How much scope on a 416 Rem Mag

MaxKW

MaxKW

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I just picked up a Sako in 416 Rem and it came with a B&L Balvar 1.5-6, it's very accurate but I tend to favour higher powered optics and with the great selection of lighter weight premium bullets it would seem something in the 3-9 range would be well suited to the flatter trajectory as far as big bores go. I have an open sighted 458 Win Mag for the close stuff.

What is everyone using for scopes and bullets in there 416's?
 
sheephunter said:
I'd say it kind of depends on your intended use and ranges you plan on shooting.
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I agree. A while back,;) for a couple of reasons, I picked up a model 70 Winchester Super Express in .458WM. The reasons, #1, Just cuz, #2,:p just incase I do well on a 649 and end up going to Africa. On it I mounted a Leupold 1x4 Vari-X II using a set of Weaver pivot mounts.



I've put a fair number of rounds through that combo and the scope seems to be able to take the recoil. The scope comes in handy load testing and makes up for eye sight that isn't quite what it once was. The Weaver mounts allow for quick access to the open sights,:) should that need arise.

 
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MaxKW said:
I just picked up a Sako in 416 Rem and it came with a B&L Balvar 1.5-6, it's very accurate but I tend to favour higher powered optics and with the great selection of lighter weight premium bullets it would seem something in the 3-9 range would be well suited to the flatter trajectory as far as big bores go. I have an open sighted 458 Win Mag for the close stuff.

What is everyone using for scopes and bullets in there 416's?
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The cartridge the rifle is chambered for is immaterial to the question of scope magnification. What is material to the question, is the size of the target, and the range at which the target will be engaged. The purpose of magnification is to enable the marksman to see his target. Many variable power scopes require less eye relief as magnification increases. When a high magnification scope is combined with a rifle that exhibits enthusiastic recoil, the possibility of getting tagged cannot be discounted, and with a hard kicker such an injury can be serious. Having said that, if you find a 10X scope that has sufficient eye relief for safe shooting, and you intend to use the rifle for shots beyond a quarter mile, it would be appropriate.
 
I loaded up some 325gr Barnes X loads tonight and off of a shooting stick I put 7 rounds into a group that could be covered by a cd case at 160 yards, the next plate on my range is at 260 yards so I will try that next time but I'm feeling better about it.
 
It has the 1.5-6 on it now but I have a vx-II 3-9x40 sitting on the shelf and the eye relief seems decent. The trajectory is very close to a 30-06 and the 3-9 seems to be the most popular option for a rifle in that class.
 
I realize that this will be hotly disagreed with by many, but I feel that most scopes are too big and too powerful for the hunting rifles that they end up on these days. The two times that I had issues hitting an animal that I could attribute to the scope where because I had the scope on too high of a power, not too low.
Ivor
 
ivor said:
I realize that this will be hotly disagreed with by many, but I feel that most scopes are too big and too powerful for the hunting rifles that they end up on these days. The two times that I had issues hitting an animal that I could attribute to the scope where because I had the scope on too high of a power, not too low.
Ivor
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I won't argue with ya. :) Most of the shots I've screwed up or seen screwed up were because the magnification was set too high. A buddy of mine missed a chance at a bear this year when we were out walking trails one day because we had fired off our guns earlier in the morning to make sure everything was sighted in properly and he ended up leaving his scope on 9 power. The bear was only 30 yards away. All he could see through the scope was black hair. Thankfully he wasn't dumb enough to take the shot but he almost did.

As usual, Boomer is spot on with his advice. :cheers:
 
Give that 1.5-6 a fair chance, I'd say its perfect for that gun. I bet you could hit the vitals of a moose at 500 yards off your shooting sticks with the scope set even on 4X
 
MaxKW said:
I just picked up a Sako in 416 Rem and it came with a B&L Balvar 1.5-6, it's very accurate but I tend to favour higher powered optics and with the great selection of lighter weight premium bullets it would seem something in the 3-9 range would be well suited to the flatter trajectory as far as big bores go. I have an open sighted 458 Win Mag for the close stuff.

What is everyone using for scopes and bullets in there 416's?
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I prefer low powered variables. I have a 1.75-6X, Leupold Vari-XIII on mine.

I shot a timber wolf at 250 yds and a bull moose at the same distance (in failing late afternoon light), and had no problems with the 'low' magnification.
 
As a point of comparison, when I had a Ruger #1 chambered for .416 Rigby, I had a custom quarter rib made for it to accept QD Talley rings mounted so that the 1.5-5x Leupold's ocular was even with the face of the falling block. Thus mounted the ejection port was unobstructed, I had obstructed access to the tang safety, and regardless of the position I fired from, or the angle to the target, there was no way I could get hit with the scope, despite my preference for a short 13.5" LOP. The eye relief of that scope was such that 3X was the most magnification I could use and have a full sight picture, but guess what; it turns out I didn't need any more, not even at 400 yards. By the way I agree about the .416 trajectory, with a good 350 gr bullet at 2800+ it shoots pretty flat. The low power variable I have come to love now is my 1-4X Nightforce.
 
I've got a 1.75-6 VX111 on my .416. Its a fair compromise between being a general hunting scope and something that might be at least sort of useful at bayonet range. Since you appear to be wanting to use yours as more of a general purpose hunting rifle, your idea of a 3-9 or something similar is as good as any. My .375s that fill that slot are mounted with a 3-9 Zeiss Diavari and a Leupold 3.5 -10. My .458 wears a 2.5-8 VX3.
 
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