red to roe and targets out to 600yds

when I started collecting my own rifles scopes came and went as needs changed
The .270 will always have a fixed scope on it, although i am moving the 6x44 to an 8x50 (should never have sold the 7x50 meopta!)

I still prefer a fixed scope for woodland stalking and lamping foxes but most of those were in open ground and sub 200yds

although lately when lamping I could have done with a bit more zoom, as a result the .222 now wears a variable 4-12x42

I started playing with some long range plinking with the 300wm so the 8x50 on that was replaced with a 4-14x50 with turrets.
Works well for what I need but I still find the 100 yd zero and reliance on ranging and dialling a faff when on the hill, also limiting if multiple beasts at different ranges
rimfires have a variety of IR cheapy scopes which all tend to stay stuck at 6-8x


thats today
tomorrow I may be onto some other plan!

 

[RCS Deer Management]

what range are you shooting at for 24x mag??? with a .243

I regularly shoot targets out to 1400m with my .243

 

[scrumbag]

I'd go for something like a 3-12, do like my Z4i 3-12x50. At 7 the light transmission is pretty good and still reasonable mag

ATB,

Scrummy

 

[simonl]

I regularly shoot targets out to 1400m with my .243

Do you hit them?

 

[Glen of Imaal]

Schmidt and bender 6x42. I've had it for ages and it suits the terrain I stalk on, which is a mixture of open hill and conifer plantation.

 

[martyn52]

Meopta for me 2 x 3x12x50 1 3x12x56 and one meopta meosight on the .375

 

[Richard Parsons]

6x42 S and B. Out to 200 yds you can see exactly where the crosshairs are. Never need more.

 

[dlz90]

Fixed for me Schmidt 6x42 and Zeiss 7x50 work more than well as long as I do my bit......