I have used Leupold scopes,and thats why I now use Swarovski. A Swarovski 6X24X50 tds cost around 1800.00, believe me, they are worth it! If you have only a few minutes before dark,and your trying to make out a deer or elk at 200 + yds low light conditions will tell you the difference.We did a test with several scopes and several different shooters looking,and the Swarovski was voted the best for low light.The Leupold was next.All the rest, a water pipe would work just as well.............

 

Well, I did my hunting this year with a Kimber 84M Montana. I would definitely try to get your hands on one and handle it before you make your decision. I simply fell in love with the thing. If something as lightweight as the Montana isn't your bag try their more traditional wooden stocked models. Kimber is building some truly wonderful rifles.

My particular model is the .308 model in stainless with the synthetic Kevlar stock. Comes in just a hair over 5 pounds without the scope. Far and away my most favorite bolt action I've ever taken into the field. If I had to get rid of every other bolt gun I have the Kimber would stay. It is that good.

Don't cut corners on scopes. The there are some decent values out there but tacking on some wal-mart tasco or simmons with cheap rings and mounts is just defeating the purpose and is an exercise in futility. Stay with quality and don't cheap out on mounts or the actual mounting. Make sure that is done correctly. I generally find with standard telescopic scopes I usually can't go too terribly wrong with Leupold, Swarovski, Nikon or Zeiss.

I've been pleasantly surprised with Sightron scopes at least the ones I've tried. A very good quality piece of glass that seems to be running under the radar with a lot of guys.

I'm still trying scopes on my Kimber by the way. I just can't find exactly what I'm looking for. I'm torn between an Ultralight Leupold which is what feels the best on the rifle and several illuminated reticle models of several manufacturers of which I've tried which is what I actually need for deer season but don't feel as nice on the rifle. Catch 22.

 

The Swarovski 6X24X50 is good for 30-600yds, I have used mine for both shots,as it can be tuned for each occasion----TDS---is valuable for the long shots......

 

What rifle are you using under that scope?

 

Model 70 winchester,chambered in 300 weatherby,witha a Hart match grade barrel with the boss installed...constantly drops two in the same hole at 200yds.....also I have the same set up in 257 weatherby...scope and all,I like the 257 best for shorter distances.....like up to 300 yds.....all my guns are custom reworks by a smithy in Selma ,Al. who used to work for Walker Arms in Selma...they make a lot of the Sharps custom rifles in 45-70 and 45-90 all hand made for some type of shooting competition.....I also like a Ruger No. 1 with a Hart Barrel..... I have made several long shots(600 yds) and like hunting up to that range. A Swarovski spotting scope helps....

 

That is amazingly good shooting. Most folks couldn't hit a flock of circus tents at that range.

 

Ten! I have been shooting and hunting since I was 7 yrs old. Started with a winchester single shot 22. I got interested in long distance shooting when I was in Viet Nam...I watched snipers make shots up to 1000 yds,with single fire 50 cal., I know people arn't deer, but it gave me an idea 30 yrs later.Most of my group are into the long range deer hunting.On a Texas hunt this yr, a hun ter friend of mine took a doe at 635 yds with a single shot from a 30-378 weatherby.Most of the land we hunt on has been clear cut,and it offers this style of hunting.The long range hunting offers hunters better quality deer for us,because the deer can't windl us as easly.We see more now than ever because we are not disturbing their habitat.I forgot, I have custom stocks on my guns(MCMillian)Its just what I like to do.....besides,the deer killed by autos and trucks is skyrocketing,and the insurance cos are asking for more liberal seasons.WE now can take a both sex deer every day for 120 days.

 

Not many folks know just how far a rifle will reach out. I have been involved in long range target shooting and varmint hunting for many years. I know of the type of equipment you are using and the capabilities it has. My personal preference is to avoid taking a shot that I am not very sure will result in a bullet being properly placed on an animal. Actually most of my hunting anymore is done with a 45-70 or 50-70 and shots are under a hundred yards. But that is simply a personal preference anymore. When coyote hunting I use the smaller bore rifles and shoot over longer ranges but for deer or elk, maybe out to three hundred yards. I have hunted enough to know what a badly placed bullet can mean and take great pains to avoid this situation.

Long range shooting such as 1000 yard competition is an interesting and demanding sport. It takes good equipment and a steady rest to put up a reasonable score in this type of competition. Lots of practice and dedication are required and the person that is not willing to dedicate the time required will seldom, if ever, excel at long range shooting.

If a person is able to consistently put ten rounds into a kill zone, with no flyers, at a given range then, it would seem to me, they would feel comfortable with taking game at that range. It has been my experience, however, that shifting wind patterns and heat haze as well as a number of other factors will make shooting over open country even more difficult than shooting at a range.

I simply am not a good enough shot to feel comfortable taking shots at the ranges you indicated. I will not take that much risk of a badly hit animal.

 

Ten, I have friends that crow hunt with custom 700's chambered in 300 winmag....They are picking them up starting at 200 yds and then out to 300yds....We have a 1200 yd range close by,that an Army Major(retired) runs for sniper training for local police swat teams and such.It is open to the public only with his tutelage.....I am self taught shooter and have read some good journals about shooting. I think its in your mind how well you can perform......

 

I absolutely agree that mind set has a lot to do with ones ability. Advancing years and a bit of an irregular heartbeat with eyes that are not as sharp as they once were also hold sway. I have been fortunate to have several places on the farm where long range target bunks could be set up and have had ready access to these all my life. Since I grew up carrying a rifle and belt gun it came as a natural thing to be involved in informal shooting contests. Sometime or another the formal competition came into the mix and I enjoyed that game for a number of years. My Dad was an excellent shot right into his advancing years but time finally took the edge from him and I see the same occurring with my abilities. For a many years I have enjoyed target shooting and hunting, the likes of which todays beginning hunters will unfortunately never see, but am enough of a realist to know what my limitations are.

The days of busting groundhogs at four or five hundred yards with a hotrod wildcat are no longer within my abilities. I have a couple of sons and, coming up, grandsons that now and in the future will practice these skills and continue the shooting sports which is just a much fun for me as the actual hunts.

Unfortunately there seems to be a smaller and smaller percentage of those involved in the shooting sports that really are willing to read and do the research to learn how we arrived at the point we are in this game. I see so many comments on various forums that, even with my limited knowledge of ballistics, clearly show a misunderstanding of what is going on. Many people seem to develop such a brand loyalty or listen to gun writer hype to the extent they think there is just one way to look at something. Anyone that has read the older books and studied the history of smokeless powder will know that there is very little that is really new on the gun shelves. There are different actions and materials which is some cases are major or minor developments in equipment and without a doubt the availability of higher velocity rifles has improved. At the same time there have been so many things offered to the shooting public that were brought forth simply as a money maker that the average shooter can often be hoodwinked into spending his hard earned cash for no good reason.

I applaud you and your friends for working at the long range game and apologize if I sounded a little skeptical of your comments. Too often I have heard the stories of the 500 yard running shot and when shown where this supposed bit of rifle wizardry was done found it to be more in the area of perhaps a couple of hundred yards at most. Since you have obviously spent some time on the range you know what I'm talking about.

Keep working at developing really new equipment and methods, it is often the guy in the garage that comes up with the good stuff.