Buying/mounting my first decent scope… lots of questions

[MooseMasher]

So I've finally decided I'm going to buy a Remington Model 700 Sendaro 2 in 300 WM. Now it's time to look at a scope and how to mount it. With some practice I hope to be able to take a shot at around 700 yards.

I was thinking of buying a Zeiss Conquest 4.5 – 14 with either a 44 or 50 mm objective lens. Any options on what size I should get?

One thing I am a little confused about is the difference between the hunting and target turrets. To be honest I'll be shooting more at a range then in the field but I want this gun to rock solid when it comes to field performance. I've read that the target turrets are prone to accidental movement when they are bumped or brush up against something. I am assuming though you have greater flexibility in adjusting the target turrets over the hunting ones. Can anyone shed some light on this one for me. Also, I'm planning on getting the Rapid Z 800 reticle but have also notice that the Mil Dot reticle is pretty popular. Is one a better with the hunting or target turrets?

Now for mounting the scope I'm looking at the Burris XTR Xtreme Tactical Rings. These look very sturdy and have positive reviews. I'm going to be ordering my scope and mounts online so I want to make sure I order the right height. I read somewhere that the medium (1/2") should work but I've heard the Zeiss scopes are a touch bulky so I want to make sure I that these will work together.

I plan on mounting them to the gun with the Weaver-style steel base. I see that there are a bunch of options here. First off, which is better the one or two piece mounts? I also noticed you can get steel or aluminum. Will you get the same performance from the aluminum one? This gun is going to be heavy enough so if I can save a little weight it's probably for the best. I'd hate to have to spend the summer in the gym just to pack my gun around in the fall. ha ha

I know I've asked like 1000 questions but I would appreciate it if you'd help me out. Thanks in advance!

 

[cummins cowboy]

So I've finally decided I'm going to buy a Remington Model 700 Sendaro 2 in 300 WM. Now it's time to look at a scope and how to mount it. With some practice I hope to be able to take a shot at around 700 yards.

I was thinking of buying a Zeiss Conquest 4.5 – 14 with either a 44 or 50 mm objective lens. Any options on what size I should get?

One thing I am a little confused about is the difference between the hunting and target turrets. To be honest I'll be shooting more at a range then in the field but I want this gun to rock solid when it comes to field performance. I've read that the target turrets are prone to accidental movement when they are bumped or brush up against something. I am assuming though you have greater flexibility in adjusting the target turrets over the hunting ones. Can anyone shed some light on this one for me. Also, I'm planning on getting the Rapid Z 800 reticle but have also notice that the Mil Dot reticle is pretty popular. Is one a better with the hunting or target turrets?

Now for mounting the scope I'm looking at the Burris XTR Xtreme Tactical Rings. These look very sturdy and have positive reviews. I'm going to be ordering my scope and mounts online so I want to make sure I order the right height. I read somewhere that the medium (1/2") should work but I've heard the Zeiss scopes are a touch bulky so I want to make sure I that these will work together.

I plan on mounting them to the gun with the Weaver-style steel base. I see that there are a bunch of options here. First off, which is better the one or two piece mounts? I also noticed you can get steel or aluminum. Will you get the same performance from the aluminum one? This gun is going to be heavy enough so if I can save a little weight it's probably for the best. I'd hate to have to spend the summer in the gym just to pack my gun around in the fall. ha ha

I know I've asked like 1000 questions but I would appreciate it if you'd help me out. Thanks in advance!

a few thoughts for what its worth. I used to have a ziess conquest in 3x9 that I had a target turret added to. this scope has awesome glass and a ton of eyerelief, which for me was too much. but the problem I had with the turret is it was impossible to visually verify which turn it was in. this almost ruined a cow elk hunt for me, as I later found out that the turret had an extra turn in it that I didn't know about. this caused me to be shooting 18" high. the good thing is there is 18 moa in one turn on a zeiss turret but the one I had there was know way of knowing if you had 1 turn in it or 5.

