For my 375 H&H I have a 4x fixed and a 2.5 x 8x variable. Is the 2.5x too much magnification for DG - buffalo? I also am looking at using the rifle for plainsgame as well.

I know most people will say a 1 x4 but will a 2.5X work effectively?

A friend of mine made a comment that he wished he had a bigger objective lens on his scoope for hunting in waning light ( He used a 1 X 4).

A larger scope would give me a larger lens.

I am trying to get by with the scopes that I have.

Greatly appreciate everyone's advice

I think the 2.5X8 is just about perfect for the .375 regardless of the flavor (H&H, Weatherby or Ruger). I've used Leupold's almost exclusively but recently purchased one of the Zeiss Conquests in 2.5X8 and will be using it on my HCR .404 Jeff in the Omay next month... will let you know how it performs.

The .375 can be used quite comfortably out to ranges of 250 yards, for some more accomplished shots even longer. That makes the higher magnification very useful. And on DG I have not had a problem at the 2.5 setting. That could change for very close work for ellies but that is why they make irons and QD scope mounts! Iron sights are the bomb for close-up elephant hunting even though the .375 itself might be considered marginal.

Should work fine...Many go over there with a 3x9 for Buffalo.

I used a 1.75X6 last month and when approaching buffalo in brush, the PH told me to "set your scope on 4 power." I already had it on 3 so used that. No problems.

i used a 1-4 for years, but as my eyes aged i sought more power. now i'm using a 3-9 zeiss & i think it's much better than the 1-4 ever was.

I have a 2.5x8 leupold on a CZ550 in .375 H&H that I am going to use on Buffalo next August in Zimbabwe. I opted for a little more magnification so I could also use it on plains game.

Go with the 2.5x8. the 2.5 is fine for DG. What you want is to be able to keep both eyes open in a close hunting scenario. Most people find they can shoot with both eyes open up to 4x at close ranges.

Singleshot03

I've used a 375 of some type for about 25 years. I've tried 1x4, 1.5x5, 3x, 2x7, 1.75x6 and the 2.5x8. I have settled on the 2.5x8 for both my 375 H&H and 375 Weatherby. The 2.5 seems to give all the FOV necessary and I often find I turn the scope upto 6x in the open country.

Mark

I have a 2.5x8 leopold on a 375 ruger and a 2.5x15 swarovski on my 375 caprivi, if you have not already looked through it I think you will be surprised how little magnification 2.5x is. I can still see the front sight on both my rifles when the scopes are turned down to 2.5x. 2.5x gives me almost as much field of view an unmagnified dot scope I own. If I was going in the thick stuff and only had a scoped rifle, I would feel good at the 2.5x. Which brings up a good question, how about detachable rings? What is everyones experience with accuracy at longer distances after a scope has been removed and replaced using DR's? Over a period of years?

I have a 1.5x6 on my 375 and usually leave it set on about 3x when hunting. On follow-ups I turn it all the way down but if your 2.5-8 will allow you to get a good sight picture down to about 10 yards it will be fine. BTW I believe that's the scope that Saeed has on his rifles.

I'm going to a 2.5-8 on my .375 and moving the 1.5-5 over to my new .458 Win. OTOH, I have an old Vari X II 3-9 that I might use.

On my last hunt I used the little scope at 1.5 for buff at 20 yds and the 5 on kongoni at 180. I've taken longer shots than that with the .375 under ideal conditions. If you can handle the longer ranges, 250/300 with the .375, the 8 power magnification is very useful, and the 2.5 is fine for buff, lion, etc.

2.5X8 is the way to go. I have used that scope on my .375 to take scores of animals in Africa, including buff, croc, hippo, giraffe, rhino, and lion, etc. Perfect!

I use a 2.5 - 8X Leupold exclusively on all my handguns chambered appropriately for African game, DG or PG -- ie 375 H&H, 416 Rigby or bigger handgun optimized equivalents.

That said, I'd be hard-pressed to remember a single time that I used anything over 2.5X for any dangerous game except Hippo in deep water at 75 yards or farther. And, it's a rare occurence for me to use anything over 4X even for PG at long distances. I've done it a few times, for example with Vaal Rhebok or White Springbok at long distances, but even then there's no real advantage beyond some small added confidence in shot placement.

Bottom line, 2.5X will almost always be fine for anyone on DG -- distances are short and the targets relatively big.

It'll work just fine.

Optimal however - IMHO - for a .375 H&H is a lower range variable, say 1.5x to 6x, or even 1.1x or 1.25x to 4x.

I think that 4x or 6x is plenty for shots to 200-250 yards.

And the 1.1x or 1.25x is blazing fast for short range work.

I have a Leupold 1.75-6x on my .375 and have always found it fine in both directions and for PG and DG. I personally would pick it over the 2.5-8x, but you will have no problems with that scope.

I use the following on DG rifles:

375 with Swaro 1.5 - 6
458 with Swaro 1.25 -4

Let me say that the lowest magnification settings are great when shooting at very close range. You can identify a buffalo's head, find his brain, and kill him at 10 steps during a full charge IF you have a scope that dials down to between 1 and 2 power. You get much above 2x and all you see is black.

IMHO, the 1.5 - 6 is the perfect scope for a 375.

I run a 2.5-8 Zeiss Conquest on my .375 H&H and find it to be about as good of a combination as I can come up with. I've used it from 10 yards to 425 yards and it worked just fine. When I finaly get around to building something bigger either 458 Lott or 500 Jeffery it will not have a scope, but a large apeture rear and bead front.