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Rustbucket
.224 member

Reged: 25/04/04
Posts: 13

Best DG Scope?
#14172 - 01/05/04 12:46 AM

For DG rifles, what are the best, and/or most dependable scopes used on African DG rifles used in Africa? I have heard several African hunters say that Swarovski scopes are very clear and bright, but not as dependable as Leupold or Zeiss. Never been to Africa yet, I am curious as to what scopes African hunters and PH's use on their rifles (say 338 and up). I do not trust what I see in the hunting magazines, they seem to be advertising ads for different optics companies.

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member

Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: Rustbucket]
#14173 - 01/05/04 02:29 AM

My personal preference for every rifle I own, except for the varmit rigs, is a Leupold 1.75x6E. They're clear, bright, and reliable.

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476NE
.224 member

Reged: 04/03/04
Posts: 4
Loc: Colorado

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: Rustbucket]
#14174 - 01/05/04 03:41 AM

Mikeh416's suggestion is top notch. You cant go wrong with that scope. I think if you research the differences between Euro scopes and Leopold/Burris, you will find they offer no field-condition advantage and cost a lot more. The varibles in the lower end are the way to go or a fixed power as well. IMO

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AdamTayler
.375 member

Reged: 22/03/04
Posts: 688
Loc: B.C.

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: 476NE]
#14180 - 01/05/04 08:46 AM

I too am looking at putting a different scope on my .375 H&H and I narrowed it down to Leopold or Burris. Right now I'm leaning towards Burris. Does anyone have any experience with the Posi Lock feature?

--------------------
It's the journey, not the destination.

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476NE
.224 member

Reged: 04/03/04
Posts: 4
Loc: Colorado

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: AdamTayler]
#14181 - 01/05/04 09:01 AM

Never used a Burris posi lock. Im sure it works as they say but Ive never had a problem with a non posi lock. Im a fan of Burris, have several, and recommend them. Same with Leopold scopes, I have some, never had a problem with one, all have been clear, and recommend them, etc. The Burris are a little heavier because of the use of brass in some interanl parts and they are a little less expensive for the most part. I have a Signature Burris 1.5x6x on my 375 that is the brightest, clearest scope Ive ever had. Though there is very little difference between it and the Leopold Vari IIIs. Ive never had a complaint with the fullfields either, either fixed or varibles but there is a slight brightness difference with the Signature series. Best thing to do is look them all over and decide. Best wishes and good hunting.

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475Guy
.400 member

Reged: 22/08/03
Posts: 1088
Loc: Kali, US

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: AdamTayler]
#14189 - 01/05/04 12:26 PM

Adam, I've been using Burris scopes for a while now. When I first bought a RSM in 375 H&H, I had a loopy mounted on it and for some odd reason, it broke after 80 rounds. I sent it back to the factory and promptly replaced it with a Burris variable. I've got Burris's on most of my RSM's and I've haven't had any break yet. It's held up under 375 Ultra, 416 Rigby, and 458 Lott recoil levels so far. I think a scope trashing itself is usually just a flip of a coin whether it will break or not. I've known of a couple of guys who have trashed their Burris's after 200 rounds. You just never know.

--------------------
Lo do they call to me,
They bid me take my place among
them in the Halls of Valhalla,
Where the brave may live forever.

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luv2safari
.400 member

Reged: 09/11/03
Posts: 1408
Loc: United States

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: Rustbucket]
#14191 - 01/05/04 02:08 PM

Rusty,

I like the Leupold 1.5x5 VXIII and the new Burris Safari. The Burris scopes seem to hold up well. I hammered an older Fullfield 3x9 when I fell off the mountain hunting desert bighorn...put a helluva dent in the tube, but the scope seemed to suffer no ill effects.

I also like the Loopy 2x7 VXII for its loooong eye relief.

--------------------
Hunt with Class and Classics

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member

Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: 475Guy]
#14200 - 01/05/04 11:27 PM

I think you're spot on about scopes trashing themselves is a flip of the coin. I have a friend who built a 416 Remington, and had the reticle break on 2 Swarovski's in under 15 rounds each. Now, Swarovski's are excellent scopes, so go figure

.

