What is the scope for a big bore that you feel is as close to 100% reliable as can be found??? Mostly for close up work ???
Thanks Maddog

Well I asked then did my search. It seams that the Leupold 2.5 Compact wins hands down. But is that the 2.5 compact that is only around $200.00?
Showing that its not always how much you spend...
Maddog

Leupold 2.5 is correct!

and only $180-200 or a little more with custom reticles.

David

Leupold 2.5x compact is the best for durability, plus it is bright and has a nice field of view.

The Leupold 2.5x Compact is great. Has survived the .416 Rigby with no problem.

Am going to try the 1.5x5 VX III with the 30mm tube, but will take the 2.5x Compact as a spare.

I had a LPS 1.75x6 30mm that my 416 Rem mag made short work of but leupold replaced. I now have a 1.5x5 VX3 and it has held up very well so far, including a trip to hunt buffalo last year.

Which reticle is best in the 2.5 . I was thinking of the heavy reticle version ,but didnt want reticle which are as thick as tree trunks. Which ones to use??

Cr500,
My favorite reticle is the German #4.

I like the 2.5 compact but I do not like big thick reticules that clutter up a scope...Like most European gunstuffs they are over engeneered and unnecessary...A standard duplex is the best IMO....It will work under all conditions.

I whole heartedly agree with Ray. I prefer the standard duplex reticle in any Leupold scope.

Of course I had to try the heavy duplex on a couple of Leupold scopes and I cuss them when zeroing at 100 yards. You have to zero on an outside corner where the fat central cross hairs meet, because they cover so much of the target. Not good for all around work, near and far.

Of course up close it matters less for coarseness, and the reticle itself is less likely to break under recoil, as I have had one fine duplex reticle in a Leupold do.

The standard duplex is best IMHO.

Thank you for asking the question, MADDOG, as I've been poring over the Leupold and NIKON catalogs lately.

I do not wish to hijack or sidetrack your thread, but I didn't want to start a duplicate thread, either...mind if I ask something along similar lines?

The answer about the regular duplex reticle is certainly timely.
Since I'm going to get a .375 H&H for Pacific NorthWest and possibly Alaskan hunting, I've been giving thought to the 6X fixed power scopes in the brands I mentioned.
Would these be more sturdy than the variables, as in approaching the magic 100% infallible rate?
Thanks for allowing the question.

BusMaster007,
Mitch Carter had a Leupold M8 6X scope on his 577 T.rex, which I fired 43 times. Mitch liked to benchrest the T.rex and go for one hole groups at 100 yards, at rifle ranges on Long Island, indoors and outdoors.

Mitch had fired it many times more than that. He had the scope bases soldered to the action, and that 6X Leupold took a lickin' and kept on tickin'. It had a standard duplex reticle.

No doubt the 6X fixed power Leupold is a tough scope. I have one on an ultralight .270 Winchester, and it does a good job there also.

[ 09-30-2003, 12:51: Message edited by: DaggaRon ]

Isn't the .577 aka 'the flying rifle' in the videos here?
Is the scope in question the 6x36 or 6x42? Would it really matter?
If either 6X Leupold is tough enough for THAT, I'm sold on it.

Thanks for the example.

I have used a 6x leup on my 585 nyati for load development, and it worked fine without breaking.

I have lupold 2.5 x compacts on a;

45/70
.416 Rigby
.585 Nyati
Have one here for my impending .458 Lott

They are a great scope and I also like the plain old leupold duplex.

Cr500 stick to the normal duplex mate, the 2.5x magnification does me out to 150 -200 yards on roo sized game which is about as far as I ever shoot at any rate.