I have a pre 64-M70 in 300 H&H on which I have mounted, with Leupold QR rings and bases, a Leupold 6X. That should be perfect for out west but it might be a little much for here in Michigan where I hunt. I have been thinking about putting QR rings on a Leupold VX-II, 1-4x20mm for deer hunting. That way I can swap scopes as needed and I will have a little versatility. The VX-II is currently mounted on an old Ruger M44 Carbine that I use when hunting the REALLY thick stuff. I have an old Leupold 2.5X I would put on the M44.

On the other hand I can alway shoot my 30-06 which is topped with a 4X and leave the 300 H&H at home.

Thoughts

Well, everyone has their preferences, to be sure. If it were my rifle I would just mount a Leupold 2X7 or 2.5X8 on the 300 H&H and leave it on all the time.

What kind of out west hunting are you doing?
Lts of folks are well suited with a fixed 4 or 6X scope. My preference for the type of western hunting that I do is a 3-9 Leupold. I always carry it on 3x and if something jumps up I'm set, if something is further away I do all my precision shooting on 9, works for me.
As the previous poster said a 2-7 or 2.5-8 may be just the ticket.

A 3x9 or something like it.

I find a Varible to work well most of my rifle wear them.

Ok, maybe I should have gone the variable 2.5x-8X, but I did not - I bought the 6x. So how do you think the VX-II would work on the gun?

I'm sure the VX-II would "work" just fine, but I would prefer an objective larger than 20mm. Get yoursefl a quality 3x9 variable and I think you'll be a happy camper

I have seen the concept of switchin' scopes to make you rifle more versatile written up in magazines a couple of times.

The articles were talking about swapping different scope for different loads...heavy Elk loads vs lighter Deer loads... sounded like a good idea to me.

I've also heard it mentioned here on AR about hunters bringing a rifle with backup scopes on QR rings to Africa.

I wish I could afford to do that on a rifle of mine.

If that 300 H&H was mine, I would do it.

All scopes mentioned are good sugestions. The one thing I wouldn't do is go beyond 3X9 in power as you would be giving up your field of view.
I equipped both of my 300 H&Hs with vintage Redfield optics and bases, one with a 6X, the other a 3X9. They still look "period", but have modern enough scopes that they are weatherproof, and best of all, I never spent more than $150 on each.

I don't like fixed 6X scopes at all for any use. Not enough FOV for the woods and not enough X's for long range some of the time. I am stuck with three of them.

I would leave the 6X on the 300HH for now and just use the 30-06 in the woods.

Then down the road buy a 3-9 X. They outsell 6X's a million to none.

My fav is 3-9x40-42 with favorable ratio of "1" for FOV/ER or vise versa.

I've done much the same in the past for my M700 30'06 - an older 6x 42mm MC4 Leupold in one set of QRS rings and a Vari-X I 1-4x in another. Worked fine, but unlike running higher powered variables, I set it on 4x unless I was headed into the thick stuff. And the 2.5x Compact on the M44 will be just right.

Last winter when my late uncle's 1954 Win. 300H&H settled in to live with me I went the 3X9 Leupold route. I'am real happy with that combo. BTW, my rifle shoots the 150gr. Partition Gold, 165gr. Speer, and 180gr. Rem. factory load to the same point of impact at 200yds. It will shoot the first to loads into less then 2ins. at 200yds.

I have a question relating to this subject. Do the quick detach rings really return to zero when taken off, then back on, say in this scenerio where two scopes are pre-sighted in for the same rifle, using the same brand of rings?

Thanks,
KB

My favourite is the 1.75-6x Leupy. At the lower magnification (actualy1.9x)its just fine for bush stalking, 6x (actualy 5.7x) is good for those shot in the open beyond 150 yards.
With the 1-4x you have, I would use it but leave the magnification at 3x that gives an exit pupil of a tad under 7mm, it's what I have on my 375, (the only time it goes up to 4x is when sighting in). It should be fine for most bush/forest stalking during the day but it will loose the light quicker than the 1.75-6x during the crepuscular period.
What ever you decide, happy hunting.

Sell your 6 power and buy a Zeiss Conquest 3x9x40 from The Optic Zone for $379.00 delivered and "live happily ever after"!

quote:

Do the quick detach rings really return to zero when taken off, then back on, say in this scenerio where two scopes are pre-sighted in for the same rifle, using the same brand of rings?

In my experience with the Leupold QRS system I'd said yes. After I zero'd my '06 at 100 yards with 220s for Africa in 1997 I shot a six round group - alternating matching 4x M8 scopes for each shot. All shots fell into a group no larger than a five round group fired with one scope. These days I pop the scope off before putting the '06 in the safe (I need a bigger safe, or fewer guns...) and it always returns to zero each time I go to the range. Now that I think on it a bit the factory scope mount for my long gone HK630 was perfectly repeatable too - but it should have been considering the mount alone cost more than several rifles I own. The classic Weaver system is pretty close when I put the scope back on but the scope usually needs a bit of rezeroing.

I think your 1x4 leupold would work great for woods ranges-actually i wouldn't feel handicapped by it at any range i would shoot a BIGGAME animal.

quote:

Originally posted by Kabluewy:
I have a question relating to this subject. Do the quick detach rings really return to zero when taken off, then back on, say in this scenerio where two scopes are pre-sighted in for the same rifle, using the same brand of rings?

Thanks,
KB

I have Warne Maxima QD rings on most of my rifles and have gotten along with them real well. If they change it is not enough to notice.

Doublegun...4x is plenty of magnification for most any animal you will hunt with a 300 H&H. Probably won't be hunting sparrows, or gophers with it, anyway......But the only problem you may encounter with your plan, may be scope length. My Winchester pre-64 .300 H&H Magnum is so long between scope base mounting holes, that some of the new scopes are too short to mount on it.......Except if I use an extension ring set....And I don't like to use them in serious hunting situations for fear ejected brass may catch on them, and cause a jam. As we speak, I have an older Redfield 4X on my rifle, and it is just long enough. Grant.

Well, I find 6 power scopes have their places....I ahve about 8 of them on various rifles.. and some do get used in thick country... I keep both eyes open and then just before I pull the trigger close the eye that is not looking thru the scope.. has worked with no problem even in the thickets...I find scopes below 2.5 powder useless, do better with open sites....

Yet on the upper end, 7 or 8 power is fine.... most of my 3 x9 never see the higher powers unless I have them on a varmint rifle and shooting little bitty sage rats...

I just envy you boys that have an old 300 H & H chambering... I like that old round, especially that Model 54 mentioned above in it...that with a Leupold 4 power and a 220 grain Round Nose loaded up.... That is pretty darn "COOL" in my book....

quote:

that with a Leupold 4 power and a 220 grain Round Nose loaded up.... That is pretty darn "COOL" in my book....

Seafire,

Got a recepie for a 220 round nose load? I have had a heck of a time trying to load up 180 gr RN's. If I seat the bullet normally then I have head space problems. (I have had bullets actually pull out of the case when cycling the bolt). I can get them seated to the point where that does not happen but they look pretty stupid.