I don't know which scope to get

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Musicianized

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Hi guys. I've been hunting for 30+ years with my 336 30-30 with a fixed 3x scope. I should say a cheap 3x bushnell that I've never had to adjust since the first day I sighted it in. It's been a good scope and has helped me put the smack down on a lot of deer.

I mainly hunt deep woods in Northern Michigan but have recently acquired permission to hunt a couple different farms that my friend owns. My options have opened up from thick woods to open fields with potential 400+ yard shots.

I just bought a Xbolt Hunter 6.5 CM and I've decided on a Leupold Vx3i. My dilemma is I'm not sure which model to get. My friend has a range at his place and we shoot his 6.5 and .308 out to 700yds, mainly at steel plates at the long ranges. I want to be able to participate in that too with the gun but it's mainly going to be used for hunting.

I was going to get a 3.5x10x40 CDS with the wind plex reticle but he's adamant that I need a 4.5x14 or even more zoom. So I'm also looking at the 4.5x14x40 or 50 and then they have a 33mm tube model with parallax adjustment.. I understand how they work but is it more bells and whistles than I need? I'll be primarily hunting Whitetails.
 
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I've looked through a bunch of scopes and I really like the Leupolds, especially with how light they are and the lifetime warranty.

I really would like a power range that I can hunt and shoot out to 700yds but 4.5x14 is the closest I can afford right now and I really have no idea how far it's possible to shoot accurately with that option. I know I wont be able to see my shots but if I can ring some steel?

Bigger concern is having a low enough power for up close 30-50yd shots without a struggle to get on target.

I have very little experience with adjustable power scopes and it's not like you can try them out before you buy them lol.
 
CenterPoint TAG 6-20x50mm Riflescope LR620AORG2, Color: Black, Tube Diameter: 1 in. Illuminated. 50mm lens has range settings. $70 at WM.
Suggest you go to, balisticscalculator.winchester.com, you can see how to use scopes at different ranges and what adjustments are needed between magnification settings. It lets you pick caliber, zero in range, trajectory adjustment at zero in range. Shooting distance of 25-600 yards. Elevation of use. 3 of the most common crosshair views. Magnification range 3-24. Even lets you set crosswind.
Easy to make quick reference card.
As with most scopes you zero in with general magnification. POA to POI changes as magnification increases. The POI at low magnification not same POA as magnification increases.
 
The scopes you are interested in will not cause an issue at closer ranges. I generally set my variables on 6. Have taken deer as close as 9 feet at six power. Have also shot running deer at less than 30 feet at 6 power with no problems. The big issue is making sure you are looking properly through the scope when you shoulder the rifle. The next is practicing getting to that point. Look at something 40 or 50 feet away with scope at lowest power and you will see if it will work for you. You will be surprised how large your field of view actually is.

Can't help with longer range. The farthest I have ever shot is about 200 yards !
 
I have never ever used more than 7X to 9X to shoot a deer and we hunt on a lot of land in West Texas, and I've take pronghorn from as far as 480 yards. I think what you should focus on depending on which scope you want is does it have enough internal elevation adjustment for you to dial in on a deer at 300 or 400 yards and if it doesn't than consider a base with a 20 moa built in to it. Luckily the 6.5 is a flat shooter and the scope you desire may give you the internal adjustment you need for your new rifle.
 
IMO, you're on the right track, with Leupold value for the dollar. I hunt dawn and dusk, and don't personally find much use for the lit reticle. I'd try somebody else's before buying.

Down South, here I like the 50 objective for near dark, but word has it up North they prefer the 40, for scope integrity reasons, see what your friends are using.
 
IMO, you're on the right track, with Leupold value for the dollar. I hunt dawn and dusk, and don't personally find much use for the lit reticle. I'd try somebody else's before buying.

Down South, here I like the 50 objective for near dark, but word has it up North they prefer the 40, for scope integrity reasons, see what your friends are using.

My 30 year old $50 Bushnell sees just fine at dawn and dusk, at least at what I consider safe shooting light. I've never paid attention to legal shooting times for deer. If it's too dark to tell a buck from a doe then it's too dark.

I can't imagine that with the advancement of technology, any scope over $200 today and probably even cheaper ones, are better than my 30 year old low end scope.
 
4.5X is more than I want up close because of the limited field of view, but it is usable.

14X is plenty to make good hits at 700 yards, a bit less than I would prefer, but doable.

50 to 200 yard hunting and 700 yard hunting or shooting are really two different things and most scopes will compromise some on one or the other.

Yes, $200 to $300 (If you don't buy a lot of features) buys better glass than even good scopes from 30 years ago. I replaced my Vari X III 2.5-8 last year and the difference is substantial between it and good midrange priced scopes these days.

I keep going back to "mainly going to be used for hunting" & so would still recommend the Leupolds I linked to since you like Leupolds.

A 3-18 could do both reasonable well, but we're talking about a brand/model you have not looked through and may not like.
 
I hope you are not getting rid of your ol' reliable .30/30? So keep using it for your brush hunting trips. Buy a used Leupold (as you know, lifetime warranty) that goes to at least 14X for the CM. I recommend a 1" tube & 40mm objective. Your situation is why we can rationalize owning multiple guns & it also is a good excuse when explaining to your wife!
 
