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03mossy View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 03mossy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Next step up
    Posted: September/10/2015 at 15:52
A week ago today I shot my first black bear in thick woods with 2 minutes left to go in legal shooting hours. The current scope on my go to 30-06 is a Bushnell 4200 3-9x40 that has served me well for years. It got the job done but man it was getting tough to see those cross hairs on that dark fur. I am kicking around the idea of stepping up a class or 2 in scopes. This is a lightweight gun so I don't want a huge scope on it. Need a nice bold etched reticle or illumination of some sorts. I have a conquest on another gun and really like that reticle. A few scope I am looking at now are these.

Leupold vxr 3-9x40
Leupold vx6 2-12x42
Trijicon accupoint 3-9x40
Swarovski z3 3-9x36
Zeiss hd5 2-10

Any recommendations on these or something else I should look at. Not brand loyal. To many good choices to stick with one brand. 300 yard max on my hunting land and that's only a few spots, the rest is thick woods. Deer, bear, and a pig hunt every couple years.

Thanks again guys.
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supertool73 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote supertool73 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/10/2015 at 16:02
The VXR or the Accupoint won't be much of a step up if any in glass quality.  They all have good glass, but you won't see much difference in them.  I have a VXR, a Accupoint, and a 4200, they are all pretty comparable. 

But the illumination in the vxr and vx6 is fantastic.  The Accupoint is even better as it requires no batteries.  Good illumination can make a huge difference in low light. 

The Swaro glass will be better, but with no illumination. 

I have never seen an HD5   

If you got the budget the new model Meopta's have amazing glass and excellent illumination.  http://swfa.com/MeoStar-R2-C10776.aspx
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bugsNbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/10/2015 at 16:05
Either the Leupy VXR or the Trij Accupoint will get the job done.
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03mossy View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 03mossy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2015 at 10:15
Have the Accupoints changed or been updated over the years? Or are the current Accupoints the same as the ones 10 years ago? Im curious as optics have come along ways in recent years and I don't see anything different or updated on the accupoints.
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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/11/2015 at 13:39
I've owned most of the Accupoints and like most things about them.  In dense brush, I am a fan of 1-4 or 1-6 scopes, the Trijicon 1-4 might be my first choice, or something similar. If max shot is 300 yards, a 4X or 6X on top is fine.

On illumination, I have many illuminated scopes, and have had illumination systems fail.  I am a huge fan of the "on for 12 years" tritium reticles in Trijicon optics. (I know, "half life", but...)

The accupoint 3-9 is a great scope, I have one on a Tikka 308 and it is a great low light scope.  I prefer the mil dot for mostly night time use, as the only illumination is the center dot.  The cross hairs are thick, but that part doesn't matter much in low light. 
The triangle reticle also works well, but can wash out the target in very low light with dark targets or lots of shadow.

On improvements/changes to Accupoints over the years, I am not sure.  There have indeed been strides in hunting scopes over the past 10 years, but everyone was so far behind Trijicon in illumination, I'm still not sure anyone has them beat for value and usability in or near that price range.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bugsNbows Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2015 at 17:06
My 3-9 X 40 Trij had the green triangle. It was always easily visible.
If we're not suppose to eat animals...how come they're made of meat?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote JAMINGRIZZ Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/11/2015 at 17:21
My hunting situation is similar to yours, although I am limiting my shots to 150 because of cartridge energy. I have shot the accupoints and have an acog on my 91, but decided on the VXR this time. Traditional crosshairs suit me best, even the #4 messed with me for a while. The LRV  recticle has three illuminated aiming points on a traditional long range recticle. Would give the hold over for longer shots in daylight and still allow close up shots at dusk. If it breaks Leupold has a lifetime warranty.
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03mossy View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 03mossy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: September/12/2015 at 23:21
I hunt some pretty extreme cold days in northern MN. Makes me worry about trusting a battery. Is this something G I should worry about or is it in my head? Maybe just get the nicest glass I can afford with a bold etched reticle would be better?
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supertool73 View Drop Down
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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 23:36
One more reason to get a trijicon. I love my 1-4x
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03mossy View Drop Down
Optics Apprentice
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 03mossy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: January/26/2016 at 07:39
Thought I would update this. After looking through all my game cam pics that were set over the bait turns out I shot the bear with about 20 mins left in shooting time. I guess the mix of adrenaline and how dark it was in those woods played tricks on my internal clock. That being said the scope that I thought had barely got me to the end of shooting time, barely got me to 20 mins left.
I ended up ordering a leupold vx6 2-12x42 with the firedot duplex. Should fix the problem nicely.
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