Hunting Scopes Today

[airedale]

A new model scope that I have really come to like a lot is the ultra light Leupold 2,5X. These little guys have big eye relief which makes them great on heavy recoiling guns, big field of view which makes them great for hunting the timber, only nine ounces which keeps the theme of a carrying gun in line and add that to Leupold's reliability and quality that is second to none.

The rifle below also illustrates another scope mounting system using quick release rings, they allow the use of your rifle's open sights if anything mishap were to happen to the scope. To be honest I did not know how reliable these were but after using them on a couple of my rifles, taking the scope off and putting it back on at the range and testing the zero both were right on the money and hitting exactly where they were supposed to be.

Leupold, Warne and Talley make quick release rings, mine are Leupold and Warne, I like the way the Warne rings install on the scope better than the Leupolds.

Al

[airedale]

When doing your own scope-base work the most important tool are good quality screwdrivers made for gun work. Dedicated gun screwdrivers have the right grind to fit screw slots perfectly to keep you from buggering the screw up. Many scope rings and mounts are changing over to star and allen type screw heads so the screws can be torqued better.

The Wheeler set below will handle just about any screw type you will run into when doing scope jobs and well worth the investment.

Al

Edited February 21, 2023 by airedale

[phade]

I’ll admit that I just do not like wood stocks and glossy blues finishes. Maybe a generational thing but I highly prefer the flat/matte, coating styles of today. The only wood stock I’ll run would be a Boyd’s type and probably thumbhole.

I’ve always been told to spend more on the glass than the rifle. I have not lived up to that. Most of my glass is Bushnell, Sig, and Burris, Vortex. Not a fan of Vortex as I used to be. Sig is new and OK. 

I almost always fall into the trap of a $1-300 scope. My Weatherby has a $140 retail scope on it. Shoots great. Hard to walk away from it being dialed in and I may need to learn before doing something about it.

[bugsNbows]

SWFA has a nice little ultralight scope. It is 2.5-10 x 32 and weighs in just over 9 ozs. I think it sells for around $250. 

[airedale]

1 hour ago, bugsNbows said:

SWFA has a nice little ultralight scope. It is 2.5-10 x 32 and weighs in just over 9 ozs. I think it sells for around $250. 

I have come to be a big fan of compact scopes, I went over to SWFA but that scope is not in stock, it can be backordered. Never heard of the manufacturer so I would like to know a bit more about that before I took the plunge.

The American brands namely Burris and Leupold both marketed some nice compacts but today they have fallen by the wayside, poor sales is usually the culprit.

I keep checking ebay and have been buying good used Burris compacts if they are affordable, My favorite is the Burris Timberline that was selling for about $250 just a couple of years ago. Now that it is discontinued they are going for astronomical prices. Just did a quick check and this one on ebay is crazy high priced.

Al

[bugsNbows]

I have been buying scopes from SWFA for many years. They are out of Texas. They have always been top notch. Chris Ferris is the owner. I have been on a couple of hunts with his nephew CFII. Nice young man. 

[airedale]

I have purchased several scopes from SWFA myself, no complaints.

Al

[bugsNbows]

They source out their design specs all over. I think most are from Pacific Rim countries such as the Philippines.

[airedale]

On 2/13/2023 at 6:59 AM, airedale said:

Bushnell was quite an innovator with their scope back in the sixties. They had a mounting system that utilized two hardened studs that were screwed in the place a base would go. On the scope's bottom was a rail with movable attachment blocks in place of conventional rings. The block had an opening that would fit on to the hardened stud and tightened down. I had a Remington 660 243 with a 3X9 scope chief mounted on it, the setup worked great. The scope also had what was called a "command post", when woods hunting a shorter ranges a switch would flip up the post for a much easier to view reticle and it worked great.

Unfortunately, the idea was not a great one for sales and Bushnell eventually dropped that line of scopes.

Al

An ad showing the Bushnell Scope Chief workings, I liked the one I had.

[airedale]

Where are the simple and reliable straight power scopes? Once common and favored by hunters and target shooters the straight power scope is now a thing of the past. I have probably seen more K4 Weaver scopes mounted on hunting rifles than any other. Below is some of the straight powers Leupold sold for years and they are scopes I personally own. 12X, 10X, 4X, 3X. I do not think any are in today's lineup. Same goes for the other scope companies, seems like everything they make these days is a variable. 

I always liked a straight powered scope for certain hunting guns, they are lighter in weight and most times cost less and have never found myself missing a shot on game because my firearm was wearing one. I also have many variable power scopes and I like them also but they are really not needed in most cases and are set on a low power most of the time I am hunting.

Al

[airedale]

Things are not looking good for another one of my favorite straight power scopes, been looking all over for a little Leupold 2.5X ultra light now for a couple of weeks and no one has it, went with a 1X4 Freedom instead for the same money.

