I need some scope opinions please

[jaybo]

Thanks howco, just trying to help him with my personal experience and what I went through. My son asked me several times if I wanted to swap rifles with him for a while during the hunt but I didn't. He is a grown man and in way better shape than me but I felt, I brought it, I'll carry it. Carrying a 10 pound rifle in the ready position for 3 to 4 hours straight sucks.

 

[WildRose]

I'm looking to top my braked 300 weatherby mk-V with some new glass for western hunting out to 600 or so yards and target out to 1000yds. I have a few things I'd like in the scope and some that would be nice to have. Budget is a concern so used is an option. I'd like to keep the cost below $800 but closer to $500 if possible. I realize many of the scopes that would fit the bill are right around $1000 so, if i can find a good deal on those i'll spend a little more. I'm just getting into long range so i'm open to both the idea of moa or mrad but i do shoot artillery on the milliradian system so it may be easier to stick with that.

Musts:
quality glass (it's all relative but the best glass in price range)
exposed elevation turret w/ well defined clicks & measurements scribed
30mm tube
good eye relief & exit pupil


nice to have:
4-16 variable or close to it (+/-) -- most shots 200-600yds
40-50mm objective
retical to match the turret
parallax adjustment
zero stop


I've been looking at Vortex Vipers, Sightron, Nikon, bushnell, etc but i'm really starting to get lost in the mix of things. Any experience with a quality scope that fits the bill would be appreciated. Thanks

Unfortunately you get what you pay for with scopes.

My advice would be to save a little longer and buy better than any you have listed.

Last year I picked up a VX-6 4-24x52 Leupold and after several months of using it sold off the rest of my Vortex Vipers and replaced them all with the VX-6.

I've always been a Leupold fan but the VX-6 series of scopes are just incredible. I have now three of the 4-24x52's and two of the 3-18x50's and they are just a great value in scopes in every way in their price point.

Either of those would handle your applications with power to spare and incredible optical quality.

 

[WildRose]

Thanks howco, just trying to help him with my personal experience and what I went through. My son asked me several times if I wanted to swap rifles with him for a while during the hunt but I didn't. He is a grown man and in way better shape than me but I felt, I brought it, I'll carry it. Carrying a 10 pound rifle in the ready position for 3 to 4 hours straight sucks.

That's why they make slings and pack scabbards. You don't need to keep a rifle at the ready all of the time unless you're hunting tight brush.

 

[WildRose]

Let me ask you a few questions to give you some things to think about. You said hunting out to 600 and target to 1000 yards. Have you shot these distances before on a regular basis? What will you be hunting and where out west? Mountains, plains, what elevation, etc... The reason I ask is I had my second elk hunt, first guided, this past October. I used a custom McWhorter 270 Weatherby with 165 gr Matrix bullet with a Night Force 5.5x22x50 NXS scope total weight 10 pounds. Never did a lot of long distance shooting before but wanted to so like you, I wanted a rig which would enable me to play a little. Let me tell you a 10 pound rifle is one heavy SOB at 11000 feet after a couple of miles. Especially when you live at sea level and are gasping for breath at that elevation. I target practiced out to 750 yards and it was totally different between 500 and 750 yards. Now when I got into the mountains with winds at that elevation not to mention ridges and valleys that play Hell with trying to figure all this out for shot placement... I will be selling that McWhorter, just haven't taken the time to put it up here yet, and am working on a 300 win mag right now. I am going with a cheap Tikka SS, changing the stock to a McMillan Hunter, and putting a Swarovski Z3 4x12x50 ballistic turret on top. This scope does not have the parallax adjustment on it and the whole rig should be around 8 pounds. Will sight it in between 250 to 275 yards so I will be good to about 350 without having to make any elevation adjustments. I learned the hard way that when things happen on an elk hunt they happen quick. Unless you live in an area like that and have the time to practice practice practice, you've got no business taking a shot under those conditions. No, I did not, and yes I got an elk but, we rounded a corner and there he was. I had just enough time to bring up my rifle, hold my breath, while turning blue, and shoot. It was over that quick. I would not have had time for much else much less range, adjust elevation, adjust parallax, etc... I was just glad it wasn't much over 200 yards. For me personally, I don't shoot enough for the custom rifle that I have, lesson learned. Not trying to burst your bubble, just giving you things to think about from my experience.

