Questions about scopes

[joshbazz]

Well, finished my 3rd fall hunting season with tag soup, so deciding to work on my rifleman skills. I'm trying to decide what scope would be best for my purposes. I enjoy hiking, and hunting by spot and stalk, and also still hunting in thick woods, though I'm still a beginner at both.

I have a 30-06 and 12 Gauge. I plan on working on my shotgun game for still hunting in the woods for deer/bear within 100 yds, with possible obstacles like thin branches, and putting a low power scope on it. I plan on hiking elevation with my '06 and glassing to find mule deer or elk (or moose). I have a vortex viper 3-9x40 with bdc and a leupold FX-3 6x42 with german 4.

Right now the viper is on the '06, but I was thinking of putting the fx-3 on it, and either putting the viper on the 12G set to 3 power, or selling/trading it for a lower power scope.

I love the eye relief of the leupold, over 4 inches, where my vortex is 3.5. As a new shooter, I appreciate the leppy's eyebox, and I also hear it helps with closer range if you shoot with both eyes open, as I'm training to do. I also like that it's a fixed scope, so less things to break and keeps things simple in terms of fiddling with zoom when it's time to shoot (still haven't harvested a big game animal). But I'm wondering if I should sell/trade the fx-3 for a vx-3i 2.5-8x36 for more use options. Or selling/trading both scopes for a higher end variable and learning to shoot the 12G without a scope (doesn't have one mounted right now).

I'm sure others have gone through this process many times before, would appreciate any advice or wisdom to help me with my decision.

Cheers,

Josh

[BCBRAD]

Been running 6X scopes since 1985 on hunting rifles, also 2x7, 2.5x8 and 3.5x10. These have always been set at 6X as default power. Today my hunting rifles are 6X. Shot game animals from 50 feet to 425 yards. So for your 30-06 the FX3 6X would be my choice.

For the shotgun, ranges will be close, as you stated, consider a 3 moa red dot as action will be fast in heavy cover.

[KodiakHntr]

Solid advice there.

Killed a lot of stuff from up close to wayyy out with a fixed 6.

Only thing that I would suggest, is that the '06 with a 6 would double duty for up close and personal in the timber as well as up high on the mountains. Personally, I like to be able to thread needles through small openings when hunting close and not relying on "busting brush". As soon as you start to add obstacles to a projectiles path all bets are off on where that will actually land.

[joshbazz]

Been running 6X scopes since 1985 on hunting rifles, also 2x7, 2.5x8 and 3.5x10. These have always been set at 6X as default power. Today my hunting rifles are 6X. Shot game animals from 50 feet to 425 yards. So for your 30-06 the FX3 6X would be my choice.

For the shotgun, ranges will be close, as you stated, consider a 3 moa red dot as action will be fast in heavy cover.
Thanks BCBrad, I'll look up what a 3 MOA red dot is haha. I have been leaving my viper on 6 to get used to it, but I think the depth of field will be better on the leupold, especially with the eye relief and extra 2mm objective.


Solid advice there.

Killed a lot of stuff from up close to wayyy out with a fixed 6.

Only thing that I would suggest, is that the '06 with a 6 would double duty for up close and personal in the timber as well as up high on the mountains. Personally, I like to be able to thread needles through small openings when hunting close and not relying on "busting brush". As soon as you start to add obstacles to a projectiles path all bets are off on where that will actually land.
Thanks KH, I'm going to practice lots of close range targets with the 6x to get more used to it. For the bush I was thinking of using my 18" barrel on the 12G with slugs for shots between 10 - 80 yards, just have to figure out the best scope, or red dot (as BCBrad suggested) will work best, or if the bead will be enough, but I think slugs shoot too high to use the bead, especially with the 18. I read 12G slugs are good for maintaining their general trajectory in the bush if the odd thin branch/leaf is in the way. Not that I'm planning on firing with an obstructed view. As my rifle skills improve I'll look at threading the needle more :)

Cheers!
Josh