What is the ideal scope for big game hunting?

[mysavagerifle]

What is a good scope power range for medium range hunting 0-600 yrd range. i want something bigger than a 3x9x40m I already have a burris black diamond 6x24x50mm 30 mm tube. i want to lighten the rifle weight and get something smaller. Im thinking something like 6x18x44 or 50mm. I like 30mm tubes.



thanks

[kevin_stevens]

If your idea of medium range big game hunting is 600 yds, I can't help you.

KeS

[M.O.A.]

really the 3-9X40 is the most sold scope i do belive.e scopes you have and want its not going to save that much weight theyll be about the same with 30mm tubes .

try 3-12X40 or 44 1" or a 4-16X40 or 44 1" they well drop it a little but still not much

[mysavagerifle]

If your idea of medium range big game hunting is 600 yds, I can't help you.

KeS

yeah i consider 100-200 yrds close range for a rifle 300 - 500 is mid 600-1000+ long.

I know I said 600 but really would be 500yds for this gun. I dont get to shoot past 750 yrd at my local range. Whats your idea of medium range?

[kevin_stevens]

yeah i consider 100-200 yrds close range for a rifle 300 - 500 is mid 600-1000+ long.

I know I said 600 but really would be 500yds for this gun. I dont get to shoot past 750 yrd at my local range. Whats your idea of medium range?

:shrug: 200-300 yds. I'm not good enough a shot to justify pulling a trigger on a game animal farther away than that. I'll play around with targets that don't suffer or bleed out to 600 yds, though.

I don't know anyone who would call 600 yards "medium range" for big game, though. Usually that's reserved for varmints, where you literally either hit or miss.

KeS

[handirifle]

Wrong forum for that question. check with these guys. http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/

[kevin_stevens]

Maybe more specifically here: http://www.longrangehunting.com/forums/f18/

KeS

[M.O.A.]

Well heck I think 500 or 600 yards is a chip shot. And LRH guys just scare me with the shots they say they take

[pdog06]

scope choice can depend on WHAT you will be hunting at that range as well?

If it is prarie dogs you will want as much magnification as you can get. The 6-24 you already have fits that bill just fine.

If you will be hunting deer sized game then you can always go smaller, like in the 4-16 power range and still be fine.

[Luckus]

I am a Deer and Elk hunter. My favorite scope is Leupold VariX 111, 2.5-8. I have never felt under scoped for this usage, but I don't prarie dog hunt. Luckus

[darkker]

What is a good scope power range for medium range hunting 0-600 yrd range. i want something bigger than a 3x9x40m I already have a burris black diamond 6x24x50mm 30 mm tube. i want to lighten the rifle weight and get something smaller. Im thinking something like 6x18x44 or 50mm. I like 30mm tubes.



thanks

Depends upon WHAT you are hunting. I call HUNTING shooting an animal large enough to provide more food than one stew.
For Deer, or Elk, Even the 270Win is REALLY running out of usefull operational velocity for bullet performance at that range....

For a big game animal I like my 6-18 VX-II. 1" pipe with 72 Min each way. For varminting and such, after monkeying around and looking through a buddies NF... I still like that 6-18 mag range. The higher stuff shows too much mirage IMO.

[MZ5]

I like 30mm tubes.

That's cool; no problem. Since that extra aluminum in the tube adds weight, and since weight is what you're looking to reduce, I'd suggest making sure that whatever scopes you're considering actually utilize that extra main tube diameter. Many 30mm scopes out there use 1" internals, which is okay and all, but that really just means you're hauling around extra weight for almost no reason (you'll still have a slightly stronger tube vs 1" in case you drop the rifle onto a rock right on the scope). One might get additional adjustment out of a 30mm tube, but at 600 yards even a 308 with relatively slow-moving 175s will get enough elevation adjustment out of a decent scope (i.e. Leupold VX-2) to click-to-range instead of making you hold over.

On the other hand, I suppose one could say that those 30mm tubes with 1" internals are saving weight vs. a scope that actually uses 30mm internals. :)

Just something to think about...

[mysavagerifle]

That's cool; no problem. Since that extra aluminum in the tube adds weight, and since weight is what you're looking to reduce, I'd suggest making sure that whatever scopes you're considering actually utilize that extra main tube diameter. Many 30mm scopes out there use 1" internals, which is okay and all, but that really just means you're hauling around extra weight for almost no reason (you'll still have a slightly stronger tube vs 1" in case you drop the rifle onto a rock right on the scope). One might get additional adjustment out of a 30mm tube, but at 600 yards even a 308 with relatively slow-moving 175s will get enough elevation adjustment out of a decent scope (i.e. Leupold VX-2) to click-to-range instead of making you hold over.