Al

[Dr Juice]

I have purchased several scopes from SWFA myself, no complaints.
Al

Same here

[airedale]

Aa mentioned above I am a big fan of quality American company compact scopes, in recent years they have fallen by the wayside with very few choices to be had. Consequently, I am constantly on the prowl over at ebay looking for a buy on nice condition used scopes which are far from being cheap these days.

Found a rare bird the other day, a top of the line USA Redfield 5 Star compact 3X9 priced right and I snapped it up. It is the first one I have ever seen in person and I like what I am seeing. Now for the fun part, matching it up to the right rifle.

Al

[airedale]

Just finished up reading Robert Anderson's book on Jack O Connor, America's Greatest Gun Writer. I grew up reading Jack O Connor's work and it played a major factor on my views on hunting and firearms. I have all of his books and read his monthly magazines articles up until his death, his advice never steered me wrong.

This book had some interesting new tidbits and what was interesting to me pertaining to this thread about scopes was a section of the book devoted to every rifle Jack and his family owned and used throughout his career described in detail including what scopes he had mounted on each.

Other than a couple of varmint rifles used for Jack Rabbits and Marmots that had higher powered varmint type  scopes of the day, Jack's favorite hunting rifles usually wore a 4X Leupold with a sprinkling of 2.5 and 3x  power Weavers and Leupolds. There was one rifle his wife used that had a Redfield 2x7X mounted on it.

The amount of trophy game animals taken from decades of hunting all over the world speaks for itself and some shots were extremely long with what would be considered today as low powered scopes.

Al

[Grouse]

The field of view offered in a low power scope is one of its main advantages, especially on a moving game animal..

[bugsNbows]

SWFA update… word has it that they have closed down and the business is up for sale. They may continue on some small scale only with their branded scopes. Too bad.

[airedale]

Been seeing hunters mounting scopes on their rifles that have the tactical type adjustments. I do not have any experience with those types of exposed turrets on any of my hunting guns but was watching one of those African safari hunts where a woman had such a type on her rifle. She had a couple of misplaced shots on game and when the rifle was checked on a bench it was found going through the brush apparently turned the dial settings changing the bullet impact point of aim.

They look cool hi tech and fancy but for me I will stick with turrets that have caps that cover and protect the adjustments.

Al

Edited October 13, 2023 by airedale

[wolc123]

Ive always been a Redfield fan.  Too bad Leupold didn’t keep the Revolution line going.  I’m glad I got my 2-7 before they unloaded it:

Two kills for me already this year, with my 2-7 Redfields.  The one on my T/C Omega is an old “low-pro”. I also have one of those in 3-9 on my Ruger M77 30/06.  

 

Edited October 14, 2023 by wolc123

[cas]

On 2/21/2023 at 6:03 PM, bugsNbows said:

SWFA has a nice little ultralight scope. It is 2.5-10 x 32 and weighs in just over 9 ozs. I think it sells for around $250. 

Serviceable I would say, but wouldn't say very nice. lol  Also 10x on the bench, as the eye box is tough at 10 for field use.  I usually say it's a 10 at the range, 8 or 9 in the woods. The glass isn't great, but you can live with it. 

 

I have one on my Barrett Fieldcraft, which keeps it extra light... but a few times I've thought about swapping it for something with a better image and more forgiving. I don't REALLY need an ultra-light rifle, and the added weight would make it easier to shoot. 

 

 

 

I got a scope in the mail today, a Leupold. I begrudgingly bought it because it was about the only option I could find in that size.  IMO their quality has really taken a dive and I didn't want to buy it.  I don't really like one of the features either, but choices were limited.   There's a giant void in the scope market these days. Tons of crap and plenty of great, expensive scopes, but little in between.   And the sleek slick lines of the past are gone. Everything is blocky, squared off, ugly "tactical" looking. They're okay I guess with plastic fantastics, but they look out of place on a classic hunting rifle.  I needed a scope for a 1974 vintage rifle, it had a "Tv view" Redfield on it and unfortunately the lenses were going, frosting up and discoloring, looked sort of like looking sunglasses. It looked the part, being of the same vintage as the rifle, but the poor image quality wasn't working for me.

[TLR]

I use Leapould & nightforce 

[wolc123]

On 3/6/2023 at 6:36 AM, airedale said:

Where are the simple and reliable straight power scopes? Once common and favored by hunters and target shooters the straight power scope is now a thing of the past. I have probably seen more K4 Weaver scopes mounted on hunting rifles than any other. Below is some of the straight powers Leupold sold for years and they are scopes I personally own. 12X, 10X, 4X, 3X. I do not think any are in today's lineup. Same goes for the other scope companies, seems like everything they make these days is a variable. 

