A customer came in today with a Win Mod 70 (new) in .416 Rem. It is wearing Talley bases and rings. He wants a suggestion for an appropriate optic for a Sept. 2012 African Safari. He will be going after 9 species. One of those will be Cape Buffalo. He said his PH recommended a low power scope for 50-200 yd/meter shots. He has a nice 3-9 x 40mm Leupold now, but the objective bell is hitting the front mount before proper eye relief. An off-set mount could get the eye relief perhaps. I'm thinking he needs a 2.5x scope with no objective bell. What are your suggestions for a scope that will function well and look "proper" on this rifle (based on your knowledge and experience)?

PS: He will also carry a .338/06 for plains game.

TIA,

Bob

My 416 is a Rigby not a Remmington and the rifle is a CZ550 but it has a 1.5-4 Swarovski in old Warne rings and I have been perfectly satisfied with it, although I have only used it for Elephant.

I have a Leupold VXlll 1.75-6 on my 416 rem and used it to take a Buffalo and a tustless Ele in Zim. last June.
I had it sighted in dead on at 100 yards and that worded well for me.
I removed the scope for the Elephan hunt since we were hunting in thick bush.
The scope took the recoil and stayed zero
joe

I have a Leupold VXlll in 1.75-6 power on my 416 rem. and it worked on a Buffalo in Zim last June.
It took the recoil and stayed zero. I had it sighted in for 100 yards.
My son shot the Buffalo at about 35 yards and it ran a very short way then fell over dead
joe

My choice for both 375 H&H and 416 Ruger is a 1.75-6X Leupold. They have been perfect for me for all shots I encountered for both PG and DG.

To utilize the long range capabilities of the 416, you could even move upto a 2.5-8X. Works great for Saeed of everything.

I have a 1.7 x 10 Swarovski on mine. Best of both worlds.

I use a Leupold VXIII 1.5 x 5 20 mm. It has worked quite well for me.

My 416 M70 wears a Leupold VXIII 1.75 X 6. Has never lost zero.

My 416 is a taylor but I have a Luepold 1.75x6 on it along with my 375 and my 9.3x62 and could not be happier.

My .416 wears a Leupold 2.5 x 8 vari x 3. Does a good job. Really depends on how much eye relief your customer can take and how much eye relief he needs.

For my .416 Rem., I have one 1.5 X 5 Leupold and one 2.5 X 8 Leupold. Given detachable mounts, this gives me a little more versatility and redundancy, as I could use either scope in any situation in a pinch. Sets you back a little bit for the extra scope, rings, and a little more sight in work, but I like it. Your client might too.

Also, I really like the Talley's and don't forget they have a peep that fits the back base on their mounts. I really like that too.

This is timely. ALthough I like Larrys choice and use the Swaro on many of my rifles I think I might go the Leupy as well. Heck maybe two of them as it looked like the 2.5 had even a little more eye relief.

OK, I get the comment about the two scopes. Did I mention I was a bit obsessive/compulsive and like a lot of redundancy. (I also carry a back-up rifle, but no backup scope for that rifle -- I'm getting better). But, I've always had something to shoot and a whole lot has to go wrong before I'm out of business.

I am using the Talleys as well. But in the bush or for 50 yards I like and prefer the open sights. I would have time to get the scope on at more range generally, or leave it on in more open country.

1.25-4 or 1.5-6 work nicely for me.

Leupold has the new VX6 scope line with a 1X6 variable and several selections of illuminated reticles. looking to put on a 505 Gibbs that I am having built.

quote:

Originally posted by 470drshooter:
Leupold has the new VX6 scope line with a 1X6 variable and several selections of illuminated reticles. looking to put on a 505 Gibbs that I am having built.

Did you see them at the show or other as I have yet to see these at SWFA or on the Leupold site.

Edit: I did go find these at SWFA. I just did not know it was there. Thanks.

Dear Bobster

Any of the German scopes will serve you well.
Much better than the others. Once you have one you will never go back.

1.5x6 would be a good range.
The larger the objective the better.

Regards Mark

My M70 416 has a Leupold VXIII 1.5x5-20mm with Leupold dual dovetail mount. I've taken two buffalo, and a couple small antelope at about 175 yards. If I bring this rifle to Africa again I'm going to install Talley QD mount so I can use the open sights.

Wow! What a consensus. Thanks for the feedback. I'm meeting with him today and it looks like a low power variable, 20 mm is the ticket.

Bob,

You really need an extension front base on those M-70's for all scopes. Tally makes one.

That said...the 20mm objective scopes (no front bell) may work with plain bases. That mean a scope like the Leupold VX-III 1.5X5 (which would be a good choice) or like scope.

The Leupold 1.75X6 (which is a great scope) has a front bell and may pose the same problem as the 3X9.

