I'm about to take my very light 375 Weatherby after buffalo. Had this rifle a long time, and this will be the opportunity to use it instead of my double. I also have a 378, but would rather take this one. Light is great for carrying, but a thumper when you shoot it. Challenge is that I'm concerned about the old Leupold 4x I have on it. Wicked and fast recoil can't be easy on the scope.

So what's the right scope, without spending more than needed? Hunt will be a bit wet - Mozambique - and the shots likely far enough that I'll be glad of some magnification. Am told 120 yards is about average, and 150 not uncommon. Open sights weren't an option anyway - none on the gun and I don't want to install some.

Thanks!

Leupold VX III, 20 mm, 1.5X5. ("without spending more than needed")

I have the scope UEG suggests on my 375 H&H, and found I really would like the extra magnification that a VX III 2.5x8 provides.

What,s wrong with another 4x Leupold..... Per haps with heavy duplex reticle...

Look at the eye relief specs on the 3X9 VXII. They have some of the greatest latitude of all scopes.

At the risk of hijacking the thread, I'd be interested in hearing first-hand appraisals of the new VX series. I own six or seven various models of the now-discontinued Vari-X III series and have nothing but good to say about them. I've read a few negative rumblings about the VX series and really don't know if they are founded on experience or hearsay.

HT,
A new 4X would probably be your cheapest option, yet still a good one. I view my own .375 as a hunting rifle rather than a DGR and have a 3.5-10 VX111 on it. My .416 is mounted with a 2.5 ultralight weight with heavy duplex though. Sometimes I still wonder if I should have stuck a 4X on it. I may try one yet, and let the loser be the spare.

Good choices all. But, I've installed a Leupold 1.75-6x on my .375H&H. Enough magnification for a longer shot, yet that wide field of view if things get up close and personal...especially with no iron sights.

7 replies and Leupold is the only name that comes up? This re-enforces my view that Leupolds are a bargain!

I had a Zeiss come apart a year ago and a Kahles about two years ago. I've never had a Leupold fail, except for the one that ended up under a horse when it stumbled and rolled over. I'll stay with Loopies from now on. The high priced European scopes have only one thing that Leupolds don't...a high price!

H T,

Use Enough Gun and prof242 have hit on something worthy of your attention. That's being able to go into the field with the widest field-of-view possible.

Go with the Leupold 1.5x5x20mm or 1.75x6x32mm.

I have a Leupold Vari-X III 3.5-10X scope on my .300 Win Mag Echols Legend but I wouldn't want to try to find something too close for comfort in its field of view at 3.5 power.

A note about rifle scopes:

A lot of guys prefer their German and Austrian glass. They may claim, correctly, that they are brighter at dawn and dusk than Leupold scopes are, but they designed for high-seat hunting before dawn and after dusk, unlike what is legal in the States.

The European scopes tend to break, reticles move, etc, under the heavy recoil of big-caliber magnums. Like a lot of guys here, I could have put anything I wanted on my Legend. Lord knows it was expensive enough by itself, but D'Arcy counseled that Leupold was the way to go. I even had a Schmidt & Bender 3-12x42mm sitting at home gathering dust that I had planned to use. He said he would mount it if I insisted, but that in his experience it wouldn't hold up to the recoil over time.

Leupold themselves told me that one of the very best scopes for dangerous game and for heavy recoil was their VX III 1.5 X 5 20 mm. And, since you wanted advice on one that wouldn't cost you an arm and a leg, I think that that is the scope you will want to look at.

you've got an old leupold that has held together for how long?? what makes you think a new one is any better? if that old scope is tried and tested I'd be using it

I'm having a Kahles CSX 1.1X4X24 Electro Dot mounted on my Chapuis 9.3X74R . Now I know that's ain't anywhere near your rifle, but the Kahles is an exceptional scope. Even if you loose a battery you still have a great scope!

You could always use a Zeiss Conquest 3-9 or 2.5-8 if you wanted. We have two of them, and they hold up on two other Weatherby magnum rifles just fine. Another plus is they have some of the longest eye relief of any scope in the class.

quote:

Originally posted by H T:

Challenge is that I'm concerned about the old Leupold 4x I have on it. Wicked and fast recoil can't be easy on the scope.

Thanks!

I have a USED Leupold 4X I bought right here in the AR classified. I have no idea what it was used on previously, but it's an older model and had some scars on the tube. I put it on my .375 and have hundreds or rounds through it, have taken it to Africa in 100+ temps, and freezing sleet in Alaska. I think it's a good solid scope. You could always send it to Leopold for a check up as well.

I have 1.5X5 on my .458 and also have beat it pretty hard. I think for the price, you get a great value with Leopold. If that 4X is working and you have had good luck and some experience shooting with it, I'd leave it alone...FWIW

A friend has a 2.5 X 8 Leupold on a fairly light 375 weatherby and it has held up fine.

BigB

Out of curiousity, how much does your .375 Weatherby weigh?

Saeed uses a Leu 2.5 X 8 on his .375/404.

I like the 1.5-5 Leupold as long as low light is not a problem (although I can't say this has ever been a problem for me). For a DG scope, MHO is that low power and ability to focus UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL are what is required. At 1.5X you basically have a sighting tube and can focus within 10 ft. Any closer than that and it's point and shoot time.

HT

I had Lon Paul build a 375 Weatherby for me and it will reach out pretty well so the lowest power variable may not be the best choice for all around use. What I did was have Lon mount a 2.5x8 Leupold in Talley rings and I mounted and sighted in an additional 1x4 Leupold. I find that my hunt will be mostly in close cover I'll use the 1x4 but if there is a mix of cover and perhaps some low light shooting is required I'll use the 2.5x8.

As for a scope on a light hard recoiling rifle a light scope is always better. A heavy scope will be much more likely to be damaged by recoil.

Mark

Thanks for some very good observations and suggestions. Rifle weighs just under 7 1/2#, with scope. Sure gets your attention.

I have had a 4x Leupold come apart - front lens came loose on my 378 Weatherby. Thus my confirmed belief that if you shoot it enough, the repetitive shock will eventually cause something to become "disassembled". Agree that the heavy scopes are harder on mounts and rings, but wonder if that's so on the internal parts.

Anyway, sounds like Leupold is a good way to go. Either the 1.5x5 or the 1.75 x 6. Depends on eye relief too, I would think, in making a final choice.

Isn't there a service available somewhere that takes Leupold scopes and beefs them up a bit? I recall hearing that, and also vaguely remember something about them shutting down. Anyone else remember anything about that??

For what its worth I destroyed two 1.5 x 5 Luepold scopes. One on a Ruger #1 shooting moster loads with bullet seated out to 3.875 inches where it was just off rifling, and another on 375 improved pre 64 mod 70. 10 pound rifle with mercury recoil reducers.

After that I went to 4 X and never had a problem for next 23 years.

Ive only hunted buffalo once but do not think a 4 X is ideal scope.

1-6 would be my choice.

Andy

I've been using the same Leupold VXII 1X4 on my .458 Lott for the last three trips. It is catagorized as a "shotgun" scope and parallex adjusted for 75 yds. It has preformed flawlessly for more than 400+ rounds. I think they can still be purchased for under $300. At the very least it could also be considered as a "backup" scope to be carried along in case of a primary scope failure.

bull1