I always liked a straight powered scope for certain hunting guns, they are lighter in weight and most times cost less and have never found myself missing a shot on game because my firearm was wearing one. I also have many variable power scopes and I like them also but they are really not needed in most cases and are set on a low power most of the time I am hunting.

Al

I also like straight power scopes on certain short range guns.  The two that I still have, definitely have more kills on them, than all of my other guns and scopes combined.  I think that the cheap Simmons “22 magnum” scope on my Ruger 10/22 is 3x or 4x.  That’s just perfect for squirrels.  It’s also not bad at night with moonlight and snow.  I’ve taken a few foxes and coyotes with it in those conditions.  
 

That thing has been horribly abused and has never given me a hint of trouble.  Same goes for the old Weaver K1.5 on my grandad’s old Ithaca 16 ga featherlight model 37.  Both of those guns are best used at under 75 yards range.  That’s about the cutoff, beyond which I prefer the variables. 
 

I have connected on shots a bit over 100 yards with both of them though, including my largest antlered buck with the Ithaca/Weaver and my largest coyote with the Ruger/Simmons.  The “larger targets” certainly helped in both cases.
 

 Ive also killed lots of crows at just over 100 yards,  on my carcass/bait pile, with that Ruger 10/22 and it’s 3 or 4 power Simmons scope.   That’s the distance, from my bedroom window, to the bait pile across the creek our back.  I usually play the wind a little with the .22 at that range.  

 I definitely would not want to be without the variables on my longer range weapons.  The last, early gun season doe that  I used one on just a few weeks ago, was a great example of why that is.  My ML was up on the rail and my binoculars were hanging, when I heard her approaching hoof steps at sunset.  
 

I reached for the gun (scope was set to 2x) and quickly found her in view at about a 60 yard range.  She was feeding her way closer, on a narrow strip of clover.  I wanted to make damn sure that she was a mature doe and not another button buck as had been my prior twilight kill, a week prior.  Easier said than done in the fading light.  I’d have been screwed with my fixed 1.5x scope (that seems to Nashe then look smaller).  
 

A quick reach for the power knob, cranking the old Redfield up to 7, revealed every detail on her head.  I now knew for sure that she was a mature doe, and I didn’t have to make a big move reaching for my binoculars, to do it.  

 

[ridgerunner88]

Leupold has a fixed x2 and x4 that very light, sub 10oz and don’t have exposed turrets. If you are active duty military they offer a great discount.

I run a Leupold 2-8x33 on my muzzleloader and 2-10x36 on my 7mm-08. They have served me well and given me no reasons to think about changing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[airedale]

On 10/14/2023 at 1:07 AM, cas said:

There's a giant void in the scope market these days. Tons of crap and plenty of great, expensive scopes, but little in between.

You hit the nail on the head, the mid priced decent quality scopes have  gone by the wayside replaced by "here today gone tomorrow" makes and models of hunting and target scopes made by Chinese companies. 

Al

[wolc123]

43 minutes ago, airedale said:

You hit the nail on the head, the mid priced decent quality scopes have  gone by the wayside replaced by "here today gone tomorrow" makes and models of hunting and target scopes made by Chinese companies. 

Al

In a way, I’m thankful for that “void” a little bit today.  Had I been able to find a decent, new, mid-range scope, I probably would have put it on My Remlin 336BL, this past off-season.  
 

Instead, I’m sticking with the fiber-optic open sights that I put on it a few years ago.  I got a bad hit on a buck late last season with that gun.  My usual reaction to such a mishap, is to blame the equipment and spend money on new. 

If Leupold had not dumped the Redfield Revolution line, there would be one on it right now.  Fortunately, I discovered the real root cause of that bad hit back on my range a few weeks ago.  
 

A few years prior, I discovered that wearing no-line progerssive bifocals adversely effects the vertical impact of bullets, when using a scope.  The problem showed up and caused (2) clean missed on deer with my old 2-7 Redfield on my T/C Omega ML.   I rectified that issue by getting several cheap pairs of straight prescription glasses to use while shooting and hunting with scopes. 
 

Using those same cheap glasses with the open sighted Remlin 336BL put the first shot at 50 yards  7” high.  Two more shots and I had the rear sight dialed in, but I now know why I got a high back hit on that buck.  
 

Not only are progressive bifocals bad with scopes, but the same holds true for open sights.  I verified the issue by switching back and forth between the bifocals and straight prescription glasses, using my adult stocked Daisy Red Ryder shooting cans on the back deck. 
 

From now on, it’s cheap , straight prescription glasses for me wether I’m shooting with scopes or open sights.  

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by wolc123

[GreeneHunter]

I would like to get a new scope for my 270 but I want to retain using the Iron Sights , I believe there is the ability to have scope attachments that leave the ability to use the Iron Sights but cannot think of the name right now ... suggestions ?