Optics for mountain rifle

[RAAK]

My setup is a Kimber Adirondack with a Leupold FX-3 6x42 heavy duplex in Talley lightweight lows. It works perfectly for Alabama whitetail bucks that like to show up about 29 min past sunset. I haven't had it on the "mountain" yet but I have full confidence that it will perform perfectly.

 

[Fireguy]

The SWFA scopes seem to work real well for me on Alpine's....

Not having to worry at all about zero retention or correct adjustment no matter the situation is worth WAY more than 5-6 ounces. It's still a 7.5lb rifle with the scope.

Is that the fixed 6? What rings and bases are you running?

 

[Formidilosus]

What mount system do you suggest for mounting such a scope on a Kimber Montana?

I prefer picatinny whenever possible. The Warn Mountian Tech and Nightforce UL being my picks. The Burris XTR two-piece bases are good as well.

Is that the fixed 6? What rings and bases are you running?

Fixed 6x and Burris Tac rings. Mounts are modified Weaver bases. The bases are being replaced with Burris Signature XTR bases.

 

[Fireguy]

I prefer picatinny whenever possible. The Warn Mountian Tech and Nightforce UL being my picks. The Burris XTR two-piece bases are good as well.











Fixed 6x and Burris Tac rings. Mounts are modified Weaver bases. The bases are being replaced with Burris Signature XTR bases.

Thanks! I've completely switched to the SWFA 3-9 and love it. I think I'll try a fixed 6 too. What are your thoughts on the Alpine? What caliber?

 

[Formidilosus]

6.5 Creedmoor. Haven't shot it a ton. Just getting a quick zero off the pack, no rear rest, it was shooting 1.25-1.75 MOA. I'm figuring it will be a solid 1.5-1.75moa for 10 rounds gun without tinkering with it. Which is pretty decent.

I like the package- the Bansner stock is a good choice and I really like two-stage triggers.

 

[luke moffat]

I prefer picatinny whenever possible. The Warn Mountian Tech and Nightforce UL being my picks. The Burris XTR two-piece bases are good as well.

Right on!! I did something right for once out of random luck. Pic rail and Warne Mountain Tech rings on my Kimber 358 win....only thing wrong with it is what sits inside the rings....6X36 Leupold. But for that round inparticular I think we can agree that its pretty much a 300 yard and less gun shooting them beach balls down the barrel.

 

[JWW]

I have the SWFA SS 10x42 with mil quad reticle on my 6.5 Ruger American dirtbag special. They list it on the website just over 18 oz and they list the 6x at 20.3 I believe. I can say if you wanted to sacrifice the 6-8 oz, the glass on these scopes is pretty dang good, the mil quad reticle is great and most of all the turret tracking is superb. I got mine on black friday with free mounts for $259. I went for my first long range-ish outing today and shot 14x14" steel plates at 500yd very reliably due to the ease of use of the SWFA. I could dial it up 3.7 to shoot 600, come back down to 2.7 and shoot 500 and go back and forth with no tracking issues. You can also get shims to go under the cap for $22 from a gentleman named Tim Kuhlin that act as a zero stop. Gun so far is shooting 1" groups at 200. My experience is very limited, just my 2 cents.

 

[mcseal2]

I like a little more scope than is necessary. I learned when I got great binos that it's extremely frustrating not to be able to shoot a deer I can still see with them. I've had opportunities during legal shooting hours when fog, mist, clouds, other factors made it pretty darn dark. For that reason I won't go to small on scopes. My minimum is the Swaro Z3 3-9x36 because I had that scope and it performed very well. It was definitely brighter than my 3-9x40 VXII or 2.5-8x VXIII. Both the Leupolds were the older models, not the new VX2 or VX3 so there may be less of a difference now.

I'm used to shooting higher magnification scopes at coyotes and like the sight picture I get at 14x-18x. If I'm steady at 14x or higher, I'm extremely confident the bullet is going where I want it to. My 300 wears a Swaro Z5 3.5-18x44 with the ballistic turret and 4W reticle. I dial the magnification down when in the timber and leave it on 6x in open country. If I have a steady enough rest and time though I'll always dial it up further before the shot. It weighs in with the scope and Talley rings at 7lbs 4oz. It's not the lightest in the world for sure but it's a good compromise for me between shootability and portability.

 

[mantos]

300 Win mag Sako 85 finnlight w/ swarovski z5, harris swivel bipod!