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Toy4Two
Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/19/2010 Location: Norfolk Ne Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Posted: July/19/2010 at 18:22 |
I'm trying to buy a new scope for my .243 WSSM Model 70 but I can't pull the trigger. I currently have a Sightron S1 2.5-10x44 and I'm happy with it but I want something better.
Rifle will be used for Deer hunting in the sandhills of Nebraska. Shots can range from 10-300 yards. See the picture for the landscape, it's not pretty Here's what I'm looking at. Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 Is 9x going to be enough for those 300 yard shots? Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14x40 Is 4.5 going to be to close for the rare 10 yard shot? Bushnell 6500 2.5-16x42 Sounds perfect but was I spoiled by looking through a Conquest? Conquest 1-20x44 my dream scope Last week I looked through the Conquest, Leupold VX2, Monarch, Scheels brands and my Sightron and the Conquest made the others look bad. So, if you had $4-600 bucks to spend on a scope what would you buy? And please keep your .243 comments to yourself I really like this gun and it's very accurate.
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lucytuma
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: November/25/2007 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 5389 |
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Why not a sightron SII Big Sky 3-12X42 |
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"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
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Toy4Two
Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/19/2010 Location: Norfolk Ne Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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I haven't had the chance to look through one. It's a 2 hour drive for me to go scope shopping so I'm hoping to get some help here. I really really like the zeiss 3-9x40 and the prices is right but I can't get over how a 4.5-14 would help me identify a good buck that's standing hundreds of yards away.
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neilbilly
Optics Master Joined: February/07/2010 Location: Sweeny TX Status: Offline Points: 999 |
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Were it me, I'd take this one. http://swfa.com/Zeiss-35-10x44-Conquest-Rifle-Scope-P2498.aspx Good glass at 10x should be plenty out to 300 yards. You could likely get away with the 3-9 and make the same shot so if your budget better fits that one, I'm pretty sure you'd not regret it. |
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If God didn't want me to play with it, he'd of made my arms shorter.
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shooter07
Optics Jedi Knight Shooting Sprout Joined: June/12/2010 Location: PA Status: Offline Points: 5120 |
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http://www.opticstalk.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15017
Great write up by one of the most knowledgeable people on here. This is the Bushnell 2.5-16x42 with Mil Dot. |
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Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum
"Issac Newton invented gravity because some asshole hit him with an apple" -Chris Moltisanti |
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Toy4Two
Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/19/2010 Location: Norfolk Ne Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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On the Elite 6500, how is the image at x16, is it still clear?? I've never looked through an Elite 4200, do they compare to the Conquest or even close??
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300S&W
Optics God Joined: January/27/2008 Location: Burlington,WV Status: Offline Points: 10592 |
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Hey T4T,WELCOME to OT.
I'd not worry about not being able to take a 10yd shot at 4.5X if needed. Fov is 25' at 100yds on 4.5X and my 4X Conquest is 26'. I'd have no problems at 10yds at all.
By the way,NICE BUCK!!!!
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"I ain't got time to bleed!"
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shooter07
Optics Jedi Knight Shooting Sprout Joined: June/12/2010 Location: PA Status: Offline Points: 5120 |
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I've not yet looked through that particular scope but i read enough on here and other places to purchase that for my latest custom Remington700 build. I have a lot of faith in the guys on here to give no bs reviews.
The 6500 4.5-30x (larger version) had some slight problems in the low 20's to 30 power, but like that review i posted above reports that there is really nothing to complain about with the 2.5-16x scope. It's got more versatility than most scopes out there and the Japanese glass is top notch. Those Elite line scopes are arguably the most durable out there (again reviews that are abundant) and you won't break the bank either. |
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Si Vis Pacem Para Bellum
"Issac Newton invented gravity because some asshole hit him with an apple" -Chris Moltisanti |
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Toy4Two
Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/19/2010 Location: Norfolk Ne Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Thanks, you just pushed me towards the 4.5-14 conquests. Love the clarity of the Conquest compared to the others I looked at.
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Toy4Two
Optics GrassHopper Joined: July/19/2010 Location: Norfolk Ne Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Has anyone traded with SWFA? How smooth does it go?
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WYcoyote
Optics Apprentice Joined: April/06/2010 Location: Kane,WY Status: Offline Points: 154 |
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I'd go with the 3x9 Conquest and don't look back.
9x is plenty of power with a scope of that clarity.
Like you said the 4.5x might be too much at close range.
I shot a nice whitetail at 280 lasered yards this fall with my .243 Win. and a 3x9 Conquest without a problem.
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pyro6999
Optics Retard OT TITAN Joined: December/22/2006 Location: North Dakota Status: Offline Points: 22034 |
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i love the .243, its great for coyotes. |
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They call me "Boots"
375H&H Mag: Yeah, it kills stuff "extra dead" 343 we will never forget God Bless Chris Ledoux "good ride cowboy" |
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stickbow46
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: January/07/2009 Location: Benton, Pa Status: Offline Points: 4678 |
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I have the Elite 6500 2.5-16x42,Conquest 3-9x40 & Conquest 3.5-10x50.The conquest glass is better & I prefer the 3.5-10 [#4 ret] over the 3-9 for hunting.The one thing I wish the Conquest had is the rain guard of the Bushnell.
