Need the advice of the Alaskans. You guys get to hunt sheep (and a lot of other cool stuff) every year. Curious about what works for you guys since you probably put the hardest beating on your gear every year.

Building a lightweight (-ish) 270 based on a Remington 700. Rifle with bases weighs 6 pounds 10 ounces. Need to scope it, looking for a good balance between weight and objective range. Leaning towards less weight over more objective - think ounces become pounds, pounds become pain.

Rifle will be used for deer/hogs here in Texas primarily, various Western game and hopefully some sheep, maybe even some of the international mountain game like ibex and tahr in the future. So, between the choices below, which would be your cpick?

Question:
Which scope would you choose as a balance between objective range, weight, and cost? Cost being the least concern.

Choices:
Leupold (VX-1) 2-7x33 LR Duplex - 9.9 ounces ($250)
Leupold (VX-2) 2-7x33 LR Duplex - 9.9 ounces ($350)
Leupold (VX-3) 2.5-8x36 BCR - 11.4 ounces ($500)

 

not an alaskan but my sheep rig was for a while a 6.5x55SE with a redfield 2-7x33 with accurange reticle ...

Voted for the Vary X-III. I have had this scope mounted on a .338WM rifle for years already. Don't hunt sheep, but moose each September.

I voted for the 3 but any of them well work.

I am an Ex-Alaskan, and hopefully moving back there again some day.

I have only hunted Aoudad (and rather unsuccessfully, I might add) in New Mexico.

I subscribe to more is more theory and I wouldn't pick any of those scopes.

My pick would be Swarovski's new line of 30mm long range hunting scopes. Or a 5-25 from Nightforce.

I am a dial and kill it kind of hunter. As the old Schmidt and Bender advertisement claims "only a rich man can afford a cheap scope".

As in "only a rich man can afford to not be able to utilize every opportunity on a hunt brought on by distance, poor weather or equipment failure".

My current mountain rifle is a 338 Winchester Ruger Mark II with a 30mm 5-25x56 in a McMillan stock. Weighs about 12 pounds.

I lost 18 pounds around my waist within the past few months and I have another 40 to lose. Made that 12 pound rifle feel like a fly weight.

quote:

I lost 18 pounds around my waist within the past few months and I have another 40 to lose. Made that 12 pound rifle feel like a fly weight.

I don't have the weight of a scope to lose at 510 175 not much there to lose.

I prefer lighter weight scopes.

Most rifles I have seen in sheep camp have higher objectives than any of the three you list with 3x9 or 3x10 being the low range of the spectrum. Leupold and swaro and other manufacurers make trim (36mm obj.)scopes in 3x9 and slightly larger (42mm obj.) 3x10. My sheep rifle is a Tikka T3. ultralight in 300 win mag. It weighs about 6.5lbs. It has a swaro Z5 3-18x42 scope.

quote:

Leupold (VX-3) 2.5-8x36

is the the best all around scope, IMHO.

I had a sheep rifle built on a R700 action and light Mcmillan stock. Chambered in 270 WSM.
Scoped it with a Leupold 2.5x8.
And it worked great.

Stevens - PM sent

Really I think it boils down to personal preference on magnification. I prefer upper magnification in the 9-14x range for all hunting to include sheep. I don't shoot long range... 350-400 yards tops. And at 9x it seems to be plenty.

All of my "sheep" rifles wear the same 3x9 VX1. Haven't wished or wanted more, and they've been responsible for 7 dead sheep, a few moose, caribou and bears.

I have the Loopy 2.5-8X and use it on a rifle I use for big bear and moose.

I prefer a little more magnification and I have taken several hunts with a Zeiss 3-10X. My rifle is custom and all up just over 7 lbs., so for me that is light enough, with plenty of magnification.

I like the Loopy Warranty.

quote:

Originally posted by Redlander:
[QUOTE]Leupold (VX-3) 2.5-8x36

is the the best all around scope, IMHO.


Redlander I agree the 2.5-8x Leu is a fine all round scope
I have one mounted on one of my .375 H&H. And as Ivan says its a personal preference. I think most sheep hunters would prefer the option for higher magnification in case the trophy of a lifetime presented a longer shot. The 2.5-8x is indeed a good choice for bear hunt. Btw that looks like a nice bear but (joking)why is he on a picnic table?

Yogi was always on or around a picnic table if my memory serves me right. Nice bear by the way.

Larry Sellers
SCI(International)Life Member
R8 Blaser
Sabatti "trash" Double Shooter

quote:

Originally posted by PKW:

quote:

Originally posted by Redlander:
[QUOTE]Leupold (VX-3) 2.5-8x36

is the the best all around scope, IMHO.


Redlander I agree the 2.5-8x Leu is a fine all round scope
I have one mounted on one of my .375 H&H. And as Ivan says its a personal preference. I think most sheep hunters would prefer the option for higher magnification in case the trophy of a lifetime presented a longer shot. The 2.5-8x is indeed a good choice for bear hunt. Btw that looks like a nice bear but (joking)why is he on a picnic table?

Leupolds 4.5 - 14 x 40 VX3 is the all around way to go in my mind for the hunting you described above. I am pretty sure that is their most popular scope today too. In the past it would have been the 3.5 -10 VX3 which is also a good scope. But for sheep, Texas, and Western hunting the extra magnification could be a good ting.

Something else I like about that scope is that it comes in a 30mm tube. Yes it is an ounce or so heavier. But in rough country the 30mm tubed Leupold's hold up

I used VariX III for years. Heck we all did. But the new Leupold's on the VX 3 are really good scopes.

All that said I redid my hunting rifles with the VX6s all the way around.

2.5-8x 36 best all around of the choices you posted. I run a 280 AI with swaro Z3 3.5-10x42 with BRX reticle and my 300 runs a Z5 3.5-18x44 with BRH reticle.

Like TexKD said,
I love the VX3 4.5-14 scope is an excellent choice and have used for years.
I upgraded to the VX 6 too, which are unbelievable but more$$$
I would opt for the higher magnification for sure and cant think of a good reason why one wouldn't for sheep since you may certainly look at long range shots.
I just took several animals in the mountains with my VX6 and 300+ shots were easy with that platform.

Although the 2.5 -8 is a great scope you might also consider the VX2 3-9x40, weighs in at 11.2 oz.. and about 300$

I had a Vari XIII 3.5 x 10 for many years and never found fault with it. A friend has it on his go to rifle now and feels the same. I found that on 10x one can see your heart beat on a bench or in a tight sling so thought that was plenty. I have good shooter friends that use the 12's and 14's and love them. I am now down to the 2.5 x 8 as my high end. 1 x 5's are normal. Still making all the shots I ever did I think.
The great thing about your decision is that it is hard to go wrong with a Good quality Leupold scope, or other, today. Pick what suits you and practice at the ranges your going to say "yes" to.

No sheep hunter but I would not go past a Swaro 3-9X36.

Cheers,
Mark.

For sheep or tahr or international, I suggest you upgrade to at least 3x10x40 and preferably something that goes to 15x or 18x. I have used a Leupold 2.5x8x36 for a bit but have found it seriously lacking past 300 yards.

Your optics need to be high quality. Go with Swarovski, Schmidt and Bender, Leica or Zeiss for that expensive of a hunt.

quote:

Originally posted by AKsheephunter:
2.5-8x 36 best all around of the choices you posted. I run a 280 AI with swaro Z3 3.5-10x42 with BRX reticle and my 300 runs a Z5 3.5-18x44 with BRH reticle.

Excellent choice young man!! There's a 3.5 - 18 x 44 in the classifieds not getting much action.

I think it's about 4 ounces heavier than my 3.5 - 10 x 42 though.