Jaybo, this is the Long Range Hunting magazine and bulletin board. Hunting at long range is what we're all about.

If you sit back and do a lot of reading particularly in the The Basics, Starting Out - Long Range Hunting Online Magazine You'll learn a whole lot about the topic which is of course the main focus of this website.

It's who we are and it's really rude to be telling people they have no business shooting at XYZ range particularly when you don't yourself understand the subject.

We like to be a friendly and informative bunch here who will bend over backward to help out others to put together the rigs and develop the skills to be successful Long Range Hunters. You will find more help and more information on the subject here at LRH than you will any where else so slow down, hang around, and join us.

 

[BrentM]

For the lower price points I have enjoyed the Vortex, Sightron, and Leupold. Althought I don't own a Vortex I have used 1 a fair amount off a buddies rifle. I have a Sightron I compare it against. SIII 6-24. I also have a Leupold vx3 4.5-14 x 50 with M1 Turrets. This scope has the B&C reticle as well. It is a perfect medium range scope for me. Light, no objective adjustment to mess with, drop comp lines for quick shots if needed and compact compared to the NF 5.5-22 x56 and the Sightron 6-24x50 I have on my other rifles.

There are a ton of scope options out there but a few stand out with great features such as the Vortex in the $500-600 range. If you like Leupold look for a 4.5-14 type vx3 and have the m1 turrets installed for $150 at Leupold in Beaverton Oregon. The dials are in IPHY verses MOA, but that is easy to get used to and probably easier to understand for a lot of people.

 

[DocDoc]

A little off topic, but if you are planning to hunt at elevation, you want to sleep and get some exercise at that elevation before the hunt, if you can at all. That allows the body to adapt to the elevation. This works well for climbing mountains too.

 

[jaybo]

Wild Rose, I had a back pack on that has a scabbard but the type of hunting that we were doing did not allow me to take advantage of it. Further more, I did not tell him or anyone they have no business taking long shots at animals. I simply said hitting a 1000 yard target and being PROFICIENT enough to take game at 1000 yards was different. As I said, I don't have the time or place to advance my skills to that level. It appeared to me that he was where I was two years ago and was simply telling him what I went through and what I discovered. If you recall, at the end of the post I told him IF HE HAS THE SKILL GO FOR IT.

 

[Snowbird]

jaybo,
i appreciate you taking the time to relay your experiences. I took no offense to your post and read it as intended. I'm looking for a setup that will handle the distances you described. I'm a meat hunter and don't really take many animals. those that i do take i wan't to take cleanly at reasonable distances for my skill level, which is why i'm on here learning.

I did purchase a vortex pst 4-16x50 after getting a good tip on a great price. it is a second focal plane but that is ideal for my current use. With the current load shooting 3/8" groups at 200 yards i hope to get some practice in mountain settings at the distances i plan to hunt. if I ever come up with some extra cash i may look into a lite weight setup like you've mentioned. SUMMIT CARBON - Christensen Arms This in a 300 RUM would fit the bill. I just wouldn't be able to pay the bill.


Wildrose,

for the time being i'll have to make a stepping stone to get get there. I hope the viper does a good job for a couple years and i can step up to a nightforce. until i get some experiences of my own i'll have to rely on other peoples and make a few mistakes of my own along the way. Unfortunately, experience is something you get just after you needed it.

I'm excited to get into the sport this spring and learn a lot from this place.

Thanks,
Seth

 

[jaybo]

Thanks Snowbird, looks like you already have the long range rifle as long as it holds true at long distance. One thing someone told me here once was just because a production rifle shoots tight groups at 100 and 200 yards does not mean it will automatically shoot proportionately at long range. I wish you luck on that.

