I wanted to stay away from batteries and not spend so much for such a close range shot. I found a NIB Leupold VX-Freedom 1.5-4×20 Pig-Plex that checks all the boxes. Thank you !
Fixed power scope?
- Thread starter Oceansnaps
- Start date
Exactly.
Excellent scope except for this particular gun I want to keep the scope as close to the barrel as possible so I don't have to always figure how much over or under I will be based on the range. So I went with the Leupold.
FirstBubba
Well-Known Member
I put one of those on my AR. Works like a champ for deer, pigs and vermin!
I'm not going to shoot over +/-200 yards anyway. Not that I can't, I just don't need to!
Mounted the scope and headed to the range. This Smith & Wesson 1854 44 magnum is absolutely amazing. After getting in zeroed, I put 3 shots on top of each other at 50 yards. Then, did it again. I actually had two times where the bullets went through the same hole. Then went to 100...bullets drop about 1.25" from 50 to 100. There is a steel clanger at 100y, never missed it (hit it about 7 or 8 times).
I used Federal 240 g JWP ammo. Not sure this would be the best hunting bullet, but I had the box so I used it.
I have an Athlon chrono so I set it up. 10 shots got an average of 1715 fps with an sd of 4.5
One other thing, I put about 25 shots through it (in groups) and the barrel never got hot. It barely even got warm. Any of my other rifles would have warmed up but this 44 magnum stayed relatively cool...I don't get why, but it didn't heat up and didn't show any signs of bullet accuracy opening up from heat.
As my grandkids grow up (oldest is 4), I've often wondered which rifle I would suggest they hunt with. All my thoughts in matter are out the window ! This is the deer gun if/when any of them want to hunt!
PS. The Leupold 1.5-4 needed medium rings. I tried the low ones, the magnification ring was touching the pic rail so I had to go to medium. The circle/dot reticle may have something to do with the accuracy I was able to produce. So glad I got on this forum and was pointed to this scope. Since they quit making it, I may buy another one and just put it on the shelf...its something I may want to use on another rifle one day.
I used Federal 240 g JWP ammo. Not sure this would be the best hunting bullet, but I had the box so I used it.
I have an Athlon chrono so I set it up. 10 shots got an average of 1715 fps with an sd of 4.5
One other thing, I put about 25 shots through it (in groups) and the barrel never got hot. It barely even got warm. Any of my other rifles would have warmed up but this 44 magnum stayed relatively cool...I don't get why, but it didn't heat up and didn't show any signs of bullet accuracy opening up from heat.
As my grandkids grow up (oldest is 4), I've often wondered which rifle I would suggest they hunt with. All my thoughts in matter are out the window ! This is the deer gun if/when any of them want to hunt!
PS. The Leupold 1.5-4 needed medium rings. I tried the low ones, the magnification ring was touching the pic rail so I had to go to medium. The circle/dot reticle may have something to do with the accuracy I was able to produce. So glad I got on this forum and was pointed to this scope. Since they quit making it, I may buy another one and just put it on the shelf...its something I may want to use on another rifle one day.
FirstBubba
Well-Known Member
@ Oceansnaps
"...Since they quit making it, I may buy another one and just put it on the shelf...its something I may want to use on another rifle one day. ..."
Sitting quietly on the top shelf of our gun safe, is a Leupold VX-I 3-9×40. It's still in the box and still wrapped in cellophane!
Wuz jist try'na think ahead! LOL!
"...Since they quit making it, I may buy another one and just put it on the shelf...its something I may want to use on another rifle one day. ..."
Sitting quietly on the top shelf of our gun safe, is a Leupold VX-I 3-9×40. It's still in the box and still wrapped in cellophane!
Wuz jist try'na think ahead! LOL!
Clem Bronkoski
Well-Known Member
I have a Leupold 1.5-4X on my Marlin Guide Gun 45-70 and its all I ever needed. I keep it at 1.5X for woods hunting here in PA and never took it off that to shoot game. With that in mind you may want to consider a straight 1X scope made for shotguns if you don't like red dots.
You may want to also consider a multireticle red dot scope. They're compact and really nice.
You may want to also consider a multireticle red dot scope. They're compact and really nice.
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