I'm looking for a new rifle scope to fit a Browning BAR .30-06 that does not have any iron sights on it. I bought the rifle because it is the best "fitting" rifle I've ever shouldered. So I'm sold on the comfort, cheek weld, weight, feel and so on of the rifle.
Now I want to mount a scope that aligns perfectly with my eye without having to move my head from it's cheek weld (which, happily, is the same spot every time I shoulder the rifle). My guess is I'll need the lowest mounting possible because my eye is positioned maybe 1/2 in. above the receiver. So here is a laundry list of questions for you guys:
1. What bell diameter recommended? Hunting is in Northern Minnesota deep woods to semi-open areas with some low light situations at dusk. Two deer were missed (no shot taken) this year because of an inability to find them in deep woods-low light, 6:30AM through a 32mm belled scope (Bushnell Banner 1.5-4.5 power) despite being within 50 yards of them.
2. What are the best scope rings and bases for this type of mount?
3. I think all I need is a 3-9 or 10 power. The rifle will basically sit on 3X unless I need to move higher. I have had missed opportunities in years past at very short range because my Banner Scope was set to 4.5X and I couldn't make the adjustment fast enough to take a shot. What do you think?
4. I'm looking for a scope that's able to move forward and backward to get the best possible exit pupil alignment. I have a scope (inherited from grandfather) that is not able to move backward in the mount because of the bell up front and therefore I must move my head forward to get the proper sight picture.
5. I'm going to guess price and lens quality are directly linked together. Let's say $700-$1000 ballpark.
So, please recommend a $1000 scope, best light transmission, lowest possible mount that's allows for a wide range of fwd-bkwd movement before setting it permanently in the rings (or perharps it has a very large ranged eye relief), and rings/bases for that lowest mount.
Thank you for your time. Ross

R P welcome to this forum,take a look at leupolds VX-L scopes 3.5x10x50 should do you well, yes i know their pricey but what a great idea!!!!, zeiss, nikon, if you buy quality odds are you won''t have to replace it down the road,lot''s of great info here enjoy, jjmp

If you need to keep it low, Swaro builds a model that has a 36 cm bell on it. 3-9x35 American riflescope. It also only weighs 11 oz and has about 3.5 to 4" of eye relief.

The first two scopes on this page should give outstanding light transmission near end of day hunting, my 1.5-6x32mm Signature works very well in that dept. Jay

http://www.burrisoptics.com/signature.html

You really don't need to spend over 400 bucks on a scope to get outstanding optics, these Burris scopes will be as good if not better than some europeon scopes, compare and you'll see for yourself. J

Zeiss, I recently bought this scope for $419.00

http://theopticzone.com/detail.aspx?ID=1930

although Jon sets the prices as he sees fit. It is the clearest scope I've got (as compared to Zeiss VM/V, Burris Black Diamond, and Kahles)

or a cutting edge Kahles

http://www.riflescopes.com/products/51622/kahles_2.5-10..._30mm_riflescope.htm

which has the largest field of view in the industry for a variable scope that will go up to 10x. You would be proud of that scope for the rest of your life.

Or a Burris

http://theopticzone.com/detail.aspx?ID=2000

you can reload for the 30-06 so that the ballistics will fit the ballistic plex. A 200 gr Accubond traveling at 2700 fps will fit it very close.

JMHO

The best scope within the parameters you've listed would IMO be a Swaro 3-10x42. You should still be able to get it in low mounts of your preference. I've got 50mm swaro's on several different rifles in low mounts so the 42mm on your BAR should be no problem.
I prefer it with the TDS reticle. If you do a lot of low light hunting you might prefer a 4a -often called a German #4 in other brands.
They are also coming out with this scope with a rail mount that might be worth lookiing into. I haven't used one yet and so can't say for sure but it possibly might be able to be mounted lower than with normal rings.
To my eyes the Swaro's are superior to other 1" tube scopes I've used including Zeiss, Leupold, Burris, Bausch and Lomb etc.. Go to a well stocked store that has a dark corner or room you can look into and compare all the different models mentioned here and I think you'll see what I mean. Be sure and to look for resolution and ability to focus the reticle well in low light.........................DJ

If you'll be shooting mostly inside 50 yards, I'd want wider fields of view than 3x will give you (typically only ~17 feet at 50 yds).

Exit pupils (dia/mag) of more than 5-7mm are useless as far as extra brightness is concerned. I'd stay with something in the 1.5-2x on the bottom end, but with the best coatings and glass you can find. At 4.5x32mm that Bushnell's exit pupil was as more than your eye can accept anyway. But the Banner's coatings and lense quality leave a lot to be desired, and both are necessary for maximum light transmission.

Note that extra exit pupil can help a scope be easier to use in a hurry, since the extra pupil diameter means a more forgiving eye location behind the scope.

Unless you are in wide open territory, leave your scope at its lowest power setting (widest field of view). If time permits (as it usually does for longer shots), then you can increase the power. Lower power also helps your brain correlate the image through the scope with the image you saw without the scope, to know where you are looking in a hurry.

Hope this helps,

djpaintles,would I be able to fit a 50mm zeiss or swarofki on low mounts on a win mod 70?How about a 46mm? What mounts do you prefer?

Does anyone have experience with the Leupold LPS scopes?

Personanly, I think you are on the wrong track. In , your posisiton I would get myself a VX3 leupold 1.5X5 or 2.5X6. It would be a great combo for you 06. For close shooting fast shots it would be hard to beat. I would mount it in somthing like a warn set up so you can keep it low...tj3006

You don't need to spend $1K for a deer rifle scope.Buy a Nikon 3X9 monarch and you'll be fine.

quote:

Originally posted by RiflemanZ:
You don't need to spend $1K for a deer rifle scope.Buy a Nikon 3X9 monarch and you'll be
fine.

AMEN!. But you know the old rule, "If it cost more it must be better."

quote:

Originally posted by Thomas Jones:
Personanly, I think you are on the wrong track. In , your posisiton I would get myself a VX3 leupold 1.5X5 or 2.5X6. It would be a great combo for you 06. For close shooting fast shots it would be hard to beat. I would mount it in somthing like a warn set up so you can keep it low...tj3006

The Burris Signature 1.5-6x40 would also fill that bill very nicely.