On the other hand, I suppose one could say that those 30mm tubes with 1" internals are saving weight vs. a scope that actually uses 30mm internals. :)

Just something to think about...

yeah good point, i may go with a 1 inch tube. I noticed burris must not make black diamonds anymore. Its a shame, i realy like mine. Maybe they changed the name to to XTR. Theey look like black diamond but more tactical looking. i like their E1 reticle on the fullfields.

[tyler.woodard04]

4-16 is my favorite overall scope for that type of huntong

[darkker]

I noticed burris must not make black diamonds anymore. Its a shame, i realy like mine.
...I come back to the Weight deal... Black Diamonds were one of the heaviest things ever made....

[jhelmuth]

... Many 30mm scopes out there use 1" internals, which is okay and all, but that really just means you're hauling around extra weight for almost no reason (you'll still have a slightly stronger tube vs 1" in case you drop the rifle onto a rock right on the scope). One might get additional adjustment out of a 30mm tube, but at 600 yards even a 308 with relatively slow-moving 175s will get enough elevation adjustment out of a decent scope (i.e. Leupold VX-2) to click-to-range instead of making you hold over.

On the other hand, I suppose one could say that those 30mm tubes with 1" internals are saving weight vs. a scope that actually uses 30mm internals. :)

Just something to think about...

FYI... the Leupy VX-2 has 56 MOA of elevation adjustmnet (which is more than a lot or others). Now - if we assume a reasonably "straight" mount (where the center optically is very close to POA/POI, which is ideal I realize, but we have to start somewhere and this empahasizes my point) then you have approx. 28 MOA of maximum adjustment in elevation (56 / 2 = 28 MOA up and down). The data for a 165gr Nosler Balistic Tip (a very good to excellent choice in a .308 hunting bullet) would have a drop of approx. 18-19 MOA at 600 yards with a MV of 2600fps (which is a very reasonable MV for that type of load - maybe slightly slower). That doesn't leave alot of room for adjustments - but it will work. One could add a 10 MOA rail into the mount to ensure a better range of adjustments. Of course, one could always use a sufficent reticle and hold off if that is you prefered method.

The REAL purpose for 30mm tubes is for increassed adjustment in windage/elevation. The Leupold 3-9x is a more ideal scope (duh - and why not go that route?) given it's superior errectors and the 3x optics (4x optics - such as a 3-12x will lose significant range of adjustment). Using 1" optics in a 30 mm tube is NOT a problem or issue with respect to added/negated light transmission. One will NOT gain more than negligable light transmission from using 30mm optics in a 30mm tube over 1". You WILL get better light transmission with optimal coatings. Very important when considering a hunting scope which must perform in low light conditions (and when does a hunting scope NOT have to perform in low light?)


In summary - you are correct (to a point)... there is enough adjustment with the right scope (and that assumes that you make those adjustments at the turrets vs hold off/over). But the purpose of the 1" glass tube optics is NOT about anything more than significant gains in windage/elevation over negligeable gains in light transmission (and definately not about any weight savings).

[darkker]

Well, again; you are correct to A point also.

The problem with saying how many minutes someone needs is based upon the atmosphere/elevation/humidity.
For MY atmosphere @ 1200 ft. Using your bullet and launch.
Zeroed @ 200, shooting to 600.
2.2 between muzzle and 200. Then 15.4 @ 600
Less than 18-19.

Not sure how much "Extra" someone thinks they need. If you can adjust and hit, why do you need more?
I think they specific argument goes back to the difference between stated goal, and infered goal.

OP asked about hunting to that distance, but spoke about paper at that distance...
Paper is one kettle of fish, ani-mules are another. Without some more specifics, I fall back to the velocity/energy argument.
The 308 partition is REALLY on the verge of operational window at that distance. Unless the OP can give HIS specifics, this is mostly semantics.

I also wonder, given what HE considers medium and long range.... I would have imagined that he has already played(at least with paper) at those distances. So why suddenly the basic optical question???

[helotaxi]

Look at the Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16x42 (or 50). 6.5x zoom range, 80MOA of adjustment and just over a pound. Excellent glass with excellent coatings.

Shooting something like a 165gn Accubond from a .308 at 2600fps, you leave the bullet's performance envelope at around 450yds. It maintains 1k fpe out to close to 600, but if the bullet isn't going to expand, energy doesn't matter. They make magnums for a reason.