Rifle scope

[seek100plus]

This will be sweet and short . I want to get a new scope and hunter's know best ,I would like feed back on ,if you could buy a new scope .I would like to to know what would you buy and why?I have a 300 mag and plan on shootig far , what would you buy. I have a 3.5 x 10x 40 mm , this works , but I would like to shoot 400 plus and zoom in on my target, also I would like to buy turrents , to make my shot , what works best as a match ?I will let ,you know , I will take your advice and purchase the scope that is highly rated to take the the shot !

[jnobleinaz]

I usually dont like to post on equipment because everyone seems to be an expert on here now. But I did a lot of research before I just bought my 300 win mag scope and I was in the same situation you were. 3x9-50mm existing scope. I went with a SWAROVSKI 6x18-50. I chose the BR reticle. This is a great formula. Unless you have a swarovski serial number you cannot enter into the software. When you enter into their system it asks you basic questions. What load, custom? Or factory ammo. They have all the ballistics for any ammo you can think of. Then you pick what elevation, temperature, and what yardage you want your zero. It takes all the custom information YOU have entered and gives you your shot placement within the reticle. Also the objective lens is adjustable and for longer than 225 yard shot it recommends using max power. What I love is the program lets YOU control the zero sight in. Which normally I have all my rifles sighted in at 200 yard zero. But with this program I chose 100 yard zero. Much easier and with the BR reticle my last crosshair is at 747 yards. Thats a good poke. The 200 yard zero had me at over 800 yards. I have a buddy of mine who spent a TON of money sending his rifle off to Wyoming to have turrets put on and custom ammo made for his rifle. Also he needed extra turrets for elevation changes. They have the scope I purchased for around $1200.00, my buddy spent almost $2000 and he has to use their custom ammo. The cartridge I use is a 150 grain Hornaday interbond factory ammo. If I want to change I can. Anyway just letting you know my choice. I dont expect you to do the same but at least check it out. I wish they would let people try the software before so you can see the difference. I know some other scopes have something similar but I went with a scope with solid glass and a great warranty. I know it is a good chunk of change but in the long run I believe I made a good choice.

[firstcoueswas80]

About 2 years ago, I started to get into the target turret game. At that time I bought a 4.5-14x50 Zeiss Conquest with target turrets. When I built my .257 wby, there was not doubt in my mind what scope I would go with. I bought a 4.5-14x44 Zeiss conquest. This scope did not come with turrets, but for $115 I sent it to Zeiss and they installed them for me. I know of a member that has 3 or 4 scopes identical to mine and his most recent purchase was the 4.5-14x44 and having turrets added.

 

IMO, 6, or 6.5 is too high for a scopes lowest setting. But, if the scope is only going to be used longer range hunting I guess it is OK. I had a 6.5-20 Leupold on my 30-06 and sent it back before I even shot the gun with that scope.

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

 

 

Huskamaw Optics!!!!! Dispite the "Nay sayers".... those guys at BOTW are great to work with and they know what they are talking about! They send you a scope... you mount it.... you pick or determine your load.... you do the required shooting and send them the datathey request.... they send you the custom turret calibraited for that round of ammo for your gun.... all included in the price of the scope! You can call them at anytime with questions and Arron or one of the other guys are always ready to help, and if you decide to change ammo..... just do the requires shooting again.... send them the required data and they will send you another turret and as many turrets as you want for a reasonable $$$$ amount!! I Love this scope on my 300 Wby mag.... it makes it fun to shoot, and very precise. It is set up for the sub-1000 yard hunter.... not for a target/bench shooter like most of the other scopes out there. Oh, and they are.... or were still cheaper than all or most of the comparable scopes on the market. Great product.... they make it easy on the hunter with limited time, too! The glass is clear and bright, it comes factory equipt with a zero-stop, the side paralax is sooo precise at 400+ that you could actually use it as a range finder, and like I said the customer service has been great with those guys.

 

Good Luck!

[TAM]

+1 for the Huskemaw Optics 5-20X50 with 30mm tube. As Gino mentioned the glass and quality are all top notch. This is the only scope that I'm aware of where you actually shoot and record data at long ranges. You then send the data into the factory and they create a dial that is specific to your rifle, caliber, load, bullet. As far as I know the others just use your bullets listed ballistic coeficient and muzzle velocity to create a drop chart/reticle. I also own a Ziess Conquest that is a very nice quality scope, but I have to look at a drop chart that is taped to the rifle stock and then count clicks. With the Huskemaw all you do is range your target and dial in the yardage to your turrets. It's very accurate because you provided real life shooting data from extended ranges. I'm very impressed with the Huskemaw shooting system. I'll be mounting it on a custom 300 RUM that should be done in the next month or so.

 

As with ANY turret system care will be necessary when you shoot in different temperatures and altitudes, as that will affect your POI and therefore you will need to compensate with more or less elevation.

