I mounted a Kahles Helia C 1.5-6 on my 416 Rigby. As long as I don't shoot it off a bench without a lead sled, so far, so good. Off the bench, not so good. Without the lead sled, quite bloody.
Since it has been OK from field positions, I bought a Kahles 1.1-4 as a dangerous game scope. (impulse gun show purchase.) Not so good. This guy has at least a half inch less eye relief, and actually touched my brow from a standing shot. No blood, but close. I don't think I'll hunt with it!
I keep seeing the 1.5-5 Leupold mentioned as having the most eye relief for big bores. I haven't seen this quantified.
Has anyone seen a list comparing eye relief for various higher end scopes?

If you go to the Leupold web site. It has the eye relief for each scope and if it's a variable at both the low and high magnification end. I also think you should get the stock measured, if it's LOP is short you will get smacked and your thumb will smack your nose (if it's big like mine lol). If all else fails, I plan to use both of these on my 500 Jeffery (I have a Leupold 1.5 - 5x 20mm scope).

http://wesco-enterprise.amazon...-EP/M/B001HN5GKI.htm

https://www.natchezss.com/Cate...FID=3199139&CFTOKEN=

Think of them as a sissy pad for your eye while on the range.

Chuck

Chuck

I use the 1.5X5 Leupold on everything. It does have the most eye relief of any scope I have seen advertised. I have 15 or so of these scopes and have used them extensively. Currently I have one on my 500 MDM. 550 gr bullets at 2200 fps in a 8.5 lb rifle. Used them on everything from 416s-458s-50s the works. Very hard to beat them, and can't as far as I know.

Michael

The Leupold Ultralight FX II 2.5x20 has 4.9" eye relief compared to the VX-II 1.5-4x20 @ 4.3-3.8", VX-3 1.5-5x20 @ 4.4-3.7", and the 1.75-6x32 4.4-3.3" depending on what power it is set to. And yes, I have a faint scar over my eye from shooting my .458 Lott with the 1.5-5x20 set on 1.5x. Twice! So far I've not been "kissed" by the 2.5x ultralight so 1/2" longer eye relief can make a difference! The rifle fits me well but I tend to ride up on the stock so I will use the ultralight or open sights on that rifle.
jpj3

jpj3

There is a discrepancy in some eye relief distances that I am seeing. Yes, I know you received your numbers straight off the Leupold Site. I see them too. On the Midway site and on my rifles all my leupolds 1.5X5s have 5.3 (by my measurement of ones on my rifles currently 5.5 inches) inches of eye relief at 1.5X and 4 inches at 5X. I don't care what the specs say, I measured 3 of mine currently on my rifles! I have a 2.5 FXII, and while I like it fine, field of view comes up very short and no where close to a 1.5X5. I have never been hit by a 1.5X5 on a rifle that has recoil as light as a 458 Lott even on 5X. I have all ideas that you had yours set too far back and crawled the stock.

Michael

I am anal about eye relief, so have slowly but surely taken off the swaros, kahles, zeiss and replaced them with Leupolds. I have come full cirle. Some of the Zeiss have 4" of ER, so I kept them. Swaros work for me only on short action light calibers. My favorite is the 1.5x5 Leupold.

I had a 2.5x and the relief was amazing. The field of view was a little narrow though. I know the advertised #'s are a little short for leupold. We were looking at a 4.5-14 and were amazed at the relief on this scope. It was for a 340 so it was nice to have. I was looking at the 1.75-6 and 2.5-8 but if the 1.5-5 has the most relief then thats what I will get, most likely. If anyone has actually checked out the others that would be nice to know as I am going to mail order. I could just get a 4.5-14 but it wouldn't look right on a big bore.

