need advice on scope for 416 rigby

20 November 2009, 02:32

I started to post this in the optics or big bore rifle section but I really want input from anyone who might have been through this before and hunts DG. I have a 416 rigby, cz 550 african safari rifle. I was looking for a scope for it and I ran into a problem with finding a scope with a long enough tube length to fit the rings on the rifle unless I go with a 30 mm or smaller diamiter. I was hoping for larger diameter for better low light situations. It is not like I am going to take a 200 yard shot with a 416 so I do not need a 6 by 24X scope, just with older eyes open sights are getting tougher and slower for me. I have written and sent emails to CZ with no response and the same to customer services at Leopold, Nikon, Zeiss and Bushnell. Living in rural Texas with no real gun shops or gunsmiths leaves me without any professional input. Help! I will look at the Dallas Safari club but I need some of AR members advice before then, thanks, wes

20 November 2009, 02:39

ledvm

I would put a 1.5 X 5 Leupold VX-III if it were I.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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20 November 2009, 02:45

A.Dahlgren

Swarovski Z6i 1-6*24 EE
http://www.opticsplanet.net/pr...e-ee-cd-reticle.html

Or without the (i). I have the 1.7-10 and i love it on my 375.

20 November 2009, 02:46

drdlongshot

20 November 2009, 02:49

JIm Yackley

quote:
Originally posted by A.Dahlgren:
Swarovski Z6i 1-6*24 EE
http://www.opticsplanet.net/pr...e-ee-cd-reticle.html

20 November 2009, 02:51

JIm Yackley

I used a Leupold 4x compact in Warne rings and was pleased with the results.

20 November 2009, 02:55

JBoutfishn

A Leupold VX III 1.75 X 6 sits on top of my M70 416 Rem Mag. Great combo

20 November 2009, 03:31

Marty

I know the problem well. I got a great deal on a Schmidt&Bender 1.5-6 and found I couldn't mount it on my 416 Rigby when I got it home!
I am using a Kahles 1.5-6X42, which is OK, but I'd like a little more eye relief. I am waiting to see the new Bushnell 6500 Elite in 1.5-8. The factory claims 6 inches of eye relief, and 6 inches of mounting space as well.

20 November 2009, 03:47

470drshooter

I am having a 416 Rigby built and am going to use two scopes on it.

The Swarofski Z6I 1X6EE with the illuminated circle dot reticle, and also the Swarofski Z6I 1.7X10 with illuminated 4AI reticle.

I have the 1,7X10 on my 375H&H and it was great on close up shots as well as out to 300 yards.

If one scope was to be used it would be the 1.7X10. Great scope, great clarity and the illuminated dot really helps in pin pointing your hold and shot.

The eyes aren't what they used to be and the extra magnification helps. Also great for low light.

20 November 2009, 03:59

Idaho Sharpshooter

I've had a CZ in 516 Rigby for about three years now. Marvelous rifle for anything in the world. I put a Leupold VX-III 2.5-8X x36mm in Talley QR rings on it when I got home. It has survived over 500 rounds of factory-equivalent loads with no ill effects to date. It works, that's about all I can ask...

Rich

20 November 2009, 04:17

John S

My old 416 Rigby was built on a Brevex action, which like yours is quite long. Mounting the short, low powered 1" scopes was just about impossible. I ended up using a fixed 3x Leupold and the problems were solved. Plenty of tube length, plenty of power too, for the game I hunted with it. It made four safaris and accounted for multiple buffalo, lion and a number of plains species with shots out to 200yds. Keeping a large and often times heavy scope in place on a big bore can be difficult...just a word of warning!

20 November 2009, 04:20

Will

quote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
I would put a 1.5 X 5 Leupold VX-III if it were I.

ditto

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20 November 2009, 04:50

LJS

I have the same rifle and have a Leupold 1.5x5 scope on it with a heavy duplex. Another scope to consider that will fit and not break the bank is a Zeiss Conquest 2.5x8 scope. It can be had for about $350. The 1 inch section of the Zeiss tube is 6 inches long so you have a great deal of latitude positioning the scope for your eye. The 416 can reach out pretty far for plains game and the 2.5x8 will take advantage of that feature. Good luck!

20 November 2009, 05:10

bwanamrm

quote:
A Leupold VX III 1.75 X 6

That's the exact scope I have on my Davenport Rigby and it has served me well!

On the plains of hesitation lie the bleached bones of ten thousand, who on the dawn of victory lay down their weary heads resting, and there resting, died.

