What calibers and scopes would you choose?

[Angelo_orygun]

This is a fantastic thread! It’s Friday, and I’m already daydreaming so I’ll opine.

22LR for the reasons already mentioned, and my Son can shoot.

223. Cheap practice and can hunt little stuff with. Scope would be a ZEISS 4-16 V4

458 Lott. With a Swaro Z6i for the stuff that stomps and bites.

300 Win. for the PG barrel. ZEISS 2-12 V6. Or…do I want a 7 REM…

Iron sights on all.

Also would be on a Luxus, with upgraded wood and custom side plates.

 

[Vinootz]

I didn’t mention chambering. Here goes:
22lr ,.223,30-06,.416 Rigby(or .404 Jeffrey).
Or four eastern hemisphere equivalents that our brothers and sisters use.

 

[CombatEngineer]

.22LR, 6.5 Creedmoor, 300 RUM, 375 H&H (Tikka, Blaser)

Vortex Razor LHT 4.5-22, Trijicon Accupoint, Leica Magnus 2.4-16, Swarovski Z8i 1-8

 

[dchamp]

DCHAMP, if you could pick only one, do you like the Z8i 1.7-13.3 or the Z8i 1-8 better? Does the 1.7x make quite a difference compared to 1x on close shots?

I hadn’t thought much about that but after looking at a pair of trees across the street I think I would go with the 1-8. I’m guessing the trees are about 8-10’ apart with trunks about 16-18”s in diameter. I ranged them at 50yds. The 1-8 I put the vertical cross hair on the center of one trunk and the horizontal post was on the outside edge of the other tree. The 1.7-13.3 went from the center of one to inside the other by about two feet.

Hope that wasn’t too confusing.

 

[jcnelsn1]

I went with a .223, .300 win mag and .375 H&H. I put leupold vx6hd 2-12s on each barrel.

 

[K95]

You have a nice kit there, one could hunt the world over. Just one thing, perhaps a smaller caliber than the 300 win for hunting smaller deer, sheep and goat. I use a 25 Weatherby but any 6.5 or 270 or what ever floats your boat.

 

[K95]

I hadn’t thought much about that but after looking at a pair of trees across the street I think I would go with the 1-8. I’m guessing the trees are about 8-10’ apart with trunks about 16-18”s in diameter. I ranged them at 50yds. The 1-8 I put the vertical cross hair on the center of one trunk and the horizontal post was on the outside edge of the other tree. The 1.7-13.3 went from the center of one to inside the other by about two feet.

Hope that wasn’t too confusing.

Most of my hunting scopes start at 1.7 power and I have never found my self in a situation where I was left wanting a wider field of view. The 1-8 Swaro is a lovely scope but so is the 1.7 to 13.3 . You won’t be sorry with either. I’d use the 1.7 up to and including the 375 over that caliber I would go with the 1-8. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Phil Giordano]

243 Win - any variable up to 12X
7 Rem Mag - scope as above
338 Win - any variable up to 8 or 10
416 Rem - 1/4 or 1/6

I prefer scopes with a bell no more than 42, as I like a low mount.
That would be my battery for everything.

 

[BeeMaa]

DCHAMP, if you could pick only one, do you like the Z8i 1.7-13.3 or the Z8i 1-8 better? Does the 1.7x make quite a difference compared to 1x on close shots?

Thanks much!

Jeff

My wife and I have the following...
Swaro Z8i 1-8x24 on my 375H&H
Swaro Z8i 1.7-13.3x42 on her 375H&H
Swaro Z8i 2-16x50 on her 300WM

There is a significant difference between the 1.7x and true 1x on the two 375's. Enough that I would not let her hunt DG in thick brush with that scope installed. She could use it for an initial shot at distances from 25 to 50 yards, but would need to remove it and switch to iron sights if moving into the jess. In all likelihood, she'd only be using the 375 for Giraffe and in that case it's a good combination of caliber and scope for her. She's not really interested in hunting DG. She just told me that if I were hunting DG, she would have the 375 without the scope as we stalked. She likes to be involved in all the hunting. I know...I have a keeper.

 

[jcnelsn1]

You have a nice kit there, one could hunt the world over. Just one thing, perhaps a smaller caliber than the 300 win for hunting smaller deer, sheep and goat. I use a 25 Weatherby but any 6.5 or 270 or what ever floats your boat.