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Pearls of Wisdom are Heard not Spoken
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Some of what scope is right depends on how you hunt. If you will have a solid rest you can take advantage of higher power. However in low light a 6x42 scope is ideal or a scope that has a 42mm objective and can be dialed down to 6x or lower. If the scope has a 50 mm objective to get maximum brightness you dial down to 7 x or lower. Note balistic reticles only work at the highest power and dialing in correction with tacticl / target knobs works at all powers. I have purchased the following scopes in the last year or two for similar use. 3-9x42 Super Sniper - (awesome what a bargain $599.95) this has features nothing else has for under a grand, 4-16x40 Bushnell 4200 ( second one I have bought the new model is even better than last years model - lots of magnification) 6x42 Leupold VX3 I have the heavy duplex but the long range duplex is a better choice with its balistic reticle that is ideal for low light very good choice. Super Sniper 6x42 with tactical / Target knobs This is the bargain best bang for the bucks as you can dial in correction and be dead on for only $299.95 , note I also have a couple of 10x Super Snipers as well but for hunting I find 6x more user friendly as its hard to get 10x onto something under 100 yds. As for how to select you have to begin with asking yourself if you need higher power to look at animals and compare them to select which one to shoot if so the 4-16x40 Bushnell is a winner you give up one power on the low end to get seven more on the high end. If you can live with tall tactical knobs on a hunting rifle and not everyone can the my first choice would be the 3-9 Super Sniper. If you cant live with tactical knobs I'd look seriously at the Zeiss 3-9x42 and the Leupold FX3 6x42 with long range duplex it will get you on target with its balistic reticle where the Zeiss will have only the center crosshair and you will guess hold over afte sighting at 200 yds.
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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JeffO
Optics GrassHopper Joined: April/03/2010 Status: Offline Points: 36 |
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.243 for DEER?! Have you lost your frikkin' mind?
<BSEG>
I just wanted to say, in no way shape or form is a Conquest inadequate for 300-yd shots (I think that's what you said). I run Leupold 2.5-8's and Conquest 3-9's out to 600 yards all the time and while I will concede that for a shot that long I PREFER my Conq 6.5-20, I can donk my steel plates just fine with the 3-9. That's at 600 yds. At 300 yards, sheesh, a 3-9 is PLENTY of scope.
Our hunting situations are about as different as can be; I am often in very thick stuff. So my scopes pretty much must have a nice low-end power setting. A 4.5-14 would be too much scope for me on a general-purpose rifle. If, however, I was routinely taking the 300-yd shot and never taking 10-yard shots I'd look real hard at it. The Conq 4.5-14 is a very nice scope from what I've seen in the shops.
(it's the other way around for me- I routinely take 10-30 yard shots and my furthest shot on game is a Colorado elk at 280, and other than that I only have one deer over 100 yards and that was with a .358 and open sights so... you can see that the low end of a scope is extra-important to me!)
In your situation I'd stick a 3-9 Conquest on that varmint rifle (couldn't resist, grin) and go hunting. Those are great scopes for $400.
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SD Dog
Optics Master Extraordinaire OT Scratching Post Joined: February/28/2008 Status: Offline Points: 4177 |
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3x9 will serve you well. Plenty of magnification for 300yds. Shot a deer last year at 330yds and magnification was at 6x I believe.
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If nobody ever said anything unless he knew what he was talking about, a ghastly hush would descend upon the earth. AP Herbert
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Gunshow75
Optics Apprentice Joined: December/23/2004 Location: Kentucky, USA Status: Offline Points: 209 |
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I just bought a scope and Game Reaper bases from SWFA. They were excellent to deal with.
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Tom |
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Bitterroot Bulls
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: May/07/2009 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 3416 |
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You can shoot a long ways with a little 3-9 the quality of that Zeiss... |
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-Matt
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biggreen747
Optics Journeyman Joined: October/16/2009 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 470 |
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While all of the above posters are correct that a 3-9 is sufficent for 300yd shots on game I guess if I were looking for a new scope in the $400-$600 range for your situation I would probably go with an upper end of 12x-16x. I have found 16x to really be the upper limit due to mirrage. IMO there is just more versatility with these scopes than there is with a 3-9. The 4.5-14 Zeiss would be an excellent choice but does exceed $600.00. If that is not an issue go for it. If the money is an issue the Elite 4200 would be my first choice due to the rainguard coating. By going this route you now have not only a great little deer and antelope gun but a fantastic coyote / gopher gun that you can take out and test your abilities at longer ranges. I've never spent too much time with the .243 but I picked up my first one the other day (a Marlin XS7Y) for my wife to hunt deer and pronghorn in NE and SD. I had a 3-12x42 Nikon Monarch on the shelf that went on top of it. My 25-06 that I use for most of my hunting in NE and SD now wears a 4-16x42 Nikon Monarch which will get put to the test this fall. It replaced a 3-9x40 FullfieldII that I used on that rifle for a number of years.
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We measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a crayon, and cut it with a chainsaw.
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biggreen747
Optics Journeyman Joined: October/16/2009 Location: Colorado Status: Offline Points: 470 |
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If your willing to dish out the almost $800 for a Conquest you may want to think long and hard about one of these. IMO this is a another step above the Conquest. Im trying to figure out how to explain one of these to the wife right now.
Edited by biggreen747 - July/21/2010 at 15:20 |
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We measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a crayon, and cut it with a chainsaw.
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