Let us know how you like it once you get it mounted and shoot it.
IT AINT what ya shoot--its how ya shoot it. NONE of us are as smart as ALL of us! The more I travel, the more I like right where I am.
huntinlever where are you located?
I am in Sun Prairie
Hit em'hard
hit em'often
Less expensive scopes work until they don’t.
More expensive scopes can fail too, but may be less likely to fail.
I have fired a .338 WM, and it has a lot of recoil. On an important hunt, a better quality scope would be prudent.
One option is to purchase a used scope if funds are limited.
Don Verna
When my Nikon failed after being dropped, I purchased a Vortex Viper I got on sale. I would not put a less expensive scope on a hunting rifle. It has good clarity and tracks accurately.
I do not have any experience with other decent scopes to give you direction. I would PM Larry Gibson and tap his experience. He has decades of experience and has done “serious work”.
Good luck.
Don Verna
I’ve used Leupold scopes since the early 70’s and only had one problem and that was with one thatI bought used from my buddy that owns a pawn shop. He had a 3 X9 VarX II that was mounted on a 10/22 he had for sale. After winning our normal coin flip price negation processI bought it for $100. I had just swapped for a new Winchester Model 70 featherweight that needed a good scope so I installed the VarX II. As it turned out the gun didn’t want to hold zero. I blamed the rifle and foolishly traded it off. I just knew it couldn’t be a problem with a Leupold. Unfortunately when I put the scope on old reliable 7 mag it was obvious that the scope was the problem. I sent it to Leupold and they fixed whatever was wrong and the scope’s been flawless ever since. However I probably sent a fine rifle “down the line” for no reason. My fault for assuming.
Leupold scopes, like the .30/06 are never a mistake.
Liberalism is a cult divorced from reality.
I would second Don's caution. The 'rule' is to spend as much or more on the scope as you do the rifle. I might add in that the more you are spending on the hunt the more you should spend on the rifle/scope. Then the recoil factor and you should probably spend as much as you can afford on the scope, or, as Dan suggested, look for a good used one.
When I hunted I never had the money for good rifles or scopes, but, I wasn't going far to hunt and if the gun failed I just went home. Given that, I never had a gun or scope fail. My most used scope was a Tasco, bought at a Kmart for $25 (early 1980's). That scope survived two rifles and two inline muzzle loaders and never missed a beat. A relative still has it on his muzzle loader.
Would I recommend a cheap scope on a heavy recoil rifle on an expensive cross-country or other country hunting trip? Not. Might have one like it as a backup though. But, I'd probably have a second rifle on the trip with me as well.
Apologies for the late reply all. Thanks for the posts. I hear you. I can just see finally heading out to MT or CO, and find my scope has tanked in the field. We do have a few years out so given finances, we'll have to plan accordingly. Until then we track in our northern bigger woods, and my gg is all I use. Though we will also have the chance to do an antlerless hunt in more open terrain and for that I would like to break out the .338 WM.
-Paul
And if you can't afford a second rifle then carry a second scope. Pic rails are good for that.
Just confirming you mean, a cheaper backup scope, right? I'll be carrying the 45-70, likely with its Leu FX II 2.5 x 20, and then this 338. I have time so it makes sense to save for the better scope on the 338. My instinct says go with the good optics and if for some reason the scope on one is iffy, I have the other rifle (though each is better suited to its terrain).
-Paul
That is a good choice.
And, yes, I meant a cheaper scope. But, if you are taking two rifles all the better. Spend all the money on the one scope.
BP | Bronze Point | IMR | Improved Military Rifle | PTD | Pointed |
BR | Bench Rest | M | Magnum | RN | Round Nose |
BT | Boat Tail | PL | Power-Lokt | SP | Soft Point |
C | Compressed Charge | PR | Primer | SPCL | Soft Point "Core-Lokt" |
HP | Hollow Point | PSPCL | Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" | C.O.L. | Cartridge Overall Length |
PSP | Pointed Soft Point | Spz | Spitzer Point | SBT | Spitzer Boat Tail |
LRN | Lead Round Nose | LWC | Lead Wad Cutter | LSWC | Lead Semi Wad Cutter |
GC | Gas Check |