Scope for .375 ruger african
- Thread starter mackillan
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Reticle choice pretty much comes down to personal preference, but I don't want the reticle to be too busy. An ordinary duplex or a post is simple enough and pulls your eye to the aiming point. A mildot provides you with the ability to quickly get the correct hold off for range or wind, but African game is commonly shot at short to moderate range, and these reticles are not commonly available in low power variables that would be useful at short range.
Sight in your rifle to hit zero at 200 yards and assume a foot of drop at ranges you judge to be around 300ish. I doubt if your PH will encourage you to shoot that far (although open country is RSA or Namibia might be an exception) but it never hurts to practice long range shooting provided you do not disregard the need to practice close range snap shots. Be sure to choose QD rings so that the scope can be swapped out in case of breakage or in case you need to use the irons.
Sight in your rifle to hit zero at 200 yards and assume a foot of drop at ranges you judge to be around 300ish. I doubt if your PH will encourage you to shoot that far (although open country is RSA or Namibia might be an exception) but it never hurts to practice long range shooting provided you do not disregard the need to practice close range snap shots. Be sure to choose QD rings so that the scope can be swapped out in case of breakage or in case you need to use the irons.
I have a VXIII 1.5x5x20 on my H&H and love it:
I prefer the German #4 Reticle, but that's entirely matter of opinion:
heres a list of Leupolds Reticles for caparison
http://www2.leupold.com/products/reticles.htm
This one would be comparable to the Rapid Z multi range I would think:
I prefer the German #4 Reticle, but that's entirely matter of opinion:
heres a list of Leupolds Reticles for caparison
http://www2.leupold.com/products/reticles.htm
This one would be comparable to the Rapid Z multi range I would think:
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I view the .375s as general purpose hunting rifles with the ability of taking big stuff in stride. Not surprisingly my two have general purpose hunting scopes, a 3-9 Zeiss Diavari on one and a Leupold VX111 3.5-10 on the other. The Leupold has a B&C reticle in it which I have never used in the field. Up to 300 you don't need it, and after 300 it's time to quit.
I'd go with a Leupold 3.5-10 x 40 and the B&C. I like the slightly bolder looking reticle more than the standard duplex, and rifles come and go. Good scopes stick around forever and who knows what it will land on next.
My Zeiss, fine scope that it is is just a tad short on eye-relief. It hasn't clobbered me yet but I'll run out of luck sooner or later.
I'd go with a Leupold 3.5-10 x 40 and the B&C. I like the slightly bolder looking reticle more than the standard duplex, and rifles come and go. Good scopes stick around forever and who knows what it will land on next.
My Zeiss, fine scope that it is is just a tad short on eye-relief. It hasn't clobbered me yet but I'll run out of luck sooner or later.
- Location
- Hillbilly shack in the boonies
Got A Kahles 2-7 , 26 mil tube on mine ,very sweet view of the Beast
gunrunner8
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Kamloops, B.C.
Why not 6,5x20? This is, as bad advice, as it gets. 375 is also stopping caliber. You need 2 3/4x straight power scope, at the most. Make sure it is light, good quality, have at least 4" aye relief,and large FOV. Mount it as close to receiver as possible. (There is no need, for any bell in front of scope.) Heavy uncluttered duplex, would be my preference.
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
While not my preference, I don't consider Dogleg's advise bad. In the African context the .375 is a general purpose big game rifle, not a stopping rifle. The .375 can be called upon to take game the size of dik-dik as well as the big stuff. If you were used to a mid-power variable scope on your North American big game rifle, then the same would apply for your African rifle. The key here is to find a scope with enough eye relief that you don't get hit particularly if you get a shot on a steep hillside. The scope should be equipped with QD rings so that the irons could be used in an emergency.
gunrunner8,
Do you really think that the difference between 2 3/4 X and the 3.3 low end magnification of a 3.5-10 is going to change your life? I ran a Leupold 2.5 fixed on my .416 for a couple of hunts, back to back safaris in South Africa and Zimbabwe. You'd like that one, no bell, heavy crosshairs and the lowest Warne rings that would clear the bolt handle. I couldn't wait to get that dim little POS off when I got home. I shot a wildbeast and wished I had some magnification. I shot a impala in the evening and wished for magnification, light and crosshairs that didn't cover half of it. Next I pegged Cape buffalo at about 15 yards in the early morning and had enough time to wish that that dim, no bell, course crosshaired wonder scope was up some designer's ass. You should stand in a herd of moving buffalo sometimes on a black morning, trying to put black crosshairs on a black buffalo. It's strangely invigorateing, in a frustrating sort of way.
I had that scope swapped out faster than you can say Express Post, for a 1.75 -6 VX111 with cross crosshairs. The cross-hairs don't seem so coarse when the power is turned up a bit, it isn't dim in low light and wonder of wonders fit in the same rings. So does a 3.5-40 X40. With that combination I was able to put a serious hurt on a couple of elephant last summer, and never once wished I had a straight tubed lower powered scope. I never turned it below 4 either.
Oddly enough, I had my .375 H&H with the 3.5-10 along on those hunts, and could have handled any of those situations with it just fine. I was wishing I had it in my hands instead. In fact, I've never found the big-game hunting situation where I wished I had something else mounted and I own a serious pile of different rifles and scopes to compare to.
Now, you have your opinion, I have mine. I'll stick to mine, you can do whatever you want.
Do you really think that the difference between 2 3/4 X and the 3.3 low end magnification of a 3.5-10 is going to change your life?
I ran a Leupold 2.5 fixed on my .416 for a couple of hunts, back to back safaris in South Africa and Zimbabwe. You'd like that one, no bell, heavy crosshairs and the lowest Warne rings that would clear the bolt handle. I couldn't wait to get that dim little POS off when I got home. I shot a wildbeast and wished I had some magnification. I shot a impala in the evening and wished for magnification, light and crosshairs that didn't cover half of it. Next I pegged Cape buffalo at about 15 yards in the early morning and had enough time to wish that that dim, no bell, course crosshaired wonder scope was up some designer's ass. You should stand in a herd of moving buffalo sometimes on a black morning, trying to put black crosshairs on a black buffalo. It's strangely invigorateing, in a frustrating sort of way.I had that scope swapped out faster than you can say Express Post, for a 1.75 -6 VX111 with cross crosshairs. The cross-hairs don't seem so coarse when the power is turned up a bit, it isn't dim in low light and wonder of wonders fit in the same rings. So does a 3.5-40 X40. With that combination I was able to put a serious hurt on a couple of elephant last summer, and never once wished I had a straight tubed lower powered scope. I never turned it below 4 either.
Oddly enough, I had my .375 H&H with the 3.5-10 along on those hunts, and could have handled any of those situations with it just fine. I was wishing I had it in my hands instead. In fact, I've never found the big-game hunting situation where I wished I had something else mounted and I own a serious pile of different rifles and scopes to compare to.
Now, you have your opinion, I have mine. I'll stick to mine, you can do whatever you want.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Leupold VX3 1.5-5x hands down. Mine has the Heavy Duplex reticle but the German #4 is pretty nice as well and might even be preferrable.
Well, I've never been to Africa, and I don't own a .375. However, I have a VXIII 2.5-8 on my .338WM, and I think its just about perfect for an all around scope. Nice and light, great FOV on low for the close stuff, sufficient enough on 8 to shoot as far as I like...
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
2.5-8x isn't a bad idea either. back40sniper has one on his 375 BRNO 602 and I wouldn't hesitate to use it if I was taking it to Africa, or if my 416 packed it in. That being said, I still prefer the 1.5-5x VX3 for pretty much any situation. If I could only have one scope for hunting it would be that one.
