Combo plains game and Dangerous Game scope

[Rule 303]

As for magnification for shooting at distance how did our forefathers manage 200 to 1000 yard shots (the 1000mt shots at targets) with open sights, our eyes must be failing us.

I my younger day when I had excellent vision I would use an Aimpoint out to 500 mts, it was mounted on a 35Whelen. I could most likely still do it, but certainly not as accurately as I did. To me the magnification is good for long shots now. Also for seeing through bush. On my 416Rigby I have an Aimpoint and Trijacon 1.5-4X25, picket post reticle, all you need for picking a line through bush at DG distances. Works alright on plains game out to 400 for me. Yes, the 10-power area is good for small targets at range.

 

[Ridge Runner]

As for magnification for shooting at distance how did our forefathers manage 200 to 1000 yard shots (the 1000mt shots at targets) with open sights, our eyes must be failing us.

I my younger day when I had excellent vision I would use an Aimpoint out to 500 mts, it was mounted on a 35Whelen. I could most likely still do it, but certainly not as accurately as I did. To me the magnification is good for long shots now. Also for seeing through bush. On my 416Rigby I have an Aimpoint and Trijacon 1.5-4X25, picket post reticle, all you need for picking a line through bush at DG distances. Works alright on plains game out to 400 for me. Yes, the 10-power area is good for small targets at range.

As for magnification for shooting at distance how did our forefathers manage 200 to 1000 yard shots (the 1000mt shots at targets) with open sights, our eyes must be failing us.

.
.....Really?!.....Seriously?!....or Rhetorical question?...

Those rifleman/ women who had renoun shooting abilities of their respective eras only had one firearm. One caliber. And that firearm was a Do All.

You have opened.......or rather given the opportunity to those..... of the mindset on the pros and cons of the one firearm shooter.

 

[Sheldor]

I had good luck with a Leupold VX-6 1-6x24 on my last buffalo hunt. Good bold reticle with daylight bright illumination and very good glass. Took 2 buffalo with it. Fairly light weight at about 15 ounces and true 1X for up close. It's a bit over your price range though.

I tried a Trijicon Credo 1-6x FFP before I got the Leupold but decided the illumination was not bright enough for me.

 

[Neophyte]

.
.....Really?!.....Seriously?!....or Rhetorical question?...

Those rifleman/ women who had renoun shooting abilities of their respective eras only had one firearm. One caliber. And that firearm was a Do All.

You have opened.......or rather given the opportunity to those..... of the mindset on the pros and cons of the one firearm shooter.

This is why I went with the .338 Win Mag for anything in the lower 48.
After moving to Alaska I switched to the .375 Ruger. Now that I’m back in the lower 48 I’m sticking with the .375 Ruger as I’m planning to hunt Africa in 2026 and beyond. The first trip will be for plains game but I have my sights set on a buffalo hunt in the future. One and done keeps things simple.

 

[Scott CWO]

When you go down to true 1x or close to it, it allows you to use binocular vision. That's one of the strongest benefits of a 1-6 or 1-8 versus a 1.7-X.

If I remember correctly, a 375HH with a 100 yard zero and a 300gr bullet has about 29" of drop at 350 yards and 43" at 400 yards? The firing solutions required to shoot farther are the limiting factor long before magnification zoom becomes the short leg on the stool.

In more than a dozen safaris and about 50 animals, shooting plains in the Tuli circle, velles near the Matopas, or hunting the beaches of the Zambezi valley for Waterbuck and Bushbuck, the longest shots I've ever encountered were 347 yards for a bushbuck, 231 yards for an impala, and roughly 250 yards for a Hyena. Loads of stuff in that 180 yard range, which of course was easy to accomplish at 4x zoom with great clarity in a good scope. (Klippspringers, Zebras, Steinboks, loads of impala, etc.)

The VX6 allows you to get a custom turret for those longer ranges. Just dial the yardage and shoot. If no time to range and dial, just know your ballistics.

 

[Rule 303]

.
.....Really?!.....Seriously?!....or Rhetorical question?...

Those rifleman/ women who had renoun shooting abilities of their respective eras only had one firearm. One caliber. And that firearm was a Do All.