I have read good things about the Vortex but have not looked through them. I am sure it will do the job for you. I agree with Wildrose on the glass though. If the opportunity allows it and you get top quality glass the only reason you will be sorry is because you won't be satisfied with anything less after that.

Wildrose, I know I have a lot to learn, I just don't have the time or place to do it so I have to be content with 500 yards or maybe 700 under ideal conditions. I admire those that can take a trophy animal beyond those distances. What I meant by not having any business taking game at that range is someone like myself that shoots out to 700 yards then stretches it out to 1000 and rings steal a few times under ideal conditions and thinks he can take a shot like that at a trophy animal in a hunting situation. It should not be done. In my humble opinion.

 

[Snowbird]

Jaybo,

What part of Louisiana are you from? I grew up in Baton Rouge and moved out to salt lake city in 2002.

 

[jaybo]

Originally from Luling and now live in Prairieville. Worked at Union Carbide which was bought out by Dow Chemical and I am still there. 37 years this year.

 

[jaybo]

My wife and I were in Utah in October for our anniversary vacation. Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, and Canyonland National Park. Beautiful but so very dry compared to here. Sure enjoyed the low humidity.

 

[WildRose]

Wild Rose, I had a back pack on that has a scabbard but the type of hunting that we were doing did not allow me to take advantage of it. Further more, I did not tell him or anyone they have no business taking long shots at animals. I simply said hitting a 1000 yard target and being PROFICIENT enough to take game at 1000 yards was different. As I said, I don't have the time or place to advance my skills to that level. It appeared to me that he was where I was two years ago and was simply telling him what I went through and what I discovered. If you recall, at the end of the post I told him IF HE HAS THE SKILL GO FOR IT.

I read what you wrote just fine.

I learned the hard way that when things happen on an elk hunt they happen quick. Unless you live in an area like that and have the time to practice practice practice, you've got no business taking a shot under those conditions.

No, you don't have to live at that elevation or similar area to develop the skills to become proficient to deal with it.

A wind correction is no more difficult at 0', 1000', or 10,000'.

You get an adequate read on the wind from estimation or from a weather station along with your other data and adjust accordingly.

Once you have the correct dope and have corrected accordingly it's basic marksmanship that puts the bullet on target as long as you have an accurate rig.

The most difficult aspect of long range shooting is learning to deal with the wind and that can be learned at any elevation.

 

[WildRose]

Thanks Snowbird, looks like you already have the long range rifle as long as it holds true at long distance. One thing someone told me here once was just because a production rifle shoots tight groups at 100 and 200 yards does not mean it will automatically shoot proportionately at long range. I wish you luck on that.

I have read good things about the Vortex but have not looked through them. I am sure it will do the job for you. I agree with Wildrose on the glass though. If the opportunity allows it and you get top quality glass the only reason you will be sorry is because you won't be satisfied with anything less after that.

Wildrose, I know I have a lot to learn, I just don't have the time or place to do it so I have to be content with 500 yards or maybe 700 under ideal conditions. I admire those that can take a trophy animal beyond those distances. What I meant by not having any business taking game at that range is someone like myself that shoots out to 700 yards then stretches it out to 1000 and rings steal a few times under ideal conditions and thinks he can take a shot like that at a trophy animal in a hunting situation. It should not be done. In my humble opinion.

Just start doing it in less than ideal conditions. Yes, it will be humbling until you learn to read the wind.

When you are shooting across varied terrain you can see the wind change sometimes more than once between yourself and the target.

The environment will however give you lots of clues as to what it's doing but you have to learn to read them.

Elevation really has no bearing on it.

There are a few pretty good books on the subject that will help.

If you really want a crash course get yourself something like a .17 Rem, .204 Ruger, 220 Swift or .22-250 and head west and do some prairie dog hunting in August/September when the winds start really whipping.