Terrible luck with scopes, opinions please!

[Wylie1]

That scope should really be something, I'd guess. That one's stored in the memory banks for future reference!

Nice to know the dials are still an option! I've sent an email to Leupold with my different loads and hope to hear from them soon. It's a long shot but I might be able to slip in one day of Elk hunting if the stars and all align correctly. My work season closes Wed and my Elk tag closes the day after than a medical procedure on Fri. Being I'd be doing the Elk hunt myself, it's really a long shot!

 

[AGrizz]

The Pride Fowler Scope is realy a good field scope for anyone. The reticals are not only as Skylerbone has mentioned. In addition you are able to use the substention length as a windage lead for bullet windage compensation. If there is a 10 MPH right to left wind at 10 MPH. All you do is move the substention to the first indicator in the sub line.

Sounds complicated however it is more diffcult to explain that it is in the real usage of the retical.

You can also use these as a range finder if you are aquainted with them. No more guess work. Use the retical to calculate the yardage to the target and then go to that line and apply the windage you need, squeeze the trigger. This can all be accomplished in your head in about 5 seconds. The reticals are mainly for these calibers however are available in others as well from the company. There are a large number of calibers and bullets that follow the same flight path to the target.

COMPATIBLE BALLISTIC COEFFICIENT EXAMPLES.
.308 Winchester Sierra 175 gr. match king B.C. .505 @ 2600 fps
.308 Winchester Sierra 168 gr. match king B.C. .462 @ 2700
7.62 NATO 147 gr. FMJ BT B.C. .401 @ 2800 fps
6.5x55 Swedish Sierra 6.5 140 gr. SBT B.C. .495 @ 2600 fps
7-08 RemingtonSierra .284 168 gr. Match King B.C. .488 @ 2600 fps
.223 Remington Hornaday .224, 75-gr. A‐MAX B.C. .440 @ 2700 fps
.556 NATO, 55/62/77 gr. (out to 600 yards)

 

[Wylie1]

You have me almost kicking myself for getting the Leupold now. That 147 grn NATO round at .401 B.C. traveling at 2800 FPS is very similar to my Sierra 165 grn load at .363 which I have matching POI out to 400 so far with the 175 grn Berger VLD hunters. I'd guess the 147 like my 165s starts to go South right about 500 yards.

The 30mm tube would mean new mounts and I have already opened the packaging for the lens covers to the Leupold or I might consider returning them and the VX to give the RR-2 a run for its money. New scope, almost no load development needed makes for a big plus!

To add to that my first search turned up almost $300.00 savings with the RR-2
http://www.amazon.com/Pride-Fowler-RR800-2-Rapid-Reticle/dp/B0036Z9E1M
:banghead:

What seems to be odd to me is my Bergers are traveling at 2730 with about the same B.C. as the 175 MK you listed? Maybe a magnification thing too I guess.

The side focus I'm not so sure of, the reduced magnification and the lower magnification has me sticking with the VX.

 

[R H Clark]

Don't sweat it.The Leupold is a much better hunting scope.

 

[Skylerbone]

No side focus except on the fixed 10X.

Due to an equipment "malfunction" (a one-piece rifle becoming a two-piece compliments a tree and Rhino) I spent time hunting with both a Leupold VX-3 CDS and my RR-800.

The Pride Fowler was quicker, no need to adjust turrets and the glass every bit as good. I recommended that Leupold to my father before the hunt as I have always felt they bring enough glass to the table for hunting and I've enjoyed both of mine. Hunting with a guide, as required by Canadian Law, made me acutely aware of legal hunting hours as we waited on two bull moose coming in.

The guide informed me I had 6 minutes of legal time to make a shot and I opted for the one available (the smaller bull). Light, clarity, speed and accuracy were not a problem and I doubt any nay sayer has spent time with the PF.