If you are going to order one to try with present bases...I would go with the Leupold VX-III 1.5X5. But...even it works better with a longer front base.

I would recommend teh scope I have been using on all my African hunts for the past few yars.

It is the Leupold 2.5-8.

I have used it to shot many elephants and hundreds of cape buffalo, in addition to practically all plains game animals.

All of my DG rifles wear 1.1X4 Scgmidt & Benders, but I noticed that S&B have come out with a 1X8 24mm scope. Might want to use that on the 375s

quote:

A customer came in today with a Win Mod 70 (new) in .416 Rem. It is wearing Talley bases and rings. He wants a suggestion for an appropriate optic for a Sept. 2012 African Safari. He will be going after 9 species. One of those will be Cape Buffalo.

The advice you've gotton on scopes is good. Hard to beat a Leupold in anything from 1-4X up to 2.5-8X. The European scopes have excellent optics and are okay if you have plenty of time to find their ellusive sight picture.

But your client is woefully over-gunned for at least seven of the nine species he hopes to hunt (whatever they are). He should take something like a .30-06 or .300 magnum for all of the plains game and equip it with that higher powered Leupold he already owns. I'll asssure you, he'll enjoy his hunt much more if he does.

I have lately had a Leupold 1.5-6x24mm VX-7 on mine. Thirty mm tube and German No. 4 reticle. Great scope. Leupold have discontinued the VX-7 line and now sell the 6x range VX-6.

I have a 1.1-4x24 Schmidt & Bender with an illuminated reticle no. 4 on my Sauer .416 Rem Mag.
Works perfect for me.
On a Ruger .375 H&H Mag. I use a Zeiss 1.5-6x42 without any problems.
Andy

I use both a Leupold 2.5 Compact and a VXII 2x7 both in Talley Rings. After talking to the folks at Talley I turned the rear base around on my Model 70 and now both scopes work great. As originally mounted only the 20mm objectives would work. Poor man's scope extension. Rear base moved forward about 1/4 inch and that was all I needed. For now both are zeroed at 100 but one of these days I'm going to change the 2x7 to 200 for an Eland.

I use two on my 416 rem 70, both in Leupold detachable rings (which have not lost zero on either of two safaris), and VXIII 1.5-5x20, and a compact Leupold 2.5x. Love them both, never had a problem.

Don and Bwana N, I'm glad to hear someone else is as compulsive as I am. With detachables, it makes no sense to me not to have a backup and to make it something that will do everything the one you anticipate using will do and a bit more.

THis could be cool:
Best of both worlds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...re=player_embedded#!

Nothing wrong with the looks of this Leupold

http://swfa.com/Leupold-1-6x24...flescope-P49435.aspx

lavaca, that was what I saw in the detachable mounts immediately; not the iron sight capability (which is awesome), but the ability to have another scope already zeroed in rings. Makes all the sense in the world.

Is it just me, or could they put some more dials, knobs, buttons, gadgets or controls on that scope that could frustrate me to no end?

Bwana Nderobo:

Our posts crossed. You are a brilliant man.

My last post was directed to 505ED. I agree with you (Bwana Nderobo)completely with a Medium-bore, like a .375 or a .416. On my .416 Rem., the irons are in. I've got a 1.5X5 Leupold as the primary scope -- frankly, will do anything I want the rifle to do; AND I've go a 2.5X8 Leupold that will do virtually anything the other scope will do and a bit more.

With that set-up, I'm good from point blank to 200 yards, with a whole lot of redundancy and not much addition of weight or space.

I originally had a Leupold VX-7 1.75X6 on my 416 Rigby. I later switched that scope to my 375H&H and put a 1.25X4 Trijicon on the Rigby. I like the Trijicon much better.

Todd:
What reticle do you have on the Trijicon and why do you prefer it? Not trying to cross-examine you, just interested.

I have the post and triangle. Red, but would prefer the green if available in the post. I've also got 2 of the 3X9's with the amber reticle on crosshairs.

I like the battery-less illuminated reticle. IMO, the glass is very good as well.

My buff rifles have the 1-4X Trijicon TR24-3G scope.

I went with this one because the green dot really helps aiming the black crosshairs on a black animal (from practical experience, of course).

Trijicon builds many of their products for the military, and prices them right. My German scopes do have better glass and I appreciate that for the cross canyon shots on mule deer out here at home. But, the range on buff is typically much closer, making the illuminated dot my favorite.

Fixed 2.5x Leupold.

1.1-8 Schmidt&Bender

I just bought my oldest son a M70 stainless classic in 416 Rem as well, any recommendations for Red Dot sights that will stand up to the recoil and remain zero'd? He' military and is very comfortable with the Red Dot sights