Hunting scope for Africa

[MoeAfrica]

Good Day
I'm currently looking for a scope for my
30-06
I usually hunt no further that 350m , it's usually in bush ( 150m max)
Occasionally in the plains ( 400m)
Currently considering
Leupold VX-5HD 2-10 x 42
Leupold VX/Mark-3HD 4.5-14 x 40
Vortex Viper HST 4-16 x 44

 

[NewsShooter]

Burris XTR III 3-18 with the SCR reticle, good field of view, reticle is easy to see, if you get the new illuminated model you have a nice center at 3x. If you can find one used I'd grab the Bushnell LRHSi 4.5-18 with the g2h reticle.
https://www.snipershide.com/shooting/threads/bushnell-lrhsi-4-5-18-w-nf-rings.7136023/#post-10397122, it doesn't say it's sold.

 

[Fig]

How good are your eyes?

 

[MoeAfrica]

How good are your eyes?

Not very good

 

[Jack's Dad]

I'd get a 1-8 or 1-10

 

[Fig]

I would get a scope with a 56mm objective for more light gathering. Those twilight shots where you are likely to get the trophy animals, and a bright scope is key. I would not get something that looks like you are looking down a pipe, which applies to some of the scopes on your list.

 

[babyguppy]

buy two, take 1 as a carry on, so you don't have to worry about the other one if it gets broke in transit.
resell it, when you come back to the states, call it insurance.

 

[MoeAfrica]

buy two, take 1 as a carry on, so you don't have to worry about the other one if it gets broke in transit.
resell it, when you come back to the states, call it insurance.

I live in South Africa bud

 

[acudaowner]

( these guys)
while your looking through what ever scope you have they will be watching out for the lion that's creeping up to eat you . They throw themselves in the line of fire protecting what's important , you . lol that or they just step asside watch you get eaten then pick up the money from your corps they can find . best of luck have a safe trip .

 

[TheHorta]

For hunting above or below the equator?

 

[beetroot]

The only scope of the 3 you mentioned I'd consider is the VX5.

The 4.5-14 VX3 has a very small FOV on low power so not so good in tight bush.
The glass on the 4-16 HST is kinda shit certainly a lot worse than the VX5.

The VX5 line of scopes has good glass and for the most part dials fairly well, the Firefox reticle is good for close range hunting.
I think the 3-15x44 is probably worth considering if you think you'll be be taking longer range shots, but if its mostly under 300ish meters then a 2-10 firedot with ZL2 turret would be hard to beat.

I generally prefer FFP scopes these days but there isn't really much that with your usage that does weight 26oz + and will cost considerably more than the options you've listed.

 

[MoeAfrica]

The only scope of the 3 you mentioned I'd consider is the VX5.

The 4.5-14 VX3 has a very small FOV on low power so not so good in tight bush.
The glass on the 4-16 HST is kinda shit certainly a lot worse than the VX5.

The VX5 line of scopes has good glass and for the most part dials fairly well, the Firefox reticle is good for close range hunting.
I think the 3-15x44 is probably worth considering if you think you'll be be taking longer range shots, but if its mostly under 300ish meters then a 2-10 firedot with ZL2 turret would be hard to beat.

I generally prefer FFP scopes these days but there isn't really much that with your usage that does weight 26oz + and will cost considerably more than the options you've listed.

I've been using a ffp scope but I find that because the reticle is so fine it causes it to be really difficult to see in brush at low power

 

[beetroot]

I've been using a ffp scope but I find that because the reticle is so fine it causes it to be really difficult to see in brush at low power

Yeah, sadly there aren't too many FFP reticle than work well on low power out side of LPVOs.

I have a PST Gen1 2.5-10 that works really well on low power and would suit your needs but they stopped making them years ago and the Gen2 version isn't as good IMO due to reticle and weight.

The VX5s are pretty good scopes, I used to have a VX5 and 6 and thought they were real nice for the money, didn't have issues dialing them but have gone full Mil and FFP now.

The 3-15 with the HTMR reticle is a good option if you are wanting more "tactical" reticle.

 

[ssc45]

Assuming you are hunting PG not DG, I prefer SFP with a very simple duplex reticle. Once sighted in, at those distances you can pretty much hold and make minor adjustments on where to hold. I used a 30-06 on multiple trips to Zim, SA and Nam with a plain Leupold 3.5-10 vx3.

My thought is a scope with a bit lower power and perhaps a bit higher might be a bit better. Perhaps a 2-12. Out of your choices, I would go with the Leupold 2-10. VX5. The Leupold was lightweight and never lost zero. The glass wasn’t too good. I never saw that much of an advantage to a large objective, even in low light. The scope has a nice small footprint which is nice while on foot through the thorns.

I would have a different thought if using this rifle for DG or if you plan on using it for leopard.

