I am going to purchase a Leupold 2.5x ultralight for a 375 Ruger. I am setting the rifle up for a recently booked elephant hunt.

I am also planning for this rifle to be my large game rifle that may in the future include a buff and NA game

I cannot decide between the wide and heavy duplex recticle.

The heavy seems ideal for close range work and would be faster and more visible on a black buff. I would imagine the thicker wires might be more durable. However, the fine inside wires cover a full 3" at 100 yards, which would limit accuracy and usefulness as an "all around" or "universal" rifle. I might want t o shoot a duiker at 100 yards if one shows up.

Would be quite interested in others choices. Unfortunately, none of the local shops have either in stock to compare.

I can't get used to the heavier reticles. I like the standard duplex even on Buff. It's not the 3" at 100 yards that bothers me, it's the 6" at 200 yards. I'm one of those "pick a spot" shooters and I just can't do that with the heavy reticles.

I use the very scope and reticle you mention on my .500 A-Square.

The heavy reticle is very fast, and has worked fine for me on elephant, Cape buffalo and hippopotamus.

I would not swap it for the finer one. Of course, I don't shoot dangerous game at long range. My shots are all taken within 50 yards or so, and generally inside 30, plus or minus.

metalman 29,

Having used both the heavy and standard duplex I don't see any real advantage to the heavy reticle. I also think unless price is a huge issue that you could pick a more appropriate scope. The 2.5 doesn't really have a wide FOV nor is it great at light gathering. Your 375 Ruger is a very versatile cartridge and if your going to scope it I think your handicapping the rifle with a scope of less than 1.75x6. Somebody will jump in here and say for ele you don't need a scope but for general use including PG and NA game I think you'd be better off with almost any scope other than the 2.5 Leupold.


Mark

I have the Leupold M8-2.5x with regular duplex reticle on my 450/400 and like it a lot for close work. It was a bit of a stretch to take a bushbuck at long range with it (180-200 yards), but I was able to bear down and make the shot.

To really utilize the capabilities of your 375 Ruger, I would lean towards a variable in the the 1.75-6 or 2.5-8X range. That's what I chose for my 416 Ruger, and it worked great for ele and buff.

i'd agree with what mark said, and if i had my druthers the reticule would have a dot

I have the VX-III in 1.75-6 x32 on a Ruger 375. It is a great combo of low enough power for up close and high enough to make 200+ yd shots.

Personally I never want to use a scope on elephant again. Looking over the sights up close one knows exactly where you are aiming. But if I was going to use anything one of the red dot scopes like aimpoint micro or the other hunter series red dots.
Both eyes open absolutely positively the fastest aiming solution.

Mike

Mike, agreed....don't need optical help at 20 yards, especially a scope. If the eyes are that bad, a dot or holo is the way to go on Ele.

I like the Leupold Heavy Duplex reticle.
I have them in a 1.5-5, a 1.75-6, 2.5-8, and in a fixed 6x.

I shot a coyote with the 2.5-8 mounted on my 9,3x74R double rifle at 287 yards, lazered after the shot.

They are expecially good in low light and heavy shadows.

Perfect for DG IMHO.

Personaly I would rather have more open space in my view with wide outer bars. I personnnaly realy like the 2.5-8 Zeiss with the German #4.

Hie!
What about the Zeiss Victory Varipoint 1.1 - 4 x 24 T*, with reticle nr 0(only a red dot).
This one have a field of view / 100 yds: 108 ft - 31 ft (you can almost see your own ear tip)
The reticle is wery quick to use,and covers about 2" at 100 yards @ 4x.

I had a 2.5X with heavy duplex on my .416 Rigby for my first buffalo hunt. I couldn't get it off the rifle fast enough when I got home.

Theoretically and at the range the indestructable nature, bold crosshairs and long eye-relief seemed great, in the field it is a dim little scope with a couple fence-posts for aiming. It gets dark real fast with the 2.5X, and the low power and coarse crosshairs made easy plainsgame shots feel hard.

I replaced that scope with a 1.75-6 with heavy duplex, which addresses everything I didn't like about the 2.5X

My .375 scope picks may seem odd to some, but a 2.5-8, 3x9 or 3.5-10 fits my needs better than anything else.

Thanks for all the replies.

The iron sights on the Ruger rifle are fairly nice, but my eyes are not what they used to be. I will be seeing how I do at the range, hopefully soon.

I am envisioning the elephant to be a bit more of a precision shot. Not necessarily due to the size of the brain, but the need to correctly visualize its placement in the head. Given this, I am reconsidering my choice, particularly in reference to the field of view.

I do know of a Nikon Monarch 1x4 African scope with a German #4. I believe I will check it out and any of the other recommendations given here.

As a second thought, perhaps one of the red dot sights may be the best option for this particular hunt. Seems as if the Doctor Optik sight is popular with some of the double rifle posters. Might take a look at one of those also.