Best scopes

[bewsher500]

36mm versus 50mm , your eye will be 7mm higher.

I don't think we will ever look back and laugh as you claim just as nobody looked backed and pined for open sights when your new fangled 4x32 was launched !

it's progress deal with it.

the old stalker on the estate I first stalked on did
he thought telescopes were "unsporting"!!

probably shot more deer than most people will ever see!!

horses for courses
moved my 300WM onto a target turret scope as I want to do things I cant do with a fixed mag
my .270 has a 6x42 and always will have
my .222 has a 7x50 on it but I am considering moving that to a "smile and dial" scope to given my new found amusment of LRF long range plinking

 

[rabbitter]

36mm versus 50mm , your eye will be 7mm higher.

I don't think we will ever look back and laugh as you claim just as nobody looked backed and pined for open sights when your new fangled 4x32 was launched !

it's progress deal with it.

.... and there spake the voice of reason.

 

[Southern]

Glad to so that some like gloss scopes and gloss blue rifles in nice walnut stocks.

That Redfield scope on the Colt Sauer 90 is good enough for most of my hunting. I lucked up on one in a small town gun store in the trade-in case in August, and bought it for $20.00. Wheeee!

And a Burris Fullfield II Gloss 3-9x40mm for $25.00 IIRC.

I agree with PKL on the small Leupolds: 1.75-6x ( had one on a custom Magnum Mauser in .375 H&H... perfect). I have a small gloss 2.5x on an 8mm, an 2-7x33 gloss on a 7mm-08 BLR and gloss 1.5-5x22mm Burris on 7mm-08 Featherweight Compact.

But I think the small 2-7x scopes from Nikon, Burris, and Vortex are bargains in the $150 to $180.00 range, especially the Burris FFII E1 with etched reticle, and the Vortex Diamondback 2-7x35 and more-expensive Viper 2-8x.

If only Redfield had used Zeiss lenses!

True, but....
Swift Optics use Schott glass, and make a lovely 3-9x40 and 4-12x40 in gloss.

 

[Jagare]

Ive been useing a 1-4x22 meopta K dot on the running moose range. So much better than the big S&B fd . The S&B is great for sitting out at night after boar but Just to big and ill balanced for a stalking scope. The rifle has great balance with the Meopta or my aimpoint 9000L. When i had the 4x East German Zeiss on my old Brno i shot a mass of deer but now every body gets sucked into the need, (Ive been sucked in as well ), for the latest scope with all the bells and whistles and more nobs to twiddle than you can shake a stick at

 

[Conor1]

God bless your eyesight. You're a very lucky man.

 

[joe soapy]

To really test a scope for normal hunting [for me its rabbits and occasional fox] , set up a few scopes zeroed to your fav rifle,
Even cheapish mounts will remain on zero after carefully removing and replacing
go out to an area with plenty of targets, switch scopes every few shots and get a feel for what really works for you.
After 40/50 shots at rabbits under the lamp you will soon form an opinion on what works and what does not.
Currently hankering after a scope under 500 grms, with low profile turrets and a dot

 

[NigelM]

I have always used "big" scopes. Nightforce 5.5-22*56, Nightforce 3.5-15*50 and a S&B 3.5-25*56. All very flexible, great for load development, long range plinking and turned down great for stalking. All a bit heavy though.

Recently put a lightweight .308 together specifically for woodland stalking and Boar. Got a Bushnell 1-6.5*24 Elite something or other. Great little scope, light, compact, perfect for Boar with a daylight IR at 1*, or woodland stalking at 6.5*.

It is crap for load development though, as at 100 yds the little red dot on the target is too small for the magnification and I never know if the group size is a result of the lack of magnification at point of aim or my loads. Resorted to putting a big scope on for the development work and went back to the Bushnell when I was all sorted.

 

[ChesterP]

My favourite scope has to be a 1980's vintage Nikko Stirling Bisley De Lux 4x42 WA. Brightest scope I think I've ever looked through (bears little relation to modern Nikko scopes!) and has helped take more small game at ranges from 50 to 125 yds than anything else I use. Perfect woodland scope too. However, with longer range target work thrown in, while I still use that scope for 100yd target, it isn't a do-it-all scope. I also use a Leup VX3 (4.5-14 x 50) which has to be one of the more useful all round scopes which still manages to be reasonably light and lowish profile. Obvious chromatic aberration at higher mags though but enough for target and long range plinking to 400 yds. For target only use, the best scope I have ever used, irrespective of price, has to be the new M18 Falcon (a generation ahead of previous models). Fantastic resolution, great build, but probably too heavy for a hunting scope. Would I go back to iron sights? For something like woodland stalking only for short range work, then yes, but only in reasonable lighting conditions. I just don't see the logic in NOT using a scope (low power, good light gathering variety) for poorer lighting conditions where precision of aim is helped a lot. I don't see much attraction in using flint axes either! That's progress for you.

