My son and I will be hunting buffalo in Zim next year and although we've decided to go with the 375 H&H for the caliber, we're up in the air on scopes. The heavy consensus seems to be low power; 1x4 or 1.5x5 but what about quick disconnect mounts? Is that necessary to use the iron sites or is it just nice to have? How do you ensure that if you remove the scope, that you don't alter your accuracy? Our intent is to buy scopes this year and get comfortable with the rifles well before departure. I have a bias toward Leupold but could be convinced otherwise. Each one of us will take the one rifle and our bows for some opportunity plains game. Appreciate the help.

I have a Leupold 1.75 to 6 in Talley QD mounts. I think a lot of people do. At 1.75 you can see the front sight so be aware of that.

As far as altering your accuracy, use Talley's or another high-grade mount. I had to get custom bases made for my Mod 70 as the holes were a teeny bit wonky but the scope goes back pretty damn good now.

Sight in your open for 50 yds, your scope for 100 and forgettaboutit. Well, find a good premium and solid (if your PH suggests) and then practice a lot, THEN you can forgettaboutit.

The Leupold will serve you fine. My 375 sports a 2.5 by 8 VX III. The 1.5 by 5 VX III is a fine scope also for the 375 although if you are hunting plains game also, a little more magnification may be nice.

Good detachable rings will return to zero. I use Talley and the Leupold with the Weaver base. Never had a "return to zero" issue with either..

1x4 or a 1.5x5 or 2.5x8 will work fine . Get a good quality scope. You do not want an economy scope to go south on a $10,000 hunt. I like Leupold vx111but there are many good scopes out there. Leupold makes a set of detachable rings that will hold center to a 1/4 mill. I have had great luck with them. One of the advantages of detachable scope rings that you can bring 2 different scopes sighted into different kinds of amo. One for plains game and one for dangerous game as so you would not have to re-zero if you change amo. Or if you just want to back up your main scope with a quick change replacement . I have killed an elephant buffalo crock hippo and a lot of plains game with a 375 with a 2.5x8 Leupold

I too have used the Leupold QD mounts and love them, but you know what? In many trips to Africa, I have never taken the scope off. So it sounds great in theory but in reality it hasn't proven any benefit to me.

I have a 1.75-6x on my .416 but I have also used a 2-7.

I like the Talley QD mounts, but beware, they need a straight line scope (no bell) or one with a little more distance between bells than a 2.5x8x36 Leupold.
At least thats been my experience on 2 Rem 700's & 1 Win.70.
Mounting & remounting scopes they always go back to zero for me.
Good Luck

quote:

I like the Talley QD mounts, but beware, they need a straight line scope (no bell) or one with a little more distance between bells than a 2.5x8x36 Leupold.

This is the precise reason I have a 1.75 to 6. Good advice.

1.25-4 Swarovski on my buffalo rig. In QR Leupold rings.

Mine all have some variation of 1.5 x 5 in QD rings.

quote:

Originally posted by BEGNO:
Mine all have some variation of 1.5 x 5 in QD rings.

And have been field tested in extreme conditions.

You'll be well served with a Leupold 1.5X5 (I have one on a.375 and a.416). As Arizona Writer said, you will be unlikely to ever detach your scope-- I have -, so I'd still sight the irons. However, I still carry a spare scope with more magnification - a 2.5X8 Leupold --for my .416. Probably overkill and I've never used it in Africa.

I use a XV7 1.5x6 Leupold with a Trijicon 3x9 in Talley rings already sighted in as a spare.

No one seems to be mentioning eye-relief or the experiences over on Big bore Terminals where Leupolds have been sent off for repair on a regular, frequent basis.

The Leupold 2.5-8 is about at its limit with a 375 since the 8 power eye-relief is down to 3.7 or 3.6". I've used them for years on 338s. If you go over 375, then you should consider the Nikon Slughunter 1.65 to 5 power. Nikons are TOUGH, with great glass for the money, AND the eye relief on the Slughunter is FIVE inches throughout the power range.

If you want more range than 5 power, the Nikon Inline scope is also 5" eye-relief throughout, and has 3-9 power.

Zeiss has a fairly new Duralyt 2-8x42 w/ or w/o illum. reticle... made over there & lifetime guarantee...oughtta be good for your needs...

I have had good luck with a Leupold 1.5 x 5 scope and Talley detachable mounts. Recently I purchased a Brockman pop-up peep sight for the rear mount. This has worked very well. The scope has always returned to zero whenever it has been taken off and reinstalled.

Check out the Nikon Monarch African 1X4. It is cheap (LG Outdoors had the best price I could find $258 delivered) and has gotten rave reviews as being indestructible. I have been very impressed so far with the eye relief and clarity. I have been a life-long Leupold user but decided to go with the tougher scope. It could also be a good backup scope which works great with QD rings and bases.

I use a 1.5 X 5 Leupold but I think Will has the right idea with the 1.25 X 4. It to me depends on how close you like to get to make the shot. The closer you get the better the lower power scopes do. The longest shot I've made on a buffalo has been 25 yards. I like the lower powered scopes.

