My mauser 35 whelen is getting close to being finished and I am trying to decide which of three leupold scopes to mount on it. VX 3 is the price range that I can afford. I thought about the 4x conquest but can't find one new. Keeping in mind the whelen's range, would you opt for the 1.75x6, 2.5x8 or the fixed 4x? and why? I want to hunt anything from pigs to moose. And I prefer to get closer rather than farther. I'm an old bow hunter! Thanks for the input! Gary

I vote for the 2.5x8 if it must be a Leupold. If you look at Leuopold's specs you will see the 1.75x6 horizontal and vertical adjustment is 45 inches versus 74 inches for the 2.5x8. I have had problems using 1.75x6 scopes on some guns that did not have windage adjustments in the mount. Be sure you have adequate tube length available with the 2.5x8 if using two piece mounts before you buy the scope. I have switched to Conquest 3x9 scopes for the above reasons plus I think they are optically superior.

Anything you might want to shoot with a .35 Whelen is large enough to see at any range when magnified 4 times. Conversely, the higher magnification of the variables provides a little help with load development when shooting from the bench.

Bottom line: The fixed 4x will be (1) less expensive, (2) theoretically, a bit more resistant to damage or fogging due to having fewer moving parts, (3) be very slightly more efficient in light transmission due to having one less lens, (4) have a slightly wider field of view for its magnification than a variable, and (5) will have a bit more latitude in placing it on the mounts for a long action gun. In short, it will do everything you need on a .35 Whelen; but so will either of the other scopes you name.

I have a bunch of Leupold scopes, including the 1.75 x 6 and 2.5 x 8. The latter never seemed to be quite as good as expected. I discussed this with a Leupold rep and he agreed that it wasn't one of their best creations. That said, if it were me, I'd go for the Conquest. A friend just bought one and I think it is more scope for the money, definitely brighter and more resolution. Cabela's just had them on sale for $400.

Thanks for the responses! Not having used one before, I was sort of hoping that someone might try and sell me on the 4x! I will have to check about the ring spacing. Is a 300 yard shots w a 4x possible? A "just in case" shot? Anyone know where I might find a Conquest 4x new? Gary

quote:

Originally posted by GaryG:
Is a 300 yard shots w a 4x possible? A "just in case" shot?

I shoot lots of 1/2 pound prairie dogs at 300 yards with a 12X scope, so how hard would it be to shoot a 700-lb elk or 250-lb mule deer with 1/3rd the power? Not much trick to that. You can just as easily resolve the vital area of any game animal with 4x at 300 yards as with any higher power. Even in target shooting, I've found the net difference between a 4x and 9X scope at 100 yards to amount to only about .10" in grouping. Translate that to 300 yards and your aim is degraded by .3". That's hardly enough to cause a miss.

Only a couple of decades ago the 4x was considered to be the all-around magnification for hunting. I doubt that Jack O'Conner ever used a more powerful scope despite taking plenty of game at 300 yards and more.

By the way, trajectory and relatively low velocity and/or ballistic coefficient dictate that you reasonbly limit shots with a .35 Whelen to 300 or less.

You might consider going to a store that has the scopes you,re interested in and looking through all of them. Odds are, one of ,em is going to stand out to your eye..being just a tiny bit colour blind, and quite near sighted, my view of the world is already a little..off. Sometimes, I have to a adjust accordingly.

Conquest 4x32s are tough to come across. One would think that Zeiss would go back to making them as they seem to have a good following.

I fell into the "fixed power fad" a couple of years ago from reading the hunting boards. I ordered a leupold 6x42 and mounted it on a 30-06. Try as I might I could never grow to like it, the lack of zoom left me constantly feeling like I was hunting with a scope that was at best a compromise. I did get a good resale price out of it when I sold it recently.