Cheers, Steve

 

[cliffy110]

If your maximum range is 350, you really don't need a lot of the features of the scopes being discussed. A LPVO like the Leupold VX 3HD 1.5-5X will handle anything out to that range and will be excellent in the brush. I know some will argue that it isn't a "true 1X" but I've been to enough scout rifle training classes and have evenough real world experience to know that for hunting, that doesn't matter at all (note I said hunting... tactical use may be different and 1X may indeed be critical). A 2-7 or 3-9 will give you a bit more advantage at the extreme of your distances but not as much as one would think.

Now... I'm not an African hunter but my hunting style is "still hunting" (slow movement around field edges and woodlots) in central Virginia which means most deer are taken inside 250 and often, there are only seconds to get onto target and press the trigger. So take my opinion with that in mind.

 

[XTREM HTR16]

IMO the S&B Klassik/Precision Hunter, either the 3-12x42 or the 3-12x50, with P3 or P3L reticle would work great on that rifle.

 

[Snapper314]

If your maximum range is 350, you really don't need a lot of the features of the scopes being discussed. A LPVO like the Leupold VX 3HD 1.5-5X will handle anything out to that range and will be excellent in the brush...

Seeing and shooting a full sized target with a 1.5-5x LPVO at 350 yards is easy. But seeing an animal in brush or tree cover at 350 yards is a totally different matter.

If you do go with a LPVO, I'd look at something in the 1-8x magnification range, or higher, like the Nightforce ATACR 1-8x. If you don't feel the need for 1x at the low end, you might want to look at the Nightforce NX8 2.5-20x50mm. It's available in both First & Second Focal Plane models.

 

[Aftermath]

Leupold VX-5HD 2-10 x 42

 

[England]

Good Day
I'm currently looking for a scope for my
30-06
I usually hunt no further that 350m , it's usually in bush ( 150m max)
Occasionally in the plains ( 400m)
Currently considering
Leupold VX-5HD 2-10 x 42
Leupold VX/Mark-3HD 4.5-14 x 40
Vortex Viper HST 4-16 x 44

Much of this depends on the terrain and vegetation. I've hunted the Zim lowveldt four times and will return next August. My .375 H&H wears a Leupold VX6 2-12x with their Firedot reticle. That model is discontinued and replaced by their VX6HD 2-12. These have excellent eye relief (helpful on a .375) and the lower magnification range works well for the thick stuff, but you can crank it up for longer shots. The Firedot feature is very handy for dark colored game in thick bush, like when hunting Cape buffalo. The Firedot LR Duplex reticles has a couple "dots" below the crosshairs and those are useful for setting up longer shots at 250-400 meters.

Of the three scopes you mention, I'd go with the VX5-HD 2-10 for those reasons, and would get 171389 with the Firedot. It appears that the LR reticle is no longer offered, but the VX6 and the VX5HD have uncapped elevation dials and one could simply dial for longer shots. I simply replace the lithium coin battery before each hunt. I run a VX6 1-6 on my .458 Lott, also with the Firedot reticle. Both rifles have iron sights and the scope is on a QD mount, but I've never found a need to dismount the scope when hunting. Leupold changes models frequently and you can often find discontinued models greatly discounted (at least in the USA). Good luck!

 

[MoeAfrica]

Much of this depends on the terrain and vegetation. I've hunted the Zim lowveldt four times and will return next August. My .375 H&H wears a Leupold VX6 2-12x with their Firedot reticle. That model is discontinued and replaced by their VX6HD 2-12. These have excellent eye relief (helpful on a .375) and the lower magnification range works well for the thick stuff, but you can crank it up for longer shots. The Firedot feature is very handy for dark colored game in thick bush, like when hunting Cape buffalo. The Firedot LR Duplex reticles has a couple "dots" below the crosshairs and those are useful for setting up longer shots at 250-400 meters.

Of the three scopes you mention, I'd go with the VX5-HD 2-10 for those reasons, and would get 171389 with the Firedot. It appears that the LR reticle is no longer offered, but the VX6 and the VX5HD have uncapped elevation dials and one could simply dial for longer shots. I simply replace the lithium coin battery before each hunt. I run a VX6 1-6 on my .458 Lott, also with the Firedot reticle. Both rifles have iron sights and the scope is on a QD mount, but I've never found a need to dismount the scope when hunting. Leupold changes models frequently and you can often find discontinued models greatly discounted (at least in the USA). Good luck!

Well I'm from the grasslands yet I attend university in the city closer to the northern bushveld
I used a 6-24 FFP scope for abit
Wasn't the best but it worked
Im thinking of the 3-15 model as it has a side focus adjustment with a windplex or simple duplex, I rarely hunt in low light conditions
I've shot up to 700m on 12 power before
So i think it's most versatile