Advice needed for a new rifle scope

[rnovi]

Scopes drive me batty as all heck. I can never quite make my mind up. A decent lighted ret scope is going to be 18 oz+ and be a 30mm body. Heavy in so many ways. And then there's the question of what makes a GOOD hunting scope.

One of my favorite scopes is a Leupold fx3 6x42 with the LR dot reticle. At 11oz it's light, has great glass, the dots are perfectly set for shots out to 500 yards without the need for a turret. I've tested it to 500 and it is right on the money, each and every time. Moreover, it's simple. There are no adjustments to screw with: point, put it on the shoulder and shoot. That, and it's really an elegantly pretty scope.

But then I want that exact same scope to be lighted...and I'm pushed into a 30mm tube and it weights half a pound more with bigger rings. And I want better glass - not that it's ever made a single bit of difference in my hunting. That fx3 is plenty bright to well beyond legal limits. Pick do lose the reticle when it's truly dark out.

So I find myself wanting TWO scopes. One for the range...with higher power and one for the hunt that's lighter and simpler.

Honestly, it's the weight that gets me more than anything else. That, and for whatever useless reason my eyes like Leica glass just that hair more...but again, it's never caused me to have to pass on a shot.

And I've not found the 6x limiting on game to 400 yards. The bigger deal is getting steady enough.

I do love the leupold lr dot reticle. It's so easy to use and not busy. Add a lighted dot and it might be as perfect as it gets. But then it's not that great Leica glass.

I'm really not helping this conversation at all, am I?

Everything is about personal taste at just that right moment...

 

[rnovi]

Oh, forgot to add. Unless you're hunting leopard you probably aren't going to be doing much hunting in low light in Africa. The purpose of the e-dot is to make target acquisition that much faster and more precise under hunting conditions. And to that end it works a charm.

On the other hand it is "just one more thing" to go wrong...

 

[aknome]

What do you folks think of the Leupold VX-6 1-6x24 ? I'm trying to pick the "perfect" scope for my 375.

 

[rnovi]

What do you folks think of the Leupold VX-6 1-6x24 ? I'm trying to pick the "perfect" scope for my 375.

I put one on my wife's Merkel K1 Stutzen in 7x57r, circle e-dot version. That's a heckuva scope. Eye relief is great, the color rendition is very neutral, scope adjustment clicks are nice and positive and the power ring isn't too stiff or too loose.

I like the auto-off/on feature of the reticle. It shuts off automatically if it's left on for too long or is sitting in a vertical position. Pick it up and it automatically turns back on. Just lovely.

I haven't ordered the CDS for it yet as I've still been figuring out an optimal load. It's been shooting 162gr Hornady SST factory loads into a sub 1" group at 100 yards and my beloved has no problem ringing 200 and 300 yard steel with it. That's using the 4x setting...

1x is truly 1x, both eyes open e-dot shooting.

I'm seriously considering a 2-12 #4 version with the LR plex for one of my rifles.

IMO, the euro glass is a smidgen better...but Leupold really got the reticle subtensions right. It's the best reticle for overall use in terms of thickness I've used.

 

[JGRaider]

Gotta agree movi.....FX3's are super, and the VX6's are too. I've got 200 rounds or so through my CDS rigged 2-12x42. When the wind cooperates, hitting targets from 200 out to 900yds and everything in between is almost cheating. Adjustments are very repeatable and accurate.