It's not that the CDS was miserably slow, just the opposite. Range, crank the well marked elevation turret and fire but the PF eliminated the second or two spent on adjustment. IOW great hunting scope.

 

[tomrkba]

Buy once, cry once.

Buy a great scope and put it in a removable mount. Mount rails on all your rifles and you can move the scope around.

 

[sixgunner455]

Do none of your friends have a rifle already set up that they would loan you so you won't lose your opportunity to hunt?

 

[Wylie1]

Scope showed up yesterday and if I were to have any gripe it would be the eye relief difference through different magnifications. Clarity is exceptional, mounted up with more clearance than I would have thought. Once time is alotted I may do some custom milling to the scope mounts to lay it right down on the barrel with as little clearance as possible.
Mounted the scope last night after work, it took me longer than usual, nothing to do with the scope or rings, I was just spent, had a long day.

I loaded up 15 rounds this morning before work and managed to get to the range after work. Bore sighted from 25 yards and goofed it somewhere so I very carefully bore sighted again from 100 yards after wasting 5 rounds from the 25 yard bore sighting. Hit paper my first shot after the 100 yard bore sight, made the adjustments and aced a bullseye at 100. First shot at 200 was about 5 inched low or so and it was getting dark fast. I though maybe the first triangles below the crosshairs would be right for 200 and they were.
I'm only zeroed on the crosshairs at 100 right now but smacked a bull at 200 with the first set of triangles besides a few I pulled to the right.

12 rounds total and I should be good out to 300 for an Elk fairly easily off a good rest.

Alarm clock is set for 3:00 a.m. although there may be 3 to 4 inches of snow fall tonight, I'm going for it!
Lights out for me!
Tikka porn later and hopefully a horny critter to boot.

 

[Skylerbone]

Here's wishing you well on your hunt!

 

[SwampWolf]

if I were to have any gripe it would be the eye relief difference through different magnifications.

That "liability" is true for just about any variable scope. Goes with the territory.

 

[natman]

I'm thinking of pulling the trigger on a Leupold VX-3L 4.5-14x50 with Boone & Crockett Retical.

So? Too much scope for the rifle? Too expensive for what they are? A bit excessive for a hunting rifle?

Depends on what you hunt and how you hunt it. If your hunting is all done at 400+ yards it might be just the thing.

For general hunting at normal ranges it's too much magnification, too heavy and too big.

A 2x-7 or 3x-9 40mm would would work just as well and be considerably smaller and lighter. For woods use a 2x would work much better than 4.5x and if a deer is too far away to hit at 7x, he's too far away.

 

[Wylie1]

No Elk
Did get my doe yesterday, in the pickup by 9 a.m. opening morning.
Scope dialed right in with my existing rounds and it looks like my Deer rounds will be next years Elk bullet.
At 182 yards a 165 grain Sierra 2140 out the muzzle at about 2800 fps will blow thru both shoulders on a large mule doe.
Also have seen them bust T-posts up pretty good.

 

[45crittergitter]

Get a Leupold - any Leupold. I'm partial to the little VX3 in 2.5-8.

 

[Onmilo]

After having my fill of cheap scopes and wasted money, I now use Leupold and Trijicon and only Leupold and Trijicon.

 

[AGrizz]

I believe that some of us are keeping our head in the sand and should open our range of newer optics.

Pride Fowler is an affordable alternative to the high end scopes and are of tremendous value for hunting with the newer reticals.


http://www.rapidreticle.com/Main/ScopeItem.aspx?ID=3&grpID=3

http://www.horusvision.com

http://www.sportoptics.com/nightforce-rifle-scopes.aspx

http://www.sportoptics.com/schmidt-bender-rifle-scopes.aspx

http://swfa.com/US-Optics-Riflescopes-C3333.aspx

http://www.valdada.com

http://www.sportoptics.com/vortex-rifle-scopes.aspx

http://www.snipershide.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Main=279840&Number=3175028#Post3175028

http://swfa.com/Falcon-Menace-4-14x44-Tactical-30mm-Riflescope-P57239.aspx

These are just a few of the new style of optic that are on the market or in the works. Some are expensive and others will fall within a range of affordability for a hunting rifle and its usage. They are all very good to excellent.

