I'm about to get my Ruger #1 back from the smith. Took a 06 and had it rebarreld (Hart barrel) to a 35 Whelen.

Running a Zeis Conquest 3x9 on a different #1 45-70 that has worked out well. Before I get another I figured I'd see what you guys have to say about what has worked for your Ruger #1's.

Eye relief has always been problem with #1 rifles for me. I use Zeiss Conquests because of the long scope tube and it works for me. I just put a 2.5x8 I have been hoarding on my 9.3x74. Extension rings are an option but I never cared for their appearance.

My Whelen is a Ruger 77, rather than a No. 1. I went with a Conquest 2.5x8, shotgun model. I originally bought it for my 375, but moved it over to the Whelen. I have a bad case of stock crawling, so I like that bit of extra eye relief. On No. 1's, for me, it's a recipe for a ring cut. I really like the set up. I haven't noticed any impact of the shorter parallax on my shooting at up to 300 yards.
Good luck
Bfly

YOu might want to check out the 3-9 Nikon Inline Muzzleloader scope with BDC reticle.
5" eyerelief throughout
100-yard parallax
Relatively short medium length scope, not heavy.
Excellent optics and
Rugged Rugged Rugged.

My Whelen is a bolt gun as well, so this may not apply, but the 2 X 7 Burris Fullfield II it wears suits me well, and there is sufficient eye relief to ensure no "scope eye".

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Luepold. As an overall line of optics, I've found they have the longest eye relief. They are also some of the lightest.

quote:

Originally posted by scottfromdallas:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Luepold. As an overall line of optics, I've found they have the longest eye relief. They are also some of the lightest.

So what model of Leupold 3-9 has 5" eye-relief or better at high power?

I used a Leica 2.5-10x42 and the eye relief was just about perfect for me. I'm 5'8" and pretty darn average of neck length and the Leica worked great on a #1 in 7x57.

quote:

Originally posted by 416Tanzan:

quote:

Originally posted by scottfromdallas:
I'm surprised no one has mentioned Luepold. As an overall line of optics, I've found they have the longest eye relief. They are also some of the lightest.

So what model of Leupold 3-9 has 5" eye-relief or better at high power?

Didn't realize you need 5" of eye relief for a Ruger No.1. I've never owned one. Good to know.

Some good items to look into gents. I am mounting a Nikon 3xp slug scope for a friend. I plan on checking it out.

My suggestion would be a Leupold VX2 2-7x33. I have one on both my 358 Win and 9.3x63 Mauser and couldn't ask for a better scope for the money. Optics are bright and clear and in my opinion are near perfect for the .35 and .36 calibers.

Mine is a bolt gun as well and it wears an old Weaver 2.5x with a post and crosshair. It's rare that I need or desire more magnification. Have used that combo to make a 310 yard shot on a caribou. Lots of eye relief but it is a fixed power. Sounds like your looking for variable so I'd sure look at the Leupolds. Usually plenty of eye relief.

On my bolt 35 Whelen I use a Leupold 2 X 7, on a Ruger #1 I use a fixed 4 X or 6 X Leupold. A Leupold 3 X on a Ruger # 1 would be ideal.

I have a custom 35 Whelen built on an FN action. Have tried various 3-9 scopes and settled on a Leupold VX 3, 1.75-6. It has generous eye relief and the 6 power is about all you need for the range and contemplated game of the Whelen.

The Leupold VXR 2-7 30 mm is a very impressive scope with generous eye relief. I was tempted to mount it on the Whelen but have it on my 375 H&H.


Geoff

For better comparison it always helps to give specifics when discussing 'generous eye-relief'.

Personally, on a 338-class rifle, which inlcudes 35 Whelen and 9.3x62 and 375 H&H, I consider 3.5 inches of eye-relief to be minimum, but not generous. For me, generous means 4.0" eye-releif and luxurious would be 5.0" inches eye-relief.
For a 416Rigby-458Lott class of rifle I would normally select a scope with 4.0" eye-relief.
However, for my 500 AR Nyati, the ballistic equivalent of a 500 Jeffrey, I consider 4.0" to be minimum and 5.0" to be generous.

So where do some of the Leupolds mentioned above stand?

The Leupold v3 1.75-6 has only 3.3" eye-relief at 6 power (which is actually 5.5 power). That is the primary reason that I have never purchased that model. I used a 2.5-8 as standard for a couple decades but have gone over to the Nikon 2-8 for slight improvements in eye-relief, optics, price, and ruggedness. Yes, a person can safely use a short 3.3" eyerelief in a medium recoiling rifle, even on a larger calibre, as long as proper holding and upright head position is maintained. But under 3.5" eye-relief is also an accident waiting to happen. Ouch!

The Leupold VXR 2-7 fares somewhat better than the 1.75-6. It provides 3.7" eye-relief at 7 power (literally 6.6 of actual magnification). That is certainly sufficient for a 338WM or 35 Whelen or 375 H&H. But I would not call it 'generous'. It is just over my personal minimum.

Why do I have such excessive minimums as 3.5" on a medium-recoil rifle? Because I've had many a friend test fire my rifles and I don't like to clean up blood on their foreheads. Granted, that is pretty rare, but it has happened often enough that I see the advantage of 4" eye-relief. I also coach a shooter to keep the head reasonably verticle and to pull back from the sight picture so that the crosshairs are in the middle of the eye piece but less than a full picture. That can add another inch. When these things are done and the person holds a rifle against the shoulder there are no scope problems.

PS: the fixed-power Leupolds are usually 4.0" eye-relief or more and can be classed as 'generous'.

Since the best loads with a 35 Whelen and 225 gr bullets has a nearly identical trajectory as a 30-06 with 180s, I think anything less than a 3-9x is doing an injustice to the rifle.

Of course if you ONLY use it for a very specific set of hunting circumstances, then a fixed scope might be all you need.

Nothing wrong with an Aimpoint scope, it is what I have on my Whelen. They are the fastest scope I know, mount it forward as they have unlimited eye reliefe.

Yes the don't magnify things but if you can see it you can hit it.