Scope and Scope Mounts - I'm so lost...

[Quest50]

I just ordered a Stevens 200 chambered in 30-06. I've never really liked scopes, so I've never bothered to mess with them or put any on my other rifles.

I know very little about scopes and almost nothing about scope mounts.

The scope I'm currently looking at is a Leatherwood Hi-Lux 7-30x50

Link

I'd greatly appreciate some opinions on the scope as well as some suggestions for a scope mount.

 

[rcmodel]

For starters, about three or four times more scope power then you can possibly use on a hunting rifle.

The higher the magnification, the narrower the field of view.
You could only see a small patch of hair on a deer at 100 yards at 30X.
If he moves, you would not be able to track him.

Also, the more magnification, the dimmer the image in low light.

High magnification also magnifies your shakes and heartbeat, to the point you cannot hold the gun on target unless shooting off of a rest.

Look at a good 3x-9x-40 hunting scope.

The mount will be model specific to your rifle.
Leupold makes good ones.
Weavers work very well for less money.

rc

 

[Quest50]

This is not a hunting weapon. It's for putting small .308" diameter holes in pieces of paper.

I'll be bedding the stock and toying around with the trigger pull. It's going to be a project weapon. Eventually I'll be putting a new stock and maybe a new barrel on it if it doesn't perform satisfactorily at 200 - 300 yards.

 

[basicblur]

Well I ain't no scope expert, but I will play one on the 'Net!

All seriousness aside-more of a semi-auto/AR guy myself, but as a gunstore rat, I see a LOT of folks show up with/wanting too much scope for their rifle.
Guys at the store often warn them:
Too much scope (not enough eye relief) + recoil = many black eyes.
I've seen quite a few folks talked down AFA scope power due to the eye relief problem.

I'm sure the experts will be around soon to enlighten?

 

[Quest50]

Seems reasonable, I'll be looking into a lower magnification... something like a 3-9 or 4-12 seems more reasonable and would leave me with a more well rounded weapon that i could take hunting if I wanted to. I'll most definitely be taking your advice.

 

[Rokman]

I have a lot of 3x9 scopes and they are great for hunting. I have a 3x12 Nikon Monarch that I really like for hunting/target. I aslo have a couple of 4.5x14 that I use both ways. Once you get above that, its really better for target work. I bought a 6x18 Buckmaster Mildot scope from Midway ($299.00) that I love for paper punching on my heavy barreled AR varmint rig.

Leupold make great gun specific scope mounts.