first scope, need advice..

[wreck]

so i just bought my first rifle (tika t3 7mm laminated stainless) and need to decide on a scope.

i live in british columbia so i plan to do a lot of deer/elk hunting and hopefully one day get into sheep.


i plan to keep this rifle forever and want to put good glass on it, and from what i've read i think i wanna go with the Swarovski z3 but have a few questions..




1) i'd have to decide on the 3-10x40 or 4-12x50.. price difference is irrelevant. from what i've read bigger is better for the most part, but will the 50mm look too big/bulky on the rifle? with the 50mm, i'd assume the scope needs to be mounted higher on the rifle and i've been told you want the scope as low to the barrel as possible?


2) am i nuts to be spending $1200 cdn on a scope without illumination? ie, how important is having illumination?




thanks in advance!

[REMINGTON JIM]

Put a Leupold 3.5-10 x 40 with CDS on it mounted in Talley 1 pc LW rings ! Cannot go WRONG ! jmo RJ

https://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/vx-3-riflescopes/vx-3-3-5-10x40mm-cds/

[Moe.JKU]

1200 actually isn't all that much for a scope when you start looking at the top brands. The swaro will do fine. Like RJ said can't go wrong with that suggestion either.

[todbartell]

I'd go with the 3-10x42

[Surrey Boy]

You can improve a rifle, but you can't modify a scope.

Bed the barrel, tune the trigger, recrown, new stock, all doable. Try walking into a gunsmith and ask him to regrind your lenses or extend your zoom.

You can't shoot better than you can see.
Don't cheap out on optics.

[todbartell]

One advantage I see the 4-12x50 having is the option of their Ballistic Turret. They really work well

[Sharpish]

a guy named HD95 just posted his near new leupold VX3 4.5-14x40 on here today for $600. BEAUTY scope and great price. mounted on your tikka you can hunt anything, even 400 yard shots on sheep.

[Citori54]

a guy named HD95 just posted his near new leupold VX3 4.5-14x40 on here today for $600. BEAUTY scope and great price. mounted on your tikka you can hunt anything, even 400 yard shots on sheep.

What he said....great scope at a good price.

[wreck]

i'm starting to think for this 7mm rifle i should stick with the 3-10x40 and when i decide to buy a bigger caliber rifle for sheep hunting etc i'll go with a stronger mag scope like the 4-12x50.

[Weatherby Fan]

[QUOTE=REMINGTON JIM;1717416]Put a Leupold 3.5-10 x 40 with CDS on it mounted in Talley 1 pc LW rings ! Cannot go WRONG ! jmo RJ

What RJ says above is great advice, I've used Leupold VX3 3.5-10x40 for almost 30 years without one failure, Talleys are also an excellent choice.

your 7mm and that scope would make for a perfect combination.

[todbartell]

7mm is pretty much ideal for sheep. Definitely more than enough, I wouldn't go for a bigger cartridge unless grizz would be on the menu as well

[todbartell]

I've used Leupold VX3 3.5-10x40 for almost 30 years without one failure, Talleys are also an excellent choice.


just to clarify, your scope is a Vari-X III, which were in production until about 2005 when they were replaced with the Vx-III, which was replaced in around 2011 with the latest generation, Vx-3. They're all solid scopes, but the newer ones have improved. The new Vx1 is pretty much the same quality of the older VariX III series

[Sofa King]

i'm starting to think for this 7mm rifle i should stick with the 3-10x40 and when i decide to buy a bigger caliber rifle for sheep hunting etc i'll go with a stronger mag scope like the 4-12x50.

huh??
long, flat shooting caliber.
yup, 7mm will never do it.

[wreck]

7mm is pretty much ideal for sheep. Definitely more than enough, I wouldn't go for a bigger cartridge unless grizz would be on the menu as well


huh??
long, flat shooting caliber.
yup, 7mm will never do it.

lol true.

i guess what i meant was i'd stick with a lower mag for deer/elk, and when/if i decide to buy a 2nd riffle of a higher caliber, i'd go with a higher mag scope.

[.264winmag]

Have illumination but never use it. Bigger objective means potentially taller rings but I've gotten away with lows/50mm, depends on bbl contour and length/thickness/angle of pic rail if used. Shot a pile of game now outside 300yds, I'm most confident in shot placement with 14-16 power and a fine reticle. 3.5-4.5 on the low end has yet to be a handicap in close. Dusted a mulie at 20ft this season on 4x, right in the noggin. IMO you'll wish you had more than 10power. Can't comment on the swaro scope but I'm sure it's good glass. Many options in that price range that will work well, more comes down to extras like target turrets, internal travel, reticle choice, eye relief, zero stop etc. Could write a small novel on all the different options and advantage/disadvantages. It's a big investment that you might want to research more so you're not kicking yourself later.
Happy shopping!

[Sharpish]

i'm starting to think for this 7mm rifle i should stick with the 3-10x40 and when i decide to buy a bigger caliber rifle for sheep hunting etc i'll go with a stronger mag scope like the 4-12x50.


7mm is already overpowered for sheep. It's very flat shooting which is what you want IMHO for sheep hunting. But you certainly don't need a 30 cal or bigger magnum for sheep. The 300 RUM is a little more reassuring in your hands when you are hiking for sheep and see bear sign everywhere but you can kill sheep with a 270 easily.

[Weatherby Fan]

just to clarify, your scope is a Vari-X III, which were in production until about 2005 when they were replaced with the Vx-III, which was replaced in around 2011 with the latest generation, Vx-3. They're all solid scopes, but the newer ones have improved. The new Vx1 is pretty much the same quality of the older VariX III series

I'm well aware of that Bartell that they went from Vari X III to VX III to today's VX3 as I have scopes from all eras and again used them without failure, but I didn't see the point in mentioning all that like you so politely pointed it out, I'm not sure what your point is Bartell you giving me history lesson as I was probably using those scopes while u were still in diapers :mrgreen::mrgreen:

[Surrey Boy]

I've found that as my shooting improves, I use higher magnification more.

I rode my sights up behind a bear where I got so near I couldn't close any further, but that was just for the fun of it. I wouldn't worry about needing to zoom out lower than 4x.

If you like the thicker terrain where your shots will be 10-100 yards, pack a shotgun.

[todbartell]

I'm well aware of that Bartell that they went from Vari X III to VX III to today's VX3 as I have scopes from all eras and again used them without failure, but I didn't see the point in mentioning all that like you so politely pointed it out, I'm not sure what your point is Bartell you giving me history lesson as I was probably using those scopes while u were still in diapers :mrgreen::mrgreen:

you said you've been using a Vx3 for 30 years, just correcting your incorrect statement. ;)

[IslandBC]

Spend as much on your scope as you did on your rifle. It all personal preference.
Find a brand, find a magnification and read the reviews off cabelas or wholesales site.
Might be worth looking at the nikons! Specially the monarch 3 BDC reticle !