Switching scopes ?

[Guy Miner]

OT3 brought that up, and I thought it deserved a thread of its own.

How many here are guilty of frequent scope switching? Occasional scope swapping? Or who never switches a scope???

I noticed years ago that I had done a fair bit of scope swapping among my hunting rifles, but that the 4.5-14x Leupold on my SWAT rifle NEVER got switched. That way it was ALWAYS properly and permanently sighted-in. I can remember twice in the past 20 years that it's been swapped:

1. I had an opportunity for a six month test & eval of a very expensive US Optics SN3 scope, and the Leupold needed to be removed for that. Not a problem! :grin:

2. The windage adjustment on the Leupold failed, and I sent it back to Leupold. I swapped on a fixed 12x Leupold from a target rifle of mine and zeroed it. Thought I might need it, nope. Leupold had my scope back in about a week, for free. Still, the rifle was ready to go during that time.

Other than that... Doggone I used to be a scope-swapper! :mrgreen: Seemed like I was always wanting to try this scope on that rifle, and all sorts of nonsense. Gradually it dawned on me that the One Rifle that was Always ready to go, was my SWAT rifle, the Green Machine, and that was largely because I rarely changed the ammo, scope, stock or anything else. It's been very close to the same for nearly 20 years now. Exception being a few new barrels along the way...

Also recalled that Dad has scopes on a couple of rifles, and they just stay there, where they were put initially. He has the same 2-7x Redfield on his .30-06, that I bought him back in the 1970's. It's still properly zeroed too. He put the compact 2-8x on the .308 Browning BLR that my oldest son uses. It's always been on there, 25+ years now I'd guess. And it's still nicely zeroed with 165 gr ammo. He put a wonderful 6.5-20x on his .22-250 varmint rifle, and zeroed it some years back. Guess what? It's still zeroed... Dad's main rifles are always ready to go, and he never swaps scopes from one to another. I think I learned part of my lesson from him.

After using the 4.5-14x on my .25-06 for a season or two, I stole the 6x off my .300 RUM, and put it on the .25-06 rifle instead. It's lived there happily ever since. Have only had to make minor dope changes when I went from 100's to 115's. Otherwise it's always ready to go. I like that. Grab it in February or March for coyote duty, and it's still properly zeroed from mulie season in October. Yes, I use the same ammo all the time in it anymore, 115's at 3100+ fps, zeroed at 300 yards.

The .30-06 Model of 1917 ended up with the other fixed 6x, and is constantly zeroed at 200 yards with 165's. It's been real simple for my son to KNOW which scope to expect, and where to hold, whenever he grabs that rifle. He also conned me into putting a 3.5-10x on "his" 6mm Remington some years back, and it's stayed constantly on that rifle, and constantly zeroed ever since.

Overall, although I used to be a scope swapper, I just don't like it anymore. My rifles stay ready to go, pretty much all the time now. I like that.

You?

 

[Oldtrader3]

I go through spells of updating optics about every 5-6 years. I will sell or trade some of my older scopes and guns to update to something that I seem to want at that time. This year, Zeiss discontinued the under 50mm Conquest scopes and brought to market several new scopes in the HD5 line. This was to me, a big enough change to cause me to sell a bunch of older scopes and buy several of the new or discontinued Zeiss scopes.

Mind you, I don't do this often. Most of my rifles, I have had 20 years to 40 or more years with some rifles. Scopes break and get redesigned but many of my scope are 15 years old or more. I bought three scopes this year but I sold four last year. When this happens, I often end up reorganizing the rifle to scope alignment in order to update my, important to me, rifles with current optics.

That is what is happening now with my gun collection but I am almost done shuffling new scopes around. One or two minor additional changes with older scopes may happen later this year. I am not quite done yet with reorganization. This is something new to me. Previously, I pretty much bought a gun and a scope and left then together forever. However, scope technology is changing faster now and I am updating a few scopes.

 

[Elkman]

If a rifle is working I hate changing, switching, or touching anything that might change its demeanor. I have had my 300 WM now for 43 years. The first scope was a 2.5 X 7 Weaver. It shook apart in 87. I replaced it with a 2.5 X 8 Leupold. A fantastic scope, which is still in my possession I believe on a 300 B. The WM now wears a new Conquest 4.5 X 10, I will bet that when I die that scope will be on that rifle. I have purged my safe of all my Weavers, a fine scope in its day, however its day has long gone by. I currently have two Conquests and a 1/2 dozen or so Leopold's, I don't see any scope switches in the future.

