Scope selection for whitetail/range

[jdl25]

I'm having fun with a new rifle. I got a R700 in .243. I think it is a 1997 mountain rifle. Very pretty rifle. All of my experience (30 years) has been with Browning Bars so this is new. Most of my shots hunting are inside of 200 yards.

It came with a scope that I thought was awesome, and it was great, but I wanted something better so I sold it. It was an older Meopta that had good glass but the eye relief was not as good as I was used to.

Budget for new scope is $650 ish. I can always save more but hope to be ready this fall.

I am looking hard a Trijicon Credo 3-9x40. I am also looking hard at a Leupold vx3hd 3.5-10x50 (let me hear it).

Anything else you like for this application? I mostly want to shoot deer, but I would love to stretch out at the range for fun.

Thanks,

 

[Booolitz]

I went with the Credo. I use it in the same scenario you describe. No complaints. I don’t have any experience with the Leupold.

 

[Macintosh]

Depends on the level of priority you assign to “stretch out at the range for fun.”

A credo (or a huron if you dont need illumination) are good scopes. I own several and would buy another without hesitation. The eye relief is not as good as the leupold, but its not bad. But they are more reliable in my experience.
But if you plan to do a lot of shooting beyond 250-300 yards I think the scope options are limited at that price. I havent used one but Id look hard at a swfa 3-9 if that was a requirement, afaik its the only option in that price category that has 1) a good durability reputation and dialing turrets, 2) is ffp, and 3) has a reticle that most folks still find very useable at 3x. The other good options I have had good experiences with that meet those requirements are significantly more money.

You could go with a mil or moa dot reticle in the trijicon, although I think its not ideal (I find the reticle dots hard to see on the trijicon scopes Ive looked thru with those reticles), it would see you through moderate range practice, etc.

 

[jdl25]

Depends on the level of priority you assign to “stretch out at the range for fun.”

A credo (or a huron if you dont need illumination) are good scopes. I own several and would buy another without hesitation. The eye relief is not as good as the leupold, but its not bad. But they are more reliable in my experience.
But if you plan to do a lot of shooting beyond 250-300 yards I think the scope options are limited at that price. I havent used one but Id look hard at a swfa 3-9 if that was a requirement, afaik its the only option in that price category that has 1) a good durability reputation and dialing turrets, 2) is ffp, and 3) has a reticle that most folks still find very useable at 3x. The other good options I have had good experiences with that meet those requirements are significantly more money.

You could go with a mil or moa dot reticle in the trijicon, although I think its not ideal (I find the reticle dots hard to see on the trijicon scopes Ive looked thru with those reticles), it would see you through moderate range practice, etc.

Do you have experience with both?

Credo eye relief listed at 3.5 in. - 3.7 in CR940-C-2900042
Huron eye reliefe listed at 2.5 in. - 3.7 in. HR940-C-2700005

That is an entire inch of difference somewhere, and it's why I've never considered the Huron.

I am spoiled with Leupold eye relief; it's really good. It is what I am used to, so this is a big deal in this decision.

 

[Macintosh]

I think its a typo. I own both, I cant tell the difference in eye relief. Neither is as good as a leupold in eye relief. But none of my trijicons have let me down, either.

 

[jdl25]

I think its a typo. I own both, I cant tell the difference in eye relief. Neither is as good as a leupold in eye relief. But none of my trijicons have let me down, either.

Do you find yourself moving your head trying to find the sweet spot? I can't stand that.

 

[Pilsner]

Since this is RokSlide I'll be the first to suggest either a SWFA 3-9x or a fixed 6x. Either will work quite well out to W-A-Y out there!
I would also watch the classifieds for the occasional old school Leupold fixed 4x or 6x that pops up. About the only non-mil spec Leupolds that hold their zero reliably.

 

[glock233]

SWFA 3x9. The trijicon is fine too.

Skip the leupold. Too many men have showed you the way to let yourself pull that rookie move.

 

[Luke S]

I don't get how Trijicon measures their eye relief but it's never been an issue for me. I had a 1-4;Accupoint on a 375 Ruger and a Huron on a 308 theater was pretty light. Should be fine. Nice clear scopes. I feel like i shoot a tad better with them just because my point of aim is so dang clear.

 

[Macintosh]

Do you find yourself moving your head trying to find the sweet spot? I can't stand that.

No. That only happens if the scope isnt mounted in the right place. It’s a small-ish scope so on a long action it could benefit from a rail maybe—have had issues with some scope/gun/ring combos GETTING it in the right place. But once there it is not an issue for me.

 

[UnckleBob]

I have slightly different versions of the Leupold and the Huron.

In terms of durability, I expect the Huron to have the edge because it is built like a tank. To my eye, the Leupolds are much easier to see through.

For regular deer hunting, I'll take the Leupold over the Huron.

If you get the Leupold, get a version with a 40mm version objective lens. I had a 50mm Leupold for a while. All it did was force me to mount my scope higher.

