Best Scope for .308 Hill Stalking?

[Lateral]

Had an 8x56 S&B for a while, but with my eyes, I far prefer the option of having higher mag, especially if I may want to take a longer shot, or take a closer look.

I find the Z8i 2.3-18x56 an excellent stalking scope. Low enough for woodland, and high enough to reach out.

 

[User00056]

I would say go for an 8×50
What you save by not bothering with variable magnification you should spend on quality.

The 56mm objective gives you the better exit pupil though, so you get better light transmission. Just my preference though

 

[tackb]

i used a .308 for years for hind culling , i had a leupold 3.5-10x40 mark 4 M3 scope on it , with the 308 turret fitted and 168gr TAP ammo from hornady and it worked a dream for the ranges you are suggesting but it also dropped a few at 400m and one memorable shot at 606m. it had the simplest turrets on a scope i think i've ever encountered 1 moa elevation clicks and marks for the range , a really simple system

 

[Sealgair nam fiadh]

That's the scope I use, although I have a custom turret courtesy of Leupold who came stalking with me.

 

[tackb]

That's the scope I use, although I have a custom turret courtesy of Leupold who came stalking with me.

i got lucky and the turrets supplied matched my choice of ammo close enough for it not to be an issue , brilliant scopes if you ask me

 

[Sealgair nam fiadh]

Yeah, as you say simple to use

 

[webley701]

The 56mm objective gives you the better exit pupil though, so you get better light transmission. Just my preference though

True but the context of the original question was expressly for hill stalking - where even on the dullest of days exit pupil diameter isn’t a concern with an 8x scope.

 

[User00056]

True but the context of the original question was expressly for hill stalking - where even on the dullest of days exit pupil diameter isn’t a concern with an 8x scope.

Yep. I just wanted to argue with @VSS though

 

[tackb]

Yep. I just wanted to argue with @VSS though

say something political on one of his posts and get it moved , that seems to do the trick....

 

[Selous]

S&B 4-16x50 gets my vote. It isn’t light though!

 

[cjs66]

Zeiss 3-12x56 HT on my 308, no complaints here. Very nice scope.

cjs

 

[Jack3]

S&B 3-12x50 is plenty

 

[Buchan]

3-12 x 50 Swarovski Habicht with TDS reticle.

 

[DH39]

3-12 x 50 any of the solid makes. . Fair bit of drop after 250 and drops fast. IF you did want to stretch it past 250 BT would be good.

 

[Marrajack1]

The hill stalkers I have had the pleasure to shoot with have used 8x50 or 56, or 6x42
I have a Ziess victory HT 2-10-50 lovely hunting scope, but as I get older would like more mag for sighting in, grouping etc. That said I still am convinced any hunting I have done I would have been ok with a Ziess 6-42 I stupidly sold

 

[Steff]

I cannot understand this "cupholder" mentality that has now come to dominate optics. A "cupholder" mentality is that when one USA started putting one single cupholder in the centre console of their car a rival maker put two in theirs. Another company then put four (two front, two back) and next one manufacturer was selling a car with six cupholders, then eight and so on and so on.

A man walks into a Porsche dealership and sits in a 911. ‚Where‘s the cupholder?‘ he asks the salesman. He replies ‚Zis car is for driving, not for drinking.‘.

 

[suburban bushwacker]

I like the idea of fixed 8x56 but in use they can be a bit limiting.
We are entering a new era of scope design, S&B's polar is outstanding at 96% light transmission, if you can find one the discontinued PM2 ultra bright was another amazing option. the scope I'm most excited about is the S&B meta, finally to be available in FFP at the end of the summer. so far Finn Accuracy seem to be the place to order one.

 

[suburban bushwacker]

The hill stalkers I have had the pleasure to shoot with have used 8x50 or 56, or 6x42
I have a Ziess victory HT 2-10-50 lovely hunting scope, but as I get older would like more mag for sighting in, grouping etc. That said I still am convinced any hunting I have done I would have been ok with a Ziess 6-42 I stupidly sold

Agreed, its the sighting in isnt it

 

[NorHunt]

Kahles Helia 5 series.
1.6-8*42
2-10*50

Perfect red dot with excellent FOV and lenses are one or not the best in the market...

 

[jthyttin]

If you have challenges in sighting in, make a target that suits your scope & reticle. Make sure you can use the contrast to your advantage (like keeping equal amount of white between the black reticle and black pattern in target).

Of course you need to check where you actually aim on deer, using printed realistic target or silhouette.