You have opened.......or rather given the opportunity to those..... of the mindset on the pros and cons of the one firearm shooter.

Part in jest and part seriously. Some were not just a one gun type either. The serious side is to show that people can and do get carried away with magnification and often over scope their rifles. We also need to remember those shooting at long range in comps, Bisley etc, were shooting from very solid positions. Most probably a few of them trained using 22's to save money. Does not matter what distance the target is the sighting and shooting fundamentals remain the same.

 

[TERMINATOR]

I had good luck with a Leupold VX-6 1-6x24 on my last buffalo hunt. Good bold reticle with daylight bright illumination and very good glass. Took 2 buffalo with it. Fairly light weight at about 15 ounces and true 1X for up close. It's a bit over your price range though.

I tried a Trijicon Credo 1-6x FFP before I got the Leupold but decided the illumination was not bright enough for me.

That is a tremendous scope fir DG hunting

My .416 Rem wears it and I LOVE it

But it’s not a great scope if you are trying to shoot Impala at 300 yards. It can be done but it isn’t the best tool for the job on a combo DG/PG rifle

Which is what the OP asked about

The Leupold VX6HD 2x12 is a MUCH better scope for that

 

[Nhoro]

I firmly believe high magnification is the cause of more missed opportunities and poor shots than low magnification. You want to be on the sticks and on target in seconds. So field of view and low magnification are key. I want to see the front leg, back and head of the animal so that I can see if it is going to move and line my shot up with the leg and 1/3 up. High mag results in searching for the animal and whispers of I can't see it to your PH.

4x magnification is sufficient for hunting accuracy out to 400m. Crosshairs will cover less than 1/2 moa, so if they cover your target, you have no business taking that shot even at 50 m. The only time you need more than about 6x magnification is for target shooting.Yes i watch a couple of guys that shoot baboons at 600 + m on youtube but those guys are pretty specialized with guns and kit.

What Rookhawk says is correct about exit pupil, so most scopes will actually get dimmer at their top end magnification.

My advice is to go to your local range and ask a few guys to look through their scopes. Go put up a 3 inch target inside an 8 or 10 inch target at 50 to 400 m and see what it looks like at various magnifications.

My choice would be 1 to 6 or 8 with a red dot.

 

[petander]

I wish more manufactures made 1" tube scopes. Thick 34 mm tubes only offer a wider adjustment range,they do NOT "let more light through". Marketing talks. Big bulky scopes everywhere.

I'm trying to decide what to put on "almost my" Sako 375. Just waiting for paperwork. I may well end up with my old 1" B.Nickel 1-4 with german #4 reticle. Again. It has been on numerous rifles in 30 years or so. Had it serviced a couple of times,nitrogen refill & check. It has no vision disturbing "black ring" either.

Shoots 300 m just fine -and my limit will be 200-250 max with a 375. Heck I shoot a 45-70 with Aimpoint, moving moose target @ 100 m. 4x at 200 is twice that magnification.

Use binoculars to observe surroundings,not the riflescope.

 

[TERMINATOR]

I wish more manufactures made 1" tube scopes. Thick 34 mm tubes only offer a wider adjustment range,they do NOT "let more light through". Marketing talks. Big bulky scopes everywhere.

I'm trying to decide what to put on "almost my" Sako 375. Just waiting for paperwork. I may well end up with my old 1" B.Nickel 1-4 with german #4 reticle. Again. It has been on numerous rifles in 30 years or so. Had it serviced a couple of times,nitrogen refill & check. It has no vision disturbing "black ring" either.

Shoots 300 m just fine -and my limit will be 200-250 max with a 375. Heck I shoot a 45-70 with Aimpoint, moving moose target @ 100 m. 4x at 200 is twice that magnification.

Use binoculars to observe surroundings,not the riflescope.

Leupold VX3 1x5 is a very good option w a 1" Tube
I used this scope to kill my first Cape Buffalo. It is on the .375 Win 70 Super Express in my profile pic

VX-3HD 1.5-5x20 CDS-ZL Duplex

The VX®-3HD 1.5-5x20mm delivers legendary performance and extreme clarity in an incredibly tough, lightweight package. It's the perfect workhorse for those close to mid-range shots.

www.leupold.com

Ultimately I moved up to a .416 Rem on a Win 70 Safari Express and put the VX6 1x6 with Firedot on it.

