I have a 5.5-22x56 NightForce on my 300 wsm that I intend to use for elk. The problem is with the side focus nob on one side and the windage nob on the other the scope is too wide to go into my scabbard. The 56 mm objective presents a problem also. Can anyone give me some help on who makes a scabbard or other holder for this scope that is suitable for use on a horse ?

I know this isn't any help, but I build all of my hunting rifles to be horse friendly. Horses are big animals and are hard on things, especially fragile gun parts.

I'm sure there have been many many people in your shoes however that have had things work out just fine.

Chuck

Hello;
You could get some saddle maker to make you a custom job for this rig, if you are really serious. I tried mounting a 3 to 9 x52 on my 7 mm but said the hell with it, because it wouldn't fit into a conventional scabbard and I figured, even if I could find one to fit, it would be uncomfortable as hell, riding with that thing under my leg. Perhaps, you could adapt one of those ATV scabbards.
Grizz

http://www.davistent.com/index.cfm?id=779D7D5F-EF70-48F1-9A5DBA688D7106D0

No idea if it will actually work for that scope given the objective size and third turret.

A couple of other thoughts, the NXS is damn near the toughest scope anybody could find. I don't think some time aboard a horse will affect it in a bad way. That said, it weighs about one pound more than most "hunting" scopes and while I personally own two Nightforce scopes, they won't be going elk hunting with me this fall.

Take it for what it's worth...and remember what you paid for it...

Reed

I'd consider going to your local Chinese embassy (aka Walmart) and buying a gun sock and a $20 soft case.



Make sure the case is long enough to fold the tip over or rivet the tip because that where the weight will rest unless its an extra close fit. Just for good measure you could stuff a rag or even a PVC endcap into the tip.



Some grommets for thongs, velcro straps for closures if you want to lose the zipper. By no means trust a zipper; rivet along the zipper and use the gun sock for dust protection when not hunting. Or save the butt section and make a hood with it.



You might could double case it with a 1" dowel hardwood dowel or two between them along the grip section in case of a fall.



Now stop laughing and go make one.



BTW I accept no responsibility for any expenditures, your humiliation in camp or damage to your firearm or pride.

Chuck, it's interesting you say that you have your rifles put together to be "horse-friendly". I do exactly the same thing, and I always have. I have also found that horse-friendly rifle setups work best even if you aren't employing a horse.......

Big, complicated, vulnerable scopes simply don't work with horses, mountains, or elk hunting. Smaller, simpler scopes that are mounted low on the rifle are really the only way to go. You don't need 56mm objectives, side-knobs, or even standard adjustable objectives for elk hunting. A simple 2.5-8X or 3.5-10X is all you need, and if you can't see an elk and define a spot on him to shoot at well enough with one of these scopes, said elk is too far away to shoot at and you need to stalk closer. And in case you didn't know it, certain horses build entire careers out of destroying rifles, scopes, and hunters, so strength and simplicity are of tremendous importance: complication is a liability.

Since I've already stepped on the cake and have otherwise made every effort to wreck the party, I might as well add that I don't think sniper/varmint-type rifles and scopes are a very practical or necessary setup for most (as in 99%) big game hunting purposes. They might be just the ticket for punching paper at the range, or for ground squirrels at extended range or for counter-terrorist use in Afganistan, but not for elk hunting. The odds are you'll end up with a 100 yd. shot with the elk running through timber anyway, and even at 300-400 yds. (and I don't encourage such shooting at elk) a 2.5-8X or 3.5-10X is PLENTY of scope.

Now by all means, flame away.......

AD

AD, don't you know you've dropped a turd in the punch bowl! You know if its bigger, cost more and has lotsa extra bells and whistles, its got to be better.
I still can't figure out how I got the job done with my .300 with a 1.5x5 scope. My long range mulie/antelope 7mag wears a 3x9x40. How mundane.

If you guys have to show your ignorance and lack of respect for other posters try to do it somewhere else by starting your own post. I'm not interested in what you think about what gun, scope or anyother piece of equipment I choose to use or how I use it. This post was to ask for help in solving a problem that I and probably many others are experiencing. To those of you who offered suggestions and help, many thanks.

I see we have another ignorant ____ who thinks he has the answer to everyone's needs or desires for equipment. Will we ever run out of these egotistical know it alls who think their ideas of what to use is correct for everyone.

Alright, your useless setup really has no happy solution to horse applications. Read, it's a poor setup for what your needs are. Boo hoo all you want, but Thems the facts, and I find the practical truth sucks sometimes.



Why don't you give me a call sometime. I was hoping you could share your knowledge of horses, rigs, and scabbards with me. I'm ignorant when it comes to these topics, apparently, and could always learn something new.



Chuck

When it comes to elk hunting and mountain horses, I'm thirty-years "ignorant"........

