New scope for rifle
 

Gearing up for the hunting season, I put a new scope on my rifle. The old 4 X Tasco was getting a little too hazy for my eyes. The new one is a Leopold Vari X 3 and goes from 3-8 magnification or thereabouts. I put some old reject re-load solids through it to see how much adjustment would be needed and was pleasantly surprised with the results. Here is a 5 shot group of 300g monolithic solid brass heads at 100 yds.

I'd say you were pretty much set. Nice picture and congratz!

What platform and caliber?

Blue, it is a Remington 700 from their Custom Shop in .375 H&H Magnum. I use it for all of my hunting nowadays even though I also have a very accurate Tikka .30-06.

Been meaning to get a bolt action for some time. You just put a fire under me,,,,

I have had this rifle for many years and am very fond of it. I got it as a part payment on a debt, so didnt choose it. The only thing I have against it, and this is really theoretical, because I have never had any trouble from it, is that I would have preferred a positive feed and extraction bolt of the Mauser type. This is a little safer for dangerous game. The Remington has this little fingernail affair that is not nearly as robust as a big Mauser claw like the Winchester pre-64 has or the Rugers and CZs. The Remingtons accuracy cannot be faulted though and I think, is superior to the others. Its a very heavy rifle though, and a real bitch to carry for many miles in the heat of the day. It has a bull barrel and some lead in the butt to balance it out.

I'd say that's a fine grouping. Leopold's clarity is great!

Didn't even know a Tasco could handle that kind of recoil.

My preference is the Nikon Monarch's 2x7 32mm from Japan (other's made in Thailand or Philippines are good too) for weight, size, quick target acquisition, and durability...they are set on 4x. Imagine if you have lead in the stock it wouldn't matter...:)

Good Hunting

I use a Leupold 2.5 X 8 Vari-X III on my Rem. 700 in .260 Rem. for deer hunting. I like this scope a lot!

The Tasco has lasted about fifteen years and many hundreds of rounds and its my eyes fading that made me get a new scope. I didnt really need it for the big stuff, but I hunt Springbok once a year in the Kalahari Desert and most shots are more than 200 yds, and the Springbok is a small animal.

The new Leupold is very good, except that I cannot get it mounted so as to avoid the sight picture developing a black halo on maximum magnification. If I get it any closer to my eye (even if I could) I am going to get a few black eyes from the recoil. I really dont want to change the mounts as they are quick release and ideal for dangerous game hunting when you want to very quickly go to open sights after using the scope.

What brand of mounts are you using?

Post a picture of the rifle with the scope and mounts, maybe there could be some suggestions people could offer then.

Impressive durability with the Tasco. Understand Springbok is a good hard hunt. And I thought my desert hunts were remote...grin


That's my main beef with the Leupold, saw a farmer knocked out cold getting too close to one with a 30-06, and of course a bloody half circle. A friend of my wife broke her face last year with 7mm win mag though not sure of the scope brand. Imagine some can do it with anyone of them. Haven't had the pleasure myself, so far, thank goodness.

Hopefully Rob_Frey might able to provide some helpful insight

Eye relief is an optical tradeoff for enhanced field of view and magnification.

TR

Thanks Reaper, didn't know that and it makes sense.

Nice group for those huge rounds. What kind of big stuff are you going to be hunting?

Cape Buffalo in March and maybe a problem elephant later in the year if one pops up when I am free.