Generalist Scope for Driven, Stalking, the odd fox

[JMikeyH]

Looking for recommendations on a scope for driven, deer stalking and the occasional fox. It will be going on a very lightweight 7-08, so certainly room for a bit of scope weight without making the rifle ungainly.

Ideal minimum zoom for me would be no greater than 2x and to at least 10x. Not sure on if a 50mm+ bell is necessary or not, would be happy to go for a 42mm if the glass is good enough for last light.

I see that Swaro are changing how they handle warranties of late (or might be isolated cases?) so not sure if the Swaro warranty holds as much value as it did before. I am considering Leica glass at the moment.

Thoughts please

 

[Scarpa]

I use an older Kahles on my rifle, it's a 2.2-9 x 42mm. If you have the mag at 6 then a 42mm objective lens will still give you a 7mm exit pupil for low light. Lets face it, will you be using high mags in low light conditions? But by the time you are in your 50's your eyes will probably only be able to utilise a 4.5 to 5mm exit pupil anyhow, so putting it on a higher mag may make no perceptual difference to light gathering. I also swap (Sauer hexalok mounts) with a Hawke Endurance 1-4 x 24mm scope for driven practice and to be honest, for most of my stalking ranges that scope with the illuminated reticle would do the job fine. Looking through both in low light I can see no discernable difference in light gathering. Just divide the objective lens mm by the mag and that will give you your exit pupil, someone in their 20's may want 7mm, by the time you are 70 you may only be able to use 4mm.

 

[HSB]

Delta 1.5-9x45 would do well

 

[Sierra]

Delta again, but my choice would be a 2.5-15x50. Excellent glass

Not sure about driven, but will see you well for low light stalking & foxing

 

[Scarpa]

If I was getting a new scope I'd be considering the Kahles 2-10x50mm illuminated, you can get a new one for under £1300. Part of the Swarovski/Kahles stable but Kahles aftercare seems better, they refilled and adjusted my decades old second hand scope for free even though it had a non standard reticle fitted.

 

[Sika98k]

Meopta R2, 1,7-10x42 with illuminated reticle. Discontinued but ticks a lot of boxes for you. They come up secondhand occasionally.

 

[Rake Aboot]

Meopta 7x50
S&B 8x56


Don’t need anything else really

 

[Rob Lees]

I use a Leica Fortis 6 2-12x50i for deer and driven boar. It’s always worked well for me.

 

[Lateral]

Meopta 7x50
S&B 8x56


Don’t need anything else really

For DRIVEN ?

 

[Lateral]

Looking for recommendations on a scope for driven, deer stalking and the occasional fox. It will be going on a very lightweight 7-08, so certainly room for a bit of scope weight without making the rifle ungainly.

Ideal minimum zoom for me would be no greater than 2x and to at least 10x. Not sure on if a 50mm+ bell is necessary or not, would be happy to go for a 42mm if the glass is good enough for last light.

I see that Swaro are changing how they handle warranties of late (or might be isolated cases?) so not sure if the Swaro warranty holds as much value as it did before. I am considering Leica glass at the moment.

Thoughts please

Personally, I'd recommend two different scopes/sights, because your requirements are at opposite ends, unless you have a big buget, and then I'd suggest looking at the Swarovski Z8i 1.7-13.3 x 42, which is a superb all round scope, but pricey !

A sensibly priced red dot for your driven, and then whatever suits your eyes for stalking, etc', both on QD mounts/rings.

 

[Dunwaters]

Personally, I'd recommend two different scopes/sights, because your requirements are at opposite ends, unless you have a big buget, and then I'd suggest looking at the Swarovski Z8i 1.7-13.3 x 42, which is a superb all round scope, but pricey !

A sensibly priced red dot for your driven, and then whatever suits your eyes for stalking, etc', both on QD mounts/rings.

Not a bad shout, a Z 6i would be a bit less expensive.

 

[VSS]

Rather than having a "one size fits all" scope, would you not be better with a decent stalking scope in QR mounts, and use open sights for driven?

(Never shot driven myself, just speculating).

 

[Rake Aboot]

For DRIVEN ?

indeed

My beer fuelled eyes completely missed the driven part

 

[tusker]

I have used on my 30-06 for driven boar, stalking from Scotland to Africa and lots of countries in between a 6x42 Swarovski. I never found it wanting.
Tusker

 

[Lateral]

indeed

My beer fuelled eyes completely missed the driven part

Thank goodness, because some people on here would actually think it was good advice

 

[Lateral]

I have used on my 30-06 for driven boar, stalking from Scotland to Africa and lots of countries in between a 6x42 Swarovski. I never found it wanting.
Tusker

May I ask what was the closest distance you shot driven boar ?

In my experience, driven boar can be cross valley, 200m, 300m, and some, in places like Turkey, OR inside 10m up in the mountains.

There’s a reason driven sights/scopes are either Red Dot, or low mag scopes commonly 1-4, or 1-6 ?

 

[JMikeyH]

May I ask what was the closest distance you shot driven boar ?

In my experience, driven boar can be cross valley, 200m, 300m, and some, in places like Turkey, OR inside 10m up in the mountains.

There’s a reason driven sights/scopes are either Red Dot, or low mag scopes commonly 1-4, or 1-6 ?

In Bavaria where I go, I couldn't take a Frieschling that came within 5m of my stand due to the base mag of the scope I was using being 3. Could not get a good sight picture and therefore couldn't pull the trigger in good conscience

 

[Lateral]

In Bavaria where I go, I couldn't take a Frieschling that came within 5m of my stand due to the base mag of the scope I was using being 3. Could not get a good sight picture and therefore couldn't pull the trigger in good conscience

Hi,

The question was to Tusker, who's suggesting a 6x scope, but you've made my point !

I used to do a lot of driven boar in Portugal, mostly in the mountains, almost always stood on a track, often not much more than the width of a pickup truck. To stand any chance at all, you needed to be lucky, and hear the boar coming either down or up the mountain, and be gun up, and ready as it crossed.

I was using a side by side in 9.3 x 74R, and started off with a Swarovski Z6i 1-6 x 24, but after missing a number of boar inside 10m, I ditched it, and just shot the rifle as a shotgun, both eye's open, and just instinctively. My success increased straight away. And that was with a 1x. My other boar rifle is an R8 9.3 x 62, and I carry an Aimpoint H34L (great Red dot sight) and a low mag scope, and fit whatever suits the peg I draw.

Portugal. I heard movement, saw a boar, it saw me, it launched itself faster than a Ferrari. Even gun up, my first shot hit the rear haunch, my second dropped it 6m from where I stood.

Portugal Close Up Boar

 

[Smellydog]

I keep hearing of these odd foxes but never seen one.
What's odd about them?

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Delta 1.5-9x45 would do well

I use one weekly - great value too