Our past old standbys are going by the way side if they do not catch up. Newer reticals and dials, internal and external levels. Far superior internal parts and glass.

Newer range estimating information and capabilities with laser range finders. We are in an age of optical transformation that will eliminate the older style optics. Obsolecence of the older style single cross hair scopes has already transpired.

 

[gamestalker]

Why mess around with something that has failed you 3 times. I have Leupold's on high recoiling rifles that are approaching 30 yrs. and are still as clean, and still hold zero. This seems to be a pretty popular topic, and the simple answer remains the same, a Leupold will not let you down, and customer service is unquestionably the standard by which all others in the industry are judged.

GS

 

[Dthunter]

Sorry to hear about your problems with the scopes! I also think the mounting system is/was the issue. If the scope tube is tightend down on misaligned rings/bases, it will distort the tube and effect the scopes performance.

There is many other brands of scopes out there. You cant go wrong normally with VXIII Leupolds.

Sometimes it is the luck of the draw. I bought a Bushnell 5-15X40 Tactical one time really cheap! $100.00. like new, and it was all I could afford at the time. I reluctantly put it on my Remington 700 XCR Tactical in .308Winchester. I used a 20MOA rail,and Burris Signature rings to bias the scope for long range. I went out the next day and performed a box test at 100 yards. it worked flawlessly.

I promptly went out to 500, then 600,700,800,900, and 1000 yards. The scope performed waayyyy better than I expected!!! You just never know sometimes what your going to get. My suggestion is go with a Leupold, like you mentioned, and dont look back.

Good luck on your quest for a good scope!

 

[45crittergitter]

If you've been having bad luck with scopes, probably the last thing you want to do is spend less money on some newfangled whiz-bang thingy with lots of gemwhacks and whistles instead of spending a bit more on a known, proven, high quality, reliable, name-brand scope without a lot of extra gadgets to drive up the price and increase the complexity and decrease the reliability. But what do I know? I have very very few scope problems. Must be all those optics books I've read.

 

[kyarcher]

I like Vortex!!! Super nice scope and their CS is outstanding.

 

[Skylerbone]

The OP purchased a new Leupold more than a month ago. Pays to read the whole thread.

 

[kyarcher]

I still like Vortex........

 

[Sheepdog1968]

There are way too many choices out there. It used to give me a headace. Then, I read a book called the Paradox of Choice. Basically, we spend to much time looking for perfect on items when we should really be looking for good enough. It has helped me on all kinds of decisions including rifle scopes. I made the decsion that I will only buy optics from Leupold (scopes, spotting scopes, rangefinders, etc.). There are a good company and produce a good quality product with a lifetime no bs warranty. I'm sure there might be some brands that are better but I really don't care. I have been very happy with the various scopes I have purchased from Leupold. I think you choice in scopes is a fine one.

 

[Wylie1]

I'm not exactly sure how to impress upon some I have already purchased the Leupold and I am very happy with it so far.

Being the hunting season is over for me the fine tuning of the Tikka is in the works. The Talley scope ring bases are at the machine shop having a .093" deep channel milled to lower the scope. "Don't quote me on that measurement". I've found my smaller quantity of Devcon Liquid Plastic for bedding the reciever.

My paints are one of those things I could evidently use a good book or two to figure out.

I checked with Bell and Carlson on paint codes for matching colors and it looks like I'm left to eyeball them as B&C doesn't use any specific paint formulations.

Really curious as to how much a 2.25 inch group from 400 yards will tighten up with bedding of the receiver and lowering of the scope. As well, what mild flyers I may have produced so far could make themselves easier understood whether being the rifle, rounds or me.