Turrets on Scopes

[TDD]

I have done a fair amount of hunting in my lifetime (Alaska, Yukon, Africa), and I have always been interested in accurate rifles (I have owned Jarretts, etc.). I find these discussions on long range hunting interesting, although the vast majority of my hunting experience has resulted in shots probably less than 200 yards. I am making up a new rifle for a moose hunt, and I had a question about the rigs that are mentioned in many of these forums. Do the turrets on these Nightforce scopes, etc. get in the way when you're wacking your way through an alder patch or through the willows? It just seems to me that all the turrets and bipods and large scopes would constantly be getting hung up on crap while you're walking. I guess I an interested in the practicality of placing an 11 or 12 pound rifle in a saddle scabbard on a horse on a Yukon moose hunt and then sashaying through the willows for a moose. Any comments?

 

[SES50]

I just got back from Colorado hunting Mule Deer and Elk this year and did a couple of long hikes with my 12 pounder. I got into some thick brush a few times and my backpack usually got alot more hung up on stuff than my rifle. Now the new rifle did come back with its fair share of scratches but I did not buy it to sit and look pretty.

Now after all those hike I never did see a legal elk to shoot. Saw a couple bulls without brow tines but that is a different story. I ended up shooting my muley at 530 yards and had an issue with my exposed windage knob being spun 1.5 MOA as I pulled the rifle from the scabbard. There was no wind and I never checked it before taking the shot. This caused me to shoot my deer in the behind the ear instead of in the high shoulder where I was aiming. I would like to find a scope with a covered windage knob that does not protrude a mile. I have come up short so far.

SES50

 

[Guy M]

TDD - short answer - yes.

The more "stuff" that pokes out from the rifle; scope knobs, bipods, etc... The more stuff there is to get hung up on brush.

Now - this may or may not make a difference to some, depending on where and how they hunt. When I'm pushing through brush, I don't even like the sling hanging off my rifle, let alone bipod, knobs, big extended "tactical" bolt, bulbous muzzle brake, huge scope etc...

W/my rifles, the top one is a lot easier to slip around with than is the bottom one:

Sometimes though, I'll put up with all those "accessories" because they help me shoot better at long range.

The most specialized long range rifle I ever owned was this Win 70 "Palma" rifle with a 30" barrel, and an adjustable buttstock. It was wonderful at the rifle range, but would have been a royal pain to move with, through the vine maple and brush:

Regards, Guy

 

[shooterpunk2]

SES50, have you looked at IOR scopes? They have several that have covered turrets and are really nice scopes.

 

[SES50]

SES50, have you looked at IOR scopes? They have several that have covered turrets and are really nice scopes.

Yeah, I have a few of them. There is a lot I like about the IOR but I am trying to cut some weight on this one. Most of thier scopes are a bit heavier than I want on this next rifle build. This pictures is only the long range rifles does not include the 1.5-8 IOR I have on my AR.

 

[jwp475]

There is a learning curve to use the big long range rigs as a general hunting tool, but it can be done

On horse back one can have a saddle scabbard made to fit the long range rig or improvise

 

[SES50]

JWP,

I like the way you are doing it. The only think I do not have space for is the horse. The quad is cheaper to feed and I can leave it covered in the back yard for months on end. Once we get some property I am going to get another horse though. I use to be able to get into a lot better places on horse back than I could on the quad. The biggest thing it helps with is getting the animals out though. I can hike in pretty far it getting it out that becomes alot more work.

SES50

 

[jwp475]

Getting them out is indeed where the work starts