600-800 lamping scope

ormondprop

hi i'm thinking of buying a good quality scope for my hornet, something around 600-800 euro, i'm buying the scope this year and then hopefully upgrading the rifle later in the year or next year to a .223, I want a scope that would be good for lamping and some long range bunny crow shots. i was pricing around and i liked the bushnell elite 6500 4.5-30x50 and Leupold VX-3L 6.5-20x56, just wondering what scopes ye would go for, any help will be appreciated,
Thanks in advance
Ormondprop

Jonty

you should also consider a zeiss conquest in the high mag range.

ormondprop

i was looking at them alright jonty but all the high magnification models have target turrets, and i don't like the idea of them when i'm out in the dark climbing through ditches

Jonty

They are available without the target turrrets too

Vegeta

I love target turrets

ormondprop

i've never had target turrets so i'm not used to them and i dont want my first scope to have them to be an expensive scope incase i dont like them, i'll look into the zeiss scopes again so, thanks jonty

Jonty

Vegeta wrote: »

I love target turrets

Sometimes they're not practical. I'm fond of them too but I can see where ormonde prop is coming from.

foxshooter243

Vegeta wrote: »

I love target turrets

same as that , wouldnt buy a scope without them

ormondprop

ya i can understand why ye like them alrite and i say they are very handy for target shooting, but all i will be doing with it is foxes and the odd bit of crow and rabbit shooting so i'd be nervous knowing that any little bang in the dark could hav adjusted my point of aim and then having to check my turrets b4 taking a shot would bug me, but maybe just incase i might try use a rifle with them to see what they are like before splashing out on the new scope, who know i might fall in love with them

Jonty

In fairness the zeiss target turrets are fairly flat and stubby so they'd have a lower chance of snagging

clivej

I have the Bushnell 4200 6-24x50 €600 WITH the target turrets on my 223 varmint and believe me you will find the turrets very good to use. If you havent used target turrets then please give them a try out before you dismiss them.


I have just brought a 308 and I'll be getting the same scope for that as well. When used with a rangefinder all you have to do is dial in the range clicks/MOA and put the cross hairs on the target. Bang all over.

nuff said.

foxshooter243

ormondprop wrote: »

ya i can understand why ye like them alrite and i say they are very handy for target shooting, but all i will be doing with it is foxes and the odd bit of crow and rabbit shooting so i'd be nervous knowing that any little bang in the dark could hav adjusted my point of aim and then having to check my turrets b4 taking a shot would bug me, but maybe just incase i might try use a rifle with them to see what they are like before splashing out on the new scope, who know i might fall in love with them

The majority of target turret scopes have a zero setting so if you needed to check your zero it could be done at a glance, truth be told theyre not that easy shifted. Even for crow and rabbit shooting you will be confining yourself to a couple of hundred yards and if you wanted to reach out further youll be either holding over or holding over and off to the one side to try to compensate for windage and elevation drops..and as the saying goes when you start to shoot at air then you will hit air.
The thing is with a good scope and target turrets you will when the need arises, be able to work on good windage and drop charts and extend your range somewhat, without them you will be hindered as the ordinary turret is much too finnicky to adjust whilst hunting.

Pkiernan

I wouldn't get a high power scope for shooting with a lamp. A large objective, yes, but no point in getting anything over 9x in power.

A Leupold 3-9x50 would be one suggestion.

Vegeta

Jonty wrote: »

Sometimes they're not practical. I'm fond of them too but I can see where ormonde prop is coming from.

When though?

I have never snagged the scope.

In fairness if you are going through a ditch with a 800 euro scope you're going to protect/mind it

And if they are moved off zero a glance will tell you as much.

Look at this Image, if the scope is twisted it will no longer read zero.



There are more advantages than the "chance" you might snag it. A definite on every scope I ever buy in the future

ormondprop

http://cgi.ebay.ie/Zeiss-Conquest-6-5-20x50-4-Reticle-Target-Turret_W0QQitemZ170256367792QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item170256367792&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=66%3A4|65%3A3|39%3A1|240%3A1318

what do ye think of this is it good value
it works out to be about 760 inc postage

DR6.5

Theres one for sale on www.irishguntrader.ie for 750.

ormondprop

does anybody here have experience of using one or has anybody compared them to similar priced leupolds or other brands

Jonty

If you check out www.thehighroad.org you'll find fairly comprehensive reviews of Leupolds and Zeiss.

