Looks like I will be headed to Tanzinia next year with Leopard & Lion on the menu.

Thinking of a Leupold MK 4 2.5 X 8, ill mil dot. Any opinions on the scope?

Where to get the best price??

Brett

Good thinking Brett! You can't shoot what you cannot see!

Well you can shoot what you don't see, but that is another story. I shot my Leopard in April with a Leupold 2X7 and it worked just fine the 2 is great when you are getting up close and personal.

Brett,

That 2.5x8 might be a perfect combo. If both cats are on the agenda the extra power will work to your advantage.

Mark

Thanks for the responses!

I have heard varying opinions of the illuminated reticule. Some like it, others think it covers too much target.

Would anyone like to comment?

Brett

I used a Swarovski 1.5 x 6 on my hunt last year and it worked great. It's a great scope and worked extremely well on the balance of the safari. It will do well here in the USA also. I considered the illumination control to be better on this scope to be better than that of the Leupold I looked at.

It's expensive, but it's good.

Brett: My leopard rig has a Leupold that I HATE it's looks but I think works. It's a 3.5X10X50mm(puke) and a German#4 illuminated reticle. The rheosat works great, small and pin-point and the extra magnification brings the target close. No doubt the Swaro mentioned by WY's a masterpiece (I have one similar but w/o the ill reticle) but the 1600 dollar price tag in my view just didn't warrant replacing the Leupie. jorge

George and WY, sound like great set-ups. I didn't know that the brightness of the dots were adjustable.

Brett

I don't think a better all-around scope exists than the 2.5-8 Leupold.

In Tanzania, like other countries where one has to shott before dark, you really do not need an illuminated reticle.

If it is too dark to see it might be illegal to shoot.

I have been using the Leupold 2.5-8 scope on both my 375/404 rifles for number of years, and love them.

Saeed,

Good point, I have a VariX III in 2.5X8. Maybe I'll just put it on and go hunting...

Best regards;
Brett

For best price check out www.SCOPTICS.COM. He only deals in Leupold and is about 15% cheaper then anyone else I can find.

It doesn't have to be dark for a illuminated scope to be usefull, on a Leopard. As light is fadeing, or if a follow-up is needed into deep bush, the lighted reticle is a welcome addtion!

http://www.leupold.com/_images/more_views-1-5-5x20mm-ir-angle.jpg

A veri-XIII 1.5-5X20 illuminated scope with a German No 4 reticle, with an illuminated dot reticle is great for percice placement on a spotted cat, in dim light!

Thanks again guys!

Brett

Brett,

Saeed has a good point. In my experience with both leopard and lion if you can't see your reticle you probably can't see the cat very well either and it may be so late that hunting is illegal. Personally I think the 2.5x8 with the standard duplex will serve you very well. You might want to add the iluminated reticle but I don't think it is an absolute necessity.

I've looked through the scope at many more cats than I've shot just at last light and I honestly can't say that when the light faded so I could not make a responsible shot I could not really see the cat at all with my naked eye. IMO at that point it is just too dark to responsibly shoot anyway.

Mark

The leopard better not complain about my 1.5x5 leupold as that's all I have on my 375 and 404. If he does I'll just bust his a$$ with the open sites!

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI

Garby: I tried out a LOT of scopes for my leopard rifle. I tried to match the hunting conditions to the scope the best I could. In zimbabwe where I'll be hunting, lights are allowed so I needed a scope that would also fit the bill in that environment. I first tried the Leupold 1.5X5X20 with an illuminated reticle and a German #4 reticle. It was a disappointment in low light. The 20mm objective lens just ins't big enough to transmit sufficient light. I tried a Swaro 1.75X6X42mm PH model and it was the difference between night & day but it still didn't have an ill reticle that my PH likes for his clients to use. So i settled on the high power leupie I mentioned in my previous post. The 1.5 just isn't enough. jorge

Jorge:

I'll be hunting in Zambia which I don't think (Mark...chime in here) allows shooting at dark.
Since I live on some acreage and my neighbors can't see me set up on sticks, I've been looking thru my scopes during serious dusk hours. I agree...the 20mm has its drawbacks. I have a couple of rifles with long range capability that have 50mm objectives on them...yep...makes a difference. I'll keep experimenting 'till the right combo works.
I am a Murphy's law kind of guy...not a pesimist...but I'm not real big on illuminated reticles.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI

Gary,

What do you see as the down side to an illuminated reticle in this case?

