Lightweight scope recomedations

[mtelkhntr78]

Anyone have anybody have a suggestion on a good lightweight scope? I see Leupold has the "Ultralight" scopes available. Any experience with these light optics? I am thinking up the build of a lightweight back pack gun and I dont have alot of experience with optics in the lightweight department. Any other choices folks have had good luck with? I have several Zeiss conquests I Love and a couple Luepolds I am happy with as well. I am very familiar with good rifle optics I just am trying to find what the best/lightest??

 

[J E Custom]

Anyone have anybody have a suggestion on a good lightweight scope? I see Leupold has the "Ultralight" scopes available. Any experience with these optics? I am thinking up the build of a lightweight back pack gun and I dont have alot of experience with optics in that department. Any other choices folks have had good luck with?

I have always been happy with my Leupold scopes and the Nikons as far as optics
and weight.

Burris makes some nice scopes at a reasonal price but they are a bit heaver.

Look at the different scopes at SWFA and look up the specs on each some of the very
best scopes are heavy 3 or 4 lbs and hurt in saving weight.

Leupold also makes a titanium ( Very light ) but it is expensive.

Also the size of the glass (40mm,44mm,50mm and 56mm) get much heaver as you go
up in size.

J E CUSTOM

 

[Dewey]

I have shot Leupies for over 40 years and use a lot of them on my mountain rifles (not really much use for any other kind here in BC). I have also bought four Zeiss Conquests over the past year or so and am VERY pleased with these, all in all; I consider them the best value in a really sound hunting scope.

But, I am pulling one off my P-64 Mod. 70 Fwt.-.270Win. in it's blind magazine Micky Hunter's Compact Edge stock and going with a Swarovski AV-3x9 due to it's roughly 1/4 lb. lesser weight.

I consider the Swaro rather over-priced, but, it is the best truly light scope I have shot with and this rifle is my "go-to" alpine one, with every little tweak I can use in a dependable crf rifle.I will be at 7 lbs. all up then and find lighter rifles are too hard to hold steady at 62, so, this is it.

I have a Brno 21/22 action, Recknagel trigger, Krieger ltwt. bbl., Micky Edge stock blank and am waiting on a 3-***. safety by Satterlee from a bud in the States. This will be a custom .280Rem. with Recknagel rear peep and front post and bottom metal, a converted FN item; it should go about 7 lbs. and will also wear a Swaro AV-3x9. This is my all-time favourite "standard" cartridge with handloads and I am saving my nickels to have Ralf Martini build it for me.

So, I think this Swaro is the one, but, they are a h*ll of a price and only you can really determine whether that is worthwhile for YOU, relative to the cost of a Leupy VXIII. I have a 2.5x8 on my other Brno 21 .280R and have had a couple more of these and they ARE a good scope, no BS. Have fun choosing, it's all part of the enjoyment of hunting!

 

[akrange]

Swaro AV 's for their optical performance and their Light Weight.. If you look around people are dumping them at very good prices...

AK

 

[mtelkhntr78]

AK,
Thanks for the advice! I found a couple of Swaros that weigh in right at about 11 oz that I really like. I never gave Swaro a thought quite honestly, I always had it in my head that they were way, way out of my price range. The AV line has some pretty competative prices to Leup and Zeiss. I am keeping my eyes ope for a good deal now!
M

 

[BountyHunter]

I use a Kahles 3-9x40 with the TDS reticle. Swarovski also has the TDS.

BH

 

[Black Stim]

Not sure what your price range is, but Schmidt and Bender Summit scopes based on 1" tubes (announced at the 2009 SHOT show) might be worth a look. As far as I know, no specs are available yet, but I can't imagine their optics being anything other than amazing, but in a lighter 1" tube package. I would think they should be lighter than their 34 or 30mm tube counterparts.

 

[akrange]

I agree .. I've own a number of the SB's and their Heavy for a Mountain type Rifle.. Bright and Clear Glass.. If they do come out with a lighter scope I'll be in line to check them out ...
AK

 

[hekin.308]

For a true LW I would suggest a Leupold 4X. CamerLand has a heck of a sale going on a Pentax 4x but I am not sure what it weighs....

 

[Scenter]

I'll add my vote for the Swaro. I use a Blaser, so I'm able to use a rail mount. The Swaro AV 3-10X42 SR w/ TDS is the ticket for me. Having said that, I'm glad I tuned in in time to hear about the new S&B line.

 

[autgrs]

Night force 2.5-10x32 (19 ounces)

 

[novaman64]

Nikon Buckmaster 4.5-14x40 is 18.7 ounces... I have one on my rifle, never had to re-zero even getting bounced to hell in the back of the truck or UTV... For $300 u cant really go wrong, pretty clear, its no Nightforce though....

 

[LongBomber]

I have a leupold ultralite 3-9X33, 9 ounces. Optics are not as good as a VX3/ziess/S&B..etc. although they are onpar with the better nikon/bushnell scopes. At 400 bucks you can't expect top end features. It all depends on your budget. Also instead of a rail/ring or standard leupold rings try a set of talley alluminum one piece ring/base (2.5 ounces), at about half the weight of the standard leupolds.

 

[Pigeon]

I have a Swarovski PV-N 3-12x50 on my lightweight rifle - and it is mounted with a scopemount, made from Titanium...

works superb and whole rifle weights just 3,1 kg with everything. Rem 700 Titanium in .30-06

Titan-Montagen - Titanium Gunworks