Jonty

Vegeta wrote: »

When though?

I have never snagged the scope.

In fairness if you are going through a ditch with a 800 euro scope you're going to protect/mind it

And if they are moved off zero a glance will tell you as much.

Look at this Image, if the scope is twisted it will no longer read zero.



There are more advantages than the "chance" you might snag it. A definite on every scope I ever buy in the future

Its just a bit fiddly for lamping. You mightn't get a fox to stand still long enough to dial in windage and elevation adjustments. Anyway since the OP is going for a .223 for lamping, and 300 yds would be the maximum ethical range IMO at night, allowing for hold over and trusting your gut feeling would be enough. If the rifle is zeroed right in the first place, I think based on a 3" killzone, firing 1.8 inches high at 100yds would mean a maximum point blank range of 235yds in .223 if anybody wants to check it out its on www.chuckhawks.com

Jonty

Pkiernan wrote: »

I wouldn't get a high power scope for shooting with a lamp. A large objective, yes, but no point in getting anything over 9x in power.

A Leupold 3-9x50 would be one suggestion.

If the OP wants to do a bit of target shooting, both Zeiss and Leupold are available in 6.5-20 power ranges. Thats whats good about these scopes - turn them down for lamping and up for targets. The quality of lens, not size, determines the ability to transmit light.

riflehunter77

ormondprop wrote: »

hi i'm thinking of buying a good quality scope for my hornet, something around 600-800 euro, i'm buying the scope this year and then hopefully upgrading the rifle later in the year or next year to a .223, I want a scope that would be good for lamping and some long range bunny crow shots. i was pricing around and i liked the bushnell elite 6500 4.5-30x50 and Leupold VX-3L 6.5-20x56, just wondering what scopes ye would go for, any help will be appreciated,
Thanks in advance
Ormondprop

Ormondprop I have the bushnell elite and I cant fault it, I have it on my new tikka t3 lite . Lovely crisp clear glass nice and light. I picked mine up from opticswarehouse had the scope in under a week, great to deal with.

http://opticswarehouse.co.uk/products.asp?cat=Bushnell+Elite+6500

clivej

Yes I agree witrh Jonty as to zoom range - any of the 6-24 are good. ALSO think about what retical you want to use. The Mildot are good for varmint shooting IMO. I have a multi X on my 22lr and I find it hard to hold over for the 100m shots. So that's going to be replaced with a Mildot Bushnell scope soon.

And as to zero then I have my 223 zeroed @200 and that will give me the kill zone results as shown above -- 3" out to 237 yards, hold over 7.5" for the 300y shots.

ormondprop

ya i have a mildot scope on the rifle already, its a poor quality hawke scope that came with it when i bought it, the mil dots are handy at times once you figure out roughly what distance is what dot

bunny shooter

I have a MK 4 Leupold 30mm body 4.5-14 x 40 mildot reticle for sale €700. It's immaculate and hardly used.

Have it on my 22 hornet, which is going soon, so scope not required. Lovely scope and would suit a 223 too

This link gives relevnt details on the scope

http://www.nightvisionsales.com/product_info.php/products_id/1889

Vegeta

Jonty wrote: »

Its just a bit fiddly for lamping.

That's fair enough (I don't think anyone was suggesting adjusting them while lamping, I don't anyway) BUT if he wants to do any long range stuff (and he said he did) or targets then they are a definite for me

As I said I think they have more advantages than disadvantages

If it was me and on that budget it would be the Zeiss

Jonty

Vegeta wrote: »

That's fair enough (I don't think anyone was suggesting adjusting them while lamping, I don't anyway) BUT if he wants to do any long range stuff (and he said he did) or targets then they are a definite for me

As I said I think they have more advantages than disadvantages

If it was me and on that budget it would be the Zeiss

I'd be looking at the ziess too. There's nothing wrong with a Leupy Mk4, but the zeiss is just a better all round scope. Forget the fact its got a 25mm body as opposed to a 30, Its not like you're gonna try a 1000yds with a .223.