I was thinking a 6.5 PRC one day. Mainly because I understand that caliber uses the same magnum bolt face as the .300 and .375. This particular setup was purpose built for my first trip to Africa next year for a mixed bag. The thing I love most about it is being able to get in trigger time with .223 while having the same stock, handling, trigger pull, scope picture, etc as the bigger calibers.

 

[bowjijohn]

On the R8, I have the RD 20 (red dot) and a swaro z8i 2 -16 x 50

on my Mauser 98 in 9.3 I have a S&B 1.25 - 4 x 20 and a swaro habicht 3 - 12 x 50 (non illuminated)

All have iron sights too

I’d like the swaro z8i 1 - 8 x 24 but it is a lot of money and I’m not sure there is a gap that it would fill

 

[BeeMaa]

I was thinking a 6.5 PRC one day. Mainly because I understand that caliber uses the same magnum bolt face as the .300 and .375. This particular setup was purpose built for my first trip to Africa next year for a mixed bag. The thing I love most about it is being able to get in trigger time with .223 while having the same stock, handling, trigger pull, scope picture, etc as the bigger calibers.

6.5PRC takes the standard (ST) bolt head. The 300WM and 375H&H both use the magnum (MA) bolt head.

If you want something near a 6.5PRC in a MA bolt head...may I suggest a 257WBY, 270WBY or 7mmRM.

 

[nomspc]

What I actually have:

.308, 20”, Swaro Z8i 1-8X
.280 AI, Swaro Z5i 3.5-18X44
300WM, Leupold VX6HD 2-12X42
.375 H&H, Swaro Z6i 1-6X

Since I do all my NA hunting with either the .308 or the 300WM, I’ve got the 280 AI up for sale. Not sure if I’ll get a 4th caliber again or what it might be.

 

[RTG]

Here is a question that might create a discussion.
If you were going to purchase a new Blaser R8 and could afford 4 barrels and scopes, to do all your hunting with, what calibers and scopes would you choose?

I started with 300WM and 375HH. Paired both to Swarovski Z8i optics for great low light visibility.

Love the platform so much that I want to use it more often. Now adding a short 308 barrel for the long hikes in the trees, and a match 338 Lapua barrel for long range shooting. Will use US Optics FDN 25 5-25x52 on the Lapua. Haven’t chosen an optic for the 308 yet

 

[BeeMaa]

What I actually have:

.308, 20”, Swaro Z8i 1-8X
.280 AI, Swaro Z5i 3.5-18X44
300WM, Leupold VX6HD 2-12X42
.375 H&H, Swaro Z6i 1-6X

Since I do all my NA hunting with either the .308 or the 300WM, I’ve got the 280 AI up for sale. Not sure if I’ll get a 4th caliber again or what it might be.

257WBY with the Swaro Z5i 3.5-18x44 from the 280AI would be sweet.

 

[jcnelsn1]

6.5PRC takes the standard (ST) bolt head. The 300WM and 375H&H both use the magnum (MA) bolt head.

If you want something near a 6.5PRC in a MA bolt head...may I suggest a 257WBY, 270WBY or 7mmRM.

I have never investigated it more closely I just noticed this comment in the notes on the 6.5 PRC

 

[dchamp]

I can’t expand your jpeg @jcneisn1 to see what it says but SAAMI says it is .532” and that would be a magnum bolt head for the R8.

 

[CombatEngineer]

My wife and I have the following...
Swaro Z8i 1-8x24 on my 375H&H
Swaro Z8i 1.7-13.3x42 on her 375H&H
Swaro Z8i 2-16x50 on her 300WM

There is a significant difference between the 1.7x and true 1x on the two 375's. Enough that I would not let her hunt DG in thick brush with that scope installed. She could use it for an initial shot at distances from 25 to 50 yards, but would need to remove it and switch to iron sights if moving into the jess. In all likelihood, she'd only be using the 375 for Giraffe and in that case it's a good combination of caliber and scope for her. She's not really interested in hunting DG. She just told me that if I were hunting DG, she would have the 375 without the scope as we stalked. She likes to be involved in all the hunting. I know...I have a keeper.

Appreciate your feedback, that's exactly what I was looking for thank you. Sounds like you have a great wife, enjoy your hunting!
Jeff