What power scope for hunting to 400 yards?

[lancetkenyon]

If you are determined to get a Leupold, it would be very hard to beat a 2-12x42 or 3-18x44 VX-6HD. Light weight and good quality for the most part. Great magnification ranges too. Let you shoot from 25 to 500 or 800+ easily depending on which model you go with.

If you want to drop big $$$, the Mark 8 3.5-25x56 is great. Heavy, but great.

I am not a fan of Leupold any more, but those would be my only suggestions from them.

 

[el matador]

A good point of reference for me when considering how much magnification is needed is the 1x scope I have on my muzzleloader. Its plenty for shooting deer at 100 yards and 200 is very doable. Hard to get a fine sight picture when shooting paper, but for game you don't need more than 1x for each 100 yards.

I recently took a calf elk that was bedded at 450 yards. Couldn't get any closer, and since she was bedded in 2 feet of snow I could only see her head. No wind and a steady rest with my scope set on 8x. No need to zoom in further since I had a great sight picture. Dead elk with a head shot. My favorite all-around zoom is the 3-18x on my Leupold VX-6, but I'm prepared for shots well past 400 yards. For a light weight gun shooting 400 yards and under I would be buying that 2-12x VX-6HD. The glass is so clear on these scopes you don't need much magnification.

 

[Monttrap04]

In leupolds I used to have quite a few VX2s but since I started shooting the VX3s I have been systematically upgrading most of my general purpose hunting rifles. The VX2s now sit on my rimfires and youth rifles. I can tell the difference on clarity when at the range between the 2s and the 3s. I really like the 3.5-10x40 and I hunt everything from dark timber/brushy riverbottoms to wide open prairie (Montana). I personally think 10x is plenty of magnification for big game hunting out to 500 yards or so. I have a couple with the CDS but haven't messed with them much yet.

I am afraid to try the VX6s as I have just spent the last two years upgrading to the VX3s and not sure I can afford another round of upgrades

 

[roninflag]

vx-3i 4.5-14 cds. 30mm. awesome . light . around 500 online.

 

[bplumcrazy]

my first question for you would be how are you with an adjustable objective. that is very critical with higher power scopes. the lower power scopes normally don't have that option

 

[soundwaves]

nother animal down today with the NXS 8-32 X 56 from 300 yards. it Works for close and verry log range. you wont be dissapointed.

 

[MudRunner2005]

You've probably bought a scope by now... But here's my recommendation...

https://swfa.com/swfa-ss-3-15x42-tactical-rifle-scope-4.html

 

[MarkMc]

First off I do not own any Leupold scopes currently, I do hunt with with their binoculars. I have owned several in the past. I hunt with a 2.5-10X-56 primarily. The field of view and clarity are most important to me. I will hunt next year with a 338-06 with 400 yds as my personal cap. I did buy the same power , smaller objective with tactical turrets for longer range hunting, similar to your type of hunting. I was looking the other day at a retailer and handled a Leupold 1-6x with a 34mm tube. I have no hesitation in believing this scope would be a better choice than my above purchase. It is clearly the top of it's field, ~$2K, but clarity, eye relief, features. I can't stop thinking about it.

 

[Mike 338]

3-9X40 Leupold VX-2. Mine is lite weight, strong (took a nasty spill and shaves some aluminum off the eye piece and nothing happened to the scope), and super clear at all reasonable hunting times. Depending on your budget you can move up into some of the better Leupolds but for the money its a pretty good all around hunting scope.

For a lightweight hunting rig, this ^.

 

[Bigeclipse]

Thanks everyone for all the advice. I ended up finding a good deal on a very lightly used leupold vx3 4.5-14x40 with the CDS system. I currently have the MOA knob on the elevation turret. After I work up a load I might purchase a custom etched dial to make things simple for shooting out to 400

 

[WildRose]

First off I do not own any Leupold scopes currently, I do hunt with with their binoculars. I have owned several in the past. I hunt with a 2.5-10X-56 primarily. The field of view and clarity are most important to me. I will hunt next year with a 338-06 with 400 yds as my personal cap. I did buy the same power , smaller objective with tactical turrets for longer range hunting, similar to your type of hunting. I was looking the other day at a retailer and handled a Leupold 1-6x with a 34mm tube. I have no hesitation in believing this scope would be a better choice than my above purchase. It is clearly the top of it's field, ~$2K, but clarity, eye relief, features. I can't stop thinking about it.

For most folks 6x on the top end really isn't enough for 400yds shooting. The scope you are describing though can be bought for considerably less than 2,000.00 I gave them a hard look as a possible scope for my .375Ruger for my trip to Africa but settled on the Trijicon 1-6x24 due to the tritium illumination. You never have to worry about batteries and if you're hunting somewhere that electronic illumination isn't legal you don't find yourself in a pickle.

I shot nothing but leupold 3.5-10x50's on everything for about 30 years. They were more than adequate for coyotes, deer, and hogs out to 600yds but beyond 400yds somewhat lacking for evaluating racks.

My first scope with turrets was one step up from that in the Leupold 4.5-14x50 VXIII tactical which proved to be everything I needed out to at least 600yds on coyotes and larger game.

A whole lot of deer and elk have been taken out to a 1,000yds with a 10x scope but I find that I'd rather have something like the VX6 3-18x50 or 4-24x52. With them, I still have a scope that isn't too big, doesn't weigh up like a brick, and relieves me from needing to carry a spotting scope to really evaluate racks or spot with.