foxshooter243

Jonty wrote: »

I'd be looking at the ziess too. There's nothing wrong with a Leupy Mk4, but the zeiss is just a better all round scope. Forget the fact its got a 25mm body as opposed to a 30, Its not like you're gonna try a 1000yds with a .223.

maybe not 1000, but with a fast twist, then 600 yards..im shooting a 223 to 600 every saturday..its easily doable;)

clivej

ormondprop wrote: »

ya i have a mildot scope on the rifle already, its a poor quality hawke scope that came with it when i bought it, the mil dots are handy at times once you figure out roughly what distance is what dot

And keep in mind that the zoom is the same each time or the mildots will not give the same hold over. I try to keep mine at x10 most of the time when out in the fields hunting.

Vegeta

clivej wrote: »

And keep in mind that the zoom is the same each time or the mildots will not give the same hold over. I try to keep mine at x10 most of the time when out in the fields hunting.

Does anyone know if the above is true when the reticle is in the First Focal Plane?

clivej

Easy way to find out is to look at a tape messure through the scope and then zoom in or out and watch the messurements change across the mildots.

foxshooter243

when the reticle is in the first focal plane it "appears" to shrink when the magnification is dialled down and grow when the magnification is turned up, just as the target image shrinks and grows in tandem, this constant ratio means that the reticle features are always calibrated ie; one mill is always one mill regardless of scope power.

Vegeta

clivej wrote: »

Easy way to find out is to look at a tape messure through the scope and then zoom in or out and watch the messurements change across the mildots.

I thought that didn't happen when the reticle was in the FFP. Hopefully someone can clarify it

Vegeta

foxshooter243 wrote: »

when the reticle is in the first focal plane it "appears" to shrink when the magnification is dialled down and grow when the magnification is turned up, just as the target image shrinks and grows in tandem, this constant ratio means that the reticle features are always calibrated ie; one mill is always one mill regardless of scope power.

as always very informative and helpful. Thanks foxshooter

Jonty

zeiss conquests are in 2nd focal plane along with the majority of the Mk4 leupolds exept the E/RT range.

Vegeta

Jonty wrote: »

zeiss conquests are in 2nd focal plane along with the majority of the Mk4 leupolds exept the E/RT range.

My nightforce is too, anyone know what advantages there are with this?

It seems the only one I can think of off the top of my head is that the reticle stays a uniform size through the whole magnification range. That's it though

clivej

I think you'll find that most scopes have the reticle in the second focal plane.

Jonty

Vegeta wrote: »

My nightforce is too, anyone know what advantages there are with this?

It seems the only one I can think of off the top of my head is that the reticle stays a uniform size through the whole magnification range. That's it though

Its mainly to do with the fact that when you zoom in, the crosshair doesn't get too thick to obscure the target. 2nd FP scopes are mainly european in origin.

jwshooter

alot of the schmidt n benders have there reticles in the first focal plane ,the first scope i had was a 7x42 S/B excellent hunting scope but hard to fine tune on the range .
i use a swarovski 4-16x50 tds4 and a nightforce 5-15x50 the fine reticle s in these scopes make them good all rounders from stalking to long range target vermin control.

Jonty

jwshooter wrote: »

alot of the schmidt n benders have there reticles in the first focal plane.

Its the one fault with the 5-25 power Police marksman series S&B. Up at 25 power the reticle gets a bit thick. I think they offer a 2nd FP version now.

Hibrion

A good schmidt and bender would also be within your budget??

fish slapped

The Leupold 6.5x20x50 with the varmint hunter rec. is excellent.

The varmint hunter rec is very fine and great for target work, I was a little concerned that it would be to fine for lamping but in the field it proved brilliant and with the clarity of the optics the rec clearly visible and it also has the added bonus of the marked drops for the caliber you use. All the info is provided on a mini cd rom.

link:
http://www.leupold.com/hunting-and-shooting/products/scopes/vx-3-riflescopes/vx-3-6-5-20x50mm-long-range-target/

Varmint Rec: