Dedicated Big Woods Whitetail Setup

[Drenalin]

I keep having a wild hair to use a 14.5” 556 AR with a 5” can and LVPO scope for similar situations. Carrying one for a couple days will probably cure that wild hair though. Otherwise it will be 18” tikka 223 or 6 creed.

I was thinking this sounded like a great spot for an AR with a red dot. Non-traditional, but might be the ideal choice. I like ARs due to familiarity though.

 

[woods89]

@woods89. If you’re committed to 223 and like the Tikka, why don’t you just buy one and cut the barrel to 18”?

That's the part I'm quite confident about, the optic situation is where most of my questions are.

 

[woods89]

You think, until a big buck steps out at dusk with 6 minutes of legal light left, and that 24mm can’t see the buck that you can visibly see with your own eyes.
I will never deer hunt with an LVPO again.

This is absolutely a concern. Currently my SWFA generally handles 100% of legal shooting light. But I'd love to have the option to drop to 1x.

 

[BLJ]

That's the part I'm quite confident about, the optic situation is where most of my questions are.

I can give my opinion on the Athlon I mentioned in my original post later this week.

Also a 1-6 SWFA in the classifieds right now.

 

[wind gypsy]

You think, until a big buck steps out at dusk with 6 minutes of legal light left, and that 24mm can’t see the buck that you can visibly see with your own eyes.
I will never deer hunt with an LVPO again.

Never owned one but been jonesing to replace an aimpoint red dot with one for a while. Is it that bad in 1x?

 

[KenLee]

You think, until a big buck steps out at dusk with 6 minutes of legal light left, and that 24mm can’t see the buck that you can visibly see with your own eyes.
I will never deer hunt with an LVPO again.

Truth. Walking in thick, I tote a bobbed BAR 308 w 2-10x50 Nikon Monarch 3

 

[Gen273]

Browning BAR in 30-06 or .308 with a quality 3x9x50.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Funny thing, I have a Model Seven, but the only thing original on it is the action. It's my longer range rig currently. I had a hard time warming up to it in factory form as it's balance point was too far back.

I'm personally pretty committed to sticking with 223. Just too much fun to practice with.

And I'd like a nice lever gun, but I'd have a hard time putting a scope on it.

Man, how well they balance is one of the things I love about the 20” barreled Model Sevens.

If stuck on a 223, just get a stainless Tikka Lite in 223. Unfortunately, I think you just missed the $75 rebate.

 

[Long Cut]

Never owned one but been jonesing to replace an aimpoint red dot with one for a while. Is it that bad in 1x?

In good light, LVPO’s are fine. In limited light situations, it doesn’t matter if you’re on 1x, you are not seeing your target.

For my 100 & in rifles, they get irons & red dots
100 & out wear at least 44+ obj

 

[Long Cut]

This is absolutely a concern. Currently my SWFA generally handles 100% of legal shooting light. But I'd love to have the option to drop to 1x.

What? What exactly are you looking at gaining from dropping a 3-9x42mm down to a 1-6x24mm scope?

You need a large objective and thick, ideally illuminated reticle, to handle the low light scenarios we deal with. The trade-off of losing that larger objective and light-gathering is NOWHERE worth losing that 2x mag.

Like I said, get the Trijicon Credo 2-10x56 OR the S&B 2-10x56 and call it a day.

I promise, I owned an LVPO. They suck for hunting in low light.

 

[5811]

What? What exactly are you looking at gaining from dropping a 3-9x42mm down to a 1-6x24mm scope?

You need a large objective and thick, ideally illuminated reticle, to handle the low light scenarios we deal with. The trade-off of losing that larger objective and light-gathering is NOWHERE worth losing that 2x mag.

Like I said, get the Trijicon Credo 2-10x56 OR the S&B 2-10x56 and call it a day.

I promise, I owned an LVPO. They suck for hunting in low light.

My understanding of light gathering by way of objective size is pretty limited, but even at 3x with a 24mm objective you still have an exit pupil of 8.

 

[Anschutz]

This is my choice. 1894BB in .375 Win. with a Burris FF3. I got it right before moving from Alaska to Kentucky for that exact reason, but only bow hunted this year due to where I hunt, not allowing CF. I'll probably head out with it on public next season.

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[woods89]

What? What exactly are you looking at gaining from dropping a 3-9x42mm down to a 1-6x24mm scope?

You need a large objective and thick, ideally illuminated reticle, to handle the low light scenarios we deal with. The trade-off of losing that larger objective and light-gathering is NOWHERE worth losing that 2x mag.

Like I said, get the Trijicon Credo 2-10x56 OR the S&B 2-10x56 and call it a day.

I promise, I owned an LVPO. They suck for hunting in low light.

I get it. And it's probably a case of wanting to change something that works just fine. I'd just like to maximize field of view and the ability to identify lanes coming up with moving animals. I also don't go below 4x with my SWFA usually, as it tunnels at 3x.

I shot a doe at 10 yds last year with it. It worked, but.....that's pretty close. The small amount of experience I've had with red dots makes me think that would be ideal, except that I don't know about 60-80 yds right at end of shooting light.

It's a pretty niche set of needs.

 

[Long Cut]

My understanding of light gathering by way of objective size is pretty limited, but even at 3x with a 24mm objective you still have an exit pupil of 8.

I’m not sure what any of that means. All I know is when I used my LVPO, in open fields, the scope became a paperweight before legal light.

 

[Long Cut]

I get it. And it's probably a case of wanting to change something that works just fine. I'd just like to maximize field of view and the ability to identify lanes coming up with moving animals. I also don't go below 4x with my SWFA usually, as it tunnels at 3x.

I shot a doe at 10 yds last year with it. It worked, but.....that's pretty close. The small amount of experience I've had with red dots makes me think that would be ideal, except that I don't know about 60-80 yds right at end of shooting light.

It's a pretty niche set of needs.

Like I said, the 2-10x56 Trijicon Credo is probably what you want then. If you were to get a new scope.
I really don’t see the purpose for red dots on deer rifles. You give up so much accuracy compared to a riflescope, not to mention in low light your effective range drastically drops as it gets darker. In dense timber, that’s well before legal light.

 

[hereinaz]

Fun to have a small action like the CZ 527 or the Howa mini if you are sticking with .223 which is a RS tradition.

I just imagine getting a short barrel AR in .223 or .300 BO with a suppressor and a red dot at 45 and a 3-9, but I’ve not been in hardwoods for 40 years.

 

[HunterZ]

Lots of options in here. I like big woods too and will often grab my 6.8 SPC with a razor hd lh. Easy to hike in, lightweight, quick follow up option but it has never needed it. If I’m not going hi power I’ll grab my youth model 870 with a rifled barrel and iron sights. A first and a favorite for the forest. Good luck

 

[Formidilosus]

I promise, I owned an LVPO. They suck for hunting in low light.

You used one LPVO and determined they suck based off of that? What scope was it?

 

[Long Cut]

You used one LPVO and determined they suck based off of that? What scope was it?

They suck in low light conditions, yes. Nikon not sure on exact model

 

[grfox92]

They suck in low light conditions, yes. Nikon not sure on exact model

I think your problem was probably more Nikon than it was LPVO.....

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