I havent bought a scope in a while and I'm looking to upgrade the scopes on two of my rifles (375 & 270).

I'm looking at something like a 1.5-6 and a 2.5-10. A 42mm objective is about the largest I'd like to use.

Of the current options offered by Zeiss / Swaro / S&B / Doctor / Khales, which models do you think should I be looking at ?

You chaps seem to use these type of scopes more than others on this forum, so I hope you dont mind me posting here.

Thanks in advance.

Joe

For what use?

What reticle do you prefer?

A Ziess classic in 1,5-6x42 with a nr 4 reticle will give you a 300+ yard reach with both rifles and lowlight ability to.

If intended for real lowlight get a nr 1 or 11 reticle and the S&B classic line, a good buy.

If loaded with money and all get two Swaros, one with ee, extended eyerelief in 1,7-10x42 with a TDI-4 lighted reticle and be done with it, this is more a Q about money rather than anything else.

Best regards Chris.

Joe,
just a lttle note, although all that you have mentioned are of excellent quality, the Swaro is susceptible to reticule failure if you have a moderator fitted.
Doctor & Ziess are I believe are the same company as are Swaro and Kahles..

Go with the S&B.

regards
griff

Thanks for the feedback.

The rifles will be carried a lot, so weight is important, particularly on the 270 which is quite lightweight.

Moderators arent allowed here, so thats not an issue.

Reticle wise I prefer a duplex. Some kind of range estimator could be handy but I rarely shoot over 200 mtrs anyway.

JFE

If you are not shooting over 200 meters, any of the Euro maunfacturers will do nicely and not teaching to suck eggs but upto a 6 power would be just the job.

Could you expand on this notion that Swaros will give in with a moderator.

A bit more of the whens, hows and spec please.

I realy would like to know?

/C

quote:

Originally posted by griff:
Joe,
just a lttle note, although all that you have mentioned are of excellent quality, the Swaro is susceptible to reticule failure if you have a moderator fitted.
Doctor & Ziess are I believe are the same company as are Swaro and Kahles..

Go with the S&B.

regards
griff

Joe,

Euro scopes are pretty good quality and pretty spendy, too.

Since you've asked, if it was my choice I'd base my selection on the following criteria in conjunction with you're carry/weight requirement.

Except for S&B's new Zenith line and the one Zeiss (forget the model but a little bit shorter) the vast majority of European scopes are both long & heavy. This wouldn't appear to me to be much of an issue with the .375H&H since a little heft goes a long way in an all-around rifle package in the 8.5-11 lb. class anyway, so a steel-tubed Zeiss, S&B, Kahles, Nickel, Swarovski, Docter or Kaps in either a straight 4x32 (or 36) or a 1.5-6x42 would fit the bill nicely. I've used a straight 6x42 S&B and Kahles on a couple of .375's over the years and they worked great with super optical quality as well. For my current battery I've got a 1.5-4.5x26 Red Dot on one .375H&H and use a 1.5-6x42 Kahles with a S&B 6x42 on the other as a back up scope when traveling. Although I've not used them; the Meopta line apparently has a servicable line of scopes at he lower end of the Euro price range that is getting some good reviews, too.

For the .270 Winchester I'd prefer a little bit more magnification for the lighter recoiling and potential longer range use; although a .375H&H is no slouch when it comes to getting bullets a far piece dowen range, either; it's just most folks don't have the ability to use one for that purpose. Since you desire a lighter, smaller, objective scope; personally, I'd go for a higher magnification Leupold which would be lighter & smaller than most Euro scopes in this magnification range anyway. Having said that - if a variable isn't a major consideration even a good quality 8x56 would be more than adequate (and certainly less expensive than a variable) or perhaps a 3-10x48, 3-12x50 or 42 (I think Swarovski?) would give good a good scope for the intended purpose.

Below are some links to assist in researching your upgrade project. I'd take a look at the scope specifications for length & weight, too.

http://www.gerhardt-optik.de/
http://www.zeiss.com/
http://www.kahles.at/
http://www.kaps-optik.de/english/index.htm
http://www.meopta.com/index.php?id=189&set_lang=en
http://www.schmidtbender.com/
http://www.swarovskioptik.com/index.php?l=de
http://www.docter-germany.com/frontend/itid__229/st_id__219/

Have Fun!

Gerry gives some excellent links

I have experience of and thouroughly reccomend Swaro, Kahles, Zeiss and Meopta. I have experience and thouroughly reccomend you to stay clear of Docter and Gerhardt. Rest I don't know of.

Thanks for your comments.

I'm leaning towards a S&B 1.5-6 for the 375 but I dont really want to burden the 270 with something weighing 1.5 lbs. Some of those big scopes look great and would be fine for use in a high seat but that form of hunting is not that common here. I'd like an alloy tube option for the 270.

How does leopold compare optically to the euro brands these days ? they are quite popular here.

How does leopold compare optically to the euro brands these days ? they are quite popular here.[/QUOTE]

For use at day they are ok, not quite as clear and suck at front and sidelight conditions, according to me.

They are lighter, solid, wónt shift on you so they are ok in all.

BTW they do come in fixed versions now, a 6x42 Lupie is 3/4 the weight of a Steel Swaro, however the "new" Ziess conquest line is light as can be and will not hurt you moneyvise or weight.

Best regards Chris

quote:

Originally posted by JFE:
Thanks for your comments.

I'd like an alloy tube option for the 270.

Check out the Swarovski 2.5-10x42, should be a prefect fit for your 270. Quite a bit lighter than similar S&B's.

M98,
the Swaro reticule was designed to absorb recoil only one way, and becuase of the adverse recoil that a moderator imparts, the reticules are becoming dislodged.
There was a thread on this particular subject on AR some time ago, you might be able to do a search and recover the thread..

regards
griff

So it´s the same thing like with a spring powered air rifle?

I can sort of see that, but still, o well I´ll do the search.

Best regards Chris

quote:

Originally posted by griff:
M98,
the Swaro reticule was designed to absorb recoil only one way, and becuase of the adverse recoil that a moderator imparts, the reticules are becoming dislodged.
There was a thread on this particular subject on AR some time ago, you might be able to do a search and recover the thread..

regards
griff

I've heard a lot of people talk about the Swarovski reticule failing due to the effects of the moderator, but I've never met anybody its actually happened to...

Regardless of how big a problem it was or was not, I believe the new Z6 range from Swarovski has gone back to an etched glass reticule which I think is a definite bonus for a scope meant for a hunting rifle..

quote:

Originally posted by griff:
M98,
the Swaro reticule was designed to absorb recoil only one way, and becuase of the adverse recoil that a moderator imparts, the reticules are becoming dislodged.
regards
griff

Griff,

Can you explain to me how a chamber on the end of a barrel reverses the recoil impulse (I thought it merely decreased the velocity of the gasses) and who has acualy experienced retical failure.

I'm on about a few hundred with mine and I really don't expect any problems....

Don't mean to sound antagonistic but I'm sceptical.

Just to add to the mix, I was told, by an RFD, that S&B were also suffering the failing reticule syndrome. He then went on to tell me that this was being reported to him by FC stalkers, and from what he was told it was happening to high volume shooters, 800 shots or so a year, with hard kicking rifles, the FC weapon of choice being the .270. It was taking a couple of years or more for the failure to become evident. Now that is all that I know, so make of it what you will.

I figured it would not affect me with S&B's being fitted to my 6.5 and .243.

John

Don't forget that a heavy scope on a hard kicking rifle means that more stress will be placed on the scope rings and mounts. If you put a heavy scope on your .375 make sure that you pay careful attention when you mount the scope and use top quality parts.