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Longer Eye-Relief Big Game Scope

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Hypnogator View Drop Down
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    Posted: September/05/2015 at 22:57
We soon will be moving back to Washington state, where I have enjoyed some fantastic deer and elk hunting in the past.  My primary big-game rifle is a Remington 700 BDL in .300 Win Mag with a 3-9X Bushnell scope on a Lyman bridge mount.  The rifle and scope date from 1975, and the optics on the scope aren't the greatest.  Plus, on occasion, it will make rather unpleasant contact with my eyebrow when shooting heavy loads.

I've been impressed with the Vortex Viper scope I have on my AR-15, and it looks to me like the Vortex 8X32 Diamondback HP scope might fit my needs.  It has a 1" tube, so will fit my current mounts, and has a 4.6" eye relief.  http://swfa.com/Vortex-2-8x32-Diamondback-HP-Rifle-Scope-P67745.aspx Its price is actually only about half what I budgeted for a replacement scope, so do any of the esteemed members of this forum have a better choice for a 25 - 500 yd deer/elk rifle?  (The last elk I shot was a 275-yd running shot, and the last deer I shot was 600 yds across a canyon above the Snake River.)

Would greatly appreciate some additional suggestions.

I fear I've reached that stage in life where I prefer a pedantic evening at home to a bracing exchange of gunfire in the dark.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote urbaneruralite Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/07/2015 at 14:04
That much eye relief is unnecessary. I would bet what you have is more like 3". 4" is plenty. Generally, longer eye relief means less field of view. I would only give up as much FOV as necessary.

For a do-all 25-500 yard, I would look for something like a 2-10x. You might want to look at that .257 Weatherby thread. I would also upgrade the mount. DNZ one piece mounts are really easy to get along with.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Maverick2 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/07/2015 at 14:25
If you don't mind upgrading rings to fit a 30 mm tube, the Leica ER 2.5-10x40  or 3.5-14x40 are great scopes.  Price on these non-illuminated scopes are great, glass is awesome, eye relief is just under 4", multiple reticle choices are available, and they are great, compact hunting scopes.  Currently my favorite hunting scope for similar hunting as what you describe.

Edited by Maverick2 - September/07/2015 at 14:35
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rancid Coolaid Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/07/2015 at 20:46
I cannot comment on your scope, but the caliber, good choice! My 300s love the Barnes TTSX and I have taken game in S.Africa and much of North America with the 180-gr variants.
I prefer a bit more than 8x at 500 yards, but you hunt environments I usually do not.

Vortex is a nice scope for the money, but the Leica is indeed worth a look. I have had much success with Swaro and have loved their glass for quite some time - their prices are a bit speedy though.

Many of the regulars here love Meopta, they might also be worth a look.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hypnogator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/07/2015 at 22:03
Thanks for the replies!  I'll expand my search to scopes with 4" eye relief, and I had already been considering getting 30mm rings for the extra light transmission the 30mm scopes are supposed to have.  I'll keep the bridge mount, though, as it's rock steady, and I've modified it to be QD in case of an emergency, so I can use the iron sights.  Perhaps I'll keep the old Bushnell on the original rings as a back-up.

The Leica, Swaro and Metopa scopes look really good, but are priced at a bit more than I'm wanting to spend.  I'm very impressed with the Vortex Viper HS 4-16x50 that I have on my AR-15, but am not married to the Vortex scopes.  I'm also looking at the Nikon Monarch 5 scopes in 2-10x50 and 3-15x50.  The latter would give me some extra magnification for those long cross-canyon shots.

I, too, really love my .300 Win.  It's the only rifle I've ever been able to take out of the box, mount a scope, and put the first three rounds inside an inch at 100 yds. Excellent

More ideas always welcome!  Again, Thanks.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/08/2015 at 00:03
30 mm tube does not improve light trasmission over 1 inch tube all else being equal. Thats just an old wives tale. For a hunting scope either size will be just fine.

leupold vx-r is one worth considering as well
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ballshrinker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2015 at 09:38

I am also in a similar boat.  I put a Premier Reticles Light Tactical on my Cooper .300 Win Mag a year or two ago.  You all were a lot of help in picking out that scope.  I do love the quality of the glass but the eye relief gives me problems with the recoil.  I wear a hat to feel how close I am to getting smacked and I'm pretty close!  When I back off it enough to feel comfortable, I have the small floating picture inside the black ring (I'm sure there's a name for that).

What would you all recommend for a scope with more eye relief without sacrificing glass quality or magnification (15x)?

I primarily use it for hunting with an emphasis on low light and long (300-400yds) ranges.

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2015 at 13:46
leicas eri and meopta r2 have just about 4 inches. Swaro z5 and z6 have 3.75. Leupold vx 6 has 3.8

I habe the swaro z6 on a 7lb 300 wsm and have not been smacked yet
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Son of Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2015 at 12:41
Originally posted by ballshrinker ballshrinker wrote:

I am also in a similar boat.  I put a Premier Reticles Light Tactical on my Cooper .300 Win Mag a year or two ago.  You all were a lot of help in picking out that scope.  I do love the quality of the glass but the eye relief gives me problems with the recoil.  I wear a hat to feel how close I am to getting smacked and I'm pretty close!  When I back off it enough to feel comfortable, I have the small floating picture inside the black ring (I'm sure there's a name for that).

What would you all recommend for a scope with more eye relief without sacrificing glass quality or magnification (15x)?

I primarily use it for hunting with an emphasis on low light and long (300-400yds) ranges.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote ballshrinker Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2015 at 17:11
The further I pull away from the scope,  the more noticeable the small view (exit pupil? )
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Son of Ed Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2015 at 17:43
If the length of pull is correct the scope won't hit you.  Then slide the scope backwards to where the eye relief and the view is correct.  If the scope is almost hitting you now, your stock is too short.  

Over the years I have had two 300 Winchester Mags and I was shooting scopes with 3 1/2 inches of eye relief, but the length of pull was lengthened for me. 


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Hypnogator Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/13/2015 at 22:28
"What would you all recommend for a scope with more eye relief without sacrificing glass quality or magnification (15x)?"

I've been looking at a 2-10X Nikon Monarch-5, but it has a bigger brother: http://swfa.com/Nikon-3-15x42-Monarch-5-Riflescope-P79627.aspx which has a 3.9 - 3.5in eye-relief.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to convince myself that I need to spend enough on a scope to get this: http://swfa.com/Meopta-25-15x56-MeoStar-R2-30mm-Rifle-Scope-P72336.aspx It has a 90mm (3.5") eye-relief.Yippee
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/14/2015 at 00:06
Originally posted by Maverick2 Maverick2 wrote:

If you don't mind upgrading rings to fit a 30 mm tube, the Leica ER 2.5-10x40  or 3.5-14x40 are great scopes.  Price on these non-illuminated scopes are great, glass is awesome, eye relief is just under 4", multiple reticle choices are available, and they are great, compact hunting scopes.  Currently my favorite hunting scope for similar hunting as what you describe.


Great recommendations, the problem is they don't make a 40mm and they also stopped offering the ER line in 2.5-10x42 and 3.5-14x42 when they came out with the ER-i models a couple of years ago.  Sad
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