help in selecting a scope please

[Dr G]

I am in the market for a new scope for my camel/donkey gun. At the moment i am leaning towards a Leupold vx-II 3-9x40 with the long range duplex reticle.

Have any of you had any experience with this scope. I am not totally commited to this brand but I will be limited by price.

Just now the optic zone is looking like my best prospect.

Thanks

Dr G

[kjd]

I am in the market for a new scope for my camel/donkey gun. At the moment i am leaning towards a Leupold vx-II 3-9x40 with the long range duplex reticle.

Have any of you had any experience with this scope. I am not totally commited to this brand but I will be limited by price.

Just now the optic zone is looking like my best prospect.

Thanks

Dr G

Why dont you check out what Vortex Scopes Aus Have mate?? http://www.vortexoptics.com.au

[trevort]

I have heard good things on the VX ii range but nave never had one. My 2 3-9 x 40s are Burris Fullfield 11s, sorry make that one, sold one with the rifle! They are excellent scopes but I have heard rumour, not direct from any users but third hand on some boards, that their quality control has slipped. Ask Jon he will give you a fair appraisal

Have bought 2 scopes from the Opticzone highly recommend them

[Rinso]

Dr G,

I have almost completed my full reveiw on Vortex scopes and without giving too much away I would say check the website ... they are the equal of the Leupold at less money by Aust'n retail standards.

cheers
Rinso

[Dr G]

thanks Trev and Rinso

I will certainly be checking out the Vortex site and having a look at what they offer. I am also very interested in your review. If you need a proof reader send it along.

To date i have only had experience with Bushnell elite 3200 which i thought was good value for the money and a simmons 3-9X40 which was bundeled with my 223 sps. This now sits on the 17hmr and is ok for that.

What are the reticles on the Vortex like? do they have something similar to the LR Duplex on the Leupold?.

[trevort]

I've had a 3200 elite and just got the new elite 4200 for my fire ball. Elites have a good rep. If you've got one and like it why not try another?

Or of course, buy a Vortex

[Dr G]

I've had a 3200 elite and just got the new elite 4200 for my fire ball. Elites have a good rep. If you've got one and like it why not try another?

Or of course, buy a Vortex

I am tempted to try the 4200's but i also want to diversify a bit as well

[Dr G]

A question for Rinso (or anyone else who has experience with vortex scopes)

This scope is to go on the new camel/donkey gun. This rifle will spend most its life in 4wd utes on rough station tracks or in a holster on a quad.

In your opinion how rugged are these scopes, will it be able to put up with this sort of thing.

To be fair i look after my gear so it wont be being abused just well used.

ps Rinso, I had thought long and hard about the 8x68s that you have for sale but the dificulty i would have had sourcing ammo or reloading components out this way put me off. I have since bought a new Tikka T3 blued hunter in 30-06 which will come into my posession in about 2-3 weeks to replace the trusty old 303.

[ogre6br]

how often are shot taken under 50 yards??
If rarely or never
I would think a 4.5-14 or a 6-24 might be a better option for those longer desert shots.
I would myself be going for a 4.5-14 high end Euro or US brand as the difference between 3 and 4.5 as a lower power is really SFA in practical terms but the step up from 9 to 14 power is a whole nother league when trying to make an accurate shot at longer ranges.

My way of thinking it's better to have it and choose to not use it than wish I had it and not........ it's the reason I have stepped up from 224 to 6mm for my main culling and vermin rifle- more FT-LBS on target to make sure of a clean kill.

With a rifle that could live a rough life- buy once cry once- buy the best quality glass and super solid mounts (optilocks or similar) that you can as it's a long way to anywhere to get it fixed or another one from where you are. another idea is a set of flip up scope covers at either end to protect the good glass- cheap insurance.

If I kill a scope it's 2 km's down the road to a gun shop for you I suspect it's bit further.

If I was is your situation I would get another 5 shot magazine as well to help keep Mr Murphy away.

Are you planning to shoot factory or Re-laods in the 06??

LAter
p

[7mmmag]

The Leupold VXII scopes are pretty good, i have had a 6-18*40 for about 8 years now and it has never let me down.

