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Rifle Optics advice.

A

altercall

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2007
Messages
460
So I've found a really good deal on some optics out here in Amarillo. I'm going to be leaving here in 5 hours, so I need advice quickly. They have a Zeiss Conquest 3.5-10x44mm for $599 (plus 20% off). They have multiple Leupold scopes, a VX-i 4-12x40mm for $279 (plus 20% off), a VX-iii 3.5-10x40mm for $479 (plus 20% off), and VX-iii 4.5-14x50mm but I can't remember if it was $599 or $699 (plus 20% off). Any input would be greatly appreciated!

BTW, it's for a pump-action 30-06 Remington.
 
Maybe I should ask some direct questions?

Is the extra $100-200 worth it for the extra magnification? Is the Zeiss better than the VX-iii? Also, is the difference between the VX-i and VX-iii worth $200 or more?
 
VX-i 4-12x40mm for $279 (plus 20% off)
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For that rifle, that's the route I'd go. Those are great optics and should do you well.

A pump 30-06 if a fine working gun, but it isn't a heavy barrel, benchrest shooter and IMHO there's no point in overspending on optics.

My free advice......worth what you paid for it..... :laugh:

Cheers - B.B.S.

Edited to add - Don't forget to buy some good rings to go with the scope. The best optics in the world aren't worth jack if they are mounted on flimsy rings that don't fit the eye relief of the scope.
 
No sense putting a giant phallic symbol on a pump. It's not that accurate to begin with. All you need is a 3x-9x, and I'd get the Leupold.

Doc.
 
I can't really say much about the others but I have a Leupold VX3 3.5X10 on a 7mm mag and I am real happy with it. It collects light early in the moring and late in the afternoon that lets you see stuff clear that would be hard to see without it. I have looked through alot of scopes and this is one of the best I have ever seen.
 
The difference between Leupold and Zeiss is going to come down to personal preference. I have looked at both, and I believe that the Leupold is much clearer than the Zeiss. The way that I look at it the VX-III 4.5-14X4omm is about the best scope that you can get for the money. I have looked very seriously at one, but just can't afford that model with the other stuff that I want. They are amazingly clear, and wonderfully made. For a scope to go on a deer rifle, the VX-III is the best line to choose from. The 4.5-14 allows the most versatility in any of the lines IMO. I have shot a Remington 700 with that scope on it, adn it was amazing. I beleive that you can pick one of these up at Midwayusa.com for $520. Of course everything here displays my personal preference, and I hope that it helps you out.
B

P.S. Of course Leupold has a lifetime no BS warranty, and I would suggest if you get one test it properly. Fill up your sink with warm water and fully submerge the scope. If any water gets inside it goes back to Leupold, and if it stays nicely sealed then it is ready for your rifle. Very few Leupolds have to go back. I only have seen one not pass this test, and they gave no problems to the guy who did it. They quickly exchanged it for one that didn't leak. Of course if it passes then you will not have to worry about ever getting moisture on the inside of the lense, and ruining the scope. I would also suggest a set of Butler Creek flip open scope covers. You can get a set for around $11 and they are well worth it. They are waterproof as well to keep the outer lense clean.
 
Quick point on magnification; for hand held shots, more magnification does not usually translate into longer range successful shots. You're ultimately limited by how well you can hold the rifle and execute the trigger pull.

Doc is right - I'd get a 3-9X with big objectives to get all the light in there you can.

More free advice.... :laugh: .....B.B.S.
 
altercall said:
VX-i 4-12x40mm for $279 (plus 20% off)

BTW, it's for a pump-action 30-06 Remington.
Click to expand...

I have this scope on top of my Remington 700 .270, and I like the VX-III MUCH better. I wish that I had spent the extra to get the VX-III 4.5-14X40mm. It's cheaper to buy once, than to HAVE to buy twice.
B
 
BlindedByScience said:
Quick point on magnification; for hand held shots, more magnification does not usually translate into longer range successful shots. You're ultimately limited by how well you can hold the rifle and execute the trigger pull.

Doc is right - I'd get a 3-9X with big objectives to get all the light in there you can.

More free advice.... :laugh: .....B.B.S.
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The only thing with this BBS is that with a Leupold getting more light in there isn't a problem. The Leupold is a very clear and very bright scope already. You can literally take a Leupold out in the dark and gather enough light from the moon to make a good shot.

A larger objective also takes away from the magnification. You are wanting to shoot a small area of the deer, so being able to see all of the scenery around it doesn't do you a whole lot of good. IMO a larger objective only takes away from the point of getting a nice scope with a decent power range. I would go no larger or smaller than a 40MM, I have looked at the 50MM's that they make and was not at all impressed with them. The 40MM scope also allows for lower mounting scope rings for a more proper shooting position of your head.

