Looking for a predator scope with the ability to shoot at least 500yds and further.... Need great clarity for evening and nighttime shots and even illuminated reticle... What should I get or at least look at?
Rifle Scopes Predator hunting scope help
- Thread starter thechristianbear2001
- Start date
The best you can afford. Are you using artificial light, moonlight, or something else?
Artificial mostly.... Elusive wildlife and the xlr 250
You will want low power capability, and quality glass. Clarity will be higher on the list than it is in most lr shooting. Quality glass can cut down on glare from kill lights, which can be a problem sometimes. I do an awful lot of predator hunting both day and night, and like bushnell elite tacticals, ior valdada, really just about any of the European quality optics. Spend as much as you can afford to.
I do a ton of day/night calling and my dedicated coyote rig day scope is just a 4.5-16x40 Nikon scope, mildot reticle, and have no issues running it at 700 yards although all my coyote shots are mostly from 40 feet to 150 yards. Another rig has a 6-24x44 target scope on it and I transfer the LD back & forth on them when needed. I have a ND3x50 LD I swap on them for nights and have no issues with the Nikon not being illuminated.
My other rig is set up w/a 3rd gen dedicated NV scope.
I do have a weaver 3.5-12xx50 30mm tube, scope w/ illuminated german reticle on another rig that's super IMO.
The xlr 250 LR I have is mostly regulated to hand scanning as I carry it in my pocket & use the LD on the rigs.
My other rig is set up w/a 3rd gen dedicated NV scope.
I do have a weaver 3.5-12xx50 30mm tube, scope w/ illuminated german reticle on another rig that's super IMO.
The xlr 250 LR I have is mostly regulated to hand scanning as I carry it in my pocket & use the LD on the rigs.
Check out Nikon's PROSTAFF 5 3.5-14x50 with custom turret made for your shooting style. The PROSTAFF Scope's are some of the best out there for light gathering and they have very good clarity as well. Best of all they are under a PROMO right now giving you $100 off at check-out when you buy from an Authorized Nikon Dealer. I hope this help's out? Make sure you check to see if any of this site's Sponsor's are participating in the PROMO, support those who support this site.
Got a buddy who uses the Leupold Varmint Hunter's reticle and target elevation turret as effectively as any I've ever seen out to 600-700ish. Although he factors all the environmental variables into his shooting solutions for his turret, most all of his 1st-shot kills on predators have been via his reticle system out to about 600 or so, as many if not most shots (even long-range) come quickly in a predator hunting scenario. If I was looking at the best predator hunting system I'd get a Leupy 3.5-10X or 4.5-14 VX-III VH reticle and target elevation turret.
I run Premier 3-15x50s on killing rifles. Two are the "Hunter" model (covered turrets), and one is a Lite Tac.
3-15x is an ideal zoom range to cover common shot distances for predators. FFP reticles to hold off at any power, fantastic glass, NO tunneling, great field of view, repeatable turrets, and illumination as an option.
Have run just about every scope out there, and have found none that top the Premier, for all around usability as a hunting optic. Shame they're no longer & glad I've got what I got. I predator hunt @ night, with only a tiny hand held torch to see eyes, and the Premier's glass is plenty bright enough to ID & engage a tiny grey fox @ 200yds. Can't ask for much more than that...
3-15x is an ideal zoom range to cover common shot distances for predators. FFP reticles to hold off at any power, fantastic glass, NO tunneling, great field of view, repeatable turrets, and illumination as an option.
Have run just about every scope out there, and have found none that top the Premier, for all around usability as a hunting optic. Shame they're no longer & glad I've got what I got. I predator hunt @ night, with only a tiny hand held torch to see eyes, and the Premier's glass is plenty bright enough to ID & engage a tiny grey fox @ 200yds. Can't ask for much more than that...
I am sure I am in the minority here but I use a Vortex PST 4-16 on my .243. It has worked great for me the last couple seasons. I use wicked lights attached to mine and have taken hogs and coyotes at night and have shot coyotes out to 450 and steel out to 800.
Nightforce 2.5-10X42 comes to mind for me for what you said. I have been using one for my short rifle that I take predator hunting day/night. I think it does an amazing job. I have shot a video using it at very low light times using no illumination or NV. For NV it does awesome too. I am very happy with it to say the least.
Im looking to put a Vortex PST 6-24 FFP with ILM EBR-2C Reticle and Mil/Mil setup on my coyote bolt gun. Currently its sporting a fixed 10x SWFA Super Sniper. I know the 6-24 is a lot of power but being an FFP you can run the reticle at any power.
I just picked up a Nightforce 4-14x56 SHV, it's amazingly clear and has the illuminated reticle for my night hunting. I call a good number of coyotes in the fall and have been using a Zeiss Conquest, Leupold 4.5-14x50 VX3 and 6.5-20x50 Varmint hunter reticle scopes plus the Leupold MARK4 and the NF leaves them behind in every way. I do however believe my next optic will be a Vortex Razor Gen II next year, right after my kitchen remodel.