The optic zone is the place to buy scopes at the moment especially with the aussie dollar riding high.

[Dr G]

how often are shot taken under 50 yards??
If rarely or never
I would think a 4.5-14 or a 6-24 might be a better option for those longer desert shots.

I have been considering a 4-12 or 4.5-14 as i would like to try some 110 and 125gn loads for use on cats out to 300m. Mainly it will be used on big ferals at ranges from 50 to 250m and given the size of these buggers a 3-9 will do the job. It comes down to getting the highest quality for the limited dollar

If I kill a scope it's 2 km's down the road to a gun shop for you I suspect it's bit further.

Yep 260km to the nearest dealer and if he dosnt have a relationship with the company then its 650km to one of the Adelaide stores. Nearest gunsmith i trust is 700km.

If I was is your situation I would get another 5 shot magazine as well to help keep Mr Murphy away.

My thoughts as well and its been ordered with the rifle

Are you planning to shoot factory or Re-laods in the 06??

Initially it will have to be factory but i hope to begin putting a reloading kit together early in the new year. Biggest impediment there is that the parole officer just sees this as another needless expense

The Leupold VXII scopes are pretty good, i have had a 6-18*40 for about 8 years now and it has never let me down.

Thanks 7mmmag. You dont hear to many sob stories from people who have bought Leupolds do you. A big part of their well deserved reputation i would think

[ogre6br]

you might want to consider making Rinso and offer on this
http://ausvarmint.kjd84.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1556

I have 80% of the bits you will need to set up a reloading kit- when I get a chance between treatments I'll put it together and send them across if you want- should save you some $$ to go to a better scope.


or this one in the for sale on this site
http://ausvarmint.kjd84.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1299

later
p

[Dr G]

I have 80% of the bits you will need to set up a reloading kit- when I get a chance between treatments I'll put it together and send them across if you want- should save you some $$ to go to a better scope.

Thats very generous of you Pat, I am certainly interested. When you get time let me know what you had in mind and what you consider a fair price for the reloading bits and pieces.

Look forwards to hearing from you

Dr G

[HiWall]

Dr G, just a suggestion, but when you are on The Optic Zone, have a look at the Nikon Buckmaster range. I have a few of them and can't fault them at all. The ones I can give first hand knowledge of are -

Buckmaster 3-9x40 BDC (Bullet Drop Compensator) Reticle - filling in on my Winchester .240Wby Mag until a higher magnification scope turns up in the mail.
Buckmaster 4.5-14x40 side focus with Duplex reticle on my Anschutz .17HMR
Buckmaster 6-18x40 side focus, target turrets BDC reticle on my Remington Sendero .25/06

Will probably get another 6-18x40 for the .240Wby, unless I have a sudden cash influx and go for a Leupold.

I also have a ProStaff 3-9x40 on my Ruger M77 .260 Rem, and as much as I like Leupold scopes I would buy one of these any day ahead of a VX-1 3-9x40. To my eye they are much brighter and have far better definition.

They are made in the Philipines and are streets ahead of the chinese built scopes marketed by some of the other majors - Nikon would not stake their reputation for excellence on some second rate piece of junk as others have done in the past. My hunting mate, who is a Kahles/Meopta/Swarovski type of guy is also impressed with the Nikon - and they are pretty damn cheap, all things considered.

[Rinso]

Dr G

A question for Rinso (or anyone else who has experience with vortex scopes)

This scope is to go on the new camel/donkey gun. This rifle will spend most its life in 4wd utes on rough station tracks or in a holster on a quad.

In your opinion how rugged are these scopes, will it be able to put up with this sort of thing.

To be fair i look after my gear so it wont be being abused just well used.

Yes mate I reckon it will handle it with ease. I also know that the Vortex warranty is excellent.
As far as people with sob stories over Leupolds I know plenty ... the Leupold name is not what it once was .. I often here the statement 'its not if a Leupold will fail so much as when'

An interesting fact is that Leopolds are the single most returned scopes in the world as far as warranty goes. It is also a fact that Leupolds are assembled in the same factories as all the other brands.

I would buy Vortex with confidence.

cheers
Rinso