Some advice on choice of optics for stalking rifle

[FISH BOY]

Thanks, I thought I said I shot a lot at first and last light, so something that was good in those conditions would be good.

@Cotswold Sporting......saw both those scopes in the classifieds and that was partly the reason for my original post!

Now I am probably more undecided after the offers on the meopta and S&B!

I am near Dungeness.....

Do any of the scopes offered have illuminated reticles? I think I would like that feature present, as found it super useful on the rifles I have used

Buy the Zeiss HT - set up the ASV and you probably have one of the best low light scopes ever made - also comfortable with the ASV at the range.

Or buy a Alpex 4K at half the cost and twice the weight.

 

[Mike1979]

The advertised Swaro Z6i, mentioned above, is an excellent scope. Good price, great scope…..now for the mounts…

Tier 1 Monomounts

 

[Keith Edmunds]

Hikmicro Alpex 4k ( mine is non LRF and sub 200m that's fine)


Or

Delta Titanium HD 2.5-15x50 SFP Illuminated 4A-S 30mm Rifle Scope

Delta Titanium HD 2.5-15x50 SFP Illuminated 4A-S Rifle Scope Delta Titanium HD 2.5-15x50 SFP Illuminated 4A-S Rifle Scope - 6x zoom range allows for precise long-distance shooting and is highly practical for hunting.

www.opticswarehouse.co.uk

 

[Chris Richardson]

Some good suggestions for fixed power Schmidt’s another excellent scope is the meopta 7x50 brightest glass I’ve used , or possibly a Zeiss 3-12 power

 

[Craigsaun]

I am a big fan of Leupold scopes, and would have no hesitation in recommending them.

Here here

 

[oldhamstocks]

At the bottom end of your price range is the Element Optics HD hunting scope, well worth a look. 2-16 mag is very versatile.

Element Optics Helix HD 2-16x50 SFP Riflescope

Element Optics Helix HD 2-16x50 SFP Riflescope. We’ve designed the HELIX in a way that puts the important things first: clear glass, smart reticle, innovative features and a turret system superior to other products in the same price class. The HD takes things one step further, with ED Glass...

www.uttings.co.uk

X 8 mag range, the HD glass (German I believe) is really good, the reticle is spot on for stalking and it has a superb warranty.

 

[Mr. Gain]

With a decent 6x42 you should be able to see animals long after you are able to see them with naked eye. A good 4A reticle allows you to place the shot even in very low light. Thick vertical post on the front legs, horizontal post in the backside and base of throat and squeeze.

Red dots / illuminated reticles - I think they are a hindrance. In low light you should be looking at the animal rather than the reticle. Red dots just distract your eye from where they should be looking. And they are just another thing to go wrong.

The biggest challenge of shooting late in the evening is not taking the shot, but what happens afterwards.

Many deer will run after taking a shot. If its too dark you are unable to observe such behaviour, indeed impossible to watch the direction in which it goes. You then have the fun and games of following up and trying to find a dead deer in the dark, and this will (as dictated by murphy’s law) be onto steep ground with dead fall timber, bracken, nettles and brambles.

After about an hour and a half later when you have nearly broken your neck, twisted an ankle and covered in scratches and nettle stings you will give up in disgust only to then fall into a gully into which the deer has disappeared and backed up the water. Of course your head torch has failed so now try to gralloch using touch abd feel and holding your smartphone in your teeth to try and give you a bit of light.

Eventually you make it back to the car for the drive home. You then stop at a garage to buy fuel and a coffee and only when you are at the counter and see yourself in the mirror above the cashier do you realise why the cashier looks terrified.

Any novice will carry the above many times before they realise that shooting at last light is real pain in the arse.

Perfectly put.
The fact is that, regardless of what the optics manufacturers may want to sell you, you do not want a scope that tempts you to shoot deer in the gloaming - it is an absolute recipe for more trouble than is good for anyone.
Having been reminded of which, please disregard my previous recommendation for digital scopes.

 

[kenbro]

I am a big fan of Leupold scopes, and would have no hesitation in recommending them.

Might just be me but I’ve always found the eye box fussy on Leupold sights, especially variable ones.
Ken.

 

[kenbro]

Perfectly put.
The fact is that, regardless of what the optics manufacturers may want to sell you, you do not want a scope that tempts you to shoot deer in the gloaming - it is an absolute recipe for more trouble than is good for anyone.
Having been reminded of which, please disregard my previous recommendation for digital scopes.

Unless, like me, who’s always paid per stalk and there’s always been a GK to come and pick me (And deer if successful) up dnd cart us back to where said GK does the gralloch.
Kb.

 

[VSS]

Might just be me but I’ve always found the eye box fussy on Leupold sights, especially variable ones.
Ken.

You're not the first person to say that, but they seem to suit my eyesight just right. I have 3 Leupold scopes, and all of them are nice and comfortable with regards eye relief etc.