 

[bewsher500]

My favourite scope has to be a 1980's vintage Nikko Stirling Bisley De Lux 4x42 WA. Brightest scope I think I've ever looked through (bears little relation to modern Nikko scopes!) and has helped take more small game at ranges from 50 to 125 yds than anything else I use. .

My father's .270 is shod with this exact scope
Its what we learned to shoot with and latterly my sister has been using it to embarrass some people at the 600yd military range at Ponteland!
including me!


Edit: actually come to think of it his is not x42 its x32!

 

[Dawnrazor]

Swarovski 8x56, 24 years old, the scope I've used to shoot........god knows how many deer, foxes and crows!! All you'll ever need for practical and realistic field uses/ranges. Ad other scopes on estate rifles and borrowed a couple of newer scopes with ballistic turrets, zoom, illuminated reticles, mill dots, flux copasaters, throb nobulaters and god knows what else!! Never found them useful.

 

[Pine Marten]

When I find the cash, I'd like to put one of these on my drilling: Kahles Helia 5 1.6-8x42 IR Rifle Scope | Uttings.co.uk
It would complete the process of bringing it into the 21st century, having developed a round with modern performances for it. That number 1 reticle 6X43 scope just doesn't quite do it for me.

 

[welshwarrior]

On my hunting rifles I'll admit I like big scopes the S&B 8x56 great big thing but gathers light like a lighty thing. my others have normal scope 4x36, 6x42 and a modern complex thing a 1.5-6x42. 22lr,17,243,308 and 375 but later more often is naked on express sights.


Now target shooting rifle different matter 5-25x56 it's heavy enough to drag out the car let alone around and wood. Sure it would hit a deer a 100m or 200 even a fair bit further but that's not its job.

 

[Hereford]

Open sights on my 30.06 - new set of contact lenses in every outing.....

 

[alberta boy]

P, Hope you've got your rucksack packed as you've just agreed with me,,and could be chased by people with torches and pitchforks at any moment soon.

I'm with you , though they might just put the boots to me . I have 3 Leopold M8 four powers on my rifles , I guess that makes me a fossil . I also really like 2 to 7 power variables . They cover any big game situation I'll ever run into , granted , our hunting conditions and game are considerably different from the UK .

AB

 

[scrumbag]

I dunno Peter, looking at dark fallow in the shadow on a woodland edge at last light, I like my large objective and illuminated reticule...

 

[User00003]

I dunno Peter, looking at dark fallow in the shadow on a woodland edge at last light, I like my large objective and illuminated reticule...

you can be forgiven M, you've got class and run an iron sight 9.3x62, so you can have a 'golden ticket'

 

[karamoja]

I was watching a small group of fallow does the other night, there was one pricket with them, which hugged the hedge. I thought I was going to have to pass the shot up, when it decided to trot out into the field and turn broadside on 60 yard away. Took the shot. That has led me to look at the leica magnus in x44 guise, as I could then have been assured the shot, much earlier. But even if I had that scope, what would I have done if I had had my old. 303 or 8mm? Just remembered a missed opportunity. Probably! But I would have still been happy, it's the soul you see! Will that leica scope achieve that level of classic aesthetic and function, maybe?
K

 

[Sika98k]

When I find the cash, I'd like to put one of these on my drilling: Kahles Helia 5 1.6-8x42 IR Rifle Scope | Uttings.co.uk
It would complete the process of bringing it into the 21st century, having developed a round with modern performances for it. That number 1 reticle 6X43 scope just doesn't quite do it for me.

Or you could buy it on eGun for about €1599 !

 

[User00003]

I was watching a small group of fallow does the other night, there was one pricket with them, which hugged the hedge. I thought I was going to have to pass the shot up, when it decided to trot out into the field and turn broadside on 60 yard away. Took the shot. That has led me to look at the leica magnus in x44 guise, as I could then have been assured the shot, much earlier. But even if I had that scope, what would I have done if I had had my old. 303 or 8mm? Just remembered a missed opportunity. Probably! But I would have still been happy, it's the soul you see! Will that leica scope achieve that level of classic aesthetic and function, maybe?
K

the ER5 range looks lovely, you'd have to beat me into submission to let a magnus inside of my house walls..that ocular bell housing with the light adjustment tower on top is just,,,weird! I'm sure swaro will have a lightbulb moment on that within long too...god, hope leice wasn't trying to copy swaro thinking it was a good idea...

 

[karamoja]

I don't disagree with you, it does look weird! But I think the designers at leica have achieved a certain industrial design reminiscent of the quality captured in their m range finders series from the inception of 35mm through to the current digital range. I feel it is much nicer than the swarovski!
Regards K