Range Finding Scopes

self | Now | Dead Dog

[Dead Dog]

I'm looking at buying a scope for a Remington model 700 in .338 Win Mag.

I would like to get a scope with a range finding recticle, and would like to get freeper feedback on scope preferences and the different range finding recticles such as mil-dot. Are they worth the extra cost?

The rifle/scope will be used on Mule Deer (open country), and Elk in dense/lowlight forests. Most game will be at distances less than 200 yards, however I would like to practice with the rifle at targets beyond 600 yards.

Any thoughts?

[in the Arena]

In addition to the great comments on scope selection don't forget to pay attention to bases and rings.

To reach out past 1000 yards...well within the .338 range...depending on which scope you select, you may need a tapered base setup.

Badger Ordnance makes an excellent setup for the 700 but will cost in the area of $250...it will give you a 20MOA taper.

Check with Premier Reticles, they used to have the best prices on the Badger rings and base, good prices on Leupold items also. Premier will also refit your Leupold scope with a different reticle if you change your mind down the road...

A mil-dot reticle is great to practice with but if you are stricly hunting I find the Leupold Duplex faster and easier to use...it uses the power ring and bracketing of the target in the reticle to approximate range...after saying that I must confess that I use the mil-dot...it's slower but more accurate.

Premier Reticles

Badger Ordnance

Leupold

[Mariner]

You lug that anchor around whilst hunting? How much does it weigh in .338?

I'm too old for that:)

[Shooter 2.5]

I'm through buying any other scopes. The Leopolds do the job for me and I have the turret adjustment knobs on all of them. What does sub-second mean?

[Mariner]

It takes less than a second to determine the correct range and have your target in the cross-hairs. You don't have to turn any knobs either.

That said, I still love my 30.06/Model 70 Standard weight with the Burris 4-16. I zero at 200yds, never shoot over 300yds with it........

The 400yd shot was an anomoly for me, I knew I could do and successfully took the shot with that Browning .308.

[Jefferson Adams]

I have a Springfield Armory 3rd Gen Illuminated Retical ranging scope on my Stoner SR-25. It's an awesome thing :)

[Shooter 2.5]

I helped set up my friend's Shepherd scope and I did use it at the time so I know about them. If I had to confront same size targets at various ranges quickly with the clock running, I can't think of another scope that I would use. I like the Leopold's for known distances like Silhouette Shooting. What exactly is sub-second?

[Jefferson Adams]

Go HERE to see how the Springfield reticle works. It's similar to a Sheppard, in that it's a series of progressively smaller "rectangles" (Sheppard uses circles). You raise the gun up the line until you find the one that fits your targe, giving you automatic ranging.

[Ancesthntr]

You lug that anchor around whilst hunting? How much does it weigh in .338?

I think that you confuse me with Dead Dog, who wrote the information request at the beginning of this thread. Anyway, I don't hunt, and mine is in .308. It weighs somewhere around 9 pounds (but, then again, I don't care much since I only lug it from the trunk to the firing line and back).

[Squantos]

Burris has one that is very good and if you can learn how to use it, the standard eliptical mil-dot's on a leaupold is best. I believe the term for my burris on my .300 win mag mauser is called a RAC which I have used with very good success. I have used mine since mid-80's on the .300 but they have one for the .338 also. I have hunted from Alaska to New Mexico with my custom mauser which Beretta shamelessly copied and called a MATO. I use Warne Maxima bases and QD lever rings as I have iron sights left on my rifle if I had ever dropped or broken the scope during a hunt I could press on and harvest my food.

Click on the RAC link above and look for yourself. Solid reliable and Burris is second to none for durability, wear, accuracy and that all important .......price !

I have a dakota longbow rifle in .338 lapua that has the 16X fixed Leaupold ultra with mil-dots and use it for extream range coyotes and such. If you understand or can learn the use of a mildot then that would be a solid type of ranging system to look into. Key with any mildot/RAC scope is find a load either custom or factory and stick to it. If you swap around your wasting your time with a RAC system of any type in your scope.

Hope I helped, stay safe, enjoy your game you harvest.

[Squantos]

Comments welcomed....Stay Safe !

[ctdonath2]

Agreed, anything beyond ~600yds requires special attention to scope mounting. Using a 1" tube, I need to slope the scope 20MOA down - which is a problem on rifles with fixed scope mounts (Steyr Scout in this case). There are rings which provide such a slope, but so far I haven't found any that are reliable enough.

[Mad Dawgg]

Hey all while we are on the subject of Rifles I wonder if any of you could help me with some info...

I recently got myself a Ruger 10/22 Rifle and I want some better clips than those stupid Barrel jobs that fit up into the gun, I recently got 4 of the plastic "banana" clips that hold ten (made by Eagle I belive) but I would like to find something that is made of metal or maybe "composite" based, I don't care about capacity (I know there is some stupid ban on the old 25 shell banana style clips) anyone got any ideas?

[Atlas Sneezed]

If you want the best scope, check out US Optics. They are better than the Europeans, expensive, and superior to Leupold and other big Amreican brands, which use Japanese lenses made from Chinese glass. If you want a scope that is trusted by the USMC, and which is so rugged it can withstand being used as a club on concrete, US Optics is for you.

100% made in USA. There may be a wait of a few months for your scope.

For learning about reticles and ranging, read "The Ultimate Sniper."

[austinite]

Get a real scope !

Rigel Optics

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

ome with illuminated reticles for low light hunting,

Why would you ever be in a lowlight situation, what with your spotlight on the deer and all?

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I got a ATN with a illuminated reticle an bullet drop to 600 yards for 200 bucks. That was a special deal, but they have them for every price range between 250 and your whole paycheck.

[xsrdx]

Why would you ever be in a lowlight situation, what with your spotlight on the deer and all?

That's an excellent point, not to mention you might bang up that purty scope when that big ol' 338 recoils up and smacks the door frame on your huntin' rig.

[Dead Dog]

Nah,

the Huntin' rig is a flatbed with a treestand/sofa (orange of course) mounted in the back.

Had to do that since the beer cooler (1955 Frigidair Chest Freezer powered by a surplus GPU) doesn't fit in the cab.

[TEXASPROUD]

Don't forget to tell them to take out a loan for any scope from U.S.Optics. I agree, THE BEST OPTICS anywhere, and expensive, but definitely worth the money.