Specs for your perfect Hunting Scope?

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blakeyboy

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If you could get the perfect hunting scope what would you spec out?

I'll go first.

Start with Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x40 green dot duplex as a base as it's almost there for me as it is, if I could perfect it I would ask for...

Elevation turret that mirrors the function of the Leupold cds-zl turret. Exposed, single rotation, locking zero.
1/2 moa per click on the elevation turret only.
Then speed dial turrets to order to match your load.

One may need to define their 'hunting' along with their scope. For my needs hunting is primarily means coyotes and on up to big game, 0-600 yards, fall, winter, spring.

Adding specs of my base scope choice is as follows;

13.4 oz (must be under 1 lb for me)
1" tube (also a must for me, lighter rings, no need for 30mm or larger tubes to go 600 yards)
mounts in 1" low rings and objective clears barrel
illuminated reticle - green dot duplex, being it's non-battery and green are big wins over the battery and red coloured dots
quality glass, this Accupoint is a level above Leupold in glass, adjustments and feel, also seems to have greater true magnification range
dial up not reticle, there's only one illuminated aiming point, I want to use it always, Kenton speed dial turret currently on my trijicons for this
 
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If the new Vortex Razor LHT came in 2-10 I think that would be it for me. The illuminated center dot, MRAD exposed locking elevation turret and reticle are all exactly what I want for coyotes and deer. I'd also pay the extra money for a turret that feels a little nicer but that's just nitpicking.
 
For hunting a variety of big game, in all terrain and environment types, out to a maximum of 500 yards (because that is as far as the local ranges I can shoot at and have practiced to extensively are limited to), the following scopes are pretty much as good as I want or need:
- Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40 B&C - 12.6 oz and 12.6" long with a great warranty and service centre in western Canada;
- Swarovski Z3 3-10x42 BRH - 12.7 oz and 12.54" with a great warranty;
- Kahles Helia 3-9x42 TDS - 13 oz and 12" with a great warranty (Swarovski).
And I own and hunt with all 3!
Very reliable and great performance!

While these do not have illuminated reticles, which would be a nice option, it isn't necessary and another item that can fail in the field (or the battery go dead), and reduce reliability. KISS principle.
 
I would like:

- 2-10x magnification range with a reasonable size eyepiece/ocular lens - lots of chunky scopes out there nowadays which are simply not required;
- 44mm or less objective lens, but highest light transmission possible - I would pick a 44mm at 96% over 40mm at 91% for example;
- Under 16oz, ideally under 14 so most likely a 1" tube which should offer enough adjustment for 500 yards anyways;
- Keeping all of the above in mind, something that can mount in a set of 1" low rings would be perfect;
- I'm getting more used to exposed elevation turrets and like the Leupold CDS custom turret offering;
- MOA over MRAD just because its what I'm used to;
- I also like the option of an illuminated reticle, a German #4 with red center dot CDS turret 1/4 click MOA adjustments from 100-500 yards would be perfect.
 
BlackRam said:
For hunting a variety of big game, in all terrain and environment types, out to a maximum of 500 yards (because that is as far as the local ranges I can shoot at and have practiced to extensively are limited to), the following scopes are pretty much as good as I want or need:
- Leupold VX-3 3.5-10x40 B&C - 12.6 oz and 12.6" long with a great warranty and service centre in western Canada;
- Swarovski Z3 3-10x42 BRH - 12.7 oz and 12.54" with a great warranty;
- Kahles Helia 3-9x42 TDS - 13 oz and 12" with a great warranty (Swarovski).
And I own and hunt with all 3!
Very reliable and great performance!

While these do not have illuminated reticles, which would be a nice option, it isn't necessary and another item that can fail in the field (or the battery go dead), and reduce reliability. KISS principle.
Click to expand...

It took a lot for me to migrate away from Leupold, it took a pretty special scope to do it. I live within driving distance to Korth and they've seen a lot of my dollars over the years, if not customizing Leupold's or proof research carbon barrel etc. And their new vx-3-HD lineup is amazing, a wet dream for when I was building sheep rigs etc. the 2.5-8x36 with the cds-zl is about as perfect as one can get and in a set of talley lows the grand total add to a rifle just over 3/4's of a lb. I keep saying if Leupold can tool up a center block that's for 1" tube except streets up on the one side for the fire dot battery and shouldn't add but maybe 1 oz to get illuminated on their magical 1" tube lightweight scopes....and it has 58 clicks of dial up on that turret gets you more like 600 yards out of most standard cartridges.

If Leupold can squeeze the firedot onto the vx3hd's and can give choice of red or green dots then that would be about the ideal scope, oh and up their glass game.

As it is, the Trijicon Accupoint 3-9x40 gives the green dot without batteries and brighter, clearer glass and a level above in quality and magnification range as well. It doesn't have exposed locking turret but usually spinning off a dust cap to dial up isn't a game changer in the field, it's how I started long range 15 plus years ago anyway running Leupold 7/8" standard target turrets with dust caps and Kenton speed dial knobs to match the loads. The Trijicon is 12.4" long and as compact and slender as 3-9x40's go, it hangs with Leupold there. Appears the fiberoptic reticle only added an ounce over the Leupold equivalent. That illuminated. dot in the field is awesome. Since Trijicon is the one with the non-battery option and is in green to boot, and nearly perfect otherwise...that's the one I'm basing what would be absolutely perfect for me, I won't give up that green dot, or the glass, or the magnification range now and I can still dial up to 525 with a 16" barrel 6.5 Grendel from 200 yard zero and only 2386 fps launch...so I really don't need anything else, this just a Wishlist for the future if the scope manufacturers were paying attention...which I believe Leupold is, that vx3-hd lineup sure seems like it could have been pulled from a sheep hunters head for sure. Leupold is/was the standard I go by.
 
I had an, 'I spent all that for one shot?' moment. My 300 Win Mag killed a cheap Tasco with the recoil. So I upgraded to a something else - 44 or 50mm objective (too small and I couldn't see in really bad light but still legal light); 1" tube for the availability of rings; adjustable parallax on the objective; 3 to 12 power as I recall; and some slightly matt finish so it wouldn't show the scuffs.

My moment was pushing a bullrush slough in Saskatchewan. I watched a couple deer go into the slough bottom. A doe and a modest sized buck. They stayed. So I stalked towards them. Rifle at the ready, I knew they'd flush like birds. Up she comes and scampers off. Up he comes and bounds straight away from me. Up goes the rifle and he's in the scope. Good top of the shoulder high spine shot. Down he goes. I distinctly remember turning the rifle sideways in my hands and saying, 'All that for this?' But, a young buck without all the fighting and breeding hormones is a good eating deer!
 
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