 

[skydiver386]

I respect the opinions of many experienced hunters here, but I think there needs to be some clarity of what constitutes a plains game rifle, a heavy game rifle, a dangerous game rifle, and a stopping rifle.

On lighter rifles with less recoil, a 2-12X may be a great option. On a harder recoiling rifle in .458 and up, that same scope will buy you a few stitches if you aren't careful. It will also be harder to keep a heavier scope from sliding in the rings upon recoil.

Quality rings can only go so far in keeping a heavy scope in place on a hard kicker. I've seen light mountain rifles in magnum calibers, hand cannons and DG rifles that required 3 or even 4 Weaver type rings to keep a heavy scope from slipping in the rings. Larger and heavier scopes exacerbate the problem.

Seems to me that many are not comparing apples to oranges, but an apple orange hybrid capable of plains game(Impala and Tinies), heavy game(Eland), dangerous game(Cape Buffalo). While it's certainly possible to bag all of the above with a .375 H&H, a stout recoiling .458 Winchester would take things out of this category for a multitude of reasons, it's slow velocity and arching trajectory being #1. It's also not likely anyone would take this rifle out of it's case to try a 400 yard prone shot on a PG animal.

If you are planning to build and scope a rifle to do everything in Africa, then call it a hybrid or multi use rifle, or whatever title you decide, but to my mind, it's no longer a DG rifle. I'm not saying it's wrong, as a matter of fact its probably the smart thing.

What I'm saying is another term should be applied to avoid confusion.

 

[TERMINATOR]

I respect the opinions of many experienced hunter here, but I think there needs to be some clarity of what constitutes a plains game rifle, a heavy game rifle, a dangerous game rifle, and a stopping rifle.

On lighter rifles with less recoil, a 2-12X may be a great option. On a harder recoiling rifle in .458 and up, that same scope will buy you a few stitches if you aren't careful. It will also be harder to keep a heavier scope from sliding in the rings upon recoil.

Quality rings can only go so far in keeping a heavy scope in place on a hard kicker. I've seen light mountain rifles in magnum calibers, hand cannons and DG rifles that required 3 or even 4 Weaver type rings to keep a heavy scope from slipping in the rings. Larger and heavier scope exacerbate the problem.

Seems to me that many are not comparing apples to oranges, but an apple orange hybrid capable of both plains game(Impala and Tinies), heavy game(Eland), dangerous game(Cape Buffalo). While it's certainly possible to bag all of the above with a .375 H&H, a stout recoiling .458 Winchester would take things out of this category for a multitude of reasons, it's slow velocity and arching trajectory being #1. It's also not likely anyone would take this rifle out of it's case to try a 400 yard prone shot on a PG animal.

If you are planning to build and scope a rifle to do everything in Africa, then call it a hybrid or multi use rifle, or whatever title you decide, but to my mind, it's no longer a DG rifle. I'm not saying it's wrong, as a matter of fact its probably the smart thing.

What I'm saying is another term should be applied to avoid confusion.

All that said...this post is about what optic to put on a .375 to be used on DG and PG not about what scope to put on a .458

So that is what people that are actually answering the question posed by the OP are responding to....not what optics should be put on a .458 on up

What optics to put on a .458 would be a different thread topic right?

My answer would be completely different then....but I am focusing on answering the OPs question not giving general thoughts about optics on random large caliber rifles from .458 on up

 

[Neophyte]

I respect the opinions of many experienced hunters here, but I think there needs to be some clarity of what constitutes a plains game rifle, a heavy game rifle, a dangerous game rifle, and a stopping rifle.

On lighter rifles with less recoil, a 2-12X may be a great option. On a harder recoiling rifle in .458 and up, that same scope will buy you a few stitches if you aren't careful. It will also be harder to keep a heavier scope from sliding in the rings upon recoil.

Quality rings can only go so far in keeping a heavy scope in place on a hard kicker. I've seen light mountain rifles in magnum calibers, hand cannons and DG rifles that required 3 or even 4 Weaver type rings to keep a heavy scope from slipping in the rings. Larger and heavier scopes exacerbate the problem.

