Scope advice

[Guest]

Hi, everyone. I just purchased a .338 BAR for hunting big critters; mule deer, elk, moose and bear. I realize the .338 Win Mag is not necessarily a long range cartridge; but for all around hunting under 400 yards what scope would you suggest I mount on this gun. Bear in mind, I am looking for a good quality optic, but also something practical for hunting these animals. OK, let me have your best advice and thanks in advance.

 

[Boyd Heaton]

My pick's would be a 5.5-16.5 Nikon Monarch or a 4.5-14 Leupold.....

 

[Guest]

[ 07-11-2003: Message edited by: S1 ]

 

[sierra22]

For that range and that size animals, I'd go with a quality european 1,5-6x42.

Kahles, Schmidt&Bender, Swarovski or Zeiss.

 

[Guest]

[ 07-11-2003: Message edited by: S1 ]

 

[BountyHunter]

1. Get the Kahles TDS reticle in 3x9x40 $525 can use for ranging and holdover.

2. Buy good leupold vari-x3 in 2.5 x 8. You can send to premier reticle and have lines or dots put in for whatever size you want ie 18" at 300 yds at 8x for example. You can also use the dual x crosshair to range on the varix3. look at top of a power ring, it has distance marks for powers. Not real accurate LR but close enough for what you want.
3. Buy decent short range range finder $200 and good nikon 1-5x for 2-7x.

all of these will work for what you want. I like the Kahles TDS. comes with all instructions you could want for what you intend to do.

Good luck

 

[Guest]

[ 07-11-2003: Message edited by: S1 ]

 

[sierra22]

The mildots are easy to master. No dot obscuring the target in center if yoy dial the distance.

German no4 reticle works equally well for ranging. The distance from the thick post to center crosshair equals 35cm at 100m (appr 12" at 100 yds, or 3.5 mils if you want) or 75 cm thick post- thick post.
This makes range estimation and holding for leads on running/walking targets a no-sweat chore.

 

[Guest]

Good advice from everyone. Field of view is not too bad at 4 or 4.5X, but I agree that something less than 4X would be ideal for bear. Here is the rub, I do want to be able to "range" deer and elk with the reticle, so I was considering a Leupold 4.5-14 with a German #4 reticle (3 large posts and a simple vertical crosshair). I could get the same scope in MILdot, but I did not know if the Mildot spacing would come anywhere near the mediocre trajectory of the .338 Win Mag.
I have never used MILdot.
1. Is it extremely difficult to master?
2. Would it be any good with .338 Win Mag?
3. Do the dots obscure the target (let's say a whitetail) at long range?
I also like Burris scopes and considered the Nikon Monarch, but found for my eyes that the Leupold Vari-X III is sharper resolution.
Thanks everyone.
May your groups be small and your exit holes large.

 

[Cybra]

Hello, Jon

No, the dot spacing is not hard to master, especially if 400 yards will be at the upper end of your range. The dots should not obscure the target, although a few people do have trouble finding them on a dark background, but unless the reticle is illuminated, you're not likely to find crosshairs much better. I think most dots are....125 MOA, on the scopes we're discussing; but I'm not sure. I have a Nightforce with a .1875 MOA dot <set at 22X--it gets smaller as the magnification is decreased>, and it'll find the smallest of furballs out to well over what I can accuracyly fire <beyond 800 yards>. The #4 reticle would be an excellent choice, and if you spend a little time developing your own drop charts, the .338 WMag will give a plenty-flat trajectory, especailly with 200-215gr. bullets out to 400. I think a 3.5 X 15 power would be about optimum. If you can't find `em in a three power scope...pull the trigger, `cause he's about to plug your barrel!

Dave