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Scope suggestions for 300 mag.

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jjoyen View Drop Down
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    Posted: December/06/2010 at 23:02
I'm looking for a new scope for my T/C Icon 300 win. mag.  Will mostly be used for deer hunting in WI but plan on making a few trips out west in the upcoming years.  Current budget is around $800 and want something with good low light performance and good glass.  I have been looking at the zeiss conquest and am kinda leaning that direction.  Next question is what power should I get as the farthest shot around here is going to be about 300 yards.  Was looking at the 4.5x14 but not sure if I really need it.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tman1965 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/06/2010 at 23:23
Welcome to OT!.... the conquest is gonna be a hard one to beat for what you want! http://swfa.com/Zeiss-3-9x40-Conquest-Rifle-Scope-P608.aspx
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/06/2010 at 23:42
The Conquest with the Z800 reticle would be a good choice.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SVT_Tactical Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 07:13
Originally posted by Urimaginaryfrnd Urimaginaryfrnd wrote:

The Conquest with the Z800 reticle would be a good choice.
That reticle in the 4.5-14 you mentioned  would be a great selection.  Hard to beat a Zeiss.
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trigger29 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trigger29 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 07:25
+2

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote lucytuma Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 07:33
"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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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote trigger29 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 07:59
Originally posted by jjoyen jjoyen wrote:

I'm looking for a new scope for my T/C Icon 300 win. mag.  Will mostly be used for deer hunting in WI but plan on making a few trips out west in the upcoming years. 
 
  Next question is what power should I get as the farthest shot around here is going to be about 300 yards.  Was looking at the 4.5x14 but not sure if I really need it.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Farthest shot in WI may be 300 yards, but on the trips out west, it may be a different story. On the other hand, you don't NEED a 14x scope to make shots at ethical "out west" ranges either. I have the Zeiss Conquest with the Z-800 reticle, and tailored a load to make it work on 10.5x. It's worked for all my long shots, but I limit myself on game to 500 yards. Targets are fair game out to 800 though, and I use the same load and magnification.  I think that 4.5x on the low end is low enough, but some here don't. It depends on your hunting conditions. There are places in SD where it looks like you could spit 100 yards, so the 4.5-14 doesn't bother me, but I understand that there are places you'd love to be able to see 100 yards as well. You just have to decide what you think your conditions are going to be, and how much the scope will be used in WI conditions, and how much for "out west" conditions, and pick the scope that fits the most common set of conditions.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 270XBolt Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 11:49
Originally posted by jjoyen jjoyen wrote:

I'm looking for a new scope for my T/C Icon 300 win. mag.  Will mostly be used for deer hunting in WI but plan on making a few trips out west in the upcoming years.  Current budget is around $800 and want something with good low light performance and good glass.  I have been looking at the zeiss conquest and am kinda leaning that direction.  Next question is what power should I get as the farthest shot around here is going to be about 300 yards.  Was looking at the 4.5x14 but not sure if I really need it.  Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Have you shot that Icon yet?  I have one in 308 Winchester and am very pleased with it!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 17:16
I think that a 3-9x40 makes a great all around scope for many of the standard big game magnums. I like lucytuma's list and I would lean towards the Meopta and the Zeiss offerings. They are great scopes for your budget. The Leo is always a good choice, too.
I don't regularly discuss tactical type optics around here because of my limited experience. But the
SS 3-9x42 warrants a close look. I am thoroughly impressed with it for use on a hunting gun. My experience has been very positive. My impressions are attached below.
http://opticstalk.com/39x42-ss-a-hunters-perspective_topic24725.html

Good luck and welcome to O.T.

Doug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 17:50
Get a Trijicon.....    Bucky    
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dhdoyle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 18:07
I have a Leupold 2.5-8 x 36 on my 300 Win Mag. Here in western Wyoming, you will have to at least cross thick timber or likely hunt in it. A compact scope like this (with low mounts) is much handier on horseback, and won't hang up on brush nearly as much while walking. Elk hunters might grumble about a long, heavy rifle, but you'll find lots of them wondering why they mounted a bigger scope than necessary.

Unless you are unusually good at estimating range, 300 yards is a good maximum for big game hunting, although a 300 Win Mag will be more forgiving of a bad estimate.  I've never felt the need for a ranging reticle.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote billyburl2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 19:07
Originally posted by tahqua tahqua wrote:

I think that a 3-9x40 makes a great all around scope for many of the standard big game magnums. I like lucytuma's list and I would lean towards the Meopta and the Zeiss offerings. They are great scopes for your budget. The Leo is always a good choice, too.
I don't regularly discuss tactical type optics around here because of my limited experience. But the
SS 3-9x42 warrants a close look. I am thoroughly impressed with it for use on a hunting gun. My experience has been very positive. My impressions are attached below.
http://opticstalk.com/39x42-ss-a-hunters-perspective_topic24725.html

Good luck and welcome to O.T.

+1
If it is tourist season, why can't we shoot them?
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tahqua View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote tahqua Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 19:17
Mr Doyle brings up a good point about compactness and horses. The high turrets of tactical scopes might create a problem with gun scabbards on horseback. There are a few others here who hunt out west with these types of scopes that might catch this thread.
Doug
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 19:18
I suppose unlike most people here, I am not a fan of the Rapid-Z reticle (or really of any holdover reticle in the second focal plane).

Within 300yards, there is no need for it anyway.  Zeiss Conquest is a very good choice although I would lean toward the one with a #4 reticle for better low light visibility.  As far as configuration goes, since you are not planning to shoot at particularly small targets, 3-9x40 is all you need.  Besides, it has the longest eyerelief in the Conquest line, which can come in handy if you 300WM is fairly light.

I would also check out Minox ZA-3 3-9x40.

If you set on extending your range further, then I really think that FFP scope makes for a better option since holdover is easy at any magnification.  In that case, variable Super Sniper 3-9x42 is hard to beat.  For 300WM with 180gr bullet, for example, you can sight in at 100yards.  At 200yards, you can still aim essentially dead on.  At 300yards, use the first mil-dot down.  At 400yards, use the top of the second Mil-Dot down.  

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Ed Connelly Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: December/07/2010 at 19:26
Originally posted by dhdoyle dhdoyle wrote:

I have a Leupold 2.5-8 x 36 on my 300 Win Mag. Here in western Wyoming, you will have to at least cross thick timber or likely hunt in it. A compact scope like this (with low mounts) is much handier on horseback, and won't hang up on brush nearly as much while walking. Elk hunters might grumble about a long, heavy rifle, but you'll find lots of them wondering why they mounted a bigger scope than necessary.

Unless you are unusually good at estimating range, 300 yards is a good maximum for big game hunting, although a 300 Win Mag will be more forgiving of a bad estimate.  I've never felt the need for a ranging reticle.
 
 
me, too.    If it looks far.....it's too far.....
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