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Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch...
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man, my son!
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Life grows grim without senseless indulgence.

20 November 2009, 07:01

crbutler

Swarovski 1-6 EE. If you want the Illuminated reticle, go for it, but in my experience, if its light enough to be hunting, the glass is bright enough without it. I've used the #4, and had no problems.

I put an illuminated reticle on the gun I was using for leopard, and that did help when we were hunting at night, as I could get on the scope before the light was turned on, and it did work quite well, but I don't think I really NEEDED it.

I do think the various 30 mm tube scopes that I've seen are generally brighter than the 1" models, and I've never had as good of luck with the Leupolds as I have with the Swarovski stuff.

20 November 2009, 07:20

Adrian Parham

The VX III 1.5-5 or 1.3/4-6 would do the job and stand up well to the recoil.

I have a 1.5-5 on my 416 Rem. and a 13/4-6 on my 375 and either is great but the 1.5-5 may come nearer to fitting with most rings. I also have a swaro Z6 and a habicht but both are large scopes and their strong suits are not required in a DG application and the extra bulk is a nuisance in that environment. Either way it's a cool problem to have and there is almost no wrong answer. It's really what YOU like!

Adrian

20 November 2009, 07:25

500 Fan

I'm still using the same Leupold 1.5 x 5 X 20 Matte scope on my second 416 Rigby and have over 500 rounds through rifles the scope has sat on and it is still perfect in everyway.

Made two trips to Africa and 6 countries and two trips to Canada as well as several in the "lower 48".

Regards,

20 November 2009, 09:03

Karl S

Swarovski Z6, 1-6x42, with or without illumination reticle is the best choice for your appliaction.

20 November 2009, 10:05

trapmonkey

my 550 416 rigby has a 1" leupold vxII 1-4... that seems to work fine, i used B Square steel rings as i couldn't find any QDs at the time.

20 November 2009, 14:52

ivan carter

as important as the scope itself is a sturdy mount and good rings , ..the .416 is no slouch when it comes to recoil and i have seen a lot of mount failings ..

with that calibre the highest magnification you will need is not much over 4 power.

20 November 2009, 16:47

Will

Another consideration is the long eye-piece of some brand of scopes. Those are just begging to give you smileys on a forehead, especially for guys like me that crawl the stock.

Leupold 1.5-5X. It's the gold standard and nothing has changed that.

20 November 2009, 17:00

BEGNO

I have a 1.5x5 Leupold on my CZ 416 Rigby and with its long eye relief it is perfect.

20 November 2009, 17:57

458WM

Another vote for the Leupold Vari-X III in 1.5-5 heavy duplex.

I mounted this scope on my Steyr .458 Win Mag and put many rounds through the rifle whilw working up loads. Then it went to Zimbabwe & back in 2002, survived a couple of moves after that, and when I shot it again after nearly 7 years, POI had not changed at all.

I also have the scope in Warne rings but can't recall the last time I took it off.

20 November 2009, 18:40

WannabeBwana

My CZ .416 wears a Zeiss Diavara-C 1.5X4.5, 1" tube. It's got a long enough tube for eye relief adjustment for anyone from Tattoo to Lurch.

20 November 2009, 18:56

Honkey

quote:
Originally posted by JBoutfishn:
A Leupold VX III 1.75 X 6 sits on top of my M70 416 Rem Mag. Great combo

I have the same on my 375 H&H. If you want to spend more money go with the Swaroski or a Zeiss but I think the Leupold will do the job fine.
As far as mounts I have had no trouble with Leupolds QD, Talley work fine also.

20 November 2009, 20:01

llamapacker

Seems like I am using the same as many others.
Leupold 1.5x5 on my Ruger .416 Rigby. Works great.
Bill

20 November 2009, 21:22

drwes

Thanks,,, Being able to get all the advice from the experience of the hunters here is what makes AR so beneficial to me. I do not have to trial and error this situation. Thanks for the input. wes

21 November 2009, 03:29

SBT

I also have the leupold VariX III 1.5-5x20 with QD rings. But, be careful tightening down the front rings as they rest awfully close to the front lens.

I've had to send back the same scope on my Model 70 375 as moisture gathered and dried on the inside of the front lens. I'm guessing that is because I tighened it down to much.

Leupold fixed it for free and rushed it back. All within 5 days as I was headed on safari. Great customer service!!!

21 November 2009, 04:43

jetdrvr

quote:
Originally posted by Will:
quote:
Originally posted by ledvm:
I would put a 1.5 X 5 Leupold VX-III if it were I.

ditto

Me, too, since I have one on my M70 .375 and one is going onto my .458 Win. Hard to beat.

