Range Finding Scopes

self | Now | Dead Dog

[Dead Dog]

I'm looking at buying a scope for a Remington model 700 in .338 Win Mag.

I would like to get a scope with a range finding recticle, and would like to get freeper feedback on scope preferences and the different range finding recticles such as mil-dot. Are they worth the extra cost?

The rifle/scope will be used on Mule Deer (open country), and Elk in dense/lowlight forests. Most game will be at distances less than 200 yards, however I would like to practice with the rifle at targets beyond 600 yards.

Any thoughts?

[Dead Dog]

Oops, I have no idea how this ended up in News/Activism. My appologies.

[Lurker]

If you have the dough, Lueopold makes an excellent one. I don't remember the model number, but it's their LE model. Another good one is available from Springfield Armory.

Either one will set you back around 600 or so.

L

[xsrdx]

You'll get lots of opinions here, from a variety of perspectives. Personally I prefer Leupold glass, VariXIII, for their optical clarity, repeatability, and durability.

Mil Dot reticles take some practice to use properly, but once learned the process is easy to employ. For hunting, its probably just as practical - and often quicker- to drag along a good laser rangefinder. The rangefinding reticle is a good backup, however, in case you have problems with the laser.

Check out the Leupold VariXIII and Tactical series scopes, for a 338 the 3.5-10x or 4.5-14x make sense.

Shepard, Nightforce and Trijicon also make an excellent line of quality rangefinding scopes, some with illuminated reticles for low light hunting, and of course Swarovski and Zeiss glass is considered top notch.

[Dead Dog]

bump

[going hot]

Agree with lurker, above.

Get down to the nearest gun shop and ask them to show you the newest springfield scope catalogue. There are some rather fine instruments to choose from.
They have cross hairs, mil dots, brackets, and combinations.

personally, I am waiting for someone to invent a scope that works like the autofocus on a camara. You simply sight to the target, and as the "zoom" lens focuses the target, it actuates a BDC for the correct range. Would be neat. At present, it must be done manually

[SBprone]

Long range shooting makes special demands on a scope. A conventional 1" scope may have just barely enough elevation range for that much drop, and that is why the long range scopes by Leupold and others use the 30mm tube. Also, if your scope on your rifle with your mounts isn't pretty well centered before you start making adjustments then you may have less range of adjustment than the specs on your scope would indicate.

Bottom line, setting up a scoped rifle for long range shooting is a very exacting nitpicky job that often requires the services of a gunsmith specializing in target rifles.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Agree. The smith is probably as important as the scope.

[Mariner]

The Sheppherd Range Finding Scope has darn decent clarity and is the quickest and simplist at range finding. It's nearly automatic........

I am THRILLED with mine and have taken mule deer at 400yds with a Browning A-Bolt (BOSS) in .308 (150gr Nosler Ballistic Tip/Varget).

With proper bracing/tripod/sandbags the combo has shot 4in groups at 600yds and weighs in at less than 8lbs.

Once the scope is sighted in, no further adjustments are required. Heck, I'm mildly surprised the anti-gunners haven't gone after this combo........it allows the layman to shoot long-range, limited only by a steady hand and clean trigger pull.

Did you know that after around 400yds it's extremely difficult to determine where a shot came from?

[Ancesthntr]

How much did the Shepperd set you back?

[going hot]

Very interesting. I will definately check it out.

In answer to your question, yes.

[Centurion2000]

You can find a Tasco 8-32X42mm will full mil dot reticle for about 130.00. That should be cheap enough that you can get one and if you dont like it go back to another type.

I've been pretty happy with some of my 'higher end' tasco scopes and they are a LOT less expensive than Leupold.

It could use a decent sun shade though

[Mariner]

Unfortunately, about $650.

[going hot]

Follow up post:

with the 150 grains, 400 yards it excellent results. For longer ranges, the federal 165 grain soft point boat tails work flawlessly. Check out a box, you might be pleasently surprised.

[Ancesthntr]

Thanks. For that kind of accuracy, almost guaranteed, it might be worth it. Now I have to find a way to sneak this one by She Who Must Be Obeyed.

[Shooter 2.5]

All my fine tuned rifles have Leopold scopes on them. As far as having a mil-dot scope on anything, I don't think they're worth the trouble. You may be wasting your money in getting something you don't use. To give you an idea what I'm writing about, go to www.shooterready.com. It has a tutorial on using a mil-dot scope. Mil-dots are used for figuring out the range when there is a known object that you can measure off of. By the time you use the math, your quarry will be long gone.

[Mariner]

Hold on pard......that Rem 700 will NEVER shoot that accurately with a lightweight barrel.

With a little tweaking by a good smith......and properly tuned ammo (ammo tuned to the barrel) you MIGHT get 1.5MOA at 100yds, but most likely 2.0.

The rifle is far more important than the scope.

[Mariner]

Look at the Shepphard scope......you can range sub-second out to 1000yds.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Man...that's some scope !

[Ancesthntr]

Who said anything about a light barrel? My Rem 700 is the Varmint Synthetic, with the heavy barrel. With a used Tasco 4-14 scope I shoot under 1 MOA (when I do my part correctly) using Sierra 168 gr. Matchkings. I have yet to develop my own loads, but hopefully will this spring & summer. I expect that this will not only cut my cost per round, but result in a bit better accuracy. I am hoping for a consistant 3/4 MOA.

I agree that the rifle is more important than the scope, but the latter can help a lot at extended ranges, as you've indicated.

Aim small, miss small.