I hope you are not getting rid of your ol' reliable .30/30? So keep using it for your brush hunting trips. Buy a used Leupold (as you know, lifetime warranty) that goes to at least 14X for the CM. I recommend a 1" tube & 40mm objective. Your situation is why we can rationalize owning multiple guns & it also is a good excuse when explaining to your wife!

My 30-30 is going to be passed down to one of my daughters, I have 2 that hunt.

I definitely am buying a Leupold. I totally understand I can get a good deal on a used scope but I want to spread some love to my local gun shop. I was going to have them order me a Henry Long Ranger 6.5 CM but I went to Cabelas to get one in hand, I didn't like it and it didn't fit me at all. However the Xbolt felt wonderful and I knew instantly I wanted that.

I was going to have my shop order the xbolt but they couldn't get one in the 6.5 and he figured it would be May or later before he could. I found one at Reeds online and it was the last one, and only one I could find anywhere.

So I feel like an @ss because I wanted to buy one local so I'm definitely buying.my scope from them, albeit $150 more than I can get online lol. I don't have a problem with that though.

I think he quoted me $650 for the vx3i 4.5x14x40 CDS with the parallax focus. That was the 30mm tube though.
 
4.5X is more than I want up close because of the limited field of view, but it is usable.

14X is plenty to make good hits at 700 yards, a bit less than I would prefer, but doable.

50 to 200 yard hunting and 700 yard hunting or shooting are really two different things and most scopes will compromise some on one or the other.

Yes, $200 to $300 (If you don't buy a lot of features) buys better glass than even good scopes from 30 years ago. I replaced my Vari X III 2.5-8 last year and the difference is substantial between it and good midrange priced scopes these days.

I keep going back to "mainly going to be used for hunting" & so would still recommend the Leupolds I linked to since you like Leupolds.

A 3-18 could do both reasonable well, but we're talking about a brand/model you have not looked through and may not like.

I was originally wanting the 3x10 vx3i. I really need to compare the 3x vs a 4.5x for close range. I definitely have more close shots than long. But then again I'm hunting more in open fields and big clearings than I have before in my other hunting spots.

The second scope for target is probably the best idea but Im lucky the wife is letting me spend as much as I am already.
 
. . . I really like the Leupolds, especially with how light they are and the lifetime warranty.
I would not spend my own money in anything less than a Leopold, and as you seem to have discovered, quality beats magnification and objective lens diameter every time.

For killing deer, 14x seems perfectly sufficient to 400 yards. You're killing it, not counting it's nose hairs.
 
I would not spend my own money in anything less than a Leopold, and as you seem to have discovered, quality beats magnification and objective lens diameter every time.

For killing deer, 14x seems perfectly sufficient to 400 yards. You're killing it, not counting it's nose hairs.

Lol
 
3.5-10 will be more than enough for what you've described. Personally, I like scopes in the 2-7 or 2.5-8 range. With the 3.5-10 you shouldn't have any trouble hotting steel at 700 yards. A writer you may have heard of, Jack O'Conner, was known to hit antelope at 400 yards with a 4 power scope.
 
I agree with some of the others;

1. Best solution, 2 scopes with QD mounts
2. Simplest, most cost effective: The Leupold 3.5-10x40mm with the CDS and windplex reticle

Based on the OP, the ringing steel sound more like fun plinking, rather than serious target stuff, so I'd lean towards and optic that would be more practical for the hunting application. On hunting rifles I try to avoid parallex focusing scopes if at all possible. Just one more thing to monkey with when you might not have time. That normally limits to under 12X magnification or so. On the low end 3.5X is perfectly OK for the close in shots that might come. Basically the 3.5-10 is the new versatile 3-9 of yesteryear.

The Leupold 3.5-10x40mm with the CDS and windplex reticle, will be a great open country deer optic that can easily do 400 yds. The windplex will help with the windage and the CDS dial with the 54MOA adjustment, figure 25MOA for elevation after zeroing, shouldn't have any issues out to 700. Depending on the steel target size, it might be challenging at 700 yds, but for friendly competition/practice, who cares?

IMHO, putting a large magnification scope on a sporter, isn't going to make it a precsion rifle, so why try? Set it up as a hunting rifle and have fun practicing with it.
 
Dunno that it’s in your price range, but Leupold has the VX-6 in 3-18. I have one in 2-12. I consider it more than adequate for anything up close to 400 yards plus on deer.

Back in my youth I had a straight 10x on a .22-250 and got ground hogs to 350-400 plus yards.

IMO, a lot of the “How much magnification do I need” comes down to quality of the glass and size of the target
 
Dunno that it’s in your price range, but Leupold has the VX-6 in 3-18. I have one in 2-12. I consider it more than adequate for anything up close to 400 yards plus on deer.

Back in my youth I had a straight 10x on a .22-250 and got ground hogs to 350-400 plus yards.

IMO, a lot of the “How much magnification do I need” comes down to quality of the glass and size of the target

I've also got a VX6 HD in 2-12, with FireDot BDC, fantastic "elusive" "all-around" scope, but $$. I've taken mine out to 760 just for giggles and it did OK on a 2/3rds IDPA steel.

SX91IhI.jpg

I agree on the 10X, it was the standard for snipers/precision for many years. My favorite woodchuck gun in 6mm wore a straight 10X and I had no issues out to 400. Seems like now we want varmint/precision rifle scopes to shoot deer.
 
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