Trigger technique of course will also make or break the point of getting a good scope, as BBS has pointed out. Of course a little practice and tuning of your trigger can easily pass that set back. Though most of it comes back to you and how you pull the trigger. Mostly being consistent, and pulling the same every time for consistent shot placement.
B

Edit for spelling.
 
Let me be more plain. It's a pump. A brush gun. It's not for shooting antelope at 300 plus yds. You could tune it till the cows came home and it wouldn't shoot MOA. Putting too much scope on it would make you the laughing stock of deer camp around here. Fuggin' flatlanders. :laugh:

Doc.
 
I'm leaning towards what Gunsandcigars is saying. I really want to just buy one scope. This is my granddad's old gun, and probably will not be the last gun I get. I hadn't been fired in about 5 years before I got it a couple of years ago. I go hunting a couple times a year and haven't been able to get this thing sighted in. I'm shooting groups, they're just not consistent. I'll click it to the left and it's cause it to go further right and up. Then I'll take it down and it'll do the opposite. I've tapped it, put it away and tried another day. The problem is, every time I take it out, it fires a foot to the right. So I'm blaming the scope, and OLD Bushnell.

Now, that being said, one of the things I hate the most about the Bushnell is that it doesn't capture any light. That's one of the things I don't want to deal with again. I'd also like to have a 10x magnification. The way I see it is I can always take it down if I have to.

From what it sounds like, everyone is more impressed with the Leupold's than the Zeiss, though they are both great scopes. After that, it's just about magnification and light. I don't want a 50mm objective; it's just too big. 40-44mm is what I'm thinking right now.
 
Devil Doc said:
Let me be more plain. It's a pump. A brush gun. It's not for shooting antelope at 300 plus yds. You could tune it till the cows came home and it wouldn't shoot MOA. Putting too much scope on it would make you the laughing stock of deer camp around here. Fuggin' flatlanders. :laugh:

Doc.
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God I love your wit Doc............LMAO :laugh:


Jay, go with the Leupold. I've had both, and I now have all Leupold and one Bushnell. Only because it's actually a good scope for the brand.
What I really like about the 3x9 Vari-x's that I have are the clarity, and the dusk/dawn light transmission.
 
altercall said:
Thanks for all the help guys. I think I'm going to to with the VX-iii 3.5-10x40mm.
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You won't be disapointed it's kind of a overkill for a 30.06 but like you said you might want to put it on something else later.
 
I've got a weaver scope on a 243 auto, which i haven't shot in 10 yrs until a month ago, and it's still dead on. Listen to Doc...
 
Devil Doc said:
Let me be more plain. It's a pump. A brush gun. It's not for shooting antelope at 300 plus yds. You could tune it till the cows came home and it wouldn't shoot MOA. Putting too much scope on it would make you the laughing stock of deer camp around here. Fuggin' flatlanders. :laugh:

Doc.
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I have to agree with Doc.

The OP is located in Texas. Where will you be hunting? What type of cover? How long of a shot will you expect to need to make?

You're basically using a pump-brush gun. Shooting freehand most of us will not be very consistent with any distance greater than 200 yds. It seems to me like you are spending a lot of money for a higher end scope that (in the short run) will be a bit more than you need.

Some important things to remember. Your scope will only function as well as the mount. If you skimp on the mount you'll find the scope moving off zero every time you fire the weapon. If you will be hunting in brush, consider purchasing a "see-thru" mount that will allow for quick shots using your iron sights.

Also, when sighting in, be sure to have a very stable rest to shoot from. You may end up making scope adjustments that are purely attributable to a bad hold and/or trigger pull.

BTW - my current deer rifle of choice is a Savage 99C in .308. 150gr Remington. I mounted a $100 Bushnell 3-9x from (WalMart) with a "KwikSight" see-thru mount. I've been carrying this for the past 5 seasons with great success.

Last, practice at the range shooting in any number of hunting positions. This will be time well spent for when the monster walks in downrange.
 
Sounds like your old scope may be garbage, or the rings are loose. The rifle sounds nice (is it a 7600?)

I personally prefer the iron sights but there is nothing wrong with a good quality scope, a variable 2-4X is plenty. Keep it at the lowest setting when huntng deer!! I lost a deer a month ago by having it zoomed in too close.

BTW, i have had great success with Rem's Core-Lokt Ultra Bonded ammo, and it would give you about 2900 fps muzzle vel.

Happy Hunting!
 
Yes, it's the Remington 760.

I don't get all this talk about having the site zoomed out. I'm used to using a 10x all the way up. Most of my shots are somewhere near 150, but one of our stands is at 50-75. I've hit all the way up to about 200. Most of the time I'm hunting on my uncle's land for the meat, which means shooting doe. They're on the south side of the hill country, but even though there's a bunch of brush there are also large clearings. The only other regular place I'll go is up in th Panhandle (around Amarillo).