 

For long range hunting purposes I couldn't find a quicker easier system.

[CouesWhitetail]

+1 for the Huskemaw Optics 5-20X50 with 30mm tube. As Gino mentioned the glass and quality are all top notch. This is the only scope that I'm aware of where you actually shoot and record data at long ranges. You then send the data into the factory and they create a dial that is specific to your rifle, caliber, load, bullet. As far as I know the others just use your bullets listed ballistic coeficient and muzzle velocity to create a drop chart/reticle. I also own a Ziess Conquest that is a very nice quality scope, but I have to look at a drop chart that is taped to the rifle stock and then count clicks. With the Huskemaw all you do is range your target and dial in the yardage to your turrets. It's very accurate because you provided real life shooting data from extended ranges. I'm very impressed with the Huskemaw shooting system. I'll be mounting it on a custom 300 RUM that should be done in the next month or so.

 

As with ANY turret system care will be necessary when you shoot in different temperatures and altitudes, as that will affect your POI and therefore you will need to compensate with more or less elevation.

 

For long range hunting purposes I couldn't find a quicker easier system.

 

 

 

I am looking to get a new scope, and looking to not spend a ton, so this is a great sounding option.

 

TAM you mentioned that diff temp and altitudes change the POI. How much will it change? Suppose I set the turrets from data at 3500 ft and then I go hunt at 6500. How different will it be?

 

Amanda

 

[BASS]

TAM you mentioned that diff temp and altitudes change the POI. How much will it change? Suppose I set the turrets from data at 3500 ft and then I go hunt at 6500. How different will it be?

 

Amanda

 

 

Well the higher you go, the less dense the air will be (thin air) so there will be less drag on the bullet (resistance) meaning that the bullet will travel farther than if it was at sea level.

 

 

 

That's a very basic explanation, and if you want to get really crazy about it... we can toss in the Coriolis Effect. More commonly known as the Earth's Rotation.

[scoutm]

I'm sure Huskemaw Optics makes a great product but I have to say I have a problem with their TV show. To me it appears they make no effort to close the distance to game just to show off their "long range shooting system". Many of the shots in my opinion are unethical to begin with but when coupled with the fact that they could have cut the distance in half with little effort makes it that much worse. How many times did things not go perfect and how many animals were wounded that we don't get to see - not necessarily by them but by the guys who buy their "system" . They make it look too easy and the average guy that shoots the weekend before the hunt ends up thinking he can make that shot - I know they say practice is critcal but I've never heard them say you should always attempt to close the distance first. I don't care how good the optics are or how much you pay for them cutting the distance will do more to ensure good shot placement than any scope. That said I have to admit I'm guilt of it - I have turrets on one of my scopes and I relied on them before without the appropriate practice and without trying to close the distance but I was fortunate - I had a clean miss and I learned my lesson - I won't be lobbing lead again without cutting the distance first.

 

For those wondering how I know I had a clean miss...first I had a spotter tell me I missed and secondly, after closing the distance, I successfully harvested the animal.

 

Sorry for highjacking the thread.

[jnobleinaz]

huskemaw is who my buddy went through and it took them 5 months to get his rifle back. The only thing is that if you do not reload your are stuck buying their rounds. he was not to happy with their service.

[jnobleinaz]

+1 for the Huskemaw Optics 5-20X50 with 30mm tube. As Gino mentioned the glass and quality are all top notch. This is the only scope that I'm aware of where you actually shoot and record data at long ranges. You then send the data into the factory and they create a dial that is specific to your rifle, caliber, load, bullet. As far as I know the others just use your bullets listed ballistic coeficient and muzzle velocity to create a drop chart/reticle. I also own a Ziess Conquest that is a very nice quality scope, but I have to look at a drop chart that is taped to the rifle stock and then count clicks. With the Huskemaw all you do is range your target and dial in the yardage to your turrets. It's very accurate because you provided real life shooting data from extended ranges. I'm very impressed with the Huskemaw shooting system. I'll be mounting it on a custom 300 RUM that should be done in the next month or so.

 

As with ANY turret system care will be necessary when you shoot in different temperatures and altitudes, as that will affect your POI and therefore you will need to compensate with more or less elevation.

 

For long range hunting purposes I couldn't find a quicker easier system.

The swaro system lets you input all those numbers you just said altitude temperature etc. In the end its all math. You can figure out on paper where your bullet will hit with a perfect squeeze.

[lefty]

i went with the swarovski 6x24x50 and the tds recticle on my 300 ultra mag. it's awesome. like the other guy said, you enter all your info on their website, and it tells you which crosshair hits where. and it's dead on too. mine is zero'd at 100, and my last crosshair is 785, and i've shot every crosshair in between at a target, and the info i got off the website is dead on.

[firstcoueswas80]

TAM you mentioned that diff temp and altitudes change the POI. How much will it change? Suppose I set the turrets from data at 3500 ft and then I go hunt at 6500. How different will it be?

