Red deer stalking scope advice

[melsh]

Hi all, looking for advice on new scope
Absolute beginner here so looking for seasoned hunter opinions
I'll be shooting red deer probably at 80 - 150 yards on mix of hill and lowland. ( For the home freezer) Gun is a bergara .308 b14 thumbhole. Budget is 1500 - 2000.
Looking for the best I can buy for this budget and concentrate on good quality over gadgets. Hoping to buy once so your opinions on pros and cons are greatly appreciated. Dealer trying to sell me vortex but also hearing they maybe don't hold zero as well as others? Zeiss sounds good but being told back up not as good as others?
Feedback greatly appreciated, thanks!

 

[Gary123]

Save your money and buy a used S&B 8x56, £300-500 it will do all you need

 

[paulbshooting]

As above 8x56 schmidt, but if you really want to spend more then Zeiss HT 3-12x56 is great in low light to max your shooting opportunities

 

[Gary123]

Thread 'Schmidt & Bender 8x56 illuminated advice.'

Jan 26, 2025

Hi all,

Looking at getting a new S&B 8x56 Klassik illuminated L3 for my rifle. Most of the shooting I do is in the range of 100-250/300 meters. Would this be a suitable scope for this? Or would a swarovski Z6i 2.5-15x56 be more suitable? Tend to shoot roe/red deer within 50-250 meters and foxes I'm willing to push it out to 300 but never shooting anything further than 300 meters.

Just want to keep it simple, have tried ballistic turrets and can say I never really use them.

Any opinions/advice would be appreciated
Thanks

• ca11um
• 8x56 optic s&b scope scope advise
• Replies: 23
• Forum: Equipment & Accessories

 

[Malxwal]

Go for the variable option so zeroing isn't so much of a pain.

 

[Gary123]

Zeroing is no issue if you use the mpbr method, mines set up at 34m, 2” high at 100, back to zero at 218m

Simple point and shoot in real world stalking situations

 

[Selous]

A 3-12 or 4-16 variable power scope will do what you need. If you keep your range below 200m and use the maximum point blank range method of zeroing then you don’t need a ballistic or diallable turrets. Don’t be frightened about secondhand scopes either. The good makes come with good warranties, Swarovski are notoriously fabulous at looking after their customers very well indeed.

 

[lochty]

I thought ed at edinburgh rifles had a swarovski 8 x 50 for sale, which I think would meet your needs.

 

[Selous]

Here is a good example

Sold: Thread 'Swarovski Z6i ii 3-18x50'

Dec 23, 2024

Box fresh and clean
All paperwork
No marks or dents

£2150 RRP

Your for £1450 posted

• Edinburgh Rifles
• Replies: 11
• Forum: Optics

• 

Or if you want simple then these are great scopes

For Sale: Thread 'Swarovski 8x50 Habicht'

Dec 23, 2024

Clean and Clear Classic
30mm tube
4a reticule

£375 posted

• Edinburgh Rifles
• Replies: 1
• Forum: Optics

If you think that you may want to learn how to dial your scope for distance in the future and want a truly bomb proof scope then the S&B PM 2 scopes are truly excellent and very robust.

Sold: Thread 'S&B 3-12x50 PMII P4FL LP CW ST Mils'

Feb 3, 2025

S&B 3-12x50 PMII P4FL reticle in first focal plane, illuminated and parallax settings, 34mm tube, CW mils single turn elevation turret and comes with a 50mm sunshade AND Tenebraex objective lens cover (includes adapter). P4FL mil reticle with stadia lines.
Minor surface ring marks on tube, not indented.
Not original box.
£1300 ono posted in UK

• Rory
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Optics

• 
• 

 

[Malxwal]

Zeroing is no issue if you use the mpbr method, mines set up at 34m, 2” high at 100, back to zero at 218m

Simple point and shoot in real world stalking situations

Suit yourself, I prefer an easy life. Either way,you have to do a validation of actual POI at your max distance. I'll check mine at 300 yds or so.

 

[caorach]

Save your money and buy a used S&B 8x56, £300-500 it will do all you need

I think that is the only answer you need, that leaves you a goodly sum of money to pay for stalking and actually getting out stalking is the only thing that will actually let you shoot more deer.

 

[Cyres]

Buy a Delta Titanium and save a fortune.
D

 

[JH83]

You have a cracking budget so every make is on the table, so I would veer towards the ‘big boys’ of Schmidt, Swaro, Zeiss.

As you have the budget I would without shadow of doubt go variable as @Selous has said. Nothing wrong with a fixed if you are on a budget, but variable is superior. The schmidt PM2 as above is the king of scopes, don’t worry about the turrets, you don’t need to use them at the ranges you indicate.

 

[Tim.243]

Hi all, looking for advice on new scope
Absolute beginner here so looking for seasoned hunter opinions
I'll be shooting red deer probably at 80 - 150 yards on mix of hill and lowland. ( For the home freezer) Gun is a bergara .308 b14 thumbhole. Budget is 1500 - 2000.
Looking for the best I can buy for this budget and concentrate on good quality over gadgets. Hoping to buy once so your opinions on pros and cons are greatly appreciated. Dealer trying to sell me vortex but also hearing they maybe don't hold zero as well as others? Zeiss sounds good but being told back up not as good as others?
Feedback greatly appreciated, thanks!

My Kahles 3-12x56 a4 ret cracking scope also the Swro z6 2.5-15x56. both I would buy again.

 

[splash]

Scope is the least of your worries ! Getting the bl**dy great things recovered is more of an issue

 

[melsh]

Save your money and buy a used S&B 8x56, £300-500 it will do all you need

Cheers

 

[melsh]

As above 8x56 schmidt, but if you really want to spend more then Zeiss HT 3-12x56 is great in low light to max your shooting opportunities

Thanks, I'll check them out

 

[melsh]

A 3-12 or 4-16 variable power scope will do what you need. If you keep your range below 200m and use the maximum point blank range method of zeroing then you don’t need a ballistic or diallable turrets. Don’t be frightened about secondhand scopes either. The good makes come with good warranties, Swarovski are notoriously fabulous at looking after their customers very well indeed.

Cheers , appreciate the reply

 

[melsh]

You have a cracking budget so every make is on the table, so I would veer towards the ‘big boys’ of Schmidt, Swaro, Zeiss.

As you have the budget I would without shadow of doubt go variable as @Selous has said. Nothing wrong with a fixed if you are on a budget, but variable is superior. The schmidt PM2 as above is the king of scopes, don’t worry about the turrets, you don’t need to use them at the ranges you indicate.

Thanks for that

 

[melsh]

Scope is the least of your worries ! Getting the bl**dy great things recovered is more of an issue

I'm actually blessed with my grounds, I could take them from the doorstep, and a mountain track and quad sorts the rest