Brett

Gary, if you don't need the ill reticle, then don't get it. I have it on that scope for a one time use only then it comes off that rifle. The scope is GROSS. That 3.5X10X50mm ill reticle Leupold looks like a huge black trumpet. jorge

quote:

Originally posted by jorge:
Garby: I tried out a LOT of scopes for my leopard rifle. I tried to match the hunting conditions to the scope the best I could. In zimbabwe where I'll be hunting, lights are allowed so I needed a scope that would also fit the bill in that environment. I first tried the Leupold 1.5X5X20 with an illuminated reticle and a German #4 reticle. It was a disappointment in low light. The 20mm objective lens just ins't big enough to transmit sufficient light. I tried a Swaro 1.75X6X42mm PH model and it was the difference between night & day but it still didn't have an ill reticle that my PH likes for his clients to use. So i settled on the high power leupie I mentioned in my previous post. The 1.5 just isn't enough. jorge

This is probably correct, because if the scope is to be used only for low light shooting, then the 1.75-6x42mm would be a better choice. I like the 1.5-5x20 with the german post and corss, with the lighted dot, because it is for a double rifle, and is only used when needed, with the irons as primary sighting system. The larger scopes on double rifles have to be mounted too high, and so interfere with the recoil arc needed to properly regulate the rifle. On a bolt rifle then the larger bells on the higher power scopes are better. My 375 H&H bolt rifles are mounted with both, one with a 3-9X40mm, and the other with a 1.5-5X20. Howevr the 1.75-6x42 would work on a double as well, for limited use, like in a Leopard blind!

Sorry guys, away from the computer yesterday.
Brett, I don't think there is a "downside" as far as the reticle is concerned....if it indeed does light up when you need it. If for some reason the battery dies or has issues...then it doesn't light. I'm not familiar with the illuminated rets so I don't know if they work normally if the "light" doesn't work.
I just like less to go wrong with a big kicker for DG.
For a varmit rifle or pronghorns, hell, I use a 50mm obj....I've shot one in rainy/overcast conditions at 310 yards and the 50mm was awesome.
This all being said, I'm just not familiar with illuminated rets and have a fear of the unknown. I did find, however, a Zeiss Conquest 1.8x5.5x36 with the German #4 ret for right at $500....which I am considering.

Gary
DRSS
NRA Lifer
SCI

Sorry...the Zeiss is 38 mm...not 36...my bad.

quote:

I'm not familiar with the illuminated rets so I don't know if they work normally if the "light" doesn't work.

Most of the ones out now do. Of course, you should confirm that on any scope before you buy it.

Just ordered a Swarovski Z6 2-12x 50mm with illuminated #4 reticle for my 300 Win Mag. Can't think of a better leopard rig than that. With 2x on the low end, it should also handle all of the close up plainsgame hunting in Chewore North as well.

Tim

IMHO, nothing beats a good, with the emphasis on good, illuminated reticle scope for leopard.

Further development of this theme may be found in this thread:

Leopard Scopes

I used a Trijicon AccuPoint 3-9X40 on my Zim leopard set at 6X. Worked great on the cat at 40 yards.

Their illumination system is unique.

jim

quote:

Originally posted by Shumba:
Just ordered a Swarovski Z6 2-12x 50mm with illuminated #4 reticle for my 300 Win Mag. Can't think of a better leopard rig than that. With 2x on the low end, it should also handle all of the close up plainsgame hunting in Chewore North as well.

Tim

Concur one thousand per cent. jorge

My .375 H&H will be going with me with a Leupold 2x7 or 2.5x8 but not specifically for cat, only for all-around. Why haven't I heard anything about the Bushnell Elite 3200 or 4200 with firefly? I don't have one and I've never even held one but they claim to hold up to 1000 or 10,000 hammerings with a .375. Any one use either scope with .375 or heavier?

I like the Schmidt&bender 1.5-6x42, 2.5-10x56 or the Zeiss 2.5-10x50 and set up with no4 and Illuminated reticle.

Although not a Leopard, the Hyena is considered harder to bag over bait.
A 1.5-6 Illuminated S&B assisted in his demise.

It amazes me that ya'll need 8X and `10X scopes to shoot a Leopard out of a tree at 35 yards..I think the ideal scope is a 3X Leupold fixed or a 1x4 Leupold if you must have a varible..but then I like to keep things simple..I have seen many animals get completely away because a varible was set at too high a power and all those guys told me it would never happen to them...but then your scope is your choice, and use whatever your comfortable with.

