Dangerous game scopes

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siegehammer63

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Just started on my first rifle in the DG class (a 9.3 mauser), and the goal is buff or brown bear someday. I had planned to run a 1-4 leupold duplex on it, but I was curious what everyone more experienced in the topic has to say!
 
I think it's very tempting especially with the popularity of LPVO scopes to get something small and compact with a handy throw lever.
But in actual fact a throw lever might freeze up or just become hard to move in sub zero conditions.
If that's the case it's hard to surpass nearly foolproof reliability Leupold fixed 2.5 or 3x.

maybe
 
Brutus said:
I think it's very tempting especially with the popularity of LPVO scopes to get something small and compact with a handy throw lever.
But in actual fact a throw lever might freeze up or just become hard to move in sub zero conditions.
If that's the case it's hard to surpass nearly foolproof reliability Leupold fixed 2.5 or 3x.

maybe
Click to expand...

Wouldn't a froze up throw lever on a low powered variable just turn it into a low power fixed scope?
 
Not a bad point, a lot of nice animals taken with a fixed 2, 4, or 5. I'd like a bit of zoom in case I had to poke an eland or something else, and tbh I kind of like the idea of illumination, but simple is good.
 
I like the idea of using a vey simple rugged 1-4x scope for dangerous game. But few USA companies sell scopes of that magnification range that are built for hunting any more, most are made for AR's and Tacticool military style applications. A throw lever is a useless distraction on a dangerous game scope, and is more likely to snag on something and get in the way. Tall, twisty turrets are just another way for the scope to get bumped out of adjustment, and complicated reticles have no place in close, quick dangerous game shooting. I have a low profile 1-4x Karl Kaps with German #1 reticle currently on my Merkel 450-400 3" Nitro Express double. It's about perfect for the job. The simple, bold reticle is really quick and easy to use. It's built very strong.

I previously had a Leupold VX-R 1.25-4x20 duplex, illuminated scope on the double. It worked well, and that is the scope I used last year in Namibia when hunting cape buffalo. The thin centre duplex cross hairs tend to disappear against a dim, dark background, or the hide of a buffalo. But the illumination feature really helps then. I was grateful for the illuminated dot when shooting the buffalo and a few months earlier when I used it to shoot a bull elk at dawn of a foggy, dark morning.

I moved that scope over to my 9.3x62 bolt rifle, and it will stay on there. It's about perfect for the jobs it will do. Of course Leupold recently discontinued that model. There are a lot of good dangerous game scopes made by European companies, but they cost as much money as most rifles. They work really well though.
 
On my 9.3x62 I have a Leupold VX3i 1.5-5x20 that I like, I would like to find a similar scope but with illuminated reticle or a dot, but so far didn’t find anything on my price range! I have a Bushnel elite 4200 with firefly reticle that is not mounted yet... I find the reticle a bit thick but maybe I get use to it... ideally I would like 1-6x20 or 24 with a MOA illuminated dot that is in the $800-1000 range that isn’t a tactical type scope!!
 
If you can find a used one the older Nikon Monarch 1-4x20 African with the German #4 reticle is a great scope for close range work in the thick stuff. They are nice and bright with good glass and are a true 1x power on the low end giving you a wide field of view. They have 4 inches of eye relief so are perfect for the heavy recoiling rifles.
 
Awaiting for a mount for my 458 Lott, i will fit a USO 1X8 i had for a while, since it's a true 1X, it should be perfect for the application. JP.
 
I have a Leupold VX-3 1.5-5X20mm on my Ruger African 9.3X62, and on my M77 Mark II .458 Win and on my Ruger No.1-S .45/70... you really can't go wrong with this scope for your application.
 
If I were to go after dangerous game, I would break out a dusty primary arms optic off one of my equally dusty CQB rigs.
 
siegehammer63 said:
I think that Leupold is the same I have, and my only misgivings of it are the lack of illumination. I'd like something for the waxing and waning hours.
Click to expand...

Turn it down to 1.5X and it should be plenty bright in any legal light conditions... I have shot a few dozen animals during the first and last 5 minutes of legal light with no problem whatsoever, including a few black bear down in cedar swamps.
 
i really like the idea of the leupold 1.5-5x20 in german 4 or 1. the duplex is not as good at least for me and my eyes.

i got most of the called dangerous game scope:

bushnell elite 1.25-4x24 illum point with german 4
ultralight 2.5x20 heavy duplex
big boar 3x20 duplex
nikon african or monarch 3 with german 4 1-4x20
leupold vx3, varix iii 1.5-5x20 with german 4 and duplex.

the one i kept are the last one in the german 4.

the 1.5-5x20 is the perfect one so far for my use.
 
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