Scope for 7x57 mauser

INTIMIDATOR

INTIMIDATOR

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Hello to all,

Talked about this last year with a friend and was going to get another scope for my deer rifle. Currently it has a Bushnell Elite 10x (Japan) on it and I want something more hunt friendly for closer shots, but want to maintain that magnification for the long shots when they present themselves. I also hunt low light conditions in a cedar swamp so light is dim even when sun is up. I like the amount of light transmission the fixed 10 has, but when it's 10 power it's hard to focus on something within 50 yards.

I was looking at the Bushnell 4500 2.5-10 and the Burris Full field 2.5-10. The Bushnell has a 30mm tube and I think would allow more light to enter compared to a 1" tube. I have not looked through either glass and would like a general idea what to look for in a scope around that $400 mark. I realize the 4500 is priced at 440, but I'll just have to round up some more beer empties to make up the difference.

This gun gets used one week of the year currently and lives in the safe for the remaining 51, that's why the price cap is set lower. Max shooting would be under 300 yards, I just don't feel comfortable shooting further than that with this gun.

I'm open to any suggestions and brands, I'm not a brand specific guy, but my Bushnells have treated me well. And this fixed 10 will be for sale when I find another one to take its place.

Thanks for your time

Josh
 
30mm has become the standard diameter now. It makes it easier for the manufacturers to stuff mechanisms in. Given an easier engineering , they may even be more reliable.
 
INTIMIDATOR said:
Hello to all,

Talked about this last year with a friend and was going to get another scope for my deer rifle. Currently it has a Bushnell Elite 10x (Japan) on it and I want something more hunt friendly for closer shots, but want to maintain that magnification for the long shots when they present themselves. I also hunt low light conditions in a cedar swamp so light is dim even when sun is up. I like the amount of light transmission the fixed 10 has, but when it's 10 power it's hard to focus on something within 50 yards.

I was looking at the Bushnell 4500 2.5-10 and the Burris Full field 2.5-10. The Bushnell has a 30mm tube and I think would allow more light to enter compared to a 1" tube. I have not looked through either glass and would like a general idea what to look for in a scope around that $400 mark. I realize the 4500 is priced at 440, but I'll just have to round up some more beer empties to make up the difference.

This gun gets used one week of the year currently and lives in the safe for the remaining 51, that's why the price cap is set lower. Max shooting would be under 300 yards, I just don't feel comfortable shooting further than that with this gun.

I'm open to any suggestions and brands, I'm not a brand specific guy, but my Bushnells have treated me well. And this fixed 10 will be for sale when I find another one to take its place.

Thanks for your time

Josh
Click to expand...
I believe that you will find that the amount of light that "enters"a scope is more about the diameter of the objective lens, not the tube body diameter - hence some Europeans and New Zealanders who hunt at night will prefer massive 56 mm front lenses. I think the fatter tubes allowed for more room to adjust the reticle further, but once the scope is mounted correctly, is not a terrible lot of that room that is being used.

Is/was fairly common to come up with the "exit pupil" diameter by dividing the magnification by the front lens diameter in millimetres - so, a 10 power scope with 40 mm front lens will have exit pupil about 4.0 - 40 divided by 10. About the same as a 32 mm front lens at 8 power. Then do a 2.5 power with 20 mm front lens - exit pupil going to be circa 8.0 mm - about double what that 10 power scope was. As you age, the muscles in your eye are going to get stiffer - not as flexible - a teenager might be able to open his pupil circa 7 mm or more - an old fart like me might be lucky to do 4 mm. So, for me, an exit pupil larger than about 4.0 is not really going to do me much good - I can not get the pupil in my eye open enough to see all of the exit pupil diameter of the scope - although a much younger guy might. Hence, differing assessments of its "usefulness".

FYI - I hunted white tail and mule deer in Saskatchewan circa 10 or 12 years with a Ruger No. 1 in 7x57 - at different times, that rifle had a Leupold M8-4X, a Leupold 2-7 power variable, and a Leupold M8-6X - as I recall, deer died whichever scope that I had on it. I was using 150 grain bullets - hand loads - on chronograph, many times, was right circa 2,800 fps at muzzle - sometime maybe 10 - 20 fps more, sometimes less.
 
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I like fixed 4-6 or 2-7, 2.5-8 scopes, they have plenty of magnification for hunting up to 400m and are usually a lot lighter and compact than bigger higher magnification ones!
 
