Rifle Scopes new scope for big game at long range! please look

[Matt_3479]

2 years ago i was bear hunting with my 7mm rem mag topped with a fixed 4 and when my only 2 shot opportunities presented them selfs, both bears were passed 400 yards. The first black bear, 300-350 lbs was at 421 yards and just wasn't comfortable. The second was around 250 lbs and at 467 yards and if i wasn't comfortable with the first shot, i definitely wasn't comfortable with the second shot. Last year i went up moose hunting in northern Ontario and we saw 9 moose. 3 calves, 4 cows, and 2 bulls with 1 bull the biggest bull i have ever seen. the second was a small spike which was at 350 yards is what we guessed, as we tried getting closer it moved into the bush and we lost him. I took my 300. wsm topped with an old cheap bushnell 3-9x 40. The big bull was first spotted at just passed 740 yards. as we moved closer we ended up getting stuck in a spot that presented us with a shot at 550 yards on the button. Now i have practiced out to 300 yards due to the bear hunt the year before. After that moose hunt, i began practicing out too 600 yards but i want a scope that will help me with it.

I bought a 243. win for varmint and topped it with a Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44 and have practiced out too 600 yards with the reticle and with dialing. I'm thinking of getting myself a Vortex Viper PST 4-16x50mm for my big game rifle for this seasons whitetail/elk combo hunt in Montana. i want to prepare myself, i want to be ready for anything. Im not saying the scope will get me what i want but it will do what its meant too as long as i practice and do my part. What is everyones thoughts.

i thought of going with Leupold VX-3 with boone and crocket reticle, or even zeiss with rapid Z reticle but i want to dial and i want reticle as well. The Vortex is a mid prized long range scope. What are your thoughts?

 

[Mschloss]

Re: new scope for big game at long range! please look

The thought of a tactical scope for hunting appealed to me as well. This past season I topped a Browning .270WSM with an IOR 3.5-18 x 50. Long story short, my 13 yo son easily took a nice buck (his 1st) at 310 yds. I was able to laser the animal and adjust the scope for him -- just put the crosshairs where ya want to bullet to go...

I just bought a vortex PST 1-4 and am very happy with it. IMHO this scope would work well for your application.

 

[ToddM]

Re: new scope for big game at long range! please look

The PST 4-16 would fit that bill nicely. One of my favorite hunting scopes is the Leupold 3.5-10 M3 mark 4 scope, it has low profile knobs, reasonably light, and 1 moa elevation adjustments for quick settings in hunting situations. S&B also makes their perfect hunter series of scopes that is very nice for a hunting rig but very expensive.

That said, I commend you for knowing your limitations and not taking poor shots. If you are new to long range shooting understand most calibers are drifting multiple FEET in a 10mph wind at 500+ yards add to that in most high relief terrain over 550 yards the wind can vary from calm to 20mph, especially if you are say shooting across a canyon, it might look calm where you are and where the animal is where you can see vegetation but blowing 20mph in-between, which with a 7mm could easily drift 2-4 feet at 550 yards. Most people even experienced shooters cannot accurately judge the wind in high relief terrain to hit an 8" vital at those distances, in most hunting situations, no matter how many posts you see saying otherwise. In addition significant up and down angles at long yardage impact the amount of elevation adjustment needed compared to the same yardage on flat terrain. For example a 550 yard shot with a 7mm mag at a 30 degree angle, say to the bottom of a canyon, cuts the amount of elevation adjustment needed almost in half compared to a level shot.

I personally do not like the ballistic reticules, but some do, they rarely are accurate at longer ranges for the actual ammo you are using and people rarely put enough time in with them to know what each hash mark actually represents as far as yardage with their gun and load. For those that do put the work in they do have their use. However understand that most likely if the company says each hash mark is 100 yards of distance, with your load and gun it most likely will not be. So the "500" yard hash mark might be 447 yards or 539 yards with your load/gun and at longer ranges that's the difference between hitting and missing or worse yet wounding game.

 

[bama110]

Re: new scope for big game at long range! please look

I have struggled with this question also. I just purchased a Conquest with Z-600 an really like it. For my hunting rig i like the KISS principle.

 

[iplumb]

Re: new scope for big game at long range! please l

Have you thought about the Nightforce 2.5 x 10 32mm? I just mounted up two on two new hunting rigs - and they are very nice. Also, they have the low/med/ high retical options, and still allow .25 MOA turrets for dialing if desired. Nice light compact package - just wish they had larger objectives.
Mike

 

[ToddM]

Re: new scope for big game at long range! please l

Also remember that unless the scope is Front Focal Plane the ballistic or mildot reticule is only accurate for holdovers at usually the highest power. Sometimes with ballistic reticules for your particular gun/load you can tweak the power setting to get them to match up better, though that's very hit and miss, but that also means in the field you have to make sure you are on that exact setting before using it.

 

[Top Cat]

Re: new scope for big game at long range! please l

I am assuming you are using a LRF to determine your yardages, so all you need is a clear scope with a plain crosshair and a good elevation turret.

Once you know the range all you have to do is dial it in...that's about as simple as it gets and works very well. Ballistic reticles would only add error and complexity to that model.

If you are set on a Ballistic Reticle, I'd stick with a Mil-Dot, but a plain crosshair opens up the range of scope choices and cuts down on the expense. A scope in the 3-9 range with good glass works well past 600 yards.

TC

 

[shoots100]

Re: new scope for big game at long range! please l

Take a look at the Burris Eliminator.12x mag with rangefinder+ range compensator built in.Range,place the dot and shoot without takeing your eye off the animal.Thats after you've sighted it in and loaded the scope with the required ballistic data.The wind is up to you.Mine has worked great so far.I've ranged deer out to 600 yds and trees out to 1K+.Glass clarity isn't as good as the upper $$ scopes,but it's good enough for hunting.I just mounted it on my savage 338 lap(was on a 300WM)and sighted it in at 200yds.I'll stretch it's legs a bit further once the snow melts a bit.
STEVE

 

[shoots100]

Re: new scope for big game at long range! please l

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Shoots100</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Take a look at the Burris Eliminator.12x mag with rangefinder+ range compensator built in.Range,place the dot and shoot without takeing your eye off the animal.Thats after you've sighted it in and loaded the scope with the required ballistic data.The wind is up to you.Mine has worked great so far.I've ranged deer out to 600 yds and trees out to 1K+.Glass clarity isn't as good as the upper $$ scopes,but it's good enough for hunting.I just mounted it on my savage 338 lap(was on a 300WM)and sighted it in at 200yds.I'll stretch it's legs a bit further once the snow melts a bit.
STEVE </div></div>