scoping the BB97

[Vaughan]

This discussion was going on elsewhere (more than once) but I had an illuminating day today. I've had the BB97 out on the moose pass for about 12 days or so now. Only the one moose calf so far but I gotta say, it's a hell of a nice gun to carry.

Had a nice little heifer run by me today, she was not so far and so fast but the angles were not good as she bolted down into a gully and I was not feeling any great need to take a stray shot so was happy to see her get away. The "oh fornicate" moment as she came out of the brush with the dog after her and saw me was worth the day out in the cold fog

The point is, I was waiting and knew she would be close if she came my way, so I had the scope cranked right down to 2.5x. I had a good hold on her for 4-5 steps so could have shot OK but with her jumping about around rocks and brush and dipping down into the gully even at 30 m it wasn't easy to be confident to place the shot well, at least not for me. This is the first time I've felt disadvantaged by being over scoped using the 2.5-15x. An Aimpoint would have made it a lot easier, as would a 1-8x. A good lesson and a lucky moose.

FWIW, Ive been using a Reineke sling with it that I bought from Klaus. I wasn't at all convinced by it to begin with because I'm used to using the sling for support when shooting free hand but having broken the leather in and gotten the hang of it, and shooting without the sling, I think it's a winner! Also cleaned the wood up with Blaser's stock oil just now. I usually use Scherell's, which is great, but provided you put so elbow work into it, the Blaser stuff is really very good.

[mchughcb]

Glad to hear you are having a good time with the BBF . Well i guess everybody finds out eventually that 2.5X is too much magnification.

Why is the Blaser oil better than sherrets?

[mchughcb]

Aimpoint micro will keep the weight down, as the BB feels a little portly compared the K95 stutzen.

[SPEEDY]

Actually the ability to carry an aimpoint micro and then put the larger scope on when you reach your stand.

But for game like moose and deer, even boar at the ranges that your going to be shoiting them at I would recommend something in the 1-6x power range would be ideal.
Frankly whats the biggest size magnification that you use? Then you can work backwards from there.

[secondtry]

1.5/6/42 Zeiss if you can find one. The Euro 1.1/4s could be better for some but the field on 1.5 with a 1.5/6 is very wide (Zeiss or Swaro) and the 42 mm objective of the 1.5/6 is more use than the wider field on the 1.1/4 with the 28mm objective. It's a pity that the lower powered 4x erector models have been dropped by the major manufacturers.

1-8 is ridiculously heavy, and on a BB a fairly weighty total package would be the result.

Speedy's suggestion of realistically thinking about what is the most mag you are likely to need is very sensible. Far too many people are seduced into buying too much heavy, bulky magnification.

And I like Aimpoints. Unfortunately, while it is true that an Aimpoint can take up very little room in a pocket, the scope that you removed to use the Aimpoint takes up a lot more room off the rifle. 1.5/6/42 might cover it all.

[mchughcb]

A BB97 in 9.3x74R with a 1.5-6x42 with a CD-I SR actually hunting sambar on a driven hunt that actually connects on 1.5x at 135m and requires a second 458 Win from a blaserbud instead of a 30-06 Stutzen bang flop with a Z6i 1.7-10x42 ?

Who would have thunk it possible

[bbvideo=560,315]https://youtu.be/76SMWvsqJrA[/bbvideo]

[Vaughan]

1.5/6/42 Zeiss if you can find one. The Euro 1.1/4s could be better for some but the field on 1.5 with a 1.5/6 is very wide (Zeiss or Swaro) and the 42 mm objective of the 1.5/6 is more use than the wider field on the 1.1/4 with the 28mm objective. It's a pity that the lower powered 4x erector models have been dropped by the major manufacturers.

1-8 is ridiculously heavy, and on a BB a fairly weighty total package would be the result.

Speedy's suggestion of realistically thinking about what is the most mag you are likely to need is very sensible. Far too many people are seduced into buying too much heavy, bulky magnification.

And I like Aimpoints. Unfortunately, while it is true that an Aimpoint can take up very little room in a pocket, the scope that you removed to use the Aimpoint takes up a lot more room off the rifle. 1.5/6/42 might cover it all.