21 November 2009, 08:43

Use Enough Gun

I have one on my .458 Lott, so why not?

21 November 2009, 09:13

Russ Gould

Put a ghost ring on it. Scopes are fore snipers.

21 November 2009, 09:36

Michael Robinson

I use a Swarovski 1.25-4x24mm variable on mine.

With back up irons.

22 November 2009, 17:47

Buliwyf

My .416 Rigby wears a Zeiss Conquest 2.5-8. Perfect!

22 November 2009, 19:36

Bloody Rivers

I have about five of the Leupold 1.5-5 scopes, which I have used over the past decades and I love 'em, but for your application my vote would second the fixed (M-8) 3X Leupold suggestion made by "John S". They are no longer made and have a cult following for DG rifles because of their dead solid toughness, long tube and perfect magnification, (which actually falls a little below 3X). I have two of them and there is something to be said for eliminating the variable machinery.

They can still be found on Ebay with a "Leupold M-8" search. That being said, all of the above posts look like good advice.

22 November 2009, 20:33

cmfic1

quote:
Originally posted by JBoutfishn:
A Leupold VX III 1.75 X 6 sits on top of my M70 416 Rem Mag. Great combo

For anyone that knows, without getting into ring extensions, what do you use to mount "short ring spacing" scopes such as Leupold 2.5-8 or a 2-7 on a Mod 70 or MRC? The only scopes I can mount on my MRC's are a 20mm objective, or a 1.75-6 (all my scopes are & will be Leupold)

Thanks

Rod

--------------------------------
"A hunter should not choose the cal, cartridge, and bullet that will kill an animal when everything is right; rather, he should choose ones that will kill the most efficiently when everything goes wrong"
Bob Hagel

22 November 2009, 22:37

Bill 5248

Like so many others, I recommend the scope with the lowest power option, one that goes as low as 1.5X. This will make some elephant shots (at close range) possible, but not all. Often enough you will be charged in heavy cover. There will be no time to wonder what part of the animal you are aiming at in the scope. That is why I would suggest a quick-disconnect scope mount. Hunting in heavy brush or trees for dangerous game will be a lot safer if you are able to take the scope off easily. Training yourself to shoot with the scope off can be a life saver, and you will surprise yourself how accurate the open sights are.

23 November 2009, 02:44

Will

quote:
Originally posted by Bill 5248:
Like so many others, I recommend the scope with the lowest power option, one that goes as low as 1.5X. This will make some elephant shots (at close range) possible, but not all. Often enough you will be charged in heavy cover. There will be no time to wonder what part of the animal you are aiming at in the scope. That is why I would suggest a quick-disconnect scope mount. Hunting in heavy brush or trees for dangerous game will be a lot safer if you are able to take the scope off easily. Training yourself to shoot with the scope off can be a life saver, and you will surprise yourself how accurate the open sights are.

That is supposed to go w/o saying, but sort of needs to be repeated every day!

24 November 2009, 01:18

notlim

I think that a Leupy 2.5x8 is the perfect scope for a 375/416 class gun ,if it can span the ejection port with its smaller tube length.

quick disconnect rings if you are really in the sh!T

and it has enough magnification to reach out and touch something way out there (Which is the strong suit of the medium bores.)

The 1.75 by 6 has a very a small amount of windage and elevation adjustment which makes mounting problematic on a few of the guns I have tried it on - they also have a smaller eyebox.

I personally feel that the 1.5 x 5 doesn't really have the magnification to take advantage of the reach offered by the medium bores, I know that many here would disagree but I know for me @ 200 yards I shoot alot better with the extra magnification. It is also somewhat lacking in the low light situations one sometimes finds one self in.

I have tried a swaro 1.7x10 z6, a 1.75 x6 leupy, 1.5x5 leupy, 3x9 zeiss conquest and have come to the conclusion that:

All in all I don't think there is a better match out there than a 2.5 x 8 on a medium bore.

24 November 2009, 01:26

Hutty

I have Leupold VX III 1.75 X 6 on my CZ 550 with Talley Quick Detach. Works just fine.

24 November 2009, 02:30

Woodmnctry

I have the VX III 1.75 X 6 -- on a 416 and a 2.5 X 8 on the 375 for the same reasons as noted above -- both are in Talley detach rings and bases ---- I also have a 1 X 5 Leupold illuminated - mounted in Talley detachable rings that I take along as a spare -- just in case --- never have had to use it but it is ready when needed.