I have a 1-1/2X5 Leupold on my hunting rifle. Since I am not very young, I thought that it just was just my aging eyes that were making it difficult to get a real good sight picture at game that is beyond 200 yards. (I mean that the crosshairs cover such a large area on the game. Up to 200 yards, I am confident with my shot placement ability.)
When my middle aged son (40) said he has the same problem, I began to wonder if it may be somewhat inappropriate to use that scope for shots beyond 200 yards.
Is this a common challenge that can only be rectified with s different scope?

I have the same scope on my 375. Have used it on shots up to 400 yards which is as far as I am comfortable shooting. Mine has the Duplex reticule.

My 375 has a 1.75X6 Leupold.
Great scope also.
Never viewed game at any anything like 400 yards.

At almost 60 (damn that hurt to admit) I find myself going to 4.5 x 14 x 50's for most of my rifles including my .375. From the .416 and up, it's smaller mag power but my old eyes don't see like they used to.

My two go to elk rifles carry a 1.5x5 and a 2x7. If I can't see the game clear enough with those scopes, I get closer.

Bob,
Just a thought but have you tried adjusting the focus. I have found at 60 that my focus and my prescriptions aren't the same as when I originally acquired my scopes so periodically I have to adjust them.

Bob, match your scopes to the game. With a big-bore rifle, the game you would typically shoot with it are usually within 75-100 yards. For mid-bores, like the 375, do as Rick did; go to a 3x12, or 4.5x14. I also use 4.5x14 scopes on my rifles up to the big-bores I use for Cape Buffalo, Hippo, and Elephant, which I wouldn't shoot much beyond 100 yards.

Bob,

If what you have has the heavy duplex reticle, what you are experiencing is absolutely normal. Leupold can change the reticle for you.

I normally shoot 1.5-6x42 scopes with First Focal Plane reticles, and even that little magnification is still good to 500 yards.

My Leupy 1.5-5x20 is not good for more than 200 with that Heavy Duplex reticle though.

Age 55, no problem with low power scopes IF it is a quality scope such as a Leupold.

I just do not like low power scopes.

My 375/404 has a 2.5-8 Leupold, and I am 63 years old.

I have the same scope on my 375.

I made my first trip to Africa with it at age 58 two years ago. I took game at up to 300 yards and never had the scope any higher than 2X. I just did not find it necessary.

Before my trip, I did a couple things with the scope.
1. I sent the scope back to Leupold, told them it wouldn't hold zero on my 416.. (a little fib) They replaced the erector and rebuilt the scope. When I got it back, it was more clear than when I sent it in, and the adjustments are much tighter.
2. I wear glasses, so I took the scope with me to my ophthalmologist, and had her fit me with a prescription while looking through the scope. ( a minor, but critical adjustment)That helped immensely, and I would recommend you try that route.

Getting old really sucks, but sometimes there are solutions.

Good luck!

Frank

have gone away from low powered scopes. i feel more comfortable with higher powers, being able to have better shot placement etc. i presume much of the reason is that i am so used to shooting high powered varmint scopes that they have become second nature

Hah - Deja vu! Exactly my problem with the 4x Zeiss on my 375. - Gave it a good clean and played around with the focus. Now absolutely no problem....I am 59...

I have a 2.5x20mm Weaver K-series on my 375, and am quite pleased with it.

I am 63 and use 6 power scopes on all the rifles I have scopes on, including my .375 H&H. However, I have to use reading glasses to use the computer. I have tried some of the lower powered scopes, but never could get used to them.

I used that scope for two years on a 375 and just never got used to the 20mm objective - just not my cup-o-tea.

I switched to the 1.75 X 6 and 10yrs later am going to 2.5 X 8 on most everything.

I have been mulling over the same thing.

1981 Vari X III 1.5-5 sitting on a Savage 99M 308. Did a little range work this week. (Sub zero temps pretty much means an empty range) I am pretty sure that a two inch group is as good as I can do with this scope.

Where I hunt with this setup a 400 yard shot is not likely to happen. Mathematically, I should be able to hold a 8 inch group at 400. Realistically, I have my doubts. Practically, I have a 400 yard range to try it.

I think as I settle on a load I will have to try the 400 yard distance. Nothing beats actually shooting at distances you may be concerned about.

Just a kid of 58 though, I will defer to you old duffers...

