The perfect hunting scope.

Does the perfect hunting scope exist?


  • Total voters
    183

Dukhtr3

FNG
Joined
Sep 17, 2023
Messages
78
That maven 1.2 is going to be my next scope. If I could eliminate the illumination just the shave some weight and bulk of the scope it would be perfect.


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That and locking elevation turret and it would be perkecto. I own the maven 1.2 and that's my main gripe.

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nksmfamjp

FNG
Joined
Feb 26, 2021
Messages
95
Just wondering what all of you think is the perfect all around hunting scope. Big game and otherwise. If it exists please do tell and your explanation of why. If it does not exist please list in order of importance what would make a perfect scope for you and your style of hunting. In my case some get close but nothing checks all the boxes. After talking to a few scope engineers recently I get the feeling they think I’m in the minority. Which is likely true but hoping this will clarify a bit.

My perfect hunting scope in order of importance:

Hold Zero
Return to zero
Durable
Zero Stop/Lock Elevation Turret
Good optical quality (B+ or better)
Magnification low end 2-3, max 20 (3-15, 3.5-18 etc)
Max objective 42 mm (to save weight and keep scope low)
Capped windage
Under 20oz ish weight, max 22oz
FFP
Simple hash mark reticle (no trees!)
Don’t require a second mortgage to pay for.

Hoping some of these scope manufacturers are listening…
I was following you word for word until you said no tree!
 

basdpikl

FNG
Joined
Dec 22, 2024
Messages
15
That and locking elevation turret and it would be perkecto. I own the maven 1.2 and that's my main gripe.

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Yeah that’s definitely an issue. It has zero stop correct? So I can just make sure I’m zeroed without looking? I can deal with that if so.


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Dukhtr3

FNG
Joined
Sep 17, 2023
Messages
78
Yeah that’s definitely an issue. It has zero stop correct? So I can just make sure I’m zeroed without looking? I can deal with that if so.


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Yes they do have a zero stop.

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basdpikl

FNG
Joined
Dec 22, 2024
Messages
15
Vortex viper hd 3-15x44 BDC reticles seems like a really good hunting scope.

I have a vortex razor that’s been excellent but wouldn’t trust a lower grade model and risk ruining a hunt. Seems like swfa is well loved here for a budget scope. I’m going to look at one of those for an AR build.


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KenLee

WKR
Joined
Jun 9, 2021
Messages
2,667
Location
South Carolina
That maven 1.2 is going to be my next scope. If I could eliminate the illumination just the shave some weight and bulk of the scope it would be perfect.


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Eliminate the illumination and you can't see the reticle unless you crank magnification up.
 
Joined
Aug 10, 2015
Messages
2,850
Eliminate the illumination and you can't see the reticle unless you crank magnification up.

I haven't gotten mine mounted on a rifle yet, but I can see the reticle fine at all powers.

At minimum power, it's basically a duplex and you're probably not using the sub tensions below 6x anyway.

I would also eliminate the illumination, given the option.
 

KenLee

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Joined
Jun 9, 2021
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Location
South Carolina
I haven't gotten mine mounted on a rifle yet, but I can see the reticle fine at all powers.

At minimum power, it's basically a duplex and you're probably not using the sub tensions below 6x anyway.

I would also eliminate the illumination, given the option.
Get out in low light and see how you like the reticle at minimum magnification
 

Sundodger

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
May 7, 2013
Messages
211
Location
Washington
Vortex viper hd 3-15x44 BDC reticles seems like a really good hunting scope.
I was interested in that scope as well, ended up going with the Razor LHT 3-15 because of reticle thickness. I have an older Viper HS thats been pretty good to me, but I don't like how thin the subtensions are, the updated Viper I think they swung to far the other direction and now they are too thick.
 

dfschell

FNG
Joined
Apr 3, 2024
Messages
14
The perfect rifle scope is probably the one you can afford.

Rifle Scopes have come along way.
Many known hunters used straight 4x and 6x scopes
Then the variables came along 3-9x and 2x-7x
Now it seems the upper end keeps reaching new ranges.
 

basdpikl

FNG
Joined
Dec 22, 2024
Messages
15
The perfect rifle scope is probably the one you can afford.

Rifle Scopes have come along way.
Many known hunters used straight 4x and 6x scopes
Then the variables came along 3-9x and 2x-7x
Now it seems the upper end keeps reaching new ranges.

That was the beauty of the Leupold VX 3 it was reliable and durable for a good price. Now with the HD models the price has crept up and they aren’t reliable at all from what I’ve read. Maybe swfa has kind of filled that void? I just learned about them when I joined this forum recently.


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Joined
Mar 25, 2013
Messages
668
Location
Alberta
perfect scope for an 'individual' (eyes aging perhaps?) AND a rifle system and cartridge and range capability?...

easy peasy, hardly any variables to consider in there

however, I think I found the holy grail setup for my holy grail rifle and my aging eyes not wanting to rely on readers if I don't have to while hunting...this led me on a quest to try a few things out, seeing focusable ballistic solution within a sig kilo6k bino...kickstarted the party, immediately knew focusable reticle would have to be the yin to that yang

holy grail rifle being a gp set up on 20" sako 90 peak 308 that likes 168 eldm and is limited into midrange with a guy who doesn't care to go further than 4-500 max on big game and needs readers now for the little stuff up close but nothing else and doesn't want to have to rely on readers while hunting...

goal became focusable solution within ballistic bino and focusable solution in scope, no in-between steps as it turns out is also very quick..

landed on nx8 1-8x f1 capped dmx as the perfect scope for the guy and the particular rifle system and it's range potentials, more gp setup with ability to stretch than anything else and very light/compact system, so the scope is as perfect as I could find to match the rifle, landing on ffp mil was forced as only option to get the durability, compactness and feature set I wanted (capped), good hunt reticle and mag range for 308, the scope versatility is high, like two optics in one, a red dot at one end to 8x tree at the other end, easily usable around the middle without thinking about illumination, 5-8x tree is usable, half mil hash simplicity and even numbers in reticle make quick referencing

been shooting it to 635 and trueing and getting used to new to me reticle and ffp, it doesn't take long to get the hang of it, sig kilo6k 8x32 feeds it, and scope rides in mountaintech mediums, 7 lbs all up with mkm bubble level, 40" long

so I think it's a holy grail scope for this holy grail rifle system and driver, the yin to this 308's yang

I'd want ~12x top end for playing 800 or beyond with a cm instead of the 308 porkchop footballs, but pretty much same everything else feature set if I could find it. I don't generally want what most here do though. Only hunt and primarily meat only care these days and no desire to do it on big game past about 3/4 second tofs, but have some ability to scare hung up coyotes and play further for fun at the range or random rocks to keep practiced enough with it.

so really, a few heavier longer 34mm options out there but glad this 30mm is out there as it's the right size and mag range for this particular set up, i don't think there is anything else currently available in its class, I guess if it were .1 mil/click that would make it perfect perfect like the attack but was able to get zero almost where I wanted at 200...205 is where it landed and lucky on l to r but .2/click doable for actual intended use and goals, just be a little easier to fine tune the precision end and true with .1/click, that's all I could see for a beneficial change to this 99.8% perfect optic
 
Last edited:

Dobermann

WKR
Joined
Sep 17, 2016
Messages
2,047
Location
EnZed
Anyone have any luck with Burris scopes?
Why need luck when you can have reliability?

But, yes, I'd love to see the new top-tier Burris tested also, if for no other reason than they're marketing hard to the PRS crowd. If it fails, then there we go again. And if it passes, everyone wins.
 
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