New rifle, have a few questions

[AR27]

First off, my old man won this 30-06 weatherby vanguard on $20 of raffle tickets. All my experience is with AR-15s and AKs.

1. How do I mount a scope to this? I think the holes pictured are what is called, being drilled and tapped for scope bases? Whats needed to mount it up?

2. What scope would you reccomend for this? He will be using it for deer hunting in WI. Like i said its a 30-06 so it needs to be able to withstand recoil.

3. What distance should the scope be zeroed at?

 

[Haxby]

1. Go to the Weatherby website. Look for their lightweight scope mount system. Medium height.

2. 3-9X40. Nitrex (look at Natchezss.) Or a Burris, Leupold, Nikon Monarch, Bushnell Elite, or Redfield.

3. 200 yards. Or 1.5" to 2" high at 100.

 

[Smaug]

1. How do I mount a scope to this? I think the holes pictured are what is called, being drilled and tapped for scope bases? Whats needed to mount it up?

2. What scope would you reccomend for this? He will be using it for deer hunting in WI. Like i said its a 30-06 so it needs to be able to withstand recoil.

3. What distance should the scope be zeroed at?

1. Buy the right scope rings to mate with that receiver. Leupold, Weatherby, or Burris would be good places to start looking.

2. What's the budget? I have a Leupold, a Pentax, a Weaver, and a higher-end BSA. The Pentax and Weaver are just as good as the Leupold, but aren't US-made and don't have as good a warranty. The BSA is slightly lower quality, optically. I would look for a Weaver 3-9x40 for that rifle. Great quality, fair price, and a good match for the rifle's capability. 3X will be good in the Wisconsin woods for deer. 9X will be good if the deer is across a cornfield grazing or for targets.

3. It should be zeroed at 200 yards. That way, he can hold dead-on and be within a couple inches everywhere from 50 to 250 yards.

Where in IL are you? Rifle hunting is only legal in the northern part of the state. I'm 20 minutes south of the border; 50 miles north of Chicago. Drop me a line (PM) if you're interested.

 

[AR27]

Thank you smaug and haxby

 

[DANNY243]

Weaver 2 piece scope mounts and High Quad Lock Rings are easy to find at Walmart, top it off with a Redfield 3-9x40 and you'll be set. I've been real happy with that set up and all together it should be under $200.

 

[Supertac45]

Where in Wisconsin will he be hunting? Woods or farms since if woods, I'd zero at 100 yards, not 200 yds. Also if wooded, a 2x7 or smaller magnification will work just fine. If you have not mounted scopes before, find someone or a shop that knows what they are doing. Just a little more to it than putting screws in if you want it done right.

 

[pikid89]

to tell you the truth, as compared to your aks and ARs...the 30-06 does have some recoil...but i would not worry about having a scope that can withstand large amounts of recoil...thats more the realm of the big magnums and the long range rifles that require breaks and such.

the 30-06 has been used for hunting for over 100 years now and almost all of todays scopes that go for more than about 60 bucks will function just fine, since scopes have come a long way in the years that they have been around

Just about any scope from the big marques will perform perfectly adequatley for the rifle you have and its intended purposes...

I would suggest you spend in the neighborhood of 150 to 300 on a scope and you will have a scope that will last you a lifetime

My choice? Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x40 would be a perfect match for your rifle

zero the scope for 100 yards, and that will give you a Max Point Blank Range of about 290 yards...that is, anywhere between the muzzle and about 290 yards, the bullet will not go 3" above or below the point of aim (keeping you in the kill zone of medium size game)
this allows you to aim at any deer up to 300 yards and not worry about hold over...and if you are trying to take deer past that, you need to rethink the shot and your ethics/skill level

 

[Caddisflied]

I've always had good luck using solid one-peice Leupold bases,
and low or medium rings (depending on the scope diameter).
Rifles seem to fit into your cheek better when the scopes aren't mounted too high.
Leupold scopes are hard to beat too,
but I've got a Redfield mounted on my Vanguard 7mm Mag that holds it's adjustment very well. I'm sure it would on an 06' as well.
I think the new Redfields are made by Leupold anyway.

 

[SaxonPig]

"All my experience is with AR-15s and AKs."

That's one of the saddest things I have ever read. I guess this simply reflects the reality with many younger shooters. If it doesn't look tacticool and shoot real fast they simply are not interested.

I have several "black rifles" but these are more my speed for serious rifle shooting.

 

[eocoolj]

Saxon, keep in mind us younger shooters are the future. Yea its the evil black rifles that lure us in, but in any era, the younger folks are always into the latest and greatest. With age, we'll come around to appreciating the older, slower guns. Until then, just humor us, because without us the future of the firearm hobby in the US would be endangered...

 

[Red State]

I don't care if someone's only firearm experience is with ARs and AKs. Everyone needs to start with some gun, who cares what it is?

For some of us it was .22s or a deer rifle or shotguns or pistols. It doesn't matter at all!

To answer the OP's questions,
I would use this mounting system (a friend has it on his Weatherby and it is excellent).
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=359625

And I agree with all the other posters who think that a 3-9x40 is perfect. As far as brand and model, these are all quality:
Burris FFII
Bushnell Elite 3200
Bushnell Elite 4200
Nikon Buckmaster
Vortex Diamondback
Vortex Viper
Weaver Classic V
Weaver Grand Slam
Sightron SII

 

[Motega]

I started with a Red Rider.