My eyes went bad a few years ago and I had scopes put on all my rifles. I got 4x12x40s for my '06 and 358 and I use them at 4 power. The scopes let a lot of light in and of course bring the sight and target to the same focal point. Hunting on the west side of the Cascades I rarely had a shot at anything more than 150 yards but now that I have moved to the east side I may have a need for the high powers.
My small bores got fitted with 3x9x30 and the 22RF has the same scope. It works well for me at 3-4 power when shooting small bore silhouette. It also shows how much I move the rifle around firing from a standing position without a sling or any support. I would never hunt that way but in the competition thems the rules.

I use 4-12 or 3.5-10 on most of my "flat" shooting rifles (264, 300 etc) usually dialed to 6x. On really long shots, between 3 n 400 yds, I like to be able to dial in a little more.
On my daily use rifle (ruger mini 14), my 375 and 416 I use the 1.5-5 and usually keep them dialed to 5x.
I've got several straight 6x scopes on my 06 and similar and find that is probably my best choice for most of my hunting here in NM & TX. I am firmly opposed to "turret" scopes and the monster scopes that many of my clients have on their rifles - too much adjusting when they should be shooting. IMHO, simpler is better and there is no substitute for knowing your rifle and where it shoots out to about 400 yds. OBTW - I vote Leupold due to their outstanding customer service plus they make a pretty good product.

I too use a 1x-4x Leupold on my 375 H&H. It's been on there since 1995.

I have killed, literally, many truckload's of game with that set up.

I killed this pig at 375 yards with that scope.



Lot's of plainsgame and pigs have died to that gun.

Ironically, today, I took it off to put a Zeiss 3x-9x on it.

Hey, don't judge me!

quote:

I wear glasses, so I took the scope with me to my ophthalmologist, and had her fit me with a prescription while looking through the scope. ( a minor, but critical adjustment)That helped immensely, and I would recommend you try that route.

Very important for anyone who uses corrective lenses. Focusing the scope is also important.

Four to five power magnification is ample for game animals at extended yardages, but regardless of power, extended yardages require
a reticle which is fine enough that it doesn't obscure the target.

Too much magnification (and too little field of view) is almost always a greater problem in a hunting scope than too little magnification to see the target clearly. Most of my hunting scopes are around 3-9X, but I keep them set on 4-5X except when sitting in a fixed position where any expected shot will be long, then I crank them up to maximum.

The scope on my .338 WM is a Leupold 1 1/2 - 5.
Have never had a problem with it and it works as good today as the day I bought it.
I agree that the crosshairs might subtend a bit much at longer ranges but I got this scope for moose, large bears and maybe an occasional elk. Large animals that I'm not going to shoot at the longer ranges. Any way can you get Leupold (or someone else) to change the crosshair?
As I recall, there was some outfit that did that type of work. Just an idea. Good luck.
BTW, I'm coming up on 67 in a month and I'm not changing a thing regarding the firearms I use.
Bear in Fairbanks

I too had used the lower powered scopes. Pretty much most of my hunting rifles were 3.5 x 10 Leupolds or Swarovskis. I never liked the small objective scopes as I felt like I was looking through a hose. I did put the 1.75 z 6 on a 375 but I wasn't too satisfied with that.

My eyes have been changing more over the past five years than the previous 50. So I was looking around to see if something better was out there to help extend my aim and maintain my shooting.

Early in 2012 when the Leupold VX-6 came out I saw one and then bought one in the 2 x 12 Illuminated. There were not too many reviews or owners at that time. It was a really good move.

I have been switching to these over the past two years and find the results to be great and well worth the changes. I paired a 2 x 12 to a 270 , a 2 x 12 to a 7mm, a 3 x 18 to a 7mmm and I am going to get a 2 x 12 for my 416 too. I "see" these scopes better than any I have ever had or used .

I had a chance a few weeks ago to use some real top end scopes at a shoot, and these VX's are right there for 1/3 the cost and have more or at least equal adjustment too.

They have great clarity, good reticles, a very good illumination if you do need it, positive clicks, low weight, and enough power if I do need it. I mostly have them on a 6 or 8 power setting . Less on the 416. But the 416 is flat shooting enough , as is the 375 to use some more scope at times.

I will probably finish out my hunts with these VX-6s. Have a look at one and see what you think.

quote:

Originally posted by TexKD:
I never liked the small objective scopes as I felt like I was looking through a hose.

This is what I was referring to...