Spotlighting rifle, what are you guys using?

[HUNTERDELUX]

Remington BDL in .17Rem, bedded and floated with a Tasco target 6-24x44, reloads are 22.5grns of AR2206H, CCI small rifle primer and Hornady 25grn hp.

[Plowboy]

Tikka T3 lite SS in .223 topped with a Vortex crossfire 6-24X50 scope illum recticle. Think barrel is 18inch.

Scope is biiger than I was after but the vortex guy had none of the 4-16X50s I wanted so he sold me this one for the same price. Like the gun and the scope but as I thought never use the 24x unless during daylight hours. mostly sits on 16X at night. Synth stocks are the go. If I has a "nice" stock it would be scratched up bad thanks to the door. My scope has a mark on it thanks to the window seal. Found a good solution to it though. All I did was get one of those cheap kids floaties( I think they call them noodles) the ones that are like a foam pole with a hollow middle. I cut a section about 30cm long and then cut a slit along the length of the section into the hollow core. This allows me to put it on the vertical seal of the window and protect the rifle/scope. Bloody cheap and easy solution.

[MISSED]

Yeah Digger, Antony gave good service hope the next mob give the same back up.Top idea with the noodles to.

[Plowboy]

Yeah Digger, Antony gave good service hope the next mob give the same back up.Top idea with the noodles to.

Haha good on ya!

[223 fanboy]

Soon I will be using a Sako L461 20 Vartarg with a 4-16x40 Bushnell 4200

Missed, Have you decided that the 24x is too much magnification for spotlighting?
I'm using a 4-12x40 Bushnell 3200. It stays on 12x. Been considering upgrading to a 50mm objective for more light and a little more magnification (kind of counteracts the bigger objective). I'm wondering how high a magnification would be useful, 24x, 16x, 14x?

Tikka T3 lite SS in .223 topped with a Vortex crossfire 6-24X50 scope illum recticle.

I have the T3 lite stainless as well. I thought the lighter weight would be better for walking around. Instead I mainly spotlight from the driver's seat.
Plowboy, do you reckon the heavier T3 varmint would be a better spotlighting rifle?


Looking forward to reading your thoughts guys.

[Plowboy]

Well I don't really think ia heavy barrel would make that much diff. I am not shooting so many rounds to get the barrel hot so I think that the heavy barrel wouldn't make massive difference. Also I think that at night, you are not shooting at stuff as far out as you might be prepared to have a crack at during the day. Over 300m I think the lite is just fine. I am not a pro shooter but I can hold my own most of the time.

[MISSED]

Mate i have always considered 24x to much mag for spotlighting poor field of view and lower apparent brightness are two reasons.Years ago I used a Kahles 8x56 on a 17 Rem for foxes all the scopes i have used since do not compare for clarity and brightness.That is the reason why my 6-24x sits on 8x of a night.

[Plowboy]

I agree with missed 24X is too much. The only reason I have it is that it was the same price. I tend to leave it on 16X as I take 2 rifles out (.17HMR and .223). 223 does the long stuff and the hummer does the close stuff. I tend to find 24X is really only useful if you have a ROCK SOLID rest of maybe bags. You can see your heartbeat(see the target move in time with your pulse) if you have been anything but relaxed.

[macca]

Mate i have always considered 24x to much mag for spotlighting poor field of view and lower apparent brightness are two reasons.Years ago I used a Kahles 8x56 on a 17 Rem for foxes all the scopes i have used since do not compare for clarity and brightness.That is the reason why my 6-24x sits on 8x of a night.

I used a similar set up and agree that not many scopes come close to those Kahles circa70/80's. there were a couple of Ziess that were as good.
I only use top end magnification when at the extreme edge of the light otherwise it 8-12x. Occasionally a rabbit or fox is easier to pick up at 24-42x in the nightforce but most of the time lower is good.
A lot of shooters prefer to keep lower height when shooting so bigger front objectives can be a hassle to them.
I shoot a high scope because cheek weld is not as important to me anymore.
cheers,
Macca

[fox shooter]

Got to love the kahles 8+56 brought mine 21yrs ago and been on my main spotlighting rifle every since they are hard to beat at night

[mistit]

i have tried every thing over the years and the main thing i think for spotlighting out of the truck is the gun must be well balanced,real heavy barrels are ok providing they are not to long,you can put some weight in the rear to balance them up but then they become to awkward,scope wise again ive owned every thing from leupold to night force,the kahles 8x56 is an excellent choice but i found them a bit low on power for head shots past 200yds,calibre wise doesnt really matter as long as the gun is real accurate ,but i dont really like guns that give me as much of a headache as the animal im shooting,now i use a very accurate 222 tikka master sporter ,weaver grand slam 6/20 and leave it set on 12 power all night .take the wind out of the equation and this set up is reliable to 270 yds. in saying that i have the same rifle with a 308 bolt face that may end up being a 6 br another great spotlighting cartridge.just my thoughts synthetic or timber doesnt really matter ,timber is a bit warmer on cold nights,but i think stock design is important out of a vehicle ,dead flat forends are no good either

[MISSED]

i have tried every thing over the years and the main thing i think for spotlighting out of the truck is the gun must be well balanced,real heavy barrels are ok providing they are not to long,you can put some weight in the rear to balance them up but then they become to awkward,scope wise again ive owned every thing from leupold to night force,the kahles 8x56 is an excellent choice but i found them a bit low on power for head shots past 200yds,calibre wise doesnt really matter as long as the gun is real accurate ,but i dont really like guns that give me as much of a headache as the animal im shooting,now i use a very accurate 222 tikka master sporter ,weaver grand slam 6/20 and leave it set on 12 power all night .take the wind out of the equation and this set up is reliable to 270 yds. in saying that i have the same rifle with a 308 bolt face that may end up being a 6 br another great spotlighting cartridge.just my thoughts

x 1

[Rick1970]

Most used spotlight rifle is currantly my Remmy BDL in 17Rem with a 8x56 nighteater, till finances allow a Kahles or similar.

[trevort]

Dave, truck axles were made for spotlighting!

It depends how you use them. We normally stand on the tray and the bipod is on the cabin roof. Truck axles dont move. I have a few rifles, a few made by clancy and the first, a trued rem 6/250 was built as my spotlighting rifle. with a 26inch long no 7 profile lilja. I actually got the design right there is nothing I would change. Its hard to miss.

The scope is also my favorite. Its a 4x16 x 50 burris black diamond, seems to stay on 12

my little 17m4 is good from inside the cabin, Missed has seen it flip a few rabbits from inside his ford patrol, 24 inch barrell on a 527 action is probably like a 21 inch barrel on a standard action

[MISSED]

, my little 17m4 is good from inside the cabin, Missed has seen it flip a few rabbits from inside his ford patrol, 24 inch barrell on a 527 action is probably like a 21 inch barrel on a standard action

Flip would be an understatement Triple backwards somersault with pike and land on a barbwire fence was the most impressive.