Best winter Optic?

Jerengineer

Jerengineer

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Okanagan, BC
Hi. Looking for an Optic for my RFB. Long 150km snowmobile hunts. Needs to be functional in -35 blowing snow conditions. I'm in the NWT. Something around 5 power.
Jer
 
The one that doesn't fog up! :p Sorry couldn't resist.

Seriously if you've got a big investment in this hunt then I'd look to a military optic perhaps. Elcan DR with .308 recticle. 1-4 power I believe.
 
Its not for one single hunt. Mostly want something that doesn't rely on batteries (batteries are not reliable in these temps) and doesn't pack with snow when its slung on your back.
Edit - Not saying it can't have batteries, just needs to work after they are dead.
 
I wonder if the older tethered leather scope caps work better in extreme cold than the plastic spring loaded ones? I think I'd prefer a slightly recessed lens (that might catch snow unless covered) than a lens element flush with the tube end that might be exposed to knocks...
 
Specter DR would be a great choice.

If you prefer a traditional scope you could mount it in an ADM mount and protect your lens with flip-up see-througt lens cover. Buttler creek call their lens cover Blizzard! ;)

As a traditional scope I'd choose a NightForce 1-4x or Burris XTR156.
 
I always wanted to test my rfb in frigid temperatures I just never got around to it here in n-b. Have you shot yours in -30 or less weather? If so did you need to turn up the gas? And what lube and hlw much did you put? Dry is not good and to much in that weather will create to much resistance I would guess?

I run a burris e1 3-9x40 for now and I am eyeing the new burris xtr2 1.5-8x28 with dual plan reticle for the future if they prove to be almost bomb proof.
 
Actually I bought the rifle this Christmas so I set it up for the first time in our January weather. So somewhere between -25 and -35. Using Norinco bulk. For lub I use synthetic engine oil. Once I adjusted the gas I was good. I did find that I needed to adjust the gas this summer. If you look at my other started threads you will find I am having trouble with the RFB blowing holes in the Norinco primers.
 
That sucks about the blowing hole true primer. You should contact kel-tec directly.

I will be pretty busy this weekend but you can pm me and we could exchange emails I could try to mesure how much my firing pin protrudes true the bolt and we could see if yours is out of spec. I have fired about 800 rounds of norc and about 200 round of other mixt 308 and I never had a problem.
 
I have shot groups about 1.5 moa with that ammo but last range outing pressure seemed all over the place I had to open gas from b+9 to b+4 cause the ammo seem to lack the energy to push the bolt back enough to pickup a fresh round once in a while and also the groups opened up to 2-4 moa. My guess is that it was the ammo. I will re test it next week.
 
I've done some snow mobile hunting in N.E Alberta during extreme conditions. On one occasion it got down below -30. My buddies had adjustable scope which completely froze up...no focus, or no ability to change magnification. All the turrets and rings were locked up. Out of three scopes, I was running a simple Leupold FX-6 on my rifle and didn't have any issues with the scope. However my rifle wouldn't fire as the lube in the firing pin and mechanism locked it up. It turn out all our rifles were inoperable as well. A local native had an old Winchester '94 that looked like it hadn't been cleaned since new. That was the only rifle in working condition in that extreme cold that we saw. My recommendation for a cold weather scope would be a simple scope with fixed power.
 
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