I also used to hear a lot about the objective bell of the 50mm and larger scopes breaking off when used on big bores. I had an engineer friend tell me that the large objective scopes would be more prone to breaking off the bell-something about the combination of recoil, mass, size weight, inertia, etc. I don't understand it. That's why he's an engineer, and I'm a salesman

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475Guy
.400 member

Reged: 22/08/03
Posts: 1088
Loc: Kali, US

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: mikeh416Rigby]
#14202 - 02/05/04 12:14 AM

Mike, I've noticed that with the large bell objectives that there is only a RCH between it and the barrel. When the shot goes off, I bet that the bell is touching or hitting the barrel just through flexing. That can't be any good for any scope. If I ever win the Lotto, I'd invest into making an unbreakable scope and make a tractor-trailer full of green. Wouldn't that go over well, an unbreakable scope?

--------------------
Lo do they call to me,
They bid me take my place among
them in the Halls of Valhalla,
Where the brave may live forever.

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BGReed
.224 member

Reged: 05/03/04
Posts: 8

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: Rustbucket]
#14234 - 03/05/04 02:11 AM

I guess I'll be the stand out in the crowd. Scopes are all well and fine for many applications, however since DG distances are usually quite close and the target large I don't believe having a scope on a DG rifle at all. Use a thin rim aperature sight known generally as a "ghost ring" a good well defined front sight.(not a bead) and you're good to go fast sight aquisiton and no chance of getting lost in the scope.

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member

Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: BGReed]
#14235 - 03/05/04 02:19 AM

Your suggestion is basically OK, but for "older eyes" the scope is the way to go. Also, I personally feel that a scope allows more precise shot placement under most conditions. Just my $.02.

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475Guy
.400 member

Reged: 22/08/03
Posts: 1088
Loc: Kali, US

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: BGReed]
#14238 - 03/05/04 03:13 AM

I love the ghost rings and I hear you. If you use a 1.5x5 variable, you'll get the fast sight acquisition that gives you plenty field of view. Before Jack Lott had his run in with a buff and scored his right cornea, he didn't use scopes much. After he had his partial sight corrected with glasses, he used scopes for most if not all his boltguns. As Mike stated, it seems to give you the option to put in that shot precisely.

--------------------
Lo do they call to me,
They bid me take my place among
them in the Halls of Valhalla,
Where the brave may live forever.

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iqbal
resigned as a member

Reged: 05/02/03
Posts: 778
Loc: Karachi,Pakistan

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: Rustbucket]
#14246 - 03/05/04 06:55 PM

I'v used all of the scopes mentioned i.e.Swarski,Zeiss,Leuopold etc. and can say with conviction that Zeiss is the best as far as clarity is concerned.The 2.5x10x48 is simply superb.

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NitroSteel
.275 member

Reged: 06/04/04
Posts: 50
Loc: Georgia, USA

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: iqbal]
#14288 - 04/05/04 12:46 PM

How do the Bushnell Elite Series (formerly Baush & Lomb) stack up against the Burris and Leopold's as far as durability and clarity goes?

--------------------
"Life is hard. It's even harder if you're stupid."

John Wayne

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mikeh416Rigby
.450 member

Reged: 24/02/03
Posts: 6051
Loc: The beautiful Oley Valley, PA....

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: NitroSteel]
#14289 - 04/05/04 01:18 PM

Today I put one on my Ruger 77 in 416 Rigby. I couldn't get my favorite Leupold 1.75x6 to fit in the Talley Q.D.s on this rifle.

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allenday
.333 member

Reged: 18/04/04
Posts: 318

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: Rustbucket]
#14357 - 05/05/04 10:42 PM

I have a Leupold Vari-X III 1.75-6X on my .375 H&H, and Leupold 1.5-5X Vari-X IIIs on my .458 Win. Mag. as well as my .416 Remington. These scopes have been superb in every way, and absolutely reliable. For my money Leupold is the scope-of-choice; for DG use as well as for general hunting.

When is comes to rugged reliability, generous eye-relief, compact, efficient size, and tasteful appearance, Leupold is very tough to beat.....

ADay

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500grains
.416 member

Reged: 16/02/04
Posts: 4732
Loc: Salt Lake City, Utah USA

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: allenday]
#14481 - 08/05/04 01:55 AM

I prefer the leup 1.75-6 except on heavy recoiling rifles. For those I will choose the Leup 2.5x compact for durability and because it has a short eyepiece that stays away from my forehead.

