Scope Options for Alaska moose

[Sako76]

I see a lot of threads on rifle choice but not much on scope choice. My outfitter said I could get a shot out to 300 yards. I have two scopes in mind, both Nightforce, one is a 3-15x50 MOAR SFP scope and a 2.5-10x42 MOAR SFP.

I really like the 3-15 but it is heavy at around 30 oz. The 2.5-10 is 20 oz. but doesn’t look the greatest at 300 yards for my 68 year old eyes. Another option is 3-15 or 3-18 Leupold but I’m shooting a braked 300 WM and have some concern about scope failure! The Leupold glass is phenomenal! What do you guys say?

 

[akhunter3]

Either NF option would do great- go with whichever is easier on your eyes. Not sure what type of hunt your going on, but moose up here are usually not walk-a-million-miles affairs to get a shot, so an extra 10oz may be worth it if your eyes like the scope more

 

[Hickory1991]

Been shooting with Leupold for 50 plus years. They have worked fine for hunting scopes. Even broke a couple that were replaced under warranty. Either brand will work fine, just choose what your eyes like best.

 

[medvedyt]

Been shooting with Leupold for 50 plus years. They have worked fine for hunting scopes. Even broke a couple that were replaced under warranty. Either brand will work fine, just choose what your eyes like best.

you do not want to need the warranty in the middle of nowhere after a long flight and the fly out lol ...

 

[medvedyt]

I see a lot of threads on rifle choice but not much on scope choice. My outfitter said I could get a shot out to 300 yards. I have two scopes in mind, both Nightforce, one is a 3-15x50 MOAR SFP scope and a 2.5-10x42 MOAR SFP.

I really like the 3-15 but it is heavy at around 30 oz. The 2.5-10 is 20 oz. but doesn’t look the greatest at 300 yards for my 68 year old eyes. Another option is 3-15 or 3-18 Leupold but I’m shooting a braked 300 WM and have some concern about scope failure! The Leupold glass is phenomenal! What do you guys say?

both will work but if doable i will prefer to have the lightest one and you will see that a moose at 300 is way bigger than the target you are trying at the range. and there is a chance as well that you shoot it closer than you dreamed of ... remember every year some of us are bringing them for archery hunters ...

 

[Hickory1991]

you do not want to need the warranty in the middle of nowhere after a long flight and the fly out lol ...

Fortunately one was broken after a BC moose hunt some how coming home. The other one when lowering my gun from my tree stand while whitetail hunting. Dam rope slipped through my frozen fingers.

 

[Meanderthal]

My eyes are only 52 years old but it's hard to imagine needing more than 10 power for a moose. A mature bull is basically the size of a horse.

 

[TimberHunter]

The cheapest vortex scope you can find…

On a serious note, there’s a ton of threads on this topic. You could shoot 300 yards with a standard crosshair scope with the crosshairs sighted in at 200 yards. Don’t over think it


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[Maverick1]

Tasco has to be at the very top of the list, followed closely by Bushnell and Simmons. Don’t rule out Barska, BSA, or Centerpoint though.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have a 1-6 accupoint that is going on my moose rifle. I also have a leupold that has served me well, but why risk it right? Mine is an older vx3i 2.5-8 that has the B&C reticle. I can’t say I trust it much though.

 

[BigAl!]

The NF NX6 2-12x42 is a good option.

 

[Kerbs]

The NF NX6 2-12x42 is a good option.

This is what I put on my rifle for moose this year.

 

[AKDoc]

Keep it simple OP...given the good scope options you mentioned and already have, just choose the scope that is most comfortable for you to use and works well with the rifle you're going to bring to Alaska.

Then...make sure you have a solid and protective rifle case to fly your scoped-rifle here with you...and test fire it for accuracy when you get here.

Have a great hunt! I sincerely hope you have the opportunity to call a shooter up close to you for the shot...it is always exciting!

 

[medvedyt]

Tasco has to be at the very top of the list, followed closely by Bushnell and Simmons. Don’t rule out Barska, BSA, or Centerpoint though.

ever tried to break a tasco titan or bushnell elite made in japan you may have some surprises ... i never been able to break as well a simmons 4x made for the 22magnum on my ruger 10/22 ...

 

[B Harrison]

I see a lot of threads on rifle choice but not much on scope choice. My outfitter said I could get a shot out to 300 yards. I have two scopes in mind, both Nightforce, one is a 3-15x50 MOAR SFP scope and a 2.5-10x42 MOAR SFP.

I really like the 3-15 but it is heavy at around 30 oz. The 2.5-10 is 20 oz. but doesn’t look the greatest at 300 yards for my 68 year old eyes. Another option is 3-15 or 3-18 Leupold but I’m shooting a braked 300 WM and have some concern about scope failure! The Leupold glass is phenomenal! What do you guys say?

I hope you’re overthinking things.
300 for me is pretty easy with any rifle I own that has a great trigger.

4-6” groups should be very easy to do, and that’s a small spot on the side of a moose.

If you’re going to have issues with any of those choices, I’m screwed.
My back up is a 2-8x32 Monarch on a 35 w


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[roymunson]

killed mine at 300 yards with a nightforce 2.5-10. It was more than sufficient.

I shoot steel at 600 with that scope and I'm the limiting factor.

I liked the light part of the equation.

 

[stick slinger]

My 375 Ruger is topped with a Leupold vx6 1-6 x24. It is capable of 3in groups at 400 yard. A moose sized target looks plenty big at 300yd.

Chances are you will be shooting less than 300 yd, and a scope that reduces to 1 or 2x sure makes finding a huge moose in dense brush a whole lot easier. An illuminated reticle can be a nice feature for aging eyes or low light.

I'd look for something less bulky in the 2-10 range and consider an illuminated reticle. Good luck. Don't forget to come back and post pics of the slob you drop!

 

[Chris in TN]

I'd think that a bull moose at 300 yards would be fairly easy to see on 6x or 9x and your .300Manglum ought to shoot flat enough that you can just use a basic 3-9x with a duplex reticle. Leave it on 3x for close shots, crank it up to 9x for longer shots, zero it at 225-250 yards and at midrange (~150 yards) you more or less use the top of the duplex as an aiming point. At ~300 yards you'd more or less use the bottom of the duplex as an aiming point.

To be clear, such systems fall apart rapidly after somewhere around 300-350 yards with modern calibers. Maybe 400, best case. But for a moose inside of 300 yards, I see absolutely no reason for a guy with good eyesight to spend a single moment worrying that a 3-9x that would hold zero, wasn't enough.