I just happened on a review of the Maven Scope

[hembrook]

In a case like this, having a good quality spotting scope makes all the difference. If you are talking about a half day or day of stalking then you certainly have time to pull out a spotter (or Spektive, as the Germans call it) from your back pack and take the time to study the animal, the terrain, etc,

I or my stalkers typically carry a 15-30 power sporter in our pack as well as a good 10x binoculars. This has been the case in Scotland, Bavaria, and Africa.

Taking time to study the animals and terrain can save a lot of walking and disappointment.

Using your rifle scope to study animals is poor practice. You should use the right tool for the job. Anything your rifle scope is look yes at means your RIFLE is pointed there as well. It is an uncomfortable feeling squatting over an animal gutting it while someone across the valley study's you through their scope. I don't recommend it.

A good collapsible spotter or even a plain 30x or 10-30x x50 or larger spotter takes up small space and weight but makes a huge advantage for the Hunter and guide.

By the same token, many PHs I have hunted, particularly in Scotland use fixed power scopes for clients so they spend less time dorking around with the magnification ring. Shooting red stags at 150m doesn't need more than 6x anyway.

Horses for courses. My
Longest shots with a .30 Hembrook lobbing 180 grain Nosler Accubonds at 3100 fps was 505 on a South African Springbok, I cranked 8moa and held 1/2 a springbok into the wind. DRT. I was on 15x which was plenty of magnification.View attachment 494676

By the way, my hunting partner, love him like family, he was my SEL before he retired, had a Browning XBolt 7mm rem mag. He had a 6-24 FFP scope. Can hit 3x3 at 400 yards on 10" plates of shooting sticks. He started out trying to hold over AND hold into the wind on his MOA reticle, and missed EVERY shot. So we went back to the PH's range, checked zero(it was good) and RESET his turrets to zero and had him dial elevation from then out. Hit a blesbok at 505 and am Oryx at 600.

If you have the time, dialing seems to work better than holding.

Dial for range

Hold for wind.

Just my $.02

 

[sendero72]

Any scope will look good in the midday hours. Where it counts is the last 15 minutes of shooting light. I'll stick with my Nightforce. Longest shot is 1102 yds on a whitetail doe. The kudo in the profile pic is 920 yd. Whitetail / 7mag / 162 Amax. Kudo / 180 Berger Hybrid / 7x300 win mag.

 

[C.O. Shooter]

Looks impressive for the money.

 

[Bang4theBuck]

I am not making any kind of statement about either of these scopes in particular, but I will share an observation regarding some of the newer inexpensive side feature rich scopes that are flooding the market. I have found lots of success in using some of them, but one attribute I have run into is at.the extreme high end of magnification, the edge to edge clarity seems to deteriorate sognificants. Also see a lot of chromatic aboration (like red/blue rainbow blurs) around the edges. So when I am buying an economy scope, I tend to pick a scope with higher magnification range so that when I crank it up for any reason, I am only.havong to crank it up.to 80% of its total possible magnification. Then I can see what I need to without getting into the part of the magnification range where things get a little degraded.

 

[bomberodevil]

I've had leupold scopes over the years, found them to be reliable. But I have three maven scopes and I think they are very good. Accurate in the box drill, great optical quality, and good value for what you get. My recommendation would be the maven.

 

[Country5175]

You ask why 30 power?
While on a Colorado hunt my brother hunted with his boss and spotted elk at close to 1000 yards.He had a Nightforce(I think) that went to the high 20's power and then and only then they could see just how big of an elk they had spotted.
I most like would never use 30 power but if I spotted an elk at long range I would like to know it's a shooter before stalking 1/2 a day to get there.
Just my opinion

That's generally what a spotting scope is for respectfully. I could see though how good binoculars and a higher power scope could serve that purpose as well but personally would rather have a spotting scope to determine if an animal is worth the stalk or not.

 

[Old Rooster]

I'm sure if the airlines would have changed their weight limit rules I and sure they would have taken the Swaro but as I stated they had to leave something behind and it sure was not going to be a rifle.

 

[Country5175]

I'm sure if the airlines would have changed their weight limit rules I and sure they would have taken the Swaro but as I stated they had to leave something behind and it sure was not going to be a rifle.

I've never used the razor spotting scope but I would also recommend the bushnell legend t-series spotting scope. It's a little heavier than the razor but for the price I don't think they can be beat. I own 2 legend rifle scopes and 3 or 4 bushell elite rifle scopes and the legend spotting scope and I've never had a problem with any of them and the glass is amazing imo. I think the spotting scope is around 35 oz so heavier than the razor for sure but still very compact and easy to pack in a carry-on bag or backpack.

 

[Country5175]

The guy seemed to put the scope through its paces and it held it's zero. It's in my price range. But I can get a Leupold for about the same. Which would be better?

I don't think you could go wrong with either of those two scopes. If you wanted to save some money though I would give this scope a serious look. The bushnell elite and tactical line of scopes have been known for impeccable tracking and glass quality that hits way above their price tag. I don't own this exact scope, but have read and heard many great reviews about it. Bushnell Match Pro ED 5-30X56 Riflescope - ED Prime Glass, Illuminated Deploy MIL 2 Reticle for Precision Shooting Amazon product ASIN B0C3SJN68G

 

[jfswanson12]

I would get the new and improved maven rs3.2. It's been well liked. I actually have 2 of them sitting on my shelf still in the box's. I like them from what I can tell and have read. I just haven't decided if I'm going to keep them or run more nx8's so I haven't mounted them up. I don't think the nx8's are that much better I just like running all the same setups.

 

[Old Rooster]

I don't think you could go wrong with either of those two scopes. If you wanted to save some money though I would give this scope a serious look. The bushnell elite and tactical line of scopes have been known for impeccable tracking and glass quality that hits way above their price tag. I don't own this exact scope, but have read and heard many great reviews about it. Bushnell Match Pro ED 5-30X56 Riflescope - ED Prime Glass, Illuminated Deploy MIL 2 Reticle for Precision Shooting Amazon product ASIN B0C3SJN68G

Country5175 you have shown something I saw a while back and could not get back to it.That Bushnell scope has my interest.Thanks