Cheers
Jim

Had a Swarovski 4x12x50. Changed to a 3.5x18x44 BT last year and was successful on my Alaskan dall sheep and Beceite Ibex in Spain. Hoping it is still going to be helpful for high Altai Ibex this year in Mongolia.

I voted for the VX-3 & I love Leupolds, buuuuuutttt...

I would give this Swarovski 3-9x36mm very serious consideration for the same weight and a little more money:

http://www.cameralandny.com/op...demo-swarovskiz39x36

quote:

Originally posted by Kenati:
I voted for the VX-3 & I love Leupolds, buuuuuutttt...

I would give this Swarovski 3-9x36mm very serious consideration for the same weight and a little more money:

http://www.cameralandny.com/op...demo-swarovskiz39x36

I would find the extra $200 and get the 3 - 10 x 42 instead. You can order it with the BRH reticle. The one you linked to has a limited reticle choice.

Cheers
Jim

I don't see much difference in the 3 listed scopes, anyone of them would suit me fine, and not just for sheep but for any big game hunting.

I agonized about what scope to put on my new sheep rifle this summer. I went with the lightest gun I could find (5lb 5oz Kimber 280 Ackley Improved) to leave room for a heavier scope. I went with the Swarovski z5 3.5x18 ballistic turret. I had never used a ballistic turret and have never had a scope over 9 power. On my recent sheep hunt I was very pleased that I had both the zoom and the turret. The zoom more than the turret. I shot a sheep at 460 yds. He was with two other similar but non legal Rams. He was double broomed. I set the scope at 12x and could see the broken tips easily. The turret was nice as I set it at 450 yds and aimed dead on. It's more scope than most experienced sheep guys recommend but it worked well for me. It's really not that heavy for a scope of this power, 15.9 oz. For my 55 year old eyes the quality of the optics and good magnification are important to me.

As a side note: 12 lb Mtn rifle? That's kind of an oxymoron isn't it?

I voted in the poll for the VX-3 since that's the best option listed.

Agree with the others, go with the Swarovski 3-10x42 with the BRH. My Dall sheep rifle was a Kimber 7mm-08 topped by a Kahles 3-9x42 with the TDS reticle, my Dad's was the same scope and caliber but he went with the Montana version of the same rifle.

Shots were 118 yards and 450 yards (rangefinder compensated downhill and uphill measurements). We had scopes with turrets (Kahles multi-zero) but found on the range in practice, it was much easier to know your different aiming points than to range, turn, re-acquire your target, and fire. The longer shot was a limited opportunity or it would not have been taken, and would not have had the shot if turrets had been relied on.

You are spending so much on a hunt, pay the extra for the scope to get better glass and definitely go with a larger objective. You don't want to be out late in the day in drizzle and not be able to see the 40 incher at 300 yards because you didn't spend the extra money on the front end of the hunt.

Just my opinion, worth what you paid for it!

Good luck, wish I were going back.

Most of todays hunters use big scopes on sheep rifles, but most sheep are actually shot under 200 yards, most way under 200 yards has been my experience..If not then maybe you been hunting them wrong or prefer long range shooting?

IMO with a 3 inch high at 100 yard sight in, your good to 400 or even 500 yards with a good rest, but I limit myself to 300 yards simply because if you wound a sheep and he gets away you just bought him in a legitimate camp...

quote:

Which scope would you choose as a balance between objective range, weight, and cost? Cost being the least concern.

If cost is of LEAST concern, then the answer to the question is a foregone conclusion.

In the same vain my 3-9x42 Kahles is much better than my VX-3 2.5-8x36 - again when cost is of no concern - it is chalk and cheese.

Pieter

Any of your choices are fine, as long as it has sufficient eye relief. I want a LW lo recoil rifle for sheep and a scope with good eye relief. Extreme shot angles up and down and its no place for a bad scope cut.

I would not use any of these. Spend all discretionary money on a high quality Swaro or Khales or Schmidt and Bender. I would get one with a magnification 2 x12 or 3x15 with a 40 to 50mm bell.

Scope is critical.