I plan to hunt with my drilling with the scope dismounted. How and where do those of you who do likewise carry your scope for quick access? Pictures or a detailed description of the pouch or whatever that you use would be appreciated.

I carry my scope in a leather tube with a sling over the shoulder. The tube has a cap sliding on the sling.

Fritz

I use the same leather pouch as Frizz... My scope (SuB 11.5-6) tumbles back and forth and make som noice inside the pouch, not good while still hunting, so I have lined the inside of the thingy with foam.

loud,

Like Fritz & JAN have said, here in Europe many that remove their detachable scopes from various rifles normally purchase a leather "sheath/tube" (for lack of better word) to cary their unmounted scope in (like in Fritz's photo). They protect them really well if fit correctly. If there's alot of slop the bluing gets rubbed off quickly though and they are noisy.

They're available from most of the well-heeled firearms dealers, some even specifically sized for the scopes themselves.

While that is the "classic" route, the various sythetic scope covers offered in the States would protect a scope just as well but they beg the question where do you store/cary it?

Some of the better German/Swiss/Austrian Hunting Rucksacks (Day packs) have a special compartment on the outside (for easy access) to carry a scope.

Since you asked; Frankonia has a special this month on a rucksack with just such a scope pocket on it and they are VERY reasonably priced.

www.frankonia.de

Gerry:

I think the following is what you were talking about. If it is, could I please impose on you to translate, as their English site does not list their specials.

Jagdrucksack

Praktisch, handlich,
mit vielen Einsatzmöglichkeiten.
Innenfach und 2 Fronttaschen für
kleinere Jagd-Utensilien. Mittig
ein gepolstertes Fach für Ihr Zielfernrohr
(bis zu 8x56). Unter dem extra
großen Verschlussdeckel kann eine Jacke
oder ein Sitzkissen getragen werden.
Größe 40 x 55 cm

Preis NUR € 29,95

Dave

quote:

O---Some of the better German/Swiss/Austrian Hunting Rucksacks (Day packs) have a special compartment on the outside (for easy access) to carry a scope.

Since you asked; Frankonia has a special this month on a rucksack with just such a scope pocket on it and they are VERY reasonably priced.
---

The advantage of packing the scope in such a tube instead of in the backpack is that you can carry your drilling as a shotgun or ironsighted rifle in your hand, but rather fast in a second or two mount the scope.

Fritz

I suppose some situtation could come up where you did not prefer a scope and then wanted one on a hunt. For the most part I hunt birds with the drilling without a scope while hoping for a bear to present itself.

If I were just hunting big game then I would leave the scope on. You can shoot the shotgun by the way with a scope on it.

One of the scopes I have for the drilling is a 1X Weaver with claw mounts. At a club I shot their Crazy Quail field where a trap is underground and the operator can throw the clays 360. I used the 1X there and broke the unoffical club record.

On the otherhand the 1X is like looking thru a scope backwards and would not be much help at all for the rifle.

Sure, take the scope with you in the field, I just don't bother as one can shoot the rifle barrel with irons.

Savage 99:

I have the drilling specifically because I sometimes have an opportinity at a bear while hunting mountain quail. For the close shots, the open sights are fine. I wanted the scope because the bears we see are frequently across a canyon at 250 or 300 yards; too for for my eyes with the open sights. At this point, I would not try a shot with open sights at much past 150 yards.

Dave

Gerry. I am also interested in the backpack you recommended, but can not find it on the site map... Could you direct me to it? Item 3 perhaps?