 

[Divernhunter]

Why swap scopes on my hunting rifles? They all have 3X9X40 Leupolds with duplex reticle. There is about 10 of them. One has a 3.5X10X40 duplex reticle.
My fun guns have other brand scopes but I only change/swap them if it goes bad.
Both 50bmg rifles have the same Nightforce scopes. My scoped pistols have Leupold 2x or 4x scopes and they are not changed.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I had a bunch of Leupy's which I bought when I retired the first time in 1999. Plus some purchased in the 1990's. These are all gone now except one VX-II Rimfire and a 4.5-14x40AO Vari-XIII but both work fine. I will get rid of my Minox ZA5 2-10x40 BDC scope this year, as soon as I can sell it. I will be caught up for about another 5-6 years after I get rid of the Minox.

I am happy where I am on rifles and scopes at least for the foreseeable future. All of this is predicated on having developed a standardized action and stock design for all but (2) of my CF rifles. They are all Commercial Mauser, Model 70 and Sako 85, bolt actions and are about as closely interchangeable in feel and use as I could make them be. I fact all of the (6) bolt action rifles mount and feel nearly interchangeable. Even the No One feels close to the others in mounting and scope placement. Enough so where I don't need do much thinking when I am using any one of the (7) of them.

 

[Wondermutt]

Now this topic hits home for me. I was not a swapper until the last couple of years. 1st Rifle swap:

- My sweetheart 30-06. Up until two years ago, it had a redfield scope that my dad put on it in '81. It got to the point of uselessness because it would fog up with a little bit of humidity. So I put on a VX11 4x12 Leupold with AO. That AO thingy drove me nuts. Wont do that again. Now I am looking for a new scope for this rifle.

2nd Rifle: 300RUM

I shoot the snot out of this Sendero. I bought this rifle cause my wife wanted me to stop shooting her 300RUM XCR. Anyhow, I put a Trijicon 5-20 with exposed turrets. I loved this scope for shooting yotes and at the home range. However using it as my primary elk weapon proved to be a total PITA. Anyone who ever hunted unit 4 in Idaho with the intent of being prepared, knows your trudging a large pack. Between that and the brush I was constantly bumping the turrets on trees and such. So off came that scope. Like the -06, I am looking for a capped turret scope for this hunting rig.

So up until '12, my scopes landed on my rifles and stayed there. Man, time flys. I remember being a teenager when my dad bought the -06 and scope.....

 

[Vince]

Some folks switch scopes like doctors switch wives, present doctors excepted, and some don't.
Now that I've found a scope I really like I just need to find a rifle I really like. I think I have. I just need to work up a load for it. Then I'll look at getting a similar scope and working up a load for another rifle. The bad thing is that I have good taste in scopes so it takes me a while to save up for them.

 

[muleman]

Guilty!!! All new guns get a high variable scope(15+ power) for load work ups and then switched over to an appropriate scope for their intended purpose. My 1895 in 45-70 wore a 7x21 Bushnell Elite :shock: for load work up. It now wears a 2x7 Redfield. It may still morph with XS ghost ring and a 2.5 power scout scope. My 280AI, 22-250AI and 26 Nosler will wear VX3 6.5x20s for load development and probably change over to 4.5x14s for field duty..... Or at least till I finally obtain a FFP long range scope. It always gets interesting when a new rifle or scope enters the fold. It tends to have a cascade effect!
The one thing that remains constant is my 308 Kimber 84 that is scoped with a 3.5x10 VX3 with a B&C reticle. Sited with a really accurate load of Varget and 165ABs. Been in this configuration for over seven years.

Scott

 

[nvbroncrider]

I don't swap unless there is a problem. The only scope I have swapped was my Minox. Had it on the Swede then my 338 now it resides on the 7X57. I was scope poor. Now I have a pair of 4.5-14X44 Conquests on those rifles.

