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Rifle Scopes Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

C

Chssain

Private
Minuteman
Nov 12, 2008
41
0
Jonesboro, AR
I am going on a brown bear hunt in april and would like to hear some suggestions on a scope. It will be going on a 375 H&H that i have had for years but figured i would upgrade optics before this hunt.

I was planning on buying the new leupold 3x18 vx6, but i have been waiting on them to hit the market for 4 months and i am tired of waiting.

What i am wanting is a scope with a large variance in power like the vx6. I would like the low power to be 2 or 3 power. 30mm tube, covered or lockable turrets, and under or around $1200.

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

would also like for it to have some type of hold over marks in the reticle.
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

No it is a kodiak island hunt. I know it is alot on the top end but thats the reason i want a scope with a large swing in power, so that i can still have low power incase of a close encounter, but i would have a little higher power for a distance shot. I have been looking at maybe a 2x12 too.
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chris@SportOptics</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Is this a tundra bear hunt? That's a lot of magnification. </div></div>

HUGE +1!

Tell us a little more about the conditions you'll be hunting in and the expected ranges you'll be shooting. Unless you have some LONG ranges and some wide-open areas to shoot, an 18x top end is way more than I can envision you needing (like 1-6x, 1-8x, 2-10x, etc. Think lower magnification and more eye relief. Your eyes will thank you!
wink.gif
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

The hunting conditions will be spot and stalk. Range will probably not exceed 150 yards. At the moment i have a burris 2-7 1" tube on it. It has been a good scope, but i just wouldnt trust it if i were to drop it, or something like that. And it doesnt do well in low light conditions. I want a scope that is tough, and reliable. Along with good rings. I have a few rifles with IOR rings on them and have had good luck with them. That is what i was thinking about doing as far as rings.
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

Personally I would select the USO SN4 but you would be restricted to max magnification at either 4x or 6x (I wouldn't need more for a bear hunt but I'm not you.) It would also be pressuring your budget but deals can be had. The NXS 2.5 x 10 x 32 would give you more mag but similar price point. You could choose an adequate reticle with either, not to mention the turret features you need. Good luck on your hunt, remember a camera!
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

You can get the nxs with zero stop.....or go the capped turret route.

Boss man just got back from a Alaskan hunt and he really like the performance of the Swaro 1-6. We outfit a lot of customers with that scope for dangerous game hunts. Field of view is ridiculous, very larger ocular lens that makes getting behind the scope very easy. That's the route I would go.
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

I do love Swarovski, Thats what my spotting scope, and Binos are. but there just out of my budgett for now. I would like to do the Swarovski 1.7-10x42 but just a little pricy.

So I could get covered turrets on the NXS?

what's yalls oppinion on the IOR 2.5-10x42 hunting scope?
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

Man, that is something that can move fast and eat you.
And they are BIG!
I would want something tough above all else and like a 1-4, 1.5-6 or 1-6
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

If a Browny was trying to eat me I would not want a 1st focal plane scope on 3
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

its a big target. id go 3-9. youll be able to see enough. id be more worried about the close up shot than the far off shot
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

I like the 1.5-6x42s made by Zeiss,s&b, and swarovski or a Leopold 1.5-5 vx3 for big animals. With the Leopold I go with the heavy reticle so it stands out better on dark surfaces.
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

i wouldn't take anything over 2x, a 1x or 1.5 would be much better suited to the task. Chris and I have been talking about this since the topic was posted, less is certainly more on a dangerous game hunt. optics that come to mind are the swarovski 1-6, the nightforce 1-4, the meopta 1-4, vortex 1-6 and a few others come to mind. talk to your outfitter, if your stalking through alders, you don't want to be stuck with a high magnification scope. it's likely your shot will be under 200 yards, probably closer. suit your equipment to the terrain. if

another thing, i know some guys get really concerned about accuracy, on a dangerous game hunt, you don't need to stack bullets one on top the other, what is more paramount is that your rifle is dead nuts reliable. i had a customer that brought ammunition that was loaded by a bench rest shooter, bench rest shooter built the rifle as well. the primer wasn't sealed and moisture got into the ammo and it failed when he was trying to shoot a pretty large bear. he got some different ammo from his guide and ended up taking a bear, but had he been in alders and that bear been closer, it could have ended badly. just some food for thought
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

Sir,low power scope in the 1x5x range is what you need.Guided on Kodiak for bear in the past.This past season with cilents made my #73 brown bear/griz.Most shots are under 150yds,sometime's in
feet.Spring hunts you may shoot further cause the veg/leafs are gone and you may get a bear on the mountain in open snow feild.Fall hunts the bears will be down on fish.You may get them up on berrys for a longer shot.Closer shots, not always the rule thou.If you check out PGS post, Alaska griz in the hunting forum I guided Pat and George Gardner on there fall
grizzly hunt.Both of these guys can shoot lights out.They killed there bears at ranges that i would let very few cilents ever try.
But Pat an George are skilled shooters that we know.If you have any ? send me a pm.Enjoy your hunt...waggs
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

Well I ended up going with a Schmidt and Bender 1.5-6x42 with the #9 ret. I got it used for 1400$, Looks brand new. I dont think it was ever hunted with.
 
Re: Need Help selecting optic for Brown Bear Hunt.

That is one of the finest low power scopes you can get. You won't regret it.
Good luck in Alaska? and make sure to post pictures of the hunt.
 
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