Wondering who has just lived with having a heavy scope on a light weight rifle?

[Elite]

I recently upgraded the scope on my ultralight rifle to a Leica amplus 6 3-18x44. The scope weighs 24oz on my scale. I wanted a reliable scope that would dial repeatedly and RTZ. I like to shoot long range while I am at the gun range and have shot sheep at 500 yards when there was no other option to get closer.

I had a leupold CDS and it gave me a lot of issues with dialling. The weight was awesome but a lightweight scope designed to dial seems non existent. Now this new scope seems to make it feel too heavy and a bit awkward then how it uses to feel. Wondering if anyone has gotten used to that weight up there or any suggestions? The scope is returnable if need be.


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[Wrench]

A light rifle with a bias to balance behind the front action screw simply doesn't work for me. I am more worried about balance than overall weight.

 

[BRTreedogs]

What good is a light scope thats not reliable?
Got to what ya got to do.
You'll forget about it.

 

[Elite]

What good is a light scope thats not reliable?
Got to what ya got to do.
You'll forget about it.

That’s what I am thinking. Learned the hard way on the CDS dial system


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[CHMD]

When you say ultralight, how much does your rifle weigh?

For my lightest rifle set up to dial and shoot accurately at long distance I used a March 3-24 that weighs about 21oz. The rifle w/o scope weighs 6lb 7oz. Seems perfect to me, but you’re probably talking a lighter rifle.

I do agree with BRTreedogs that the weight is worth it if saving weight sacrifices ability to track accurately and reliably.

 

[Turkeygetpwnd38]

I have a 30oz NF on a 5.5lbs gun. I get a light gun so it’ll be reasonable weight with reliable scope/suppressor.
NF 2.5-10 would drop a few more oz and still be reliable.

 

[Samson7x]

I went with an NXS 2-10 to have light AND reliable.

 

[Diced]

Last year i switched from Leupold to Nightforce. I notice the weight difference when the rifle is in my hands but when it's riding on my pack I forget about it.

 

[Dgregory]

I wondered about this same issue and ended up sticking with a lighter weight (15oz) Leupold (with CDS). All of the other options I was looking at were about 8-9oz heavier and that weighted heavily on my decision. My bare rifle is 5.5lbs by the way.


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[6.5Express]

My Kimber subalpine 280 ack started life with me under a lightweight 4-12 leupold. About 5 or 6 years ago, it got a nightforce shv 3-10. While the scope weighs significantly more than the first, the overall balance and "shootability" of the package improved dramatically.

Ive been all over the board from an 11 lb long range rifle with a 27" sendero contour and 6.5-20x50mm tube down to the kimber mentioned above. For me, a balanced rifle that weighs between 7 and 8 lbs all up is my happy place currently.

 

[KenLee]

5.5 pound 308 with 26 oz Leica ER5 swings well.

 

[RS3579]

You have to trust your optics. Doesn’t matter if it’s a lighter or heavier scope. Make your decision off of the trust factor.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Have you perused the scope field evaluations on the long range subforum? If not, they're worth looking at as you make your decision.

 

[Elite]

Have you perused the scope field evaluations on the long range subforum? If not, they're worth looking at as you make your decision.

I definitely have spent some time reading the reviews. Wish there was one on the Leica.

 

[Elite]

5.5 pound 308 with 26 oz Leica ER5 swings well.

How has that Leica performed?

 

[KenLee]

How has that Leica performed?

Was my favorite scope by far until I bought a Magnus.
Holds zero, works well in low light, and eyebox is great.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

I definitely have spent some time reading the reviews. Wish there was one on the Leica.

There's definitely a performance trend for the scopes that do not heavily feature impact testing in their marketing

 

[KenLee]

I definitely have spent some time reading the reviews. Wish there was one on the Leica.

It will do fine. I'm clumsy as heck and beat on/drop my Leicas more often than any semi-responsible human should.

 

[Axlrod]

I had a somewhat light rifle built in order to put a NF ATACR on it. The extra weight in my scope is directly proportional to the weight OFF my mind, not having to worry about my scope doing its job.

 

[WeiserBucks]

I use a ZCO 420 for all my hunting and shooting, I don't know or care how heavy it is or isn't.