 

[Oldtrader3]

When I was much more active in hunting than in just shooting for performance and with accuracy my rifles and scopes, I had a different mix of scope capabilities matched with specific rifle calibers than I do now. My criteria now also tries to mix optical cost into the matrix to assure some performance attribute matching along with just capability and cost matching.. By this matrix, I will try no to mix expensive optics more with high end and workmanship/capability rifles. This takes into account that I still have two really old Leupold scopes and custom rifles which have dramatically increased in workmanship cost over the past several years.

So here goes by caliber, rifle use and economic matching, brand to brand, rifle (low/ low, high to high). This is centerfire rifles only:

Type of Rifle: Caliber: Rifle use: Economic-rifle of scope to rifle: Notes:


1-Cz 527, Czech, Mini Mauser, .204 Ruger. Small varmints. Scope: Swarovski, Z3, 4-12x50. To get power and clarity for varmint rife, more expensive and larger format scope is needed in order to balance scope and rifle caliber capabilities.
2-Custom Mauser Com .257 Roberts, Coyotes-deer. Scope: Zeiss, V/VN, 5-15x42 Diavari. Rifle is being upgraded by me and is shooting better now that it ever has. When I am finished, rifle will be first rate shooting, custom rifle and will use all of Zeiss scope's long range capabilities on Varmints and deer.
3-Custom stocked .270 Win, Model 70, Rifle, Antelope-Deer. Rifle was made from scratch by famed stockmaker. I have killed over 100 deer with this rifle in 45years. Scope is Zeiss Conquest HD 5, 3-15x40, since 1971, I have used the best scope that I have on this rifle which appears to be the German T*, HD5 German made lens. How this rifle performs on game has always been of utmost importance to me in the field. I have shot game from 200 to up and over 400 yards with this rifle. Performance by rifle is upmost important attribute of this rig.
4-Custom Stocked 7MM Rem Mag, Custom Builder Mauser action rifle that I have owned since 1973. This rifle is my long range deer and elk crossover rifle, using 160 Grain Partitions. Optics are the same 3-15x42, HD5, Zeiss Conquest, German made T* scope as used on the .270 Win Model 70 noted previously. These rifles are the two rifles which are most identical as they may be, in terms of accuracy and critical performance in the field. The rifles are designed and tuned to be as nearly a pair in terms of operation as two Smiths could make them.
5-Factory restocked Win Model 70, .30-06 back up elk rifle that I have owned and used since 1996 with 165 Partitions. I have shot a couple of elk and also several deer with this rifle and it may be the truly most accurate rifle that I own. This rifle also is tuned to be as close in form, fit and function as I could make it to the other two custom rifles. Scope is Conquest MC 3.5-10x44 which matches format of rifle just perfectly.
6. Sako, Model 85 Classic, .338 Federal, loaded with 210 Partitions. Rifle is factory stock but is also a MOA rifle with 210 Nosler's. Scope mounted on this rifle is for hunting forest elk and moose in the bush, up North. The rifle is currently scoped with a BDC reticle (TDS), 3-9x42, Kahles scope. I have had this rig for about 5 years and have never shot anything with it, except paper.
7. Ruger, Number One, Single Shot, 9.3-74R Mauser loaded with 286 grain Partitions. Rifle is despite short barrel and hearty recoil, fun to shoot, and quite accurate at 100 yards. Rifle is currently scoped with a Leupold 1.5-5x20 VX3, mounted normally on the scope action ring. Scope groups surprisingly better than small formatting may indicate. Good rifle for Olympic Forest Elk in hiding as usual in bad weather with quick DRT. Both Sako and Nosler factory loads run through this rifle with great accuracy.

 

[HOGWILD338-378]

I am between occasional and never I guess but I figured my Ziess on my 22-250 might look nice on my 257 Roy so it got QR rings and I was thinking of using my FXIII 6-42 on the slug shotgun I picked up from Pat eventually but I have 2 of them and just not sure about all this swapping and probably will not get too much into it as I am not scope poor! Gotta buy more rifles and NEAR Alpha mounts :mrgreen:

 

[truck driver]

The only way I switch scopes on my rifles is because they break or I don't like them. My pistols and slug guns are a little different but since my eyes are getting weak with age and I can't see the irons as well as I used to I match the scope to the situation on these. I have one Leupold that has been on the say rifle since the rifle and scope was new 34 years ago. Both still look brand new except for some minor dents and rubs on the wood of the stock and it is my work horse which I can depend on for anything. Then I have an old 6X Bushnell that has been on just about every rifle I have owned including a spring air pelt rifle that broke it and had to be sent back for repair.