Since I'm mainly shooting for meat, I'm not shooting center mass just hoping to hit the broad side of a barn. I'm aiming skull to upper neck. Call me weird, but I like to be as close up as I can be. That being said, if it's at the 50 yd feeder I won't have it at 10X.

For those of you worried about me sighting it in, don't. I've been shooting for 15 years. Just to make sure it wasn't me with this rifle, I had a cousin of mine (his place is where I hunt) shoot it too, and he got the same results. I know how to sight in a rifle, and I know you don't just stand up and shoot. I've been through this rodeo before.

Doc, while I agree with you somewhat on the use of a 30-06, I grew up on a Remington Woodsmaster 742 that is as accurate a gun as I've seen. Let's put it this way, one of my brothers is legally blind and he's killed 2 deer with it.

To me it's all about having confidence in the gun. I don't want any excuses when I or someone else miss a shot. If I get a cheap scope will I always be able to say it was my fault if the shot is missed?
 
One thing to remember is that people are throwing this around as a brush gun, but it's not. My dads Winchester 30-30 is a brush gun. I wouldn't use it past 100-125 yards, but the remington 760 and 7600 are a different story. They are not getting the credit that they deserve. Now they are not going to be as accurate as a Remington 700 in .308 with a free floated 26" barrel and bedded stock. But they are still a good gun, and are capable with a decent shooter out to 300-350 yards without much of a problem.

With the range of scopes that you are looking at Jay none are "overkill". Going with a leupold Mark 4 Tactical would be overkill, but not a VX III. The 3.5-10 I can assure you will be happy with. Of course it will also be great for any other gun that you choose to put it on later.

Sunward if you are not familiar with the 760 it is just the older version of the 7600. Still a great gun, and plenty accurate. My coworker is using the same gun, and is still having great success out pretty far from what he has said.

Do make sure to get good rings and bases as well, and that they are properly installed. be sure that your base is Lock tighted, and that the rings are put on nice and tight. Also be sure to properly align the rings and get them lapped. If you are not familiar with the lapping process then get a good gunsmith to lap them for you. It is an important step that you do not want to skip. Of course after lapping them you will want to set the scope where you need it for the eye relief to be correct, and level the reticle. Then it is time to tighten the rings. Be sure to tighten them a little at a time, and go back and forth between the screws. Make sure that your front and back ring are each tightened equally. I am not sure if you are aware of these steps, and if you are then I am sorry for putting this all in here.
Hope that this info helps, and that you enjoy whichever one you bought!
B


altercall said:
Yes, it's the Remington 760.

I don't get all this talk about having the site zoomed out. I'm used to using a 10x all the way up. Most of my shots are somewhere near 150, but one of our stands is at 50-75. I've hit all the way up to about 200. Most of the time I'm hunting on my uncle's land for the meat, which means shooting doe. They're on the south side of the hill country, but even though there's a bunch of brush there are also large clearings. The only other regular place I'll go is up in th Panhandle (around Amarillo).

Since I'm mainly shooting for meat, I'm not shooting center mass just hoping to hit the broad side of a barn. I'm aiming skull to upper neck. Call me weird, but I like to be as close up as I can be. That being said, if it's at the 50 yd feeder I won't have it at 10X.

For those of you worried about me sighting it in, don't. I've been shooting for 15 years. Just to make sure it wasn't me with this rifle, I had a cousin of mine (his place is where I hunt) shoot it too, and he got the same results. I know how to sight in a rifle, and I know you don't just stand up and shoot. I've been through this rodeo before.

Doc, while I agree with you somewhat on the use of a 30-06, I grew up on a Remington Woodsmaster 742 that is as accurate a gun as I've seen. Let's put it this way, one of my brothers is legally blind and he's killed 2 deer with it.

To me it's all about having confidence in the gun. I don't want any excuses when I or someone else miss a shot. If I get a cheap scope will I always be able to say it was my fault if the shot is missed?
Click to expand...
 
gunsandcigars88 said:
Do make sure to get good rings and bases as well, and that they are properly installed. be sure that your base is Lock tighted, and that the rings are put on nice and tight. Also be sure to properly align the rings and get them lapped. If you are not familiar with the lapping process then get a good gunsmith to lap them for you. It is an important step that you do not want to skip. Of course after lapping them you will want to set the scope where you need it for the eye relief to be correct, and level the reticle. Then it is time to tighten the rings. Be sure to tighten them a little at a time, and go back and forth between the screws. Make sure that your front and back ring are each tightened equally. I am not sure if you are aware of these steps, and if you are then I am sorry for putting this all in here.
Hope that this info helps, and that you enjoy whichever one you bought!
Click to expand...
This is solid advice. Many folks just slap some rings on their rifle and wonder why their new scope won't hold zero. Great rings, carefully installed, will ensure you get your money's worth out of fine glass.

Good luck - B.B.S.
 
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