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Spring
.300 member

Reged: 01/04/04
Posts: 104
Loc: Georgia

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: Rustbucket]
#14773 - 14/05/04 12:07 PM

I used to have Leopold Vari-X III's on all my guns. A very good scope. But after purchasing some Swarovski binoculars and hunting in low light here in Georgia, I found that I could easily see things with my binocs, would pull my gun up for a shot, and see nothing. I realized that I had a mismatch between the quality of my optics, especially in low light conditions. I have since switched to Swarovskis on all almost all of my guns and love them. For DG, I have a Swarovski 1.5x6 on my .375.

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luv2safari
.400 member

Reged: 09/11/03
Posts: 1408
Loc: United States

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: iqbal]
#14775 - 14/05/04 01:03 PM

Iqbal,

I have to agree with you about the Zeiss. I have been a Leupold fan most of my life, but just got a drilling the other day with a Zeiss 1.5x6x42 Diavari. What a wonderful scope! I do wish that the European makers would wake up and give us some eye relief, however.

Also, has anyone had experience with reticals in Swaros failing? I have heard they did, but have no first hand experience.

Luv2

--------------------
Hunt with Class and Classics

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cr500
.300 member

Reged: 11/10/03
Posts: 215
Loc: Singleton ,Australia

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: Rustbucket]
#14778 - 14/05/04 02:21 PM

According to the real big bore boys ,those who actualy do shoot there realy big gbores ,the leupold 2.5x compact is the toughest thing around on a big kicker. Also from what Ive heard ,the scopes with the bigger objectives are inherentley weaker due to the bigger ,heavier glass having more momentum to move and stop. I love Zeiss scopes on my smaller rifles and binoculars but have heard that they are not as strong or reliable on the big kickers ,but optics are the best.

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cr500
.300 member

Reged: 11/10/03
Posts: 215
Loc: Singleton ,Australia

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: NitroSteel]
#14779 - 14/05/04 02:26 PM

I have a bushnell elite 2.5-10x scope going very cheap. The optics are very good. The only problem is that after everytime it comes back from warranty ,after a few shots the parralax jumps up to 6 or more inches at 100 yds. When the gun gets taken out of the rings and bumped around a bit ,the parralax goes back to normal ,then fire a few shots and its crap again. I,m sure they arent all like this but if mine stuffs up again when it comes back ,you can have it REAL cheap.

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iqbal
resigned as a member

Reged: 05/02/03
Posts: 778
Loc: Karachi,Pakistan

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: NitroSteel]
#14790 - 15/05/04 03:22 AM

Among the three mentioned by you Leupold is superior in both durability and clarity than the other two,followed by Burris and then Bushnell.But this is just my personal opinion.

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HawaiiPD
.224 member

Reged: 05/05/04
Posts: 14
Loc: Oahu, Hawaii

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: Rustbucket]
#14803 - 15/05/04 09:30 AM

I had a Kahles 2 1/2 power STEEL tubed scope on my winny
375 in conetrol mounts. Shot several hundred full power
300 grain loads with no damage, reticle, or point of impact
change. I was sold on Kahles steel tubed scopes so I bought another 2 1/2 spare and a 4x on my '06. Just wish
these had more eye relief, the occular ring would just bang
my glasses some, but no eyebrow cuts.

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atkinson6
.375 member

Reged: 26/01/04
Posts: 678
Loc: Idaho

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: HawaiiPD]
#15310 - 29/05/04 11:03 AM

I have seen fewer failures from the Leupold 1.5x5 and 1x4 than any other scope, so thats what I use on all my DRGs...and I use Talley QD rings and bases and all my guns have a set of good quality iron sights of one kind or another....I am a firm beliver in a 20 MM objective that does not protrude out too much from the front scope ring as that makes them much much less likely to get knocked out of zero. I see big belled scopes getting knocked out of zero every single year, they cannot take a wack...and Safari life and trucks is not easy on guns.

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cr500
.300 member

Reged: 11/10/03
Posts: 215
Loc: Singleton ,Australia

Re: Best DG Scope? [Re: atkinson6]
#15616 - 08/06/04 08:25 AM

Hey Ray. How do the straight tube leupold variables compare in strength to the 2.5X fixed compact when used in big (458 Lott) calibers.??? I like the versatility of a variable but know the 2.5 compact is meant to be super strong.

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