 

[gerry]

Yep, I'm a scope swapper too, it actually got bad enough a number of years ago that I had nothing sighted in My new 35 Whelen has a Leupold 6x36 that will likely just stay there, the rest who knows what will happen I can see in a few years time when we are mortgage free there being some scope upgrades but for now my 260 Rem will get my Leupold 8x40 AO when it comes back from repair. Everything else is up in the air......

 

[Oldtrader3]

I considered the HD5 enough of a breakthrough in the Conquest line with the German T* glass to end up buying two of them, close together. I usually do not do that and only replace scopes which are outmoded or worn out. This move was unusual with me and reflects on the product and not my usual way of doing things.

I want to get rid of my ZA5 Minox scope anyhow. Plus, buying the two Zeiss HD 5's was a platform change enough to require some additional thought about what are my future shooting and equipment goals in my rapidly approaching old age?

 

[DrMike]

I don't do a lot of scope swapping, but when I do it is an upgrade. The eyes require all the help they can get.

 

[BK]

I pretty much leave whatever scope that is initially mounted alone. Exceptions:

788 in 6mm. Originally had an old Weaver AO 4-12x with a VERY fine crosshair that was basically unusable for me. That scope was older than I am. Currently wears a cheapo Bushnell 3-9x, but eventually will get something better.

572 .22LR. Apparently, the Amish Machine Gun action tests scopes in directions they are not designed for. I killed a Weaver 4x RF scope, now has a cheapo Bushnell.

700 SPS-V in .204. Initially had a Redfield Revo 4-12x40. It's a fine scope, but Joel made me a pretty dang good deal on a VX3 6.5-20x40 LR.

I do want to upgrade the 3-9x40 Vari-X on my .25-06 700 Classic to something made since 1990; I already have a VX3 2.5-8x for my Whelen that I need to swap; and the 3-9x40 Conquest on my Howa 7WSM Doesn't get along with me (the only one of about a half dozen Conquest 3-9x40s).

 

[Hegland]

In general, I try not to, but have been upgrading the last year and a half or so:

.223 Rem 700 Classic - Recently changed from a VXII to a new VX3 3.5-10. No telling how many prairie dogs, rabbits, songbirds and general varmints I've taken with that thing, it's a beautiful rifle and it deserved an upgrade. My FFL mentioned one of his wholesalers had a Leupold sale going on, so I sprung.

.243 700 BDL - Stumbled onto a used 5-15x42 Zeiss Diavari. Fantastic scope. The #4 crosshair is bold, yet much thinner than in the Conquests.

.270 M70 Featherweight - Found a 3-9x36 Swaro on clearance for $600. Not much of a decision there. Replaced the 6x42 Leupold. Great match for a Featherweight-type rifle.

.280 700 Stainless - Traded an MC Conquest for a 2-10 HD5. Great glass but a tad heavy, and if I were to do it again I'd probably go for the 3-15. I can see the barrel in the scope on 2x.

.30-06 M70 Featherweight - The FX3 that had been on the .270 replaced a VXII on this rifle. Also a fantastic match of cartridge, rifle and scope. Balances and points like a dream.

.338 M70 Sporter - Replaced a VXII with a 3.5-10x44 Conquest. As mentioned above, the #4 strikes me as a little thick but doesn't seem to be in the way, even on whitetails.

My 700 SPS .223 still has a VXII, my muzzle loader and rimfires still wear the 2-7 Leupolds and 4x Zeiss Conquests. Don't see much changing in the near future.

 

[DrMike]

Those are some pretty good moves, Hegland. I do like my Diavaris and Swarovskis; they sure help these aged eyes.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

I don't swap unless theres a problem with the scope....

Sent from my DROID RAZR HD using Tapatalk

 

[sask boy]

Normally I only swap when there is a problem and that is why I no longer own Bushnell. I am changing my Leica from the 35 Whelen to my 280AI as the Leica is more suited for the real flat shooting 280AI. I was able to pick up a Diavari from a gentleman who states he is starting to get tired eyes :mrgreen:.

Blessings,
Dan