I say for deer hunting, zero to the yardage where most of your shots are... my .30-06 was zeroed to 200 for Africa and now I believe it is zeroed to 50 yards because I simply don't get a shot from my tree stand farther than that.

I used a Bushnell Buckhorn rifle scope on my shotgun for a decade and killed lots of deer with a single shot dead center heart at 40 yards or so. Buy the best glass you can afford CHECK EYE RELIEF to make sure it works for you (especially if you wear glasses) and buy the reticle you like. With today's scopes you should have a hard time finding a bad one. I just read a writeup of the BSA Contender that seems hard to beat for $150 shipped from Amazon if you are on a budget... if not you can spend $2000 to do the same thing. The deer don't care which scope you use to kill them.

Or you can avoid this whole mess, I will give you the $20 back, you send the rifle, everyone is happy?

 

[Caddisflied]

BTW Congrats to you're Old Man for winning that fine rifle.

The deer don't care which scope you use

Good Answer!

 

[Cryogaijin]

I have my aught-six zeroed at 225 yards, which works nicely for me.

I'm also partial to Zeiss scopes, being a bit of an optics snob.

 

[Kendal Black]

It's a good rifle! It is made for Weatherby by Howa.

You are right about the holes in the top. There are quite a a few scope mounts to choose from that will fit the Weatherby Vanguard. Choose any reputable brand--it isn't something you want to go cheap on. Don't over-tighten the rings and bases, just set them up hand tight with a bit of clear nail polish on the base mounting screws.

Value for money, I'm impressed with Leupold fixed power scopes. A fixed 4x scope seems to me a pretty good all around choice. The Redfield Revolution scopes are good budget-conscious choices if you feel you have to have variable power.

A 200 yard zero is a pretty good choice for the .30-'06. Typical loads will rise only about two inches at the midrange, which is trivial, and most people don't need to shoot much farther than 200, anyway.

IMHO, YMMV, VWP, PDQ, etc...

 

[USSR]

I say for deer hunting, zero to the yardage where most of your shots are... my .30-06 was zeroed to 200 for Africa and now I believe it is zeroed to 50 yards because I simply don't get a shot from my tree stand farther than that.

+1. Different methods of hunting require a different zero. I also hunt from tree stands, and all shots are within 50 yards. Nice to be able to make head shots and lose no meat.

Don

 

[Heretic]

SaxonPig, definitely got some gunporn there! has anyone mentioned the Shepard scopes?

 

[SwampWolf]

I just installed a scope on a new Vanguard using an integral ring/mount unit from Talley Manufacturing, Inc. and was very pleased with the quality, design and workmanship of this product.

 

[Motega]

LOL WOW USSR you are "gangsta" !... I consider myself to be a great shot and never have the nerve to take a head shot... I have these visions of being 3" off and instead of killing an animal just shooting out all it's teeth. Having chipped a tooth or two in my life, I cannot imagine the agony of being shot in the teeth. I would assume that if there is such a thing as karma, that would be a bad thing to do.

 

[RugerMcMarlin]

Haxby hit it right, zero 1 1/2"-2" high at a hundred, will extend your point blank range by probably about 100yds, I think with that zero, 180grain silvertips are -36 at 500. Not that you would ever shoot that far, but if your scope is mounted 1 3/4" to 2" high on the action, and you zero to 50 yds, that should put you on about NEPTUNE at 500. Why limit yourself? You have a wonderful caliber in an awesome rifle platform, use it, and enjoy it. Remember to account for shooting prone, when you set scope eye relief, soes not to get yer eye dotted!

 

[USSR]

LOL WOW USSR you are "gangsta" !... I consider myself to be a great shot and never have the nerve to take a head shot... I have these visions of being 3" off and instead of killing an animal just shooting out all it's teeth. Having chipped a tooth or two in my life, I cannot imagine the agony of being shot in the teeth. I would assume that if there is such a thing as karma, that would be a bad thing to do.

Motega,

Been called a lot of things, but never "gangsta". I sight the '06 in for a CBS at 30 yards, since that is an average shot in the woods. Inside of 30 yards with a 3X scope, "braining" them is not all that hard. You want a challenge, try hunting them with a handgun with open sights.

Don

 

[Motega]

I killed my first big game animal with a .357 at age 10... a wild boar. First shot in the arse... ran after him and second shot through the eye into the dome. First and last time I'll head shoot something.

To tell you the truth it has a lot more to do with potential prions- CWD, mad cow, and other nervous system infections almost assuredly can be spread to humans through spinal and cerebral fluid. I won't eat brains anymore or even cut through the spine with the same knife or saw that's going to touch stuff I eat. Prions aren't killed by freezing or cooking- they can't even be deactivated by detergents or autoclaving!

Be really, really careful if you are in an area affected by CWD if you decide to spray brain juice all over the woods... if not for your sake, for the sake of all the other critters that are going to be in the area.

 

[AR27]

"All my experience is with AR-15s and AKs."

That's one of the saddest things I have ever read. I guess this simply reflects the reality with many younger shooters. If it doesn't look tacticool and shoot real fast they simply are not interested.

I have several "black rifles" but these are more my speed for serious rifle shooting.

Hey saxon, you dont me and I dont know you. So how about you think before you write some crap you dont even know the background on. Did you ever think me and my family might not have had money as a younger child and therefore could not buy or use guns? Maybe all my experience came from the marine corps? They dont typically use ruger #1s to kill the enemy. Sorry some people are not as privelaged as you in our childhood.