scope magnification

big cat

Well-Known Member
hi all, have a S&B scope on my 243 it 8x56 with 30mm tube so i'm getting a 308 soon and would like to ask what you think is the best magnification or even a fix for to mostly deer stalking with it :-|. I also have £900 to spend on one so, what kind ,make ,new or secondhand for that kind of money as well, ta for looking:lol:
 
Alright big cat as you no i have just got my vary through for my 308.

il be putting a 8x56 on mine.

cheers kev.
 
hi all, have a S&B scope on my 243 it 8x56 with 30mm tube so i'm getting a 308 soon and would like to ask what you think is the best magnification or even a fix for to mostly deer stalking with it :-|. I also have £900 to spend on one so, what kind ,make ,new or secondhand for that kind of money as well, ta for looking:lol:
with your results on targets mate i think you would get away with a bog roll tube as a scope :D
 
I have a 2.5 - 15 x 56 on my .243 & a 5 - 20 x 50 on my .308 to be honest I very rarely use anything beyond 4 - 6 magnification to shoot. I will sometimes wind the magnification up to confirm identity of target eg doe or buck with antlers cast, or to check holes in paper when testing different re loads.
Wingy
 
If you look around, you may, if your lucky pick up a Schmidt 2.5 -10. X 56 zenith illuminated for 1k I keep mine at between 5 & 7 x and it's perfect for all shooting and glass is brilliant. Worth every penny


Phil
 
I use S&B 8x56 on my .308 with no problems , had one on my.243 but swaped for khales but will be swapping back soon (good optics but cross hairs to fine for my liking) .
 
I use a S&B 8X56 and can see no reason to change it. I've shot deer on open hill and in dense forest with it at ranges from about 10 to about 220 yards.

The other thing I will say about your "problem" is that you could get a second hand Hungarian S&B for less than £400 (I paid £250 for mine) and that would leave you £500 minimum in the kitty. That would pay for a day at stags next year somewhere nice, or it would pay to take you up north for a few days at the hinds plus B&B etc.

You already know the 8X56 works for you so given your choice I'd be ringing around to see where took my fancy for a few days at hinds.
 
Graham an 8x50 or 56 should be you fine for an :old: like you !

Rgds, Buck. :rofl:

PS. You could always get yourself a 6-18x50 and shoot them a 300yds.

the final approach is that much more enjoyable when you know it's Dead ! :D
 
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stick to what you have fella i have a swaro Z6 3x18x50 it never goes past 8x wasted a bucket load of dosh on scopes
 
A 3-9 x 40 in one of the top brands is an excellent choice for Stalking. Go with a larger objective in a lesser brand for similar image quality but a unfortunately a bigger profile on the rifle.

In your budget you should have no problem.

There are a number of features such as an illuminated reticule that are a matter of personal taste. Some people feel they shoot better with higher magnification some feel it hampers quick target acquisition.
 
I had a high magnification scope on my 243, and used to shoot at 16 - 18x all the time. I liked it and it really worked for me. However i now have a 8x56 swaro on my 3006 and would not go much higher again. Initially i missed the magnification, but now the clarity is so much better it is working very well for me. It is quite adequate for deer, and i doubt i will change this for a long time.

I now have a 4-12x 42 on the 243, and typically run it a bit higher for foxes, but am happy enough for deer about 10, the glass is not as good and i find the little magnification benifit is better. I am still not sure i like the scope, it is very clever, with lazers and a built in range finder, which is nice, kind of cool to use, but i may swap it out for an illuminated zeise with better glass, a larger objective, i will see how it performs this winter
 
Im with Brithunter on this Field of view is a bit small on an 8x56

I'm going to agree a bit with this, simply because when you're laying on a hillside 75-150 yds above a large group of reds, say 30-50 (sometimes more), and you're trying to pick out the exact one(s) to cull, you want to have a good 'oversight', where picking up the bino's may just create too much movement and scare off the group - and I've personally found benefit in just using the rifle scope for surveying and picking out the best cull beast(s).
 
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