Michael

I do crawl up a rifle stock as I noted! But I've not had anything else touch me during recoil using scopes that have less eye relief (but on rifles with less recoil). The 2nd time I got "touched" with the 1.5-5x on the .458 (barely broke skin), the scope was as far forward as the rings would allow as I thought the same thing that you did. So I got a different scope with the longest eye relief I could find according to the manufacturers as listed on their web sites to put on that rifle. The 2.5x has longer eye than the VX-3 1.5x20, at least the ones that I personally have. Also, by not being a variable scope, the ultralight has a shorter eyepiece (by an inch) which lets it ride an inch further forward in the rings to compensate for my "crawling" up the stock. This was a dissapointment for me as I wanted what I perceived to be a more versatile scope on the rifle (the 1.5-5x) but I can't change how I hold a rifle after 40+ years of rifle shooting. And, while hunting with that rifle, I don't want to get a cut over my eyes then blinded by my own blood after shooting.

Glad that your's works for you. Mine is fine on my .375 Model 70 and is too nice a scope not to use! But I can't use it on my Lott.

The .458 Lott is tolerable to shoot, but not "light", at least for me. I've not had the opportunity to shoot anything larger than my Lott other than several .50 BMG's with large muzzle brakes which I have shot prone or off a bench so not a comparison as far as felt recoil or body movement on recoil. Maybe someday I'll shoot a heavier dangerous game rifle! And shoot it at something really dangerous!

I posted to share my experience with others, not to challenge you or anyone else. I like how Saeed says "thank you for contributing" so I did.

jpj3

Swarovski's new line of EE (extended eye relief) scopes has all the eye relief you need on a big bore rifle.

It was about time they realized that a rubber sleeve is not the correct answer to an optical shortcoming...

Got a Z6i EE, simply love it. Over a S&B Zenith, and a league above any of my Leupolds.

Have not used one; Nikon Monarch African Series 1-4 x 20, German #4 reticle, Midway $279.95 . E.R. 4.1"-4.0" Good scope?

I have a Nikon Monarc Gold in 1,5-6x42 with #4 reticle sitting on my 375 Ruger African.
4 " eye relief and so far so good.
Back-up scope is an old trusty Vari X III in 2,5-8x36, also with German #4 reticle.

A S&B 1,5-6x42 on my Ruger 338 Winmag, got my blood running a couple of times, and was sold.

Zeiss Victory only on "tame" rifles such as 35 Whelen, 308 Win and 270 Win

Begno

X2


jpj3

My apologies, I did not intend any animosity at all, I was in a rush on that post.

I have been beat around too, and it ain't much fun! In fact I took the worst beating of my life with a 1.5X5 on one of my 50 B&Ms recently, all my fault for having it 1/4 inch too far back, when compared to the same on other rifles.

All my rifles are winchesters and I use QRWs on all. You don't mention the type rifle of your 458 Lott. Some are worse than others, and it could also be the mounts or bases not allowing it to go further forward? Could be too short of a stock too?? At any rate it is not working for you, the other is, so you found a solution and that is good.

What I don't get is the Leupold site? I have numbers to the contrary and in addition have at least 1/2 dozen 1.5X5 VX3s and a dozen or more Vari X IIIs and all have far more eye relief than what the site states??? I also have older numbers that state far more than the site does?

Oh and getting the cut between the eyes while hunting, don't get too concerned, you won't even realize it until after the shooting, believe me I know!

Michael

Agree that a rubber sleeve is not the answer, but it is hard to shoot with that blood dripping into your eye ...


Chuck

Micheal,

All is good! I appreciate your working through what can make a scope bite!

My Lott is on a McMillan polymer Weatherby style stock as they fit me well. The Monte Carlo stock does slide back more off the face than a straight stock such as on a Winchester Super Express so the head does not start to move as soon as the shoulder does during recoil. However, as I shoulder the rifle the sights (crosshairs or irons) on the rifle are where I am focused and I can work the action without taking the rifle off my shoulder so I am happy with the fit and function. The action is a left handed Watherby (and I know that it is not a controlled feed but LH Winchester Model 70 actions are not always available when you look for one(!) and I was not familiar with Montana Rifle Company, Empire, etc., when I bought the action to build the Lott). I've had LH Weatherby's for years after a problem with releasing a safety on a Remington 700 discharging the rifle. No one was hurt but it is LOUD when not expecting a BOOM! That all gets away from the topic of eye relief, however.

