Winchester Model 70 Optics
- Thread starter danastles
- Start date
My own personal opinion would be that a 50 mm scope is too big and heavy for a hunting rifle used under normal conditions. A 40ish mm scope would probably look better on your M70. Just my opinion though, what ever floats your boat.
I have a VX III 1.5-5 on my M70 300WM, great in the bush and 5x is plenty of magnification for big game IMO
50mm objective lenses are a marketing gimmick...the exit pupil is what regulates the amount of light that reaches the eye...and, they have to be mounted higher increasing the amount you have to lift your cheek off the comb to get a good sight picture.
I wouldn't run anything bigger than a 3-9X 40 on a 30-06...even a 2-7X or a 2.5-8X with a smaller objective...a 32 or 36mm would be about right.
I wouldn't run anything bigger than a 3-9X 40 on a 30-06...even a 2-7X or a 2.5-8X with a smaller objective...a 32 or 36mm would be about right.
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It depends what you're going to do with your Tikka.
If you're selling it, keep the scope and mount it on the M70. If you're keeping the Tikka, buy a scope for the M70 to accommodate the type of hunting you expect to do including distance, size of target, etc.
Please remember that if you are a typical hunter that most of the time you will have your scope set at a magnification of 3 to 4 and very seldom at maximum magnification.
Also keep in mind that large objectives are designed for particular applications and not necessarily to gather more light (highly debatable subject).
I would go for the lightest weight and smallest magnification that will do the job for you and not larger than 40mm with a maximum magnification of of 9 or less.
If you insist on a 3-9, I would look at the
Nikon Coyote Special 3-9x40 - Mossy Oak with BDC reticle and special anti-glare design at the front lens
and available for less than $400, if you can find one.
You could also use a Nikon 2-8x32 with BDC reticle or something like that. The Nikon one claims a 95% light transmission, and that is just as high as their 50mm scopes.
And, if you're a fan of Leupold scopes, look at their 2-7x33, etc.
I find that maximum magnification gives me the impression and feeling that you are not holding the gun steady enough and this will tend to affect your shooting skills.
My 2 cents,
Duke1
If you're selling it, keep the scope and mount it on the M70. If you're keeping the Tikka, buy a scope for the M70 to accommodate the type of hunting you expect to do including distance, size of target, etc.
Please remember that if you are a typical hunter that most of the time you will have your scope set at a magnification of 3 to 4 and very seldom at maximum magnification.
Also keep in mind that large objectives are designed for particular applications and not necessarily to gather more light (highly debatable subject).
I would go for the lightest weight and smallest magnification that will do the job for you and not larger than 40mm with a maximum magnification of of 9 or less.
If you insist on a 3-9, I would look at the
Nikon Coyote Special 3-9x40 - Mossy Oak with BDC reticle and special anti-glare design at the front lens
and available for less than $400, if you can find one.
You could also use a Nikon 2-8x32 with BDC reticle or something like that. The Nikon one claims a 95% light transmission, and that is just as high as their 50mm scopes.
And, if you're a fan of Leupold scopes, look at their 2-7x33, etc.
I find that maximum magnification gives me the impression and feeling that you are not holding the gun steady enough and this will tend to affect your shooting skills.
My 2 cents,
Duke1
Nothing wrong with a Leupold! Personally, I don't care for the 50mm objectives, though.
I have a Bausch & Lombe Elite 3000 [forerunner of the Bushnell Elite 3200 series] 3-9x40mm on my Winchester Model 70 XTR .30-06 and it works great.
NAA.
mike shickele
Regular
I think that choice of scope is a very personal thing. In saying that, I would not want to pack any scope with an objective lense of more than 40mm, and 36mm would be preferable. I have 2 30-06's; one wears a Leupold 2-7X compact, and the other wears a Leupold 1-4X variX 2. IMO if Leupold made a 1.5-6X vari-X 2 with about a 36mm objective lense, that would be perfect for the 30-06.
Mike
Mike
BC Bigbore
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- BC's Peace Country
The Model 70's in my safe all wear Leupolds: VariXII 3x9x40 on a .270WSM, VariXIII 2.5x8x36 on a .338-06 and an M8 6x36 on a .270WCF. No complaints with any of 'em.
BigUglyMan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- New Scotland
Leupold VX3 1.5-5x, VX3 2.5-8x or Fixed 4x would be perfect. I've got a Burris Signature 3-9x on my 30-06 and it's just dandy as well.
beretta boy
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Orillia, Ontario
I Like VX-II's , 2-7 x33 with the LR reticle... does everything I need them to do !
If I was a real gung-ho, dark-to-dark type, I might also look at the VX-III 1.5-5 x 20 with the Illuminated Reticle. I think the litle red illuminated cross hair would make a ton of difference for that "first and last 20 minutes" of the day... and particularly up against the dark coat of some critters. In my part of the woods, Bullwinkle seems about as black as a hockey puck just at legal time - most reticles almost seem to disappear !
Besides, a Model 70 is a classy gun ... the "Hubble" doesn't
belong on one !
If I was a real gung-ho, dark-to-dark type, I might also look at the VX-III 1.5-5 x 20 with the Illuminated Reticle. I think the litle red illuminated cross hair would make a ton of difference for that "first and last 20 minutes" of the day... and particularly up against the dark coat of some critters. In my part of the woods, Bullwinkle seems about as black as a hockey puck just at legal time - most reticles almost seem to disappear !
Besides, a Model 70 is a classy gun ... the "Hubble" doesn't
belong on one !
I have a nice Leopold rifleman 3-9x40 on a M-70 featherwieght in .308. It looks a touch 'overscoped', but it's a $300 scope (so it's in my meager budget), and the rifle is MOA which makes it a slick combination for hunting BIG cutblocks.
I have a 6-18x50 Vari II on a standard M-70 in .375 H+H, had to go to tall rings to get it to fit, and aside from more magnification there is no noticeable difference in lens quality.
I have a 6-18x50 Vari II on a standard M-70 in .375 H+H, had to go to tall rings to get it to fit, and aside from more magnification there is no noticeable difference in lens quality.