O.K. Guys, Here's a "gist" (which is a quick translation of the "content" not a litteral translation of every word.

quote:

Jagdrucksack

Praktisch, handlich,
mit vielen Einsatzmöglichkeiten.
Innenfach und 2 Fronttaschen für
kleinere Jagd-Utensilien. Mittig
ein gepolstertes Fach für Ihr Zielfernrohr
(bis zu 8x56). Unter dem extra
großen Verschlussdeckel kann eine Jacke
oder ein Sitzkissen getragen werden.
Größe 40 x 55 cm

Preis NUR € 29,95

Here goes:

Hunting Rucksack

Practical, handy
with many useful applications
Interior and 2 Front pockets for
small hunting untensils. In the middle a
lined compartment for your scope (accomodates up to a 8x56 scope).
Under the extra large closing cover a jacket or seat cushion can be carried.
Size 40x50 cm.

Price: only €29.95

Whew! any additional nuances that I've overlooked?

justanother - didn't go to the website but on Frankonia's flyer the rucksack was article #3 so I think you are correct.

Anyway, thanks everyone for your candid and practical remarks on the advantages/disadvantages of carrying a unmounted scope in a rucksack or either a specialty scope bag - hopefully loud, you get the idea of the finer points of scope carry?

From my perspective this is just a super application of a modern day use of a Drilling; the one I would select in the States, primary use as a bird gun with the scope and rifle barrel for those potential targets of opportunity. For such an application you'd have more than enough time to mount the scope IMO.



Waidmannsheil,

Loud-n-boomer,

I would not take such a long shot either with the open sights. So thats a scenerio where I would use a scope also. Mine shoots the first shot about 3" high at 100 yds and I have notes on each box of ammo.

To be frank I would have to practice at long range and even develop a better load. Presently I shoot the Hornady 32 Special bullet sized to .3185" for my 8-57JR. I also carry the 196 gr Norma but thats a round nose too.

I have passed on long shots on bears and tried to get closer. However 300 yds is in range for most cartridges. Thinking back now I did miss a shot due to the drillings short range with my present loads.

I spotted a bear sleeping in the setting sun at 1200 yds and went back to the car to trade the drilling for the new 7mm-08. I would have taken a shot much further with a magnum but I set 300 yds as a max and I rushed forward as the light was going. The bear spotted me at 400 yds and ran off. If one had more time there was plenty of forest to use to stay out of the field I stayed in.

That drilling has been my best hunting gun since I got it in 1968.

Gerry:

Thanks for the translation, I view the application of a drilling in much the same way as you.

Thanks to everyone else for the feedback, I have ordered a scope tube for general use, but am going to order the rucksack also, partly because I think that it looks like a nice piece of gear.

I hunted birds quite a bit with my previous drilling, an 1895 vintage hammer drilling in 16/65 x 9.3x72, but it was an iron sight only gun, and the rifle barrel was eratic after the first shot. As a consequence, I was concerned about taking a shot at more than about 50 meters (55 yards).

My new-to-me Fortuna was built in 1955 and is a 16/70 x 7x65R. It will put five shots into about 4 centimeters (1-1/2 inches)and on the point of aim at 100 meters (110 yards) with Sellier & Belliot 175-grain factory ammo. I assume that the gun was built for high-seat hunting as it has a 360 millimeter (14-1/4 inch) long Zeiss Davari 2.5x10 scope with a 56-millimeter (2-1/4 inch) objective. The gun weighs about 3 kilograms (6.8 pounds) without the scope and about 3.7 kilograms (8.2 pounds) with it, so you can understand why I do not generally want to hunt with the scope on the gun.

loud,

I can only say......

Pleased to have been of assistance and yes, I know exactly what you relate about the weight with the scope!

Everyone's comment's are well-taken.

I had an over - under shotgun/rifle combo that went they way of the Dodo Bird; it was neither Fish nor Fowl.

I do REGRET having my dream Drilling in my hands (yes, and like an idiot passing up on it -there must have been a REALLY pressing reason); an early Suhler in 20X20/9.3x74R on a 20 gauge frame.

I did have a great Sunday morning Trap shooting session with a friend's Drilling with his 8x56 scope attached; and YES, Savage99 - YBYSA - you can hit birds pretty regularly with the scope on a Drilling!