Illuminated reticle any good?

[Smokinyotes]

I had a 5.5-22x50 NF NXS on my Tikka 6.5 PrC CTR. The gun is 8.6 lbs without the scope.. add shells, rings, and sling and scope, it makes it into an 11 lb gun. I have enough heavy target guns and wanted to be able to hunt with this one. I took the scope and rail off and mounted a NF SHV 3-10x42 on it in talley light weight rings. Although this scope is only 12ounces lighter and no rail it does feel significantly lighter.

 

[Rod]

Not all Nightforce scopes weigh 28 ounces. The compact 2.5=10x32 weigh in at 19 to 20 ounces. That is only 7 or so ounces heavier than your leupold.

My Leupold VX-7 weighs 19.2 oz, only 6 oz more than my VX-3 HD. The extra 6 oz on a standard pre-64 M70 along with leupold steel bases and Leupold PRW2 rings was more than I cared to carry around. Moved the whole outfit over to a pre-64 M70 F/W that puts it back in the comfort zone.

When I was in my 20's and 30's it wouldn't have made any difference. I would carry my pre-64 M70 300 H&H magnum, 26" barrel, up and down the slopes all day long with a heavy sling and a heavy Swarovski scope and didn't bat an eye. But now a few years older I like the lighter Leupolds and the leather military slings.

I have 16 pre-64 M70's with 15 having newer Leupolds with Alumina covers, steel bases and rings. I can grab any one and head on out for the day. The number 16th M70 is an early 1950's 220 Swift wearing a period 15X- Lyman Super Target Spot scope. The gun is heavy to begin with, heavy stainless barrel, and then add the scope and rings, it's a beast. But at the range or out on the open country it shines when hunting varmints. It's not a gun to be shouldering and carrying around all day. I'm tempted to replace the scope with a Leupold target model but it looks so cool with that old Lyman Super Target Spot and those outside adjustment rings I leave it alone the way it is.