DGY said:
I like fixed 4-6 or 2-7, 2.5-8 scopes, they have plenty of magnification for hunting up to 400m and are usually a lot lighter and compact than bigger higher magnification ones!
Click to expand...
They're hard to find now.

Burris and Leupold used to make nice fixed 4X or 6X scopes.

I don't know if they do anymore.

I can remember hunting with a Leupold 3-9x40mm decades ago and I used to turn the power ring until I hit a field of view that I liked.

I found that I was always automatically turning it to 6X.

That was taking into consideration that I wasn't going to be taking a shot beyond 200 yards, or in thick brush.
 
The Burris Full Field 3x9 was universally considered by the Americans as the best inexpensive scope available. It was rare in Canada. But that was then, this is now. The Bushnell 4000 series was the old Bauch and Lamb (sp) Balvar. It was without a doubt the toughest variable out there. They are built like tanks and weigh like tanks. Again that was then, this is now.

CNC grinding and advances in coatings make current optics markedly better than those of just a few years ago.

I use Bushnell and Leupold. Bushnells are much better deals in Canada then Leupolds. In the States , it's reversed.

I use 4x, 2-7, 2.5x8, 2.5x10, 3x9 and 3.5x10 . The highest power at the range for load development but in the field, a comfortably wide field of view .

Rainguard does work if you hunt on the wet coast.
 
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The Bushnell 4500 is big and heavy. Can't say more than that, didn't keep it long.

Burris Fullfields and Bushnell Elite 3200 and 4200 have been really good hunting scopes for me. Leupold Vx-Freedom 3-9x40 as well.
 
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More playing about "exit pupil" - set 2.5-10x40 variable scope to 4 power - 40 mm front lens divided by 4 power = exit pupil about 10 mm - not many people have eyes with pupils that can open that wide - hence will seem to be very "bright" view - and gets "dimmer" view as magnification increased - front lens diameter not changing. Nothing about detail or quality of image - just light physics about front lens diameter and magnification.

I have a Hensoldt and a Pecar scope - probably from 1950's or 1960's - I do not think they are sealed, nor was coatings used on those glass surfaces - the image through them is to "die" for - colour rendition is astounding - likely not possible to make glass that well, or to grind lenses that accurately any more - or at least not "profitably" any more - not real sure what "coatings" do, but I think they are possibly a way to get back to what "used to be".
 
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We might be talking about different things - I think the Rain Guard coating is applied to the exterior of the eye piece lens - possibly also to the exterior of the objective lens - I am talking about the coatings on the various lenses inside the scope - the inside surfaces of those end lenses and the interior lenses.
 
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INTIMIDATOR said:
Hello to all,

Talked about this last year with a friend and was going to get another scope for my deer rifle. Currently it has a Bushnell Elite 10x (Japan) on it and I want something more hunt friendly for closer shots, but want to maintain that magnification for the long shots when they present themselves. I also hunt low light conditions in a cedar swamp so light is dim even when sun is up. I like the amount of light transmission the fixed 10 has, but when it's 10 power it's hard to focus on something within 50 yards.

I was looking at the Bushnell 4500 2.5-10 and the Burris Full field 2.5-10. The Bushnell has a 30mm tube and I think would allow more light to enter compared to a 1" tube. I have not looked through either glass and would like a general idea what to look for in a scope around that $400 mark. I realize the 4500 is priced at 440, but I'll just have to round up some more beer empties to make up the difference.

This gun gets used one week of the year currently and lives in the safe for the remaining 51, that's why the price cap is set lower. Max shooting would be under 300 yards, I just don't feel comfortable shooting further than that with this gun.

I'm open to any suggestions and brands, I'm not a brand specific guy, but my Bushnells have treated me well. And this fixed 10 will be for sale when I find another one to take its place.

Thanks for your time

Josh
Click to expand...
Of the two you mention, I'd go with the Burris. A 30mm tube doesn't let any more light in or through than a 1" tube. It's just what the Europeans went with in the beginning. The only advantage it could have is more internal adjustment, which doesn't really factor in for a 300 yard rifle.

If I was doing it, I'd buy that used Leupold 2.5-8x that hoytcannon has on the EE. Hell, if I had a rifle I could use it on, I'd buy it myself!
 
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Interesting comments.