I used this scope to hit my longest shot on a coyote 666yards, and some others between 4-500yards. so I think the tracking is excellent.

if you wanna only shoot to 7-800 yards I would highly recommend a leupold CDS scope, its going to keep you inside one turn and whatever your mark on the turret is point to there is no way it can be off. as for rings, since your rifle is heavy I like to save weight where I can. talley lightweights are what I recommend for that. they are simple light and just plain work. if you want a weaver style setup, use a base with a sold cross slot, like warne. heck if you don't care about weight use warne rings too, they are hella stout.

mount it with the reticle prefectly level with one of these

World's Largest Supplier of Firearm Accessories, Gun Parts and Gunsmithing Tools - BROWNELLS

then put a flip up or out level on the scope. IMO making sure my gun is level is the key for me to hit way out there. even at 500 yards on a coyote, flipping up that level vs having a few degrees of cant has meant hitting or not hitting.

 

[woods]

Hey MooseMasher

IMO your choice of a Zeiss Conquest is a good one, lots of quality for the best price

Target turret on a Conquest from the factory

Hunting turret on a Conquest from the factory

Target turret installed by Zeiss aftermarket

IMO if you get a RapidZ reticle you do not need target turrets. The reticle is all you need out to the distance you mentioned and although at the longer distances cranking elevation can be more accurate, there are several variables that will negate that advantage. i.e. scope not moving reticle precisely throughout the cranking range, the turret getting turned around as cummins cowboy mentioned or miscalculating the number of clicks by putting in erroneous error into your phone or whatever you are using to do the calculations.

With the RapidZ the turret remains covered and your zero stays the same. But you will need to go to the Zeiss website and put your ballistics into their RapidZ calculator and see at what power you can shoot at. For instance on your 300 win mag if you shoot the 180 gr Accubond at 3100 fps and have the RapidZ 800 reticle on a 4.5x14 power scope, you will have to set the power of the scope on ~12.5 in order to have your trajectory match your ballistics. But once you get that set then you can make instant shots at long distance

I have the 4.5x14x44 and it is bright enough and can be mounted lower on the rifle, which I like

 

[cummins cowboy]

woods, it looks like that scope has the electronic shooting level on it, how do you like it??

also do you find that zeiss turrets are hard to know which turn you are in?? more so than other scope brands??

 

[woods]

woods, it looks like that scope has the electronic shooting level on it, how do you like it??

also do you find that zeiss turrets are hard to know which turn you are in?? more so than other scope brands??

Hey cc

The MicroLevel works good and is the easiest anti-cant device to use. But it greatly reduces eye relief so you have to put it on a low recoiling gun. That one is on a 6.5 rem mag which kicks a little less than a 270 so there is no problem. Used to have it on my 280AI and moved it because it would touch my eyebrow occasionally.

Haven't hunted with the exposed turret Zeiss's yet but have had movement of the turret just from taking in and out of the case and have no experience with other scopes and turrets so can not give a good opinion on turret movement.

 

[sp6x6]

Woods, Of subject, but was first scope pict. a dip job, camo?

 

[sp6x6]

My son lost track of turns on a cds, and it cost him several speed goats. It was on a older tact.scope, I count turns to top now as a reference, put small note on scope,My newer tact. mark 4 I can see hashes on turret and know location as it climbes up in elevation,but my var. 3 doesnt do this, not sure why,dial rim stays at same location

 

[woods]

Woods, Of subject, but was first scope pict. a dip job, camo?

It was a dip job on the whole gun/scope

I think the camo pattern was called "Lost" or something like that

 

[sp6x6]

That looks like a rreal nice job, for all those components

 

[dana bodnar]

i would check-out the ziess z-plex 1000 nice scope for the money and your rifle can shoot 1000 -yards check-out the game reaper scope mount a true 1 piece base and like the ziess its light