This site has been a wealth of knowledge and opinion, and, while I agree with the comments about a more limited field of view with the 2.5x Ultralight, some may (or may not) benefit from looking at one. Thank you for you thoughts.

Philip,

I'll look at the Swarovski EE line as they have a good reputation for making good, bright and tough scopes. Several friends use teir scopes exclusively. While I was looking to replace the 1.5-5x I looked at many of the Euopean scopes and some have shorter eye relief than their U. S. counterparts.

I started rifle shooting as a kid with cheap scopes then Burris, Nikon, Leupold, IOR (not as hunting scopes as they all have short eye relief AND long eye pieces) and Night Force. We live at a time when a lot of good glass is available!

Best,

jpj3

JPJ3

Your rifle sounds like it might be rather light too, therefore more recoil than all my 458 Lotts which are 10lbs Winchesters. Right handed versions. Lefty Winchesters are hard to come by for sure. I too parted with Remington many years ago. You are also right about a wealth of knowledge and "opinions" not sure if they happen to coincide all the time?

Good Luck

Michael

Keep your DGR scopes as light weight and longest eye relief possible. This is serious business.

quote:

Originally posted by Marty:
I mounted a Kahles Helia C 1.5-6 on my 416 Rigby. As long as I don't shoot it off a bench without a lead sled, so far, so good. Off the bench, not so good. Without the lead sled, quite bloody.
Since it has been OK from field positions, I bought a Kahles 1.1-4 as a dangerous game scope. (impulse gun show purchase.) Not so good. This guy has at least a half inch less eye relief, and actually touched my brow from a standing shot. No blood, but close. I don't think I'll hunt with it!
I keep seeing the 1.5-5 Leupold mentioned as having the most eye relief for big bores. I haven't seen this quantified.
Has anyone seen a list comparing eye relief for various higher end scopes?

Somebody else may have mentioned it but euro scopes have that long eye piece and you just can't mount them forward enough to get away from them. It doesn't seem to be a problem for some but I wouldn't put one on a big bore if I was getting them for free.

I'm kind of in the same boat. My rebarreled 500 Jeffery should be back from the gunsmith in the next two weeks. I have a Leupold 1.5 - 5x 20mm scope with Talley QR mounts. I'm going to shoot relatively mild loads to start (535g Woodleighs at 2100 fps), and start with open sights. My rifle's on the heavy side, 11 lbs without scope/mounts/sling, so hopefully using my scope with mild loads shouldn't be an issue. I'd like to get the Barnes 570g bullets up to 2300 fps down the road a bit.

Chuck

You might find their is a correlation between eye relief and field of view. Generally speaking,You will give up a little field of view for more eye relief. A trade off! Again that is a observation just reviewing specifications over the years.
I will take the eye relief.
Something else worth considering is the eye box. Some scopes are very stringent about the placement of your eye directly behind the occular lens in order to obtain a complete field of view. If you gun comes up correctly, this would probably not be an issue but in a circumstance where you might be required to act fast, a big eye box is an advantage.
Leupold may not have the very best optics but they do provide great eye relief, a generous eye box, light weight, durable, reasonably priced and have the best warranty in the business.

EZ

eezrider
I think you summarized the case for Leupolds to perfection. I tire of continuously hearing how much better the optics are on the various practically unusable euroscopes I see around.

I put a 2.5x extended eye relief or scout scope on my 458ar. Its mounted in a normal position above the action. With the scope all the way forward and your head to the rear it actually works really well, and talk about eye relief. It makes you move away from the scope for a correct field of view and shooting both eyes open is no problem due to the low power. Its light weight, and very tough. just another option to think about.