 

Amanda

 

 

Well the higher you go, the less dense the air will be (thin air) so there will be less drag on the bullet (resistance) meaning that the bullet will travel farther than if it was at sea level.

 

 

 

That's a very basic explanation, and if you want to get really crazy about it... we can toss in the Coriolis Effect. More commonly known as the Earth's Rotation.

 

 

20,000 feet?! dang, who wants to hunt that high?!

 

 

With the Zeiss, if you get the target turrets, you dont have to count clicks at all. It takes a little math (divide the number for clicks by 4), then simply dial to that number on the scope.

 

 

 

 

[TAM]

Yes Swarovski lets you enter the altitude and temperature, but it does not REQUIRE you to shoot your rifle at long distance to figure the drop chart. That is the problem with there system, it's a computer figuring it out with math. With the Huskemaw system you actually shoot the rifle at various ranges and provide them with the real life data and they make you a turret based on real life data. By actually shooting the rifle at various distances they are able to figure out the true ballistic coeficent. Most manufactures BC's they have listed on the box are inaccurate. Also the true BC of the bullet changes at different velocitys, just using the manufactures number listed on the box may get you by, but it won't be dead on.

 

Yes Casey the Zies turrets are very nice. I have a set on my Conquest too, but doing all that math in my head at the moment of truth is beyond me. After all I barley passed high school and don't have one of them fancy degrees from NAU. The math is just one extra step the Huskemaw system eliminates.

 

I really have no idea how long it takes to have them work on your rifle from Gunwerks, but it only takes about 10 days for them to make one of the custom turrets. There is no reason for you to send them your rifle unless you are just too lazy to sight it in for yourself. You are never stuck buying there rounds! You can use any rounds you like, factory or hand loads. In fact you can have different turrets made for different rounds. Remember they are customizing the turrets to your exact rifle/load, not the other way around.

 

Amanda, Here is a link to a ballistic calculator. Play around with the different altitude and temperature adjustments and you should get a pretty good idea of how much effect these factors have on your POI. It will be more pronounced at longer ranges. I think a lot of people have a couple of turrets made for different elevation and temperature ranges. Temperature and Altitude will effect ANY turret or TDS type reticle, not just the Huskemaw. http://www.biggameinfo.com/BalCalc.aspx

 

I'm not trying to say that this system is for everyone. As we learned from Redbeards recent thread "different strokes for different folks". Like anything there are pro's and con's that need careful consideration. In the end I feel like this system accounts for important data that the other systems don't, it also eliminates time consuming and mentaly chalenging steps, and it just plain works!

[firstcoueswas80]

Tim, if you do the math before hand, and make the proper drop chart, all you have to do is read the chart and then click (quickly) to the number that you havd written on the chart.

 

For example. 600 yards is 41 clicks. Take 41, divide it by 4 (well before the shot). That gives you 10.25... So, when the moment of truth comes you dial the scope to 10.25 on the scope, and hold dead on. Its really not difficult if you do a little bit of of figuring out what is what in the off season.

 

PS. The ballistics calculator that you listed is the exact one I use. It is very accurate. When I was testing it for my .270 wsm last year, I had to come up one more click than listed by the ballistics chart. Thats pretty good!

[Coues 'n' Sheep]

i went with the swarovski 6x24x50 and the tds recticle on my 300 ultra mag. it's awesome. like the other guy said, you enter all your info on their website, and it tells you which crosshair hits where. and it's dead on too. mine is zero'd at 100, and my last crosshair is 785, and i've shot every crosshair in between at a target, and the info i got off the website is dead on.

 

 

I am a Swaro fan Thru & Thru..... ... My other 300 Wby has a Swaro on it and it is a sub-450 yd. rifle... IMO. Each gun is different and delivers the same loads to a different PIO. My biggest problem with the TDS and programs they use is as Tim said.... That is just math... not real shooting data from your gun. Also, lefty, you mentioned that your last line is 785 yds....... how do hold over/under, if the buck/bull is say 705 or maybe 825??? You are right back to guessing. Now I know that there are many Way better hunters and shooters than me in this world, but you better be shooting the barrel out of your gun once a year if you plan to be that good at hold-overs. That is why the Huskemaw system is so comprehensive! I did all my test shooting in the early morning or late afternoon at a elevation that I considered to be average to where I normally hunt. Now I can dial a distance in and hand that gun to my wife, sister-in-law, buddy, any one of the kids and confidently tell them to hold dead on at ANY distance..... that is piece of mind....IMO. Both of Troy's girls had never shot my gun before they dumped thier bulls with one shot at 385 and 450 yards. Both girls hit the same elevation in the cavity.... and I made believers out of both of them.... and thier Daddy!! There are many good shooting systems out there, but this one works well for me and everyone that Iknow who has tried it. It is good quality, and cost effective, and very simple to use. Buy it I did!!!