LPVO style scope for 375 Ruger

[jhm2023]

I recently came across a Ruger Hawkeye FTW hunter in 375 Ruger for a price I couldn't pass up. Some cerakote a new stock and a suppressor should make it look nicer. Now I'm wondering what scope I should put on it? Leaning towards an LPVO type optic, 1-8 or something similar. The NX8 seems appealing with the exception I'm not a mil kind of person. I know how to use mils, just don't prefer it and all of my other scopes are minute based. Any good recommendations for a stout optic that will retain zero and can handle the abuse that a bear/moose gun can and will be subjected to? Bonus points to bright clear glass with an illuminated reticle. Thanks.

 

[NuclearGrave]

I run a Leupold VX-5HD 1-5x24 on my 9.3x62 and it’s been great. It’s a duplex with illumination but works great for me. Something to consider.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Euro optic is blowing out trijicon scopes, they have a few 1-6 scopes.

 

[walk2112]

Another vote for Trijicon here. My 375 Ruger (M77 Alaskan) wears an Accupoint 1-6 MilDot in Alaska Arms LLC medium rings. Maybe with a little material removal on the bolt handle could clear the large(ish) eye piece of the scope with low rings, it's close as is, but not quite.
Best setup (for me) I've found after trying a dozen different things over the last 15 years. Great glass, reliable, no batteries, and Morris makes (I think) the best rings for M77s if you want QD. Others work well too of course.

If you're looking for a gunsmith Rick Steinhour (Extreme Rifle Works) works magic on M77's to what ever degree of 'custom' you can think of for a reasonable price. There's a thread on here somewhere of a 416 Ruger he built for a bear guide that show cases some good examples of that.

 

[RockAndSage]

OP, given you're in AK, and that this might double as a dangerous game gun for you, here's a couple of points to consider, and my best scope recommendation:

1) With dimmer light, a second focal plane scope will benefit you, as they're generally brighter, all else being equal.

2) A 1-8, as you note, would be a very good idea - you obviously get the faster target acquisition with the 1 power, and 8 power is surprisingly plenty for anything a .223 or .375 Ruger can do.

3) Illumination, IMO, is indispensable on anything you want to get crosshairs on fast, in any lighting condition - especially if there's the slightest chance of dim light or dark targets. Even more so if you might be in camp in bear country, where a shot at night without a weapon-mounted light (ie, hunting gun, rather than tactical gun) is a real possibility. Quality glass in an LPVO can be surprisingly better at night in gatherling light than the naked eye, if you have it on low-power, but it matters little if you can't find the cross hairs.

The best scope I can recommend for you, given all this, would be a Swarovski Z8i 1-8 power. They're bulletproof, comparatively lightweight, they're surprisingly bright when you first mess around with them at dusk or at night, the glass is amazing, and the eyebox is very forgiving and easy to get into at odd angles and expedient positions. This is what I run on my all-around AR, and is exactly what I'd have on a dangerous game bolt gun.

Something I've come to particularly value with the Swaro, is the illumination switch. It's just above the rear lens - centered it's off, switch left is goes to your low-light brightness, switch right and it goes to your daylight brighness setting. You can adjust either by pressing the up or down buttons right in front of that switch, but frankly, once I figured out what works best for me at dusk/night, and daylight, I've probably only adjusted those settings once or twice. It's extremely fast, and by far the quickest and best illumination system I've ever used.

These Swaros often get overlooked by guys wanting an LPVO, because most of the LPVO crowd doing reviews and writing on them is looking for tactical application, including use as passive aiming for night vision, and are well-versed in using First Focal Plane ranging reticles. Virtually none of this benefits a hunting gun as much as the clarity of SFP and a laser rangefinder. But unless we're talking a dedicated night-fighting gun, I've never had a LPVO as useful or as effective as the Z8i 1-8.

All that said, you also won't go wrong with the NX8 you mention, Leupold, Trijicon, etc. Above a certain price point, it's definitely an issue of diminishing returns, but you still do get advantages in almost all cases, the higher in price you go.

 

[Thehotrodpig]

My razor 1-6 is fantastic glass. Have used it as a 3 gun scope and would not hesitate to use it for dangerous game. Very robust albeit a tad heavy.

 

[Boltgun]

I’m confused. Why not just buy the NF NX8 1-8 MOA variant?

 

[IALoder]

I'd go with the NX8 or a Trijicon (accupoint, or credo HX). Our whole deer hunting group absolutely loves the accupoints with the triangle reticle in the color of your choice. T

 

[walk2112]

I’m confused. Why not just buy the NF NX8 1-8 MOA variant?

Good point Boltgun. I had forgotten that existed in the exposed elevation turret configuration. Checks alot of boxes.
On the same note, it looks like Trijicon offers an "MOA-dot" reticle as well for the 1-6 Accupoint. Holdover/windage dots are every 5 MOA if I remember correctly on the 1-6, where as the higher magnification Accupoint scopes have them every 2 MOA. For simple holdovers at 6x the 5 MOA increment generally seems to line up with 'whole' 100 yard distance values on average velocity 300 gr. bullet loads out to reasonable distances if you like that method.

 

[CCooper]

Different application, but I too have been looking at LPVO options lately for a new AR build. As a SFP/ MOA person, the EOTech Vudu checks a lot of boxes. Option 2 is a NX8 F1 MOA variant, as they don't offer it in SFP.