 

[kenbro]

You're not the first person to say that, but they seem to suit my eyesight just right. I have 3 Leupold scopes, and all of them are nice and comfortable with regards eye relief etc.

Can’t find fault there Tim.
Kb.

 

[topscots1]

Hi, I have my prospective rifle chosen ( Seekins Havak PH2 in 6.5 creedmoor) and am starting to look at a suitable set of optics. For now, I want the best for stalking, especially as we usually go early or late.

Can I get some recommendations please in the £500 - £1500 range ?

Thanks!

How old are you, what is your eyesight like ? People will invariably tell you to get a 56 mm objective scope. No real point if your eyes are not able to use the light. The best if you want decent low light performance would be one of the digital offerings.

If you want glass, Swarovski,Zeiss, Leica,S&B will all do the job.

 

[.270s202]

Secondhand zeiss 6x24x56 diavari, Excellent scopes and fall in your budget

 

[Ratel]

Might just be me but I’ve always found the eye box fussy on Leupold sights, especially variable ones.
Ken.

Agreed I find them to be at the bottom end of scopes I've owned. Go S&B or Meopta, both have.good clarity and are reasonably priced.

 

[kieran222]

Buy second hand. You can get lots of of nearly new stuff for about 60% of the new price on here. Once you decide on what you want, just put a wander add in the optics section. That way if you buy something and later want to change it you won't loose a lot or can buy a top end scope within your budget.

 

[sh1kar]

Hi, I have my prospective rifle chosen ( Seekins Havak PH2 in 6.5 creedmoor) and am starting to look at a suitable set of optics. For now, I want the best for stalking, especially as we usually go early or late.

Can I get some recommendations please in the £500 - £1500 range ?

Thanks!

Ring McLeod of Tain for good advice and probably a good deal

S

 

[shbangsteve]

Schmidt & Bender Klassik German 3-12x50 Illuminated FFP L3 30mm Rifle Scope

Schmidt & Bender Klassik German 3-12x50 Illuminated FFP L3 Rifle Scope With its magnification of up to 12x, the 3-12x50 is suited ideally for close ranges as well as for hunting at larger distances. The 50mm lens offers excellent performance at dusk.

www.tacticalscope.co.uk

You won't buy better.

 

[Dickie]

this will be an 18 page thread by the weekend.......

• Buy German, Austrian or Czech glass for low light performance (S&B, Swaro, Zeiss, Meopta etc), as good as the Japanese are they havent matched the Europeans for light transmission. Current market leader is the S&B T96 Polar at .....96%. Beats even the Suisse.
• Choose a mag range that suits your purpose -
  • Woodland - I personally want to be able to go below 4-5x for close quarters
  • Open hill - I like a 20+x higher mag for really having a good old look at what I am about to shoot with less time pressure, but realistically anythin in the 10-12x range is more than enough. There is a reason the vast amount of true stalking scopes are 2/2.5-10x or 3-12x
• Objective - doesnt matter. x56 doesnt "gather" more light. Its not a "fricking laser", you cant condense light. You can however give the appearance of a brighter image by presenting a wider field of view with the same light intensity. It will however sit much higher and likely require some kind of cheek riser feckery.
• tube size is only relevant as a fucntion of elevation range. 30mm tubes dont "allow more light" through, they allow greater elevation range than a 1", they also weigh more...
• Illumination - take it or leave it, choose the right reticule for application and it is largely redundant, battery will be flat when you need it most anyway!
• Parallax - only relevant on 14x power upwards - more of a faff if you are not used to it as I guarantee you will lose the shot chance by fecking around with it!

lots of older Swaro, Zeiss, S&B on here in the £800-1200 range with more performance potential than most people will ever demand of it

Only Tuesday so 18 easy.
Whatever you think is the one for you have a shortlist and try and look through them all as some peoples eyes will see much clearer though one scope over another because of the coating the manufacturers use the target will seem brighter and sharper.

 

[nick.308]

Ive used quite a few different scopes on different rifles. I always go back to 3-12x50 for deer stalking. especially schmidt & bender, Swarovski or zeiss.

 

[Erik Hamburger]

Hi, I have my prospective rifle chosen ( Seekins Havak PH2 in 6.5 creedmoor) and am starting to look at a suitable set of optics. For now, I want the best for stalking, especially as we usually go early or late.

Can I get some recommendations please in the £500 - £1500 range ?

Thanks!

KISS. (Keep It Simple, Stupid)

1. Fixed magnification
2. No bells and whistles
3. Superior quality glass (multi-coated)
4. Strong built.
5. Water and Shock proof.

That is all you'll ever need for deer stalking.
For example a S&B 8x56 - a Classic, and for a very good reason. It does the job.
Or a Meopta 7x50 Artemis, if you can find one.
There are many others but looking for a FIXED magnification scope will limit your options.
Good luck.