The ideal Scope ???

[Davo 7mm]

Gents
If you were buying the ideal all round scope right now what would you buy, normal hunting of medium game on a standard calibre ie 270, 308'etc, range to 400m, interested in your thoughts, cheers David

[6.5x55]

Kahles Helia 2-10x50

[mchughcb]

1.7-10x42 or 2-12x50.

[SPEEDY]

2-7x36, but baring that I've got to agree with the 3-10×50 Kahles.
I don't like going bigger then 10x, messing around with the parallax is a PIA.
But I could also see the 3-9×42 Kahles as a good all round option. Actually growing up all anyone ever used was a fixed 4x, 6x or 3-9×40 and it never hampered anyone, I've killed a lot of game over the years with a fixed 6x scope.

[stokesrj]

Wow, I would hate to be forced to only one scope. But if I were, and had to use it from driven hunts to 400 yards, then I would accept the additional weight of an 8X variable, and go with my Swarovski Z8i rail mount, 1.7-13.3X42 with the flex change reticle and ballistic turret flex, because, well, it’s FLEXIBLE.

[9.3x64]

Zeiss V8 1.8-14x50 with ASV and rail.
Which is what I use for the same situation.

[SPEEDY]

On big game, even medium game 10x is plenty of magnification out to 400m , even 500m for that matter.

Or thats my view on the matter anyway.

[Vaughan]

Another for the Z8i 1.7-13x42. I have a couple of the 2.5-15 Z6i's and love them, but the Z8 range is, if anything, even better.

[slugslinger]

My favorite is an illuminated Swarovski Z6 2-12x50 that has served me very well for Pronghorn, Deer, Elk, and African Plains game - it comes both illuminated or not. It goes very low power with large field of view when required, and the upper end at 12 power is all I've ever needed at "reasonable" hunting distances.

Swarovski, Zeiss, Kahles, and Schmidt & Bender all make top notch optics in my experience. Just be careful of the budget price point stuff . . . There's also nothing wrong with Leupold and Vortex either. Just buy the best you can afford.

Regards,

[Gun Barrel Ecologist]

I’m a big fan of the 2.5-10x 56 and will happily accept the weight in return for twilight factor and exit pupil.

Saying that, if running them on .375s the buggers tend to slip in their rings if you’re not careful

[Rod]

2-7 x 36 Kahles or 1.5 to 6 Zeiss or Kahles. But if Kahles still made a fixed 4X it would be that.

Rod

[ebrownw2]

Z6i 1.7-10x42

[7x57]

1.7-10x42 or 2-12x50.

Ditto

[canalrifle]

An illuminated reticle has greatly improved my hunting marksmanship.

[LAairhunter]

Wow, I would hate to be forced to only one scope. But if I were, and had to use it from driven hunts to 400 yards, then I would accept the additional weight of an 8X variable, and go with my Swarovski Z8i rail mount, 1.7-13.3X42 with the flex change reticle and ballistic turret flex, because, well, it’s FLEXIBLE.

I concur with Mr. Stokes 100%. The Swarovski Z8i 1.7-13.3x42 rail-mount scope with the Ballistic Turret is my current favorite scope. I've used it on a 6.5 Swede and a 7 Mauser to hunt in the Southeast USA and in Africa this past year, and I don't feel like it even gives up too much to the 56mm objective Swarovskis in low-light. I've never hunted driven game with it (nor have I used the circular reticle in the FlexChange), but I've shot many pigs, one whitetail, and several plains game with it.

Another very good scope that I have on a .308 (shortened barrel with smaller suppressor) is the Z8i 1-8x24 with Ballistic Turret. Even though that's a short scope, I'm comfortable shooting it out to 600 yards (I wouldn't shoot game at this distance, though) despite it being able to act as a "reflex" sight. I actually have the above set-up on a shortened R8 stock (one that I had made years ago by Andrej for my kids); it's the ultimate carbine for stalking pigs.

I'll add that I really like Swarovski's little throw lever on these scopes, too.

M