Matching scope to rifle

Joined
Nov 4, 2025
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I have a tikka 6.5 CM with 20” barrel and a tikka 300 WM with 20” barrel. Both will have a suppressor. I have a Trijicon credo 2.5-15 x42 and a SWFA 3-9x42. I can’t decide which scope to put on which gun.

On the one hand, bigger gun = bigger optic… put the credo on the 300. On the other hand, the 6.5 will be used for mulies and 300 for elk. Perhaps the higher mag is better for smaller game… put the credo on the 6.5.

Any insight is appreciated.
 
If you're using a rail and high-end rings you could swap them out and switch depending on what you're doing, but I would sell the credo and pick up a 3-15 or 3-9 SWFA and they would be virtually set up the same.
 
That makes sense to have the same make of scope. Any logic to a 3-15 vs 3-9 on a deer vs elk rifle in the Rockies?


Bunch of great info in these threads, you could go either one.

3-9= lighter weight, more compact design, lower profile turrets, durable, returns to zero

3-15 gen 2= zero stop, capped turret capable, throw lever knob, durable, reticle is slightly different, some say 15x isn’t as usable

I believe most people using either of these are still shooting game in the 5-8 mag range anyway.

Personally I like the look of the 3-9 on shorter barrel rifles vs the 3-15, But that’s purely cosmetic.
 
I would be inclined to match the scope to the terrain/vegetation and style of hunting, not to the rifle. Of course Id match the rifle to that too as much as possible. But I would not be thinking “this scope goes with this rifle”, I’d be thinking “this hunt is in X terrain so shots are going to be at this distance, in this cover, etc, so scope (and rifle) should have X traits”.
 
Which rifle will see the most use and which scope do you prefer? Those two together and other ones go together by default.
 
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