Guidance and Advice Required - Hunting Scope

[AlaskaIsGodsCountry]

Hi

I need some guidance and advise from the members of this group. You guys have so much more experience then I do and I am kind of lost. Any help will be appreciated.

Here is my situation. My current hunting scope, which is a S&B Klassik 4-16x50 w/ A8 heavy duplex reticle is too coarse for long range shooting/hunting in my opinion. I have one heck of a time trying to shoot basketball size targets (assumed vital zone area for big game) at long range with it because it completey covers up the target. My long range (which I am embarrased to say with the experience presented on this board) is 500-600 yards. I'm strictly a backpack/ off the beaten path hunter, so a lightweight setup is important. I also don't particularly like a cluttered reticle...standard duplex or maybe a simple mill dot is okay. I don't like any of the gen x reticles with wind holds and etc that only work at a fixed power.

So, I want to upgrade from the stone age and look at getting another scope with finer crosshairs and perhaps a ballistic turret to mechanically change the point of impact to take some of the guess work out of those longer range shots.

I am considering the following two scopes as replacement. Both have the ballsitic turret capability.
1. S&B 4-16x50 Precision Hunter with P3 Mill Dot Recticle (FFP
2. Zeiss Victory Diavari 4-16x50 T* FL with duplex Rectile (SFP)

I want to be able to mechanically change the point of impact to say a max of 700 yards. With my ballistics I get the following results assuming a 300 yard zero and a 0 MOA base

Range Drop(in) Drop(MOA)
400 -8.5 -2
500 -22.5 -4.3
600 -43.1 -6.9
700 -71.2 -9.7

What do you guys think?

• Based on the data above, will either the two scopes options listed above be able to mechanically adjust to this range?
• Would you guys recommend I change to a canted base such as 10 or 20 MOA to increase the effective range?
• Also what is your impression with the S&B P3 mill dot reticle. Is it too coarse as well?
• Do I just bite the bullet and go with a S&B PHII scope, but I don't want to add another 1/2 -1 lb to my rifle (defeats the purpose of having a lightweight mountain hunting rifle and I don't ever plan on shooting out past 700 yards in an hunting evironment). This could be overkill for my application
• What you you do if given the options above?

I plan on sending my current S&B scope back to the factory to have the reticle changed, but I have a hunt planned in the spring and want to avoid the stress of waiting for it to return in time or not. I'll just stick this scope on another rifle!

Thanks in advance for your opinions.

 

[AlaskaIsGodsCountry]

I just went with the Zeiss to try something new and it has more mechanical adjustment.

Thanks for all the responses (I am being sarcastic...ha ha ha)

 

[1CouesHunter]

Let us Know how the Zeiss Scope works out for you....

 

[trueblue]

Sorry I did not see your post sooner, or I would have responded.
Since you have a scope, this is a mute point, but another good option would have been a Huskemaw 5x20-50 with a bullet compensating turret. I used to have one and it worked fast and easy out to 700yards. Great reticle also. They sell them right here on this site at the LRH gear shop.