Just some random thoughts on rifle scopes...

After hunting with my wife's 270 this year, which is equipped with a Zeiss Conquest MC 3.5-10x44 scope...and noting its very good low light performance I have had some thoughts on optics lately.

In no particular order of importance...

No more tactical/hunting scopes for me....pure bred hunting scopes from now on.

50mm objectives are still too big for my tastes...44 is as big as I want...but I will admit that 50mm scopes are just a smidge brighter than a 44mm on the same magnification setting...just not enough brighter for me to put up with tall mounts.

I still hate a scope in tall mounts...can't stand em!

I'll never own another scope over 16x...the exit pupil is so small in a 40-44mm scope that anything above 16x is pretty limited in use...no need to pay for something that is so limited in application.

You get what you pay for...really, you do.

The older my eyes get...the better my scopes need to be.

And i really can't wait to put that HD5 on the M48!

Yeah- I can't stand a giant scope stuck way up high in tall mounts.

After a lot of hunting, I really like a fixed 6x42.. about as much exit pupil as a human can use and plenty of magnification for about any shooting I do and enough eye relief I don't get kaibobed in the eye. Probably too much for woods hunting but out in the wide open tundra, it's pretty nice.

Hard to go wrong with a 2-7, or 3-9x40 for all hunting. A good, light fixed 4x or 6x is dandy when weight is concerned

I've owned several 50mm scopes over the years but a 50mm just isn't my ticket. I know a bigger bell means more light and my aging eyes need all they can get but I never could get use to the high mounts and the feel of the taller scope. I like a 40mm because it keeps my cheek in a better position on the stock and my head low and more inline with the rifle. For my type hunting and shooting a 3 x 40mm with a standard duplex works great for me.

Spot on thinking for my tastes as well. 44mm is as large as I would want to go on a scope as well. I am a firm believer in the fixed power scopes and the 6x42 is a great one from Leupold. I also feel the smaller scopes look better on a rifle. Some of the larger scopes and the tactical models look like a scope wearing a rifle instead of a rifle wearing a scope.

My biggest scope is a Zeiss Conquest 4-14X44 MC and really like it a lot but my all time favorite magnification is a 1.5-5 X22 Leupold which sits on my M77 30-06 fast handling and just enough power for 400yd shots. But I also like the 2.5-10X42 scopes which I think (JMO ) are just about perfect for all around use for hunting and target shooting. You can mount them low and with the lower power setting they are fast handling and gather good light, on the higher setting they make for good long range hunting and target shooting.

Trying to make a good thing better... Or just wasting my $$$$ ?

A Zeiss HD5 2-10 X42 with the Plex reticle sets on my Remington 700 CDL.. Kenton Industries, Zeiss's business partner for retrofits has quoted $195.00 to retrofit the RapidZ -600 reticle with one turret. From my earlier post, "How to become a 400 yard shot" I believe that I am headed in the right direction with this retrofit. I kick myself for not being more informed when I purchased the scope in the first place.

With practice at longer ranges, 300 - 400 yards, I think the longer shot at game which I would previously pass on could be taken with confidence.

Any suggestions for other/better alternatives to help the old fella with old eyes?

Thanks in advance and Merry Christmas to all.. Rol

Rol_P":1ghxnv21 said:

Trying to make a good thing better... Or just wasting my $$$$ ?

A Zeiss HD5 2-10 X42 with the Plex reticle sets on my Remington 700 CDL.. Kenton Industries, Zeiss's business partner for retrofits has quoted $195.00 to retrofit the RapidZ -600 reticle with one turret. From my earlier post, "How to become a 400 yard shot" I believe that I am headed in the right direction with this retrofit. I kick myself for not being more informed when I purchased the scope in the first place.

With practice at longer ranges, 300 - 400 yards, I think the longer shot at game which I would previously pass on could be taken with confidence.

Any suggestions for other/better alternatives to help the old fella with old eyes?

Thanks in advance and Merry Christmas to all.. Rol

Click to expand...

You will do fine. Having the RapidZ as well as the turret will give you the option of using either one for longer shots. Be sure to use iStrelok (or Strelok if you have an Android based phone) for your RapidZ so you can calculate for any distance and power as needed.

Your current equipment is more than capable. What you need now is practice, and more practice. Don't forget that the wind will screw you up FAR more than the distance.

Yeah, I am with Dr Vette here. Your combo should be good for dialing and for quicker sorta longish range shooting. The key is making sure it's hitting where your looking.

Love to hear your results with the set up when/if you start shooting longer.

Had a nice chat with NYDan this evening and his suggestion is to sight in with the appropriate hash mark on the vertical reticle @ 400 yds then see where the in between marks hit at various ranges... He is very gracious in inviting me to shoot the 400 yds on his property. Will definitely do this after the retrofit early next year...

Rol P, you should be headed in the right direction with you retrofitting of the RZ 600. I have (2) Zeiss HD5 3-15x42 scopes with that reticle and they work for me!

"A good, light fixed 4x or 6x is dandy when weight is concerned"... For medium/big game hunting I think they're dandy for a lot of other reasons.