Hunting optics, What do you use?

[35 Whelen]

I have a bunch of Zeiss scopes that are cornerstones to compare most other under $1000 scopes to. I have a few high end Leupolds and a few middle of road ones. I have to say back a few years ago when you could buy S1 Sightrons for $100 they are great value to have on lower priced guns. The nicest glass and overall scopes we have in recently are from GPO...... their $600 scopes will rival ANY thing out there for a grand! Good luck with which ever one trips your trigger.
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[FNWhelen]

For years I shot peeps on my Whelen but as my eyes aged I went to a four power Leopold. I kept thinking I wanted less so I just bought a 1.75-5 Sightron and am amazed how clear it is and how fast it comes up on target. It will be interesting to see how well this cheap scope holds up. Most of my shooting with the Whelen has been close up so very little magnification is needed or wanted. I have a friend who has been a bear guide for over 40 years and all he uses is a fixed 2.5 Leupold.

 

[grry10]

I've not owned or used a Sightron, but I have to friends that have used them for years on AR platforms for coyote hunting. If they weren't reliable, they would not have keep them.

 

[RL338]

Since most of my rifles are setup with picatinny rails, it makes it easy to swap it on and off.

Also this is the way to go for getting proper eye relief.

 

[cloverleaf]

Cant remember what version of Nikon Bino's. My most exspensive optic. Two 3-9 VX's (VXII and VX2) a VX-1, a couple Bushnells and a few old K-4 Weavers. CL

 

[Wenaha]

For binos I use my old rubber armored Zeiss 10 X 40s and for spotting my Swarovski 15 X 56s on a tripod.

I use a range of scopes from Leupold VX6i 1 - 6X on. my 404 Jeffery to a Schmidt & Bender 2.5 - 10 X 42 Summit on my 280 AI. My other rifles are fitted with a mix of Swarovski and Leupold scopes.

I recently bought a TRACT Toric 3 - 15 X 42 for a 308 Norma magnum that is currently being completed. No experience with this scope yet, but it is very clear edge to edge.

 

[salmonchaser]

Well I think the Leupold 2.5 x 8 is my favorite hunting scope. Enough for a 400 yard shot on deer or elk, compact sort of, and not so big it makes the rifle top heavy. I own nothing but Leupold scopes and up until the last two years never had any trouble. I’m sending the second Vx 5 back. 50 years of no trouble now 2 expensive scopes not hold zero in two years. Not going to risk what’s left of my hunting seasons on that. The current failure was bouncing up and down about 3 inches above my zero. Checked all the rings bases action screws, took it back to the range, same problem. Took the scope of, Pulled the scope of my 338, put it on the 300 shot a 1/2 moa group. I’m looking to change things up I think.
I bought a set of Swarovski binoculars for my trip to Africa, to date the best money I’ve spent on glass yet.
What really sucks is it’s 0400 and I’m two cups of coffee into my morning.

 

[salmonchaser]

For binos I use my old rubber armored Zeiss 10 X 40s and for spotting my Swarovski 15 X 56s on a tripod.

I use a range of scopes from Leupold VX6i 1 - 6X on. my 404 Jeffery to a Schmidt & Bender 2.5 - 10 X 42 Summit on my 280 AI. My other rifles are fitted with a mix of Swarovski and Leupold scopes.

I recently bought a TRACT Toric 3 - 15 X 42 for a 308 Norma magnum that is currently being completed. No experience with this scope yet, but it is very clear edge to edge.

The Wenaha is good country. Spent a lot of time up there.

 

[Blkram]

For years I shot peeps on my Whelen but as my eyes aged I went to a four power Leopold. I kept thinking I wanted less so I just bought a 1.75-5 Sightron and am amazed how clear it is and how fast it comes up on target. It will be interesting to see how well this cheap scope holds up. Most of my shooting with the Whelen has been close up so very little magnification is needed or wanted. I have a friend who has been a bear guide for over 40 years and all he uses is a fixed 2.5 Leupold.

My Marlin 375S wore a fixed Leupold 2.5 with a heavy duplex for years. Great little scope! Worked very well for bears and moose! Loved the heavier duplex in the dark timber, against the black hide.
It now has a VX-R 2-7x33 FireDot on it, as I am really liking that illumination! And I still have 2 power for those up close and personal shots on bears in the thick stuff.

 

[Bruce Mc]

I didn't mention the binoculars I use. I have a 10x50 BassPro binocular that's actually a pretty fair glass. It's good for about 80% of the day. The first and last 20 minutes of legal hours they're useless. I upgraded to a Leupold 12x50 that are good for 1/2 hour before and after shooting hours. They are sharp and easy to focus. I also have a little compact Leupold binocular that was a gift to me back around 1982. It is 9x20 rubber armored and has individual click adjustable focus. They are still crystal clear. They were made in Portugal, I always believed they were made by Leica. I use them more than any other they are just so dang handy. I don't use a spotting scope hunting.

 

[Wenaha]

The Wenaha is good country. Spent a lot of time up there.

I have spent a lot of time there, fishing the GR and Wenaha as well as hunting. I've loved it since I first set foot there over 35 years ago.

 

[salmonchaser]

I have spent a lot of time there, fishing the GR and Wenaha as well as hunting. I've loved it since I first set foot there over 35 years ago.

When I was a kid we used to float the river for elk, Minum down to Troy. We live close to the river now, get in there quite a bit.

 

[diverdown]

I am using a Zeiss 1.5X6 Diavari for my .338RUM and feel that scope is the best one I've ever owned. A Kahles 3X9 sits on my Christensen arms .300Mag. A Leupold 2.5X8 sits on my 7-08 and has taken a lot of deer. An old Nikon 1X4 sits on my Ruger .44 carbine. (very bright) Binnoculars are a set of Meopta 7X35's and a set of Leica 10X42's That are the brightest binnoculars I've ever owned. Sharp edge to edge.

 

[Guybo]

I've always favored Leupold scopes but have others as well. My main hunting rifle and my daughters has a Leupold VX5 2 x10 x 42 Duplex on it. We don't do any dialing with these rifles and this particular Leupold works great for our type hunting. The only rifle i dial with is a Rem LTR .308 and it has an older Nikon on it that i want to upgrade I've just been very busy lately and haven't shot much so i haven't took the time to do it. I have Vortex and Sightron scopes in the safe on other rifles and i have no complaints about any of them they have all been reliable. I have a couple really old Tasco Pronghorn world class scopes on a couple 22's and i don't think they've been off the rifles since i put them on many years ago and they're still spot on when i shoot them. I think i paid like $30 at a local pawn shop for both so you know that was long ago.
As for bino's, I have Vortex Vipers and Leupold BX-4's and honestly, I can't tell enough difference in them to prefer one over the other so I grab whichever one is closest when I open the safe.