I plan on ordering a Chapuis double rifle later this year. I had been considering getting it fitted with 2 scopes. A Leupold 1.5-5X with illuminated reticle and a Leupold 1.75-6X. This was based on 1 or 2 members here speaking highly of the usefulness of illuminated reicles for African hunting.

I'm almost finished with Terry Wieland's book, Dangerous Game Rifle. Most of it is excellent. But on a few subjects his contentions are complete drivel. All my hunting experience is in the "lower 48".

Terry advises against illuminate reticles in no uncertain terms. But I don't know if this is good advice or one of his excursions into drivel. For those of you who have hunted African big game, the great bears in Alaska and Canada, or cat in South America, tell me whether, and under what circumstances you've found illuminated reticles useful.

Brazos Jack

My hunt I didn't have an IR. I now have one on my 9.3X74R Chapuis. I have used it to shoot hogs. It is nice in low light or against a dark/blacked skin animal.

It isn't a "you have to have it" item. I do enjoy shooting my Kahles with IR.

Hope this helps!

I have never used them in Africa/Alaska/N. America. I do like and use a heavy duplex reticle on my DG rifles.

Do you have to have a illuminated reticle....then the answer is no. However, if you want one and feel more confident, then by all means go for it.

My only IR scope is 1.5x5 Leupold. Without it I would never have made the shot on my Kudu. The sun was fading fast and with a dark animal in the shadows the IR made him stand out. Contrast might be the correct term.

What I don’t like about my Leupold is there not a positive off detent. The rheostat will move taking it in and out of the case and kill the battery. I took three spare batteries to Africa.

Dick,

That's the same scope I'm planning to get. Which illuminated reticle did you get? I'm thinking of getting the German #4, but would like to hear what others are using and how they like it.

If the battery goes dead, does the scope still function like a standard reticle scope.

Terry Wieland wrote like the illuminated reticle could cause problems, but offered no explanation (he does that a lot). Are their any downsides to illuminated reticle scopes other than weight?

Over all I really did like Terry's book very much. It just did have a few weak spots.

Brazos Jack

I highly recommend you get an illuminated reticle.
I have the Swarovski IR Circle Dot on my 9,3 Chapuis 9,3x74R.

I have found it most useful. It enabled me to take a shot at a cape buff facing me at @60 yards late in the day in heavy cover.

I also used it for leopard hunting, and could have easily made the shot, except it was a female.

I have used it for wild pigs at night as well.

Also as a plus it make it very easy to track running game if your particular scope has a reticle that is also "daytime" illuminated.

On some IR scopes thje reticle is not bright enough for daytime use.

In the Swarovske and S&B I have I can use them like a red dot in the brightest day.

Well worth the money.

Brazos

I have the duplex reticle because that is what I learned to shoot with.

The only time that I turned it on was at dusk and was almost cheating.

When the battery dies it is still a scope with a duplex reticle.

You are making a good choice with IR glass.

I've decided to go with the 1.5-5X Leupold with illuminated reticle in EAW pivot mounts as the only scope I will be ordering with my double rifle. The only question now is which reticle? What seems to be the preference of most hunters for this 1.5-5X Leupold with illuminated reticle? Duplex or German #4?

Brazos Jack

No Africa experience here, however, when the environment is grey and brown during winter, the light is low already early in the day and the animals we hunt are grey, too, an IR really helps to acquire your target much faster.

Of course it literally "shines" when hunting wild boar at night. It is also very usefull when we hunt roe fawns and females during grey winter days.

I really like my EAW DQ mounts on my double!

My 458win has an illuminated reticle S&B, however, I have only used the express sights so far, and my 30-06 has an illuminated reticle zeiss, however, it did not work on my last hunt.I have the both for dark animals against brush, and in the case of the 30-06 for leopard hunting from a blind