Long Range scope for field use.

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OlRounder

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A while back I mentioned here that I am going to have a .260 or a .284 built. My friend who is the gunsmith just finished himself a 6.5x47.Most likely I'll follow suit since he's all tooled up to make one. My question is, What scope to match with it. It'll be a fairly light rifle and I may even use it for deer or coyotes. ( besides maybe some competition ie F class or whatever really.)

I want a matched reticule and towers. As in mil-mil or moa-moa. Not a mix of each. clarity and good tracking also. Something like the upper end leupolds. Also would like to be able to "mil" a target at any magnification. But are there any other good options??? I have a nightforce that's great but BIG and was durn expensive. I don't want to spend so much for this next scope.
thanks, OlRounder
 
I agree with John.
If you go to the higher power ranges on the top end you have a really tough time finding the animals on the low end.I shoot deer at 600-1100 yards and using a straight 36 or a 12-42 is no fun after the first shot.You need something you can drop down to in case the animal moves on you.For coyotes they will always move so caliber is not a big decision.For deer the bigger and harder hitting the bullets are the more distance you need between you not to spook them.We shoot blacktails out here which look like large dogs with horns and weigh 120 pounds on average.For our purposes you can't beat a 6mm-06 sighted dead on at 300 yards pushing a 107 Sierra at 3425 fps.We use Lapua 30-06 brass wih57 grains of H1000 and a Fed 215 primer and 0.112 freebore.Two turns of the turret gets you out past 1100 yards.
Lynn
 
Lynn,

I'd like to know how often you wound deer when shooting at 600-1100 yards and how often you miss. I have never seen any reliable information on this. If you have information, please share.
 
"My question is, What scope to match with it. It'll be a fairly light rifle and I may even use it for deer or coyotes."

Rounder, if you stay on the east side where moisture isnt as big a deal, you can go with a mid range (cost) scope. But if you plan on hunting west side cascades and especially the coast range, pay now, or risk being fogged up. Leupold is my first choice for Oregon. Ive had two of thier scopes come un sealed and fog up (high recoil rifles 338RUM, and 470N). showed up at the counter during hunting season with one, they swapped, no questions asked. In fact they up graded one. I have a 4.5X14 on a 7 RUM. Good advice from John. Like Lynn said, miss or wound one, and you have to drop power fast to pick em back up. But then I dont shoot at game over 500. I can still sneak in closer. The 4.5 is 1 power higher than ideal in the timber, but doable.
 
We have crippled two deer but none have ever gotten away crippled.My father was shooting at 42 power very early in the morning and hit one in the lower leg on his first shot.The hillside was so steep he couldn't run away so he hit him again putting him down for good.The hillside is a huge bowl and the ends of it are about 600 yards away from us or the guys we hunt with.Once hit they only go downhill and the bottom is a river.They are basicaly locked in if you hit one as they can not go out the top.If you miss there is plenty of ways for them to get away.
The only other deer that was crippled I hit in the base of the horn were the hide stops with a 25-06 at a little over 800 yards.That deer dropped like a rock.I took off all of my extra gear and made the hike only to find the buck was only knocked out.As I approached I could see him move so I shot him with my pistol.When I skinned him out he only had the pistol hole in him so we went over the hide extremely carefully and found the 25-06 bullet at the burr at the base of the horn.
I would guesstimate about a 40- 50% success rate and 100% once they are hit.This includes bucks we have sighted in for that didn't get shot at.
If we go with the 30 caliber boomers under 1000 yards the success rate drops off as the hard hitting rounds tend to scare them off with the sighter shot.
When the rut is on they will follow every move of the doe exactly the same way she did it.You can have a doe 20 yards from the buck out in the open country and he will walk half a mile to go that 20 yards if that is what she did.This allows you to sight in on the spot the deer will be when he finaly arrives.As soon as he gets there a quick yelp and you can fire if he stops.
The success rate is low because the deer will spook on you if you miss low.I watched a deer sitting one morning before sun up and we were trying to figure out in the low light what it was and was it worth trying for.When the sun finaly came up it was a mountain lion.
Our closest shot at the bowl is right at 365 yards and one year we limited out on 4 bucks without ever going past 120 yards.Got two crossing the road were we set-up.
I was all dialed in one time on a pretty nice buck only to see a white image go across my scope.I pulled my head up quickly as we shoot across some very steep canyons to discover a bald eagle was flying by.
Lynn
 
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I agree. I have been looking at the 4.5 14 leupold. I like all the ones I have,( great scopes ) leupolds that is. Besides, its support for a company right here at home.
thanks for the replies. Brad
 
The 4.5x14 I would use does not have target turrets and does not have AO. Why because it's going on a light weight rifle.

The 4.5x14 I use has the Long Range reticule. With pratice it works great!
 
I am going to suggest the Nikon 6.5-20. Brighter scope, target turrets, AO, and available w/ just about any reticle you could want. The fineCH w/ dot is the cats meow. I've shot a LOT of prairie poodle, songdogs, and targets with mine.

Oh, BTW, I own 4 of them mounted on assorted rifles

David
 
OlRounder said:
A while back I mentioned here that I am going to have a .260 or a .284 built. My friend who is the gunsmith just finished himself a 6.5x47.Most likely I'll follow suit since he's all tooled up to make one. My question is, What scope to match with it. It'll be a fairly light rifle and I may even use it for deer or coyotes. ( besides maybe some competition ie F class or whatever really.)

I want a matched reticule and towers. As in mil-mil or moa-moa. Not a mix of each. clarity and good tracking also. Something like the upper end leupolds. Also would like to be able to "mil" a target at any magnification. But are there any other good options??? I have a nightforce that's great but BIG and was durn expensive. I don't want to spend so much for this next scope.
thanks, OlRounder
Click to expand...

In order to mil range a target at any magnification get out your wallet. That requires a "first focal plane" reticule on variable powered scopes. Premier used to do it for Leupold scopes. I have a few. We all know what happened there. The loss of "Premier" as a shop to do quality work on Lepold scopes has killed the custom scope market. I looked at the Holland price list, That's another story. I guess you could buy a New Premier Scope $$$$$$, or a Schmidt Bender $$$$$$. Either one is lots of zeros preceeded by a 3.

Paul
 
Look at sightron they make long range scopes and they have enouf adj. to shoot long range . good luck max
 
Leupold make mil scopes with a front focal plane reticle and lots of options for knobs and dials.
 
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