Just because they can be used at 8 or 10 power does not mean it will be used at the maximum power at 60m.
I love the old S&B 4X36 but 10x is great for 200+m shots and plain old range shooting.
ozhunter

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
It amazes me that ya'll need 8X and `10X scopes to shoot a Leopard out of a tree at 35 yards..I think the ideal scope is a 3X Leupold fixed or a 1x4 Leupold if you must have a varible..but then I like to keep things simple..I have seen many animals get completely away because a varible was set at too high a power and all those guys told me it would never happen to them...but then your scope is your choice, and use whatever your comfortable with.

Ray: That might be ok in Tz where leopard hunting is done in daylight conditions, but in Zimbabwe those two leupold scopes you mention would be totally worthless. Believe me, I had a brand new VXIII 1.5X5X20 with an illminated reticle and 30mm tube and it was worthless in the conditions one hunts leopards in Zim.

Magnification was not the reason I went to the bigger scope, it was availabilty and price. In my view the ideal scope is the Swarovski 1.75X6X42 (ill), but I'm not paying close to two grand for a scope. The Leupold 3.5X10X50 (ill #4) works jut fine and at 500 bucks (wholesale) I can pocket the difference in trophy fees. jorge

jorge,

I really like both of the scopes Ray mentioned but not for leopard. I've shot all my leopards in daylight (a relative term)and for me anything less than 6x and a 32 mm objective would have been a handicap. The ever popular 1.5x5 is a real looser in low light.

Mark

The 1.5-5x20 ill Leupold is not as much of an hinderance as I had thought it would have been. I used it in Zim for leopard in an area that does not allow hunting after dark. A hyena came into the area at dark and walked up to the front of the blind. I was surprised at how I could have taken the shot if allowed. In areas where you can hunt at night you will use some type of light source to light up the target. The Surefire light along with a scoped rifle is great for use after dark. You do not need the big objective when you have access to a secondary light. I think most modern scopes from a quality maker will work for the spotted cat.

Brett, you really are asking two separate legit questions in this post, "What is the best leopard scope?", and then "What is the best scope for leopard and lion?"

I shot leopard, two hyena and a lion in low-light conditions using a Leupold 1.5-5x20mm illuminated scope w/the 1" tube, on a .416 and a .458 Lott. The 20mm objective was not as bright as my Pentax 10x bino's that the PH was using in the leopard/hyena blind, but was not far off either and a few minutes ahead or behind depending if it was sun-up or sundown. It was the limiting factor, but when I ran out of light, it was dark, and it was time to leave the blind (or get ready if daybreak). Especially in the ground blinds where light is limited, the illuminated reticle was a tremendous asset. Seeing is one thing, easily finding your reticle and being able to "look through" the scope to the target is another. Factoring in the boost in confidence (leopard hunting/shooting is a head-game) that it gave me, I found this to be more important at the time then the magnification or brightness (or specifically, lack thereof). The brightness is indeed adjustable, and setting it low did not produce a glare or "cover up the target" in any way.

NOTE that all hunts had buffalo also on the menu, so the 1.5-5x20 scope was a bit of a compromise, but well-suited especially given the excellent eye relief and large field of view that it offers. Based on my experience, and given what is currently on the market, I think a quality 1.5-6x42 illuminated scope - like Oz's - might be just about perfect for a dedicated leopard/hyena bait hunt with some plainsgame/bait thrown in.

But factoring in the lion per your later post…..where it is possible that you end up taking a longer shot then planned, such as if the lion is spotted when approaching the bait, or happened upon while driving, or tracked...more power might be nice (although 6x should be plenty). Also note that where leopard baits are usually hung in dense areas with lots of cover, the three PH's I hunted lion with preferred to bait the lion out in the open for multiple reasons. And they preferred to have the blind a little bit further away too. Leopard hunts are not cheap, but lion hunts are expensive, so if there is indeed a reasonable chance on a lion, I would be apt to lean this direction. Talk w/the PH about the area you will be hunting, shot distances, his style, and what he suggests…and factor this in.

You are also going to be taking some plainsgame trophies as well as bait, and to get bait hung in the tree the PH may expect you to take that 200-250 yard shot on a spooky Tanzanian zebra. And you will have three buffalo on license too. I do not think that there is ONE BEST solution for all possible situations, so consider taking multiple rigs (gun/caliber and scope), or two scopes in a quality QD setup, or take your pick with any of the above-mentioned and make it work.