AD

Outfitter Supply out of Montana makes a padded courdera scabbard that will fit your rifle, E-mail me if you want more info I have one in stock at my store. tysonp@tctwest.net

I was trying to remember that company name as I have their brochure. I met two guys from Oregon last September on Gatho Cr. in northern B.C. and they had these which greatly impressed me.

I had a couple of old Uncle Mike's scabbards and lent my spare .338 to one of the young guides there, due to the Grizzly problem that they are having-the scabbard fell apart on his horse. I had already busted these on previous trips and had them repaired, so, I am going to get a pair of the "Outfitter's" ones for any further trips involving horses, they really do look good.

Note: The gentlemen I refer to own a shot-making firm in Oregon and I got the impression that they could afford any gear they wanted; they were using Leupy scopes with large adjustable objectives and this scabbard seemed to do the job. If, there were a better alternative, I am sure they would have had it.

I have a cordura bright orange soft case that I use on horseback with my Rem 700 and 3.5-10x50 VXIII. I haven't seen it in the catalog for a while but I got it from Cabelas. It should fit your rig. I'll withold commet on your choice of optics

Here is a scabbard I recently built, myself, to accomodate a LH 24" barreled Model 70 with up to a 40mm obj. scope. It has only seen a 10 day sheep hunt and some Elk hunting, but seems to work as planned.



















The keeper is temporary until I decide what I want to be permanent.



You can build something to accomodate whatever you want, but remember not to miss the forest for the trees.



Chuck

Chuck, that's the same basic scabbard design that I prefer above all others. The flap is the only way to go. Nice workmanship, by the way......

Detachable hoods are an impractical pain in the neck, and anything that's sheepskin lined is a disaster waiting to happen. If you feel the need to protect the butt of the stock, an old wool work sock works great, and is quick to shed...........

AD

In my case, if I lose a little paint off the butt of the stock, so be it.

Chuck

Thanks Allen, I need to sit down with a wet rag and finish the edges, and I'm never really completely happy with many things, especially when I do it.

Chuck

Real nice job on the scabbard Chuck . It drives me nuts when I see a scabbard rigged to carry the rifle on top of the scope , but it must work OK as I've seen lots of folks carry them that way......

I understand that consideration. Remember though that the entire rifle is held snugly by the scabbard and the gun does not lay horizontally across the horse.

Chuck

All of my rifles are used in scabbards so none have scopes with objectives larger than 42mm.

Allen Day, I've got a question. You mentioned that sheepskin lined scabbards are a disaster waiting to happen. Is it because the lined (sheepskin) have a dendancy to hang up on the hood of the front sight when jerking the gun out of the scabbard after spotting the trophy of a lifetime about to bound over the hill? Or does the sheepskin wick moisture away from itself and thus allowing it to collect on the gun metal? I know that I'll always remember the look of distain my first outfitter gave me when he saw the hard plastic scabbard (Koplin hard case) I was about to strap on the side of his horse. And, he quickly offered a leather substitute scabbard. It was unlined and five trips up the mountain later I found out what an unlined scabbard will do to the muzzle of a brand new rifle. But that is what also gives a rifle character. However, that said, if I had a choice to keep the blueing on my muzzle or wear it off on one elk hunt I would opt for a solution. Or....."You said you saw a couple of Imperial bulls in the meadow over the ridge two days ago! I'll carry this thing in my teeth!" Good shooting! Mike

The sheepskin material (usually a synthetic of some sort) is nice and soft alright, but it also tends to hold moisture, and therein lies the problem. It will tend to get damp and stay that way even when it's not raining during fall hunts, and obviously, moisture and rifles don't mix.



I've see rifles put up in sheepskin-lined scabbards pick up rust spots by the end of the day, and sometimes this rust has been quite significant. The most extreme case I've ever seen was a guy who carried his rifle in such a scabbard off and on for an entire showery, wet day of hunting, and foolishly, he left his rifle in the boot overnight. During the night, temperatures dropped to well below freezing, and in the morning his rifle was frozen in place! Obviously, if he had any sense he would have taken his rifle out the night before, but it does prove how much moisture one of these sheepskin jobs can really hold.



The best way to build or order a scabbard is to order it with a flap (just like Chuck's scabbard) and unlined, or else order it lined with a smooth, glove-type leather.



Your rifle needs to breath in a saddle scabbard, and if water gets inside (and it will), it needs a chance to run off, not get trapped against the rifle via synthetic sheepskin. You might pick up more bolt knob and muzzle wear with this sort of setup, but it sure beats the continual dampness your rifle can be subject to in sheepskin. The rifle's also easier to get out of the scabbard.



By the way, my scabbards are built so that the rifle rides on the left side, butt up and forward and scope-up. When you look at my scabbards, the open end with the flap is on the left side, and the closed muzzle end is on the right. I have a couple of vent holes on the muzzle end for water drainage.



Leather scabbards, saddle bags, etc., usually work out better with horses than Cordura or canvas stuff or plastic stuff such as Koplin's "Gun Boot"; the later being best suited to four-wheeler use. Some horses tend to shy away from the cheaper synthetic junk, and some of these synthetics can cause some real sores spots on the horse. They're noisier to boot.