On a 375 H&H this scope will serve well. It is a 30mm tube Nikon African illuminated scope with a German No4 reticle. Carried on it's low power in the open with the illumination turned off and with the illumination turned on when light is failing or when goting into heavy cover with buffalo is the way to go here. Black cross hairs have a way of disapearing on the black buffalo on occasin particularly in fading light. On the low power the scope can be used with both eyes open for fast accusition of the target when in close. I quality quick detachable mounts so the irons can be used this is the best of all worlds. Just make sure it is long enough for the length of the action on your rifle before buying.

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My "buffalo gun" sports a 1x4 Trijicon 30MM scope in Talley mounts. I have the green post reticle and wouldn't change a thing.

All,
Thanks for the great feedback. You bring up several points I had not considered. I will use these comments for more research before I buy. This type of sharing is what I get the most out of on this blog. Thank you.
Tom

+1 for the Trijicon with the green post, but I have mine on a .458 Lott

africa1sttimer,

The really low power variables are great for buffalo and elephant but the 375 is such a versatile caliber it can be used for 90% of all your African hunting. I've been through a half dozen different variables or fixed power scopes on the 375 and I think the 1.75x6 or 2.5x8 make the best all around choice. Not only is the extra power handy but the increased light gathering ability of the larger scopes will be very handy if you hunt cats in low light in the future.

Mark

quote:

Originally posted by MARK H. YOUNG:
africa1sttimer,

The really low power variables are great for buffalo and elephant but the 375 is such a versatile caliber it can be used for 90% of all your African hunting. I've been through a half dozen different variables or fixed power scopes on the 375 and I think the 1.75x6 or 2.5x8 make the best all around choice. Not only is the extra power handy but the increased light gathering ability of the larger scopes will be very handy if you hunt cats in low light in the future.

Mark

I agree with Mark, the extra light gathering ability of the 2.5-8x44 Leupold came in handy on the follow up shots on my buffalo as the sun set last year.

Don't want to rain on a parade, but the Leupold 1.75-6 should not be used on a DG rifle. It's eye-relief at 6-power is a short 3.3 inches. That is just asking for a mistake.

416Tanzan
Maybe so, but with my XV7 1.5x6, I've shot well over 300 rnds through my 375 & a lot of that was on 6 power, no issues for me with it whether off sticks or the bench.
Since I said that, I'll probably get cut tomorrow.

quote:

Originally posted by LJS:
My "buffalo gun" sports a 1x4 Trijicon 30MM scope in Talley mounts. I have the green post reticle and wouldn't change a thing.

The Trijicons are even better than the Nikons because they don't depend on batteries!

quote:

Don't want to rain on a parade, but the Leupold 1.75-6 should not be used on a DG rifle. It's eye-relief at 6-power is a short 3.3 inches. That is just asking for a mistake.

I don't think it's quite that cut and dried; there are many other factors that affect whether or not it hits your head. Saeed's 375/404 has a 2.5 to 8 (acceptable?), yet Roy Vincent can't keep it out of his eyebrow.

I just received my Sports Afield and there is an article in it scopes for dangerous game. It is pretty informative.

Look at this. Aimpoint
http://www.aimpoint.com/us/pro...leview/product/H34L/

You will be able to aim and shoot with booth eyes open. A no brainer.

Long eye relief and no need to worry about getting wacked with the scope ever.

Mike

Mike
That things only a 1x power.
How the heck am I suppose to use that thing for shooting past 50yds?

The action can come fast and buffs cover a lot of ground. 1-4 has worked well for me.

Yep, I seem to remember one coming real fast.

On my recent March safari I used a new Leupold 1.25x4 VX-R with the illuminated reticle. Not that expensive, in the $440.00 range, and I really like it.

For buff, best scopes are low power Trijicon.

The black crosshairs can get lost against a black beast, especially when looking in the general direction of the sun. I found this out the hard way.

Cecil, You do not need magnification. The illuminated red dot gathers your eye one can shoot with both eyes open to keep full view extremely fast to shoot.
Have one on my bear rifle for huntng in Pa. Hundred yard shots no problem.

Mike

I've shot 20 buffalo, on three continents. One with a 2.5 Compact, nine with a 3-9 Zeiss and 10 with a 2.5-8 VX111.

I couldn't get that straight tubed, dim little 2.5 fixed power replaced fast enough when I got home.

I have a Leupold Vari-X VII 1.75X6 on my 375 and have no problems what so ever with eye relief. It used to be mounted on my 416 Rigby, and even then, it never touched by brow.

IMO, this is about the right magnification range for a 375. Unfortunately, Trijicon doesn't manufacturer one in this range yet. I now have a 1.25X4 Trijicon with the Red post on the Rigby and for my money, that is the only way to go for a DG scope (the green is better than red however). No batteries to worry about, shoot with both eyes open, great glass, an illuminated reticle that is quickly picked up by the eye! What more could you want, except more than 4 power on the 375?

Given a choice between the 2, I would pick the Trijicon hands down. Got a couple of them in the 3X9 versions as well. I actually think I may have a hard time buying any other brand of scope at this point.

Why a red dot sight? The scope is a 34mm tube and a 47mm objective lens.
http://www.aimpoint.com/us/products/whyreddotsight/

interesting reading.