I have a couple 4200’s here.
One 3x9 and the other 2.5x10.

I set them both up looking at a barn down the way.
Close to 150 yards checked with my Leica r/f.
I was startled to find the 9 & 10 power didn’t vary any difference.
The bottom end was where the difference was.
The 2.5 opened up wider..

For c&g’s I focused my newer Redfield 2x7-33 and the clarity was stunning compared to the old Bushnells.
The multi X was a bit wider and finer to my liking.
This is the one I put on my new to me BLR.

These are decently priced scopes backed by Leupolds legendary warranty.

One of site sponsors have/had the 3x9’s on a decent discount.
 

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INTIMIDATOR said:
Hello to all,

Talked about this last year with a friend and was going to get another scope for my deer rifle. Currently it has a Bushnell Elite 10x (Japan) on it and I want something more hunt friendly for closer shots, but want to maintain that magnification for the long shots when they present themselves. I also hunt low light conditions in a cedar swamp so light is dim even when sun is up. I like the amount of light transmission the fixed 10 has, but when it's 10 power it's hard to focus on something within 50 yards.

I was looking at the Bushnell 4500 2.5-10 and the Burris Full field 2.5-10. The Bushnell has a 30mm tube and I think would allow more light to enter compared to a 1" tube. I have not looked through either glass and would like a general idea what to look for in a scope around that $400 mark. I realize the 4500 is priced at 440, but I'll just have to round up some more beer empties to make up the difference.

This gun gets used one week of the year currently and lives in the safe for the remaining 51, that's why the price cap is set lower. Max shooting would be under 300 yards, I just don't feel comfortable shooting further than that with this gun.

I'm open to any suggestions and brands, I'm not a brand specific guy, but my Bushnells have treated me well. And this fixed 10 will be for sale when I find another one to take its place.

Thanks for your time

Josh
Click to expand...
I bought a commercial Mauser actioned Husqvarna 9.3 x 62 that had great but basic iron sights and a German style QD side mounted scope mount. I had a wonderful old Tasco 1.5 X 5 scope that has an amazing clarity and wide field of view at low power, and remains very clear and sharp with a still respetable field of view up at 5. For deer sized game and up I think this is just fine. Being QD is a nice feature, but with good quality scopes failure is infrequent. Shooting for 50+ years, I have never had a scope failure. IMG_4572.jpgIMG_4571.jpg
 
I’ve had fantastic experiences with Burris and Vortex. I find the 2-7x the most useful for 50-150 yards. I’ve only had one vortex and 2 Burris.
The 4 bushnell scopes I’ve had would all make good paperweights. Distortions, dark, and 2 sent back for warranty with disappointing results. Just my experience - others may differ.

If I had your situation I’d get a 2-7x by Burris or vortex, or several other brands that seem to have overwhelmingly happy customers.
 
Manufactures sell models at various levels of price . It's foolish to label all their models together. Tasco, yes Tasco !, sold an excellent scope called World Class. However their model line was except for that one, junk.

Scope companies sell scopes for your weekend warrior who may only buy two boxes of shells in his life. One to sight in (they may need that many) and another to hunt with. Likely as not, a different brand and weight.

We went together and got deal on a bunch of a well known brand's new model. My buddy shoots more than me, had everyone go for a $h** at two boxes of bullets, 100. He returned them for warranty and sold them. Mine is still hanging in, but I don't know for how long.

The scope is the unreliable link. I had a new scope that wouldn't track. BTW, never use a new rifle and scope together. One of the range officers mentioned he uses $4000 scopes.
 
I have a Leupold 2.5-8 on one of my 7mm's, the other has open sights.

I don't like the look of big, bulky scopes on what should be a light compact rifle. I think I would be just as happy with a fixed 4x Leupold. There should be enough magnification and brightness there for shots to the end of legal light.
 
DGY said:
I like fixed 4-6 or 2-7, 2.5-8 scopes, they have plenty of magnification for hunting up to 400m and are usually a lot lighter and compact than bigger higher magnification ones!
Click to expand...
^^This!^^ ..... I use a Leupold 2.5-8 on my 7x57. It's pretty much the perfect scope for everyday hunting.

I would not go 30mm tube or 50mm AO so as to keep the scope as compact and low to the bore as possible. Big scopes are clunky looking on a sporting rifle.

FqnX0I6.jpg
 
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