Seems to me that many are not comparing apples to oranges, but an apple orange hybrid capable of plains game(Impala and Tinies), heavy game(Eland), dangerous game(Cape Buffalo). While it's certainly possible to bag all of the above with a .375 H&H, a stout recoiling .458 Winchester would take things out of this category for a multitude of reasons, it's slow velocity and arching trajectory being #1. It's also not likely anyone would take this rifle out of it's case to try a 400 yard prone shot on a PG animal.

If you are planning to build and scope a rifle to do everything in Africa, then call it a hybrid or multi use rifle, or whatever title you decide, but to my mind, it's no longer a DG rifle. I'm not saying it's wrong, as a matter of fact its probably the smart thing.

What I'm saying is another term should be applied to avoid confusion.

I have a .375 Ruger at the Gunsmith right now.
It’s my one and done rifle for anything I care to hunt from Wyoming antelope on up to Brown Bears and Cape Buffalo.
I want to take a Kudu, Gemsbok, Nyala and a Wildebeest too. I prefer having one general purpose rifle to do everything with.

 

[TERMINATOR]

I have a .375 Ruger at the Gunsmith right now.
It’s my one and done rifle for anything I care to hunt from Wyoming antelope on up to Brown Bears and Cape Buffalo.
I want to take a Kudu, Gemsbok, Nyala and a Wildebeest too. I prefer having one general purpose rifle to do everything with.

And a .375 (Ruger or H&H) with the correct optic is about the only caliber out there that can do everything you mentioned.

And the correct optic to do all that has more than 5x or 6x magnification. And I know you can shoot a 10x or 12x optic on a .375 H&H without getting a "scope tattoo"". I know, because I do it.

If you want to discuss how I do it PM me

 

[Neophyte]

And a .375 (Ruger or H&H) with the correct optic is about the only caliber out there that can do everything you mentioned.

And the correct optic to do all that has more than 5x or 6x magnification. And I know you can shoot a 10x or 12x optic on a .375 H&H without getting a "scope tattoo"". I know, because I do it.

If you want to discuss how I do it PM me

PM inbound.

 

[dogcat1]

I have that exact set up. I chose and use a Swarovski Z6i 1.7-10x42 with turrets. I have used this on over 10 Africa hunts with no issues. Turrets are rarely needed except on a long range (350 yards) for a baboon high in a tree. With that nice of a rifle, use a great scope and do not scrimp on optics.

 

[RichieG]

That is a tremendous scope fir DG hunting

My .416 Rem wears it and I LOVE it

But it’s not a great scope if you are trying to shoot Impala at 300 yards. It can be done but it isn’t the best tool for the job on a combo DG/PG rifle

Which is what the OP asked about

The Leupold VX6HD 2x12 is a MUCH better scope for that

Finding a "one gun to do it all"means you will compromise either on nyati up close and personal or on the 300 yard impala shot. My preference (ie for me not anyone else) would be to have something that's perfect for DG and get a bit closer for PG if it feels too far.

A 375 with a 270 TSX doing 2650fps zeroed at 175m drops 39cm at 300m
A 404J with a 400gr SAF doing 2280fps zeroed at 160m drops 39cm at 270m - so not a lot in it.

So of course more magnification can help sometimes and Leopold Vortex Swaro etc all make brilliant scopes.

The rationale for me has a few inputs:

• DG are more likely to kill so focus on your set up for that;
• if 300m is too far for your magnification or shooting ability (It is a pretty long way off sticks for most of us), get a little closer.
• Knowing my drop is much more important to me than having more magnification.

But like choosing cars, there are a lot of opinions!-choose the one you like and enjoy the hunt!

 

[DLSJR]

My 375 H&H is topped with a Leupold VX5 in 2-10x42, with a CDS turret and Firedot. It’s an excellent scope and I find the Firedot to be a game changer for rapid target acquisition as well as low light conditions. That red dot on a black buffalo in deep shade or low light makes a huge difference compared to a regular black reticle.

I like the VX5 2-10 for all around use, so both my 338 & 375 are topped with this scope. My 416 has a VX5 in 1-5x and my 264 wears the same scope in 3-15x. All have CDS turrets and Firedot.