I'd skip the fixed power scope and stick with a good variable. There might have been a valid reason for a fixed power scope in the distant past but todays variables are excellent and there's no reason to handicap yourself with a fixed power.

quote:

Originally posted by boltman:
I fell into the "fixed power fad" a couple of years ago from reading the hunting boards. I ordered a leupold 6x42 and mounted it on a 30-06. Try as I might I could never grow to like it, the lack of zoom left me constantly feeling like I was hunting with a scope that was at best a compromise. I did get a good resale price out of it when I sold it recently.

I'd skip the fixed power scope and stick with a good variable. There might have been a valid reason for a fixed power scope in the distant past but todays variables are excellent and there's no reason to handicap yourself with a fixed power.

I wasn't aware that there is/was a "fixed power fad". From the lack of offerings from most manufacturers, it seems that the demand for fixed power scopes is all but moribund.

Let me first stipulate that I own dozens of rifles and that the vast majority of them are equipped with variable scopes. And you're correct that most of the potential pitfalls of variables have been solved long ago through better designs and better materials.

However, when light weight and simplicity (combined with several other attributes) are prime considerations, a fixed power will often serve better in some ways than a variable. True, a relatively low-powered (say 4x) fixed scope won't double as a binocular/spotting scope for judging antlers, but you shouldn't be using a scope for that purpose to begin with. And besides, I never hunted with a fixed power scope that was cranked to the wrong extreme of magnification when game unexpectedly presented itself.

Stonecreek, Thanks for the reminder that it is a 35 whelen. I shot a coyote this weekend at about 30 yards. I kept the scope on 4x the whole day and used my rangefinder to verify distances. 300 yards to 30 yards seemed fine to me:?) I have settled on a 4x, but now to find THE 4x!

We live in the country where armadillos are hell on the yard, so I shoot every one I see around the house. Just a couple of days ago (subsequent to my last post) my wife looked out the window and saw one of the little buggers ambling along. So I ran to my gun safe and pulled out the first "smaller" caliber I could find -- a .221 Fireball mounted with a 4-12 scope which I use as a dedicated prairie dog rifle. I quickly fumbled for some shells and ran out the door in a hurry to triumph over my adversary before it "got away".

Of course, the scope of my praire dog rifle was set on 12X, so when I spotted the little cretin slipping into the brush about 30 yards away, all I could see when I looked through the scope set at 12X was a gray shape that looked the size of a triceratops from the Jurrasic era. In my hurry I neither had time nor could I think to crank down the power, but was able to manage to shoot it anyway (score one for justice!)

The point of my story is that variables, particularly higher powered ones, can be set on the wrong power at the wrong time and mess you up. That is one of the advantages of a fixed power scope. Simplicity is sometimes both beautiful and practical.

The Leupy 2.5x8 is my favorite scope in the line, pleanty of magnification, compact size thats pleasing to the eye and looks great on a rifle. I have used 2 for several years even installing dials on one. That being said the Ziess 3x9 is optically better but much larger.

quote:

Originally posted by GaryG:
Stonecreek, Thanks for the reminder that it is a 35 whelen. I shot a coyote this weekend at about 30 yards. I kept the scope on 4x the whole day and used my rangefinder to verify distances. 300 yards to 30 yards seemed fine to me:?) I have settled on a 4x, but now to find THE 4x!

Gary,

I have a 4X fixed on my 9.3x62 - Can recommend the 4X for your 35W.

Ray, Is yours a Leupold? What reticle do you use? I have shot a Leupold dot for years but was thinking about trying a fine duplex this time. Gary

Gary,

I use a std dulpex. I think Leupold makes a fine, std duplex, wide duplex and a heavy duplex.

But, to my knowledge, I don't think Leupold offers their 4X fixed power scopes with the fine or the heavy. So you'll have ask someone else about the fine.

My "go to" Whelen (I have a few) wears a 2-7x VX-II and it has been ideal on moose, elk and black bear. As you know, they have the old Vari-X III "optics", are light, have great eye relief, have proven durable (I have more than one and have a hunch they are more reliable than the new VX-III's) and, these days, can be had for $250 new from Cabelas. I cannot see a noticeable difference when I look through it, my old Vari-X III's and my new VX-III's.

Mauser needs an IOR



Best price