 

[wind gypsy]

I've been fighting the urge to pull SWFA 3-9 or Maven RS1.2 off a gun for whitetails and replace it with one of these for a couple years:

https://www.eurooptic.com/trijicon-tr22-2g-accupoint-25-10x56-mildot-green-dot

 

[Kyguy]

I actually emailed Trijicon about their eye relief specs back in November. The reply stated that eye relief will be dependent upon the user and their individual eye sight. The specs are the minimum and maximum of the range.

I don't worry about eye relief from my pupil, I'm worried about head/eyebrow relief. Cause that's where a scope hits you. LOL

Having played with the Accu-Point 3-9, the Huron 3-9, and the Credo 3-9... I'll say that the Accu-Point FELT really close to my forehead on 9x. I was acutely aware of it every time I shot, on a .308 and a 6.5 Creed. I don't get that feeling with the Huron or the Credo. I've got a couple of Hurons.... the throw lever on the Credo is a pain on a 90 degree bolt throw. Measured from my eyebrow to the ocular housing, with the diopter set for me, it's just under 3" on 9x with the Huron. It's 3.5" on 3x. I'd like it a lot better if it was a consistent 3.5", 4" would be even better. The Accu-Point was less than 2.5" on 9x.

 

[Rich M]

I shoot a 243 Gen II Predator and have a 3-9x40 Huron on it. It lacks a little on the low light. It has a lot of eye relief. The 2.5 inch is a typo. Mine has more than 3 inches.

Midway has a 2-10x44 Viper on sale for $250. That is a good scope for the $. It is BDC, I wouldn't think of dialing it. Drop tests aside - this is a good deal on a nice scope. Zero that 243 an inch or two high at 100 and shoot out to 250 easy.

I have an older Viper for 10+ yrs and 3 of us shot a pile of deer with it - never shifted zero in that time. I make my son shoot it a few times before he shoots a deer, my wife and I just use it. It has a better/nicer picture than the Huron. Want to say it is better in low light but that's just from memory cause we haven't used the Viper in a couple years and was a lil disappointed in the low light capabilities of the Huron last year.

*You are probably going to have trouble beating that Meopta. They had a great reputation for everything. Sounds like whoever set that rifle up did a good job with it. You may have been able to adjust the scope to you and kept running with it. 243 doesn't have any recoil to speak of so the scope can be closer and not be bopping you in forehead.

Someone mentioned trying to find the sweet spot with a scope and moving head around. Set the scope when you mount it - you should shoulder the rifle and be real close to perfect.

Good luck finding what you are looking for!

 

[Jsmalls273]

Never had any issues with my VX3 3.5-10, but lots here claim they are trash. I have 2 of them and a VX2 and have really enjoyed them, even dial with my main one just fine.

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

 

[Pulleye16]

Id get me a nice vortex viper 3x9 or 4x12.

 

[jdl25]

I shoot a 243 Gen II Predator and have a 3-9x40 Huron on it. It lacks a little on the low light. It has a lot of eye relief. The 2.5 inch is a typo. Mine has more than 3 inches.

Midway has a 2-10x44 Viper on sale for $250. That is a good scope for the $. It is BDC, I wouldn't think of dialing it. Drop tests aside - this is a good deal on a nice scope. Zero that 243 an inch or two high at 100 and shoot out to 250 easy.

I have an older Viper for 10+ yrs and 3 of us shot a pile of deer with it - never shifted zero in that time. I make my son shoot it a few times before he shoots a deer, my wife and I just use it. It has a better/nicer picture than the Huron. Want to say it is better in low light but that's just from memory cause we haven't used the Viper in a couple years and was a lil disappointed in the low light capabilities of the Huron last year.

*You are probably going to have trouble beating that Meopta. They had a great reputation for everything. Sounds like whoever set that rifle up did a good job with it. You may have been able to adjust the scope to you and kept running with it. 243 doesn't have any recoil to speak of so the scope can be closer and not be bopping you in forehead.

Someone mentioned trying to find the sweet spot with a scope and moving head around. Set the scope when you mount it - you should shoulder the rifle and be real close to perfect.

Good luck finding what you are looking for!

Thanks for the reply,

To give a little more info on the Meopta, it was good, not great. It was not as good as a Vari X II that I compared it to in low light or eye relief. And for those reasons, I sold it. It was hard to identify when I dug into it. I think it was actually an early Artemis model.

 

[jdl25]

Never had any issues with my VX3 3.5-10, but lots here claim they are trash. I have 2 of them and a VX2 and have really enjoyed them, even dial with my main one just fine.

Sent from my SM-S921U using Tapatalk

Does it have the CDS dial? What kind of dialling do you do with it?

 

[JimIsland]

What type of Terrain do you hunt mostly? For me personally, I hunt in thick canopy type terrain. Swamps, bottoms, and a few corn/bean fields. Low light performance (for me) is important. If these conditions factor in for you, I suggest the Accupoint 2.5-10X56. This scope gives you noticeably better low light and a tad wider FOV. If this isn't a concern, the SWAFA or Credo would be great choices as well.

 

[jdl25]

I do hunt in a lot of woods, where it can get dark quickly as compared to a field. I have always been ok with the 40mm vx2 that I have on my current rifle, but maybe that is what I am use to. One poster up above said to stay away from the 50mm obj. becuase it would put the cheek weld too high. Interesting opinions, I am thankful for them all.