That is the problem with the 2 scope idea - I'll always have the wrong one on.... Even that heifer yesterday, the areas in front of me were all going to yield a shot between 10-50m, perfect for an Aimpoint. Turn around and I had a 250m deep clear cut that moose can cross at any point. This is why I always pick up the H1 or H2 scopes in the shop - then put them back down again. I feel I need a good variable scope.

The 2.5-15x44 I'm using now came off my R93 and I was thinking it might work - it has been fine on my R93 after all but I either need to use it on the BB97 and buy something new for the R93 or put it back where it belongs and get something specific for the BB97.

After yesterday, I've decided on the later option. I was tossing up between the 1.7-13x44, which has the advantage of good light gathering, or the 1-8x24, which has low end mag., is sufficient at x8, but I can't imagine it is all that great in dusk light (I've not tried one then). Still, I'm pretty convinced the 1-8 is the way to go now. The new reticle with the enlarged ring should be a plus too - looks good in the shop at least... Weight is not an issue for me - the Z6i it has on it now weights 575gm vs 515gm for the Z8i and the current setup is neither too heavy nor unbalanced in my hands. I'm not mountain walking with it.

I can see a spring 2018 present arriving for me in the post..

[Vaughan]

Glad to hear you are having a good time with the BBF . Well i guess everybody finds out eventually that 2.5X is too much magnification.

Why is the Blaser oil better than sherrets?

Yes, I had a few struggles with it and I will need to regulate both bbls properly once the season is done. The bottom bbl being off is what caused the problem with the rubber insert I think - or perhaps I should say I'm inclined to accept the Blaser techs suggestion that this is the case, given that at present I have the top bbl regulated so that it is close to the top of the sleeve. but I really enjoy using the rifle in the field. It is short and points really well and I like the weight as I feel this helps me swing it smoothly - although that is perhaps helped by my right shoulder slowly getting better so I can better support the rifle with my front hand (I'm a leftie).

The Blaser stuff dried quicker and left behind a waxy deposit that when I buffed it vigorously enough to warm the wood left a really good surface and sheen on the stock. I'd write that some other way but I can't think how.... Scherell's always seems to leave an oiled finish rather than a waxed finish, that was the main difference I found. I will probably stick with Scherell's on my Browning stocks but go back to the Blaser stock "oil" for the BB97 stock. I'd be confident and happy to use either and I think both are great products.

[SPEEDY]

Ive found the 1-4×24 good in low light and tge 2-7×36 absolutely brilliant and I could shoot both fine eith both eyes open on running game.
The 1-4 however is much better up real close, expecially when you almost step on a pig.
The 1-8×24 might be lacking in the light gathering at higher power but shoud be reasonable in the lower power.

The thing is that nothing will be be perfect 100% of the time so you have to find what will be perfect for you 90% of the time.
We can't have it our way all the time otherwise we could tell stories about the one that got away

Or if we did the only reason would be "I stuffed up" and none of us like telling those stories.

[mchughcb]

I can see you are in two minds Vaughan. I haven't looked through a Z8 so I can't comment on that but I have looked through and used a Z6i on the BB97 of another blaserbuds. I liked it a lot.

[mchughcb]

And another to help you decide

[Vaughan]

Or if we did the only reason would be "I stuffed up" and none of us like telling those stories.

That might have been another reason she got away

[SPEEDY]

Or if we did the only reason would be "I stuffed up" and none of us like telling those stories.

That might have been another reason she got away

A poor tradesman blames his tools, but a good hunter blames the sun for blinding their scope, or they must have knocked the scope when the "tripped"

[Vaughan]

I can see you are in two minds Vaughan. I haven't looked through a Z8 so I can't comment on that but I have looked through and used a Z6i on the BB97 of another blaserbuds. I liked it a lot.

Yes, I have been kicking it around a bit while sitting in the quiet forest, which is why I'm happy to use the existing scope for this season. Speedy is right of course, it doesn't matter which I choose, situations will always crop up where some other scope would have been better than the one I chose. I'm confident from my experience and the from the suggestions here that either of the options I have in mind will be excellent better than 90% of the time. Can't really ask for more than that.

FWIW, I didn't think the Z8 1-8 I looked through looked as well made as the Z6s I own. I'm sure it is, it just didn't seem as sleek. The image was crystal though!

[Vaughan]

And another to help you decide

Yeah, thanks, really not helping....