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Tikka7mm View Drop Down
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Direct Link To This Post Topic: Which scope to buy??
    Posted: July/18/2013 at 11:48
Hey I'm new to the forum but I wanted to post a question to see what anyone had to say. I'm in the market
for a new scope to mount on a Tikka T3 7mm magnum. I have narrowed my search somewhat but wondered if I I can get some help. My top three are Swarovski z5 3.5-18x44, Meopta Meostar r1 4-16x44, and a Leupold vx-6 3-18x50. I know there are a little bit of price variances but any help would be great.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 12:12
Welcome to Optics Talk.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 12:17
Uses and what ranges are you going to shoot at?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 12:17
All three are good scopes, though not necessarily directly comparable to each other.

Can you provide a little more detail on how you plan to use them?  typical shooting distances, lighting conditions, etc?

ILya
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 12:28
I know they are a little different in comparison. Used mostly for medium game hunting mid to longer ranges up to 300+ lighting condition varies but nothing too extreme like night hunts.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 12:28
Thanks, hopefully I will get some good info from the boards.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 14:15
Not being critical, please understand, but in your criteria of "medium to big game hunting mid to longer ranges up to 300", my first thought is why do you feel the need for so much magnification on the top end? 
I have the exact rifle, the T3 in 7Mag (actually I gave it to my nephew) and it's a real shooter.  
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 14:41
No offense taken, I just want to make sure that if and when I take this gun out for longer shots I have the magnification for it. This is going to be my primary hunter so I want it to have a versatile scope. What are the drawbacks of having a high (above 12x) magnification?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 15:05
Swarovski z5 3.5-18x44   
 
 
As magnification goes higher the scope will not look as bright in low light.  6x42 or 7x50 or 8x56 are the brightest.  With a variable at dark dial down. In bright light you can use higher magnification.  In extreme heat  one has issues with mirage but for a hunting scope most guys dont hunt in extreme heat except possibly prairie dogs.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 20:50
I have been shooting and hunting North American medium and larger game for nearly 50 years now. Most of my hunting is for various species of deer and elk. I own several well known and some premium brand scopes including Swarovski, Zeiss, Leupold and Kahles. Nearly all of my hunting scopes are in the range of either 3.5-10x42 or 4-12x50 with all but one scope being the former on larger game rifles.

My 9.3-74R for instance, has a 1.5-5x20 Leupold scope on it and my Sako, .338 Federal, rifle a 3-9x42 Kahles scope. I have never had a need to use more than 9 to 10 power maximum for hunting deer to 400 yards and elk to a little further. You can see any detail that you might need, IMHO, to 300 yards for this type of hunting, including antler detail at 10X.

Edited by Oldtrader3 - July/18/2013 at 22:51
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 21:04
I know that scopes like the 3.5-10x44 Conquest, VX3 3.5-10x40, etc will get you past legal shooting, and are all that I personally need.  I will say though, that after extensive time behind a VX6 2-12x42 that it is fantastic.  I'd like to get my hands on a Conquest HD5 to try out too.  I've spent time with most every high end glass, and I personally see no need for anything over $1000 for situations like yours. 

I'll go so far to suggest this:  Get yourself a FX3 6x42 with a CDS dial.   6x is plenty good out to 500 yards, and that FX3 is one of the brightest and toughest scopes made.  Sight your 7Mag in for 3" high @ 100 (MPBR) and you'll be able to hold on hair out to 340 yards.  I've killed loads of game with this exact setup. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 22:12
Thanks for all the great info. there are obviously a lot of
Experienced optics users here and this has helped me see that I definitely don't need to go out to as high power as I was planning. I think the meopta or Swarovski z3 will do the trick. Any pref on either?
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 22:24
I have a Sako 75 Greywolf and this is what I put on it. A Swarovski 3-10x42. And I have never wanted more magnification.

http://swfa.com/Swarovski-3-10x42-Z3-Riflescope-P40815.aspx
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 22:53
My preference would be the Swarovski Z3. I have the AH Model Swarovski (a Z3 in a older model number) and it has been working great for me since 2002.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 23:00
Well here in Iowa we only get to use rifles in late antlerless season.  I was hunting with another hunter and I had a fixed 10x and he had an 8.5-25 and at the distance we were at I could not tell that one deer was a little 4 point but he could tell which deer were in fact does.  Sometimes I like to get a better look at a deer or like to see the holes in the target better and I like some extra magnification. I see no problem having a higher maximum power but where most guys run into problems is not having a low enough power.   So I see nothing wrong with choosing a 3.5-18x44 scope  I like that power range and would love to have that scope on a 7mm mag I think its a great match.   My Tikka 300 WSM has a Zeiss Conquest 4.5-14 with a balistic reticle 3.5-18 sounds better on both ends.

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/18/2013 at 23:37
Good points.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/19/2013 at 07:20
I too belong to the lower top end magnification group. Additionally, some of those bigger scopes get rather heavy so if you are going to be mobile, consider that. A good quality (glass-wise) scope with adequate ER and medium magnification would be my choice. A 3-10 Swaro Z3 would be a good one. 
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/19/2013 at 07:25
I have that same Z5 on a 300WSM hunting rifle.  Love it.  Great fit, light weight, compact package, dead nutz accurate.
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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/19/2013 at 09:16
You could spend less and have a scope that will serve you quite well such as a Meopta Meopro 4-12x50 with a #4

Run a 250 yard zero which puts you 2" high at 100 and about 3" low at 300

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Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/22/2013 at 15:42
This discussion touches on something that has puzzled me for quite some time.  One poster mentioned that he was unable to discern does from a 4-point buck with his scope.  My confusion results from my understanding that a spotting scope or set of binoculars is used to identify the game target, and the rifle scope is used to aim the rifle.  Am I missing something?

My practice is to use either my spotting scope (longer ranges) or a set of binoculars (brush) to identify the game and then switch to the rifle scope.  The spotting scope and binos are much better suited for pulling out detail and much easier to use for long periods.  I use fixed power scopes on my hunting rifles (4X and 8x) except for one 3-9x that was a gift from my wife.   That one stays set on 6x.  I am considering a fixed 12x for a .22 Hornet varmint rifle.  The low power is due to image shake and jitter from off-hand shooting in places that are not ideal.

Is my use of different optics to identify and target unusual?  Is the use of the rifle scope for both spotting and shooting due to the speed of the game?
Scott
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