ALWAYS take your rifle out of the scabbard when you dismount, even for a couple of minutes in order to take a leak. If your horse takes off on you or else decides to rub up against a tree or something, your rifle won't necessarily be well-treated.........



AD

I would like to get a top quality scabbard of the type you use and would appreciate your posting the contact info. for the maker you use. The comment about synthetics and horses is really interesting; I am a relative novice with horses and prefer to hunt on foot, but, sometimes I do go Elk hunting with horses. Thanks.

Remember to that I am left handed and refuse to have the bolt nob against the horse, or saddle (the saddle is worth 5 times what the horse is), I also like the rifle on the on side with the but forward so it leaves little choice for rifle positioniing. The scabbard is built so it can be flipped over, and if I have problems (I never have) I'll send it to the other side of the animal.



What Allen says about getting the rifle out of the scabbard every time your off the horse is so important. They say cowboys make a living chasing the worlds dumbest animal while riding the second dumbest. I won't go that far, but I will say that a horse could care less about your rifle. Bridle bits, the urge to roll, a nearby by scratching post, etc etc can absolutely ruin you rifle, hunt, or day. This is all good reason to keep the rifle on the left side of the horse, not to mention a shooting opportunity that might arise.



Also, some electricians tape over the muzzle goes a long way in protecting the blueing.



As an aside, carrying your rifle slung across your back while riding is a complete disaster waiting to happen.



Chuck

Skibum and Chuck, AMEN to the rolling aspect!

Chuck, AMEN to the electrician's tape! Sometimes, I even put a piece of tape on the bolt knob, especially with a knurled or checkered one.........

AD

Allen, good idea!

Chuck

I'm going to jump on the Chuck/Allen bandwagon here, I just built a rifle that I intend to hunt with the rest of my life. I have a horse that I hunt on quite often and I took that into consideration when putting this project together. Especially with my scope. I wanted a fixed power and went with the leupold 6-36. Nice small scope for going in and out of my scabbard. By the way I suspect chuck is forced to carry his rifle scope down because he is a lefty. And I agree about not wanting the bolt rubbing against the horse or saddle.

Chuck that is a fantastic scabbard you made.

Allen, thanks for the enlightenment on the rust. If conditions in the woods/mountains were wet I have always taken my bolt out of my rifle at night and dried it off as best as I could ( Winchester Model 70 or CZ). Then I sprayed it with Rem-Oil. I've never had a frozen firing pin and hope never to have the sinking feeling one must have when the trigger goes "click" and nothing happens. However, I've come up with a discovery that I like even better than Rem-Oil. It's called 50 Below Lock Lube and DeIcer, made by Kafko in the upper Midwest. Maybe Chicago, Ill. Anyway, it has never let me down yet. If anyone wants to try it a friend of mine has a couple of cases of the stuff. It is cheap and works. And back to the scabbard for a minute. Does the inside need to be treated with Lexol or Mink Oil prior to sewing to protect it from cracking? Thanks, Mike

My scabbard is a cordura one, I think it may be Uncle Mike's but I'm not sure.

It is nice and stiff, and is designed to hold the rifle scope up, on the left, just as Allan says...

Scope down is just WRONG!!

And I concurt hat even if you get off a horse to piss, you better take your rifle..

Fourtails, what you treat the interior material with depends entirely upon what it's made of. I usually clean the interior areas that I can reach with saddle soap (smooth leather), and apply Lexol to the exterior.

Chuck, with old timers, it never pays to argue, and I don't. I just listen respectfully, nod my head, then quietly do it the way I think best.......

AD

CHUCK- very nicely made scabbard! Better than what I usually see by far!

HUNTER66654- Why buy/ use a scope big enough to plug a manhole with?
These guys may not be massaging your feelings, but they DO know what works vs. the crap. I would feel handicapped with a scope bigger than 3x-9x. Smaller, lighter is better!

that felt better...

Crap you say ! The real crap is post like yours that make remarks like yours when you know nothing about why I am using the gear I have outlined. I did not ask for advice on what equipment to use. I have already decided that for my own reasons. I did ask for help/advise on solving a problem with a scabbard for MY EQUIPMENT. One of the reasons for my equiment is that I don't live in the parts of the world where some of the posters live and use my guns for other things beside elk hunting most of the time. When I get a chance to go elk hunting, I use what I have. For the help that I did get I thank those who provided it. By the way I have found a solution .

Hey Hunter, next time don't ask for help from a bunch of dumb asses. First off, you're too much of a BABY to handle the answers and you're so fucking smart, you should have all the answers already. Also, I daresay if you took a poll of the number of dumb asses in here that CARE why you're using your stupid rig, the response would UNDERwhelm you.
I kinda tried to sugar coat my response so as not to hurt your feelings.

Don't bother with trying to sugar coat anything. It is not possible with someone with your mentality to hurt my feelings.