newbie needs a scope

[judgemint]

Hi everyone. Well I am getting into this hunting thing. I went for the first time last year and got bit by the bug. I am borrowing a 30 06 this year but in the off season buying a 270 wsm. I am trieng to figure out what scope to use(power wise) I will be doing mostly deer hunting at first. I am looking at the leupold vx2 3 x 9 x 40 when it comes to the magnafication # I am confused I see they have a vx3
with some sort of rangefinder 3.5x10 I belive. Is this for longer range shooting?? Any info would be apreciated Thanks

[Evan03]

3-9 is the power. lowest power is 3 highest 9.

3-9x40s are the most common hunting scopes around. you will never go wrong with a leupold.

3.5-10x40 is basicaly just the more exspensive 3-9 scope. this scope also would be right at home on the 270wsm.


i actualy ran a 3-9x40 leupold on a 270wsm as a lighter weight easy cary pletny of moderate range punch kinda rifle. killed quite a few varmits but never did take a deer, though i did pass one up gal der it.


good luck
Evan

[fabsroman]

I'll use your initial scope choice to explain this.

3x9 x40 - I have this exact type of scope, albeit made by Burris instead of Leupold, on both my slug guns, my .30-06, and my muzzleloader.

the bottom level of the scope's magnification is 3 power. Meaning if you cranked the scope all the way down, this would look 3 x closer.

The maximum magnification is 9 power. That means if you cranked the scope as high as it goes, things would appear 9 times closer than they are.

The 40, which stands for 40mm, describes the diameter of the bell (i.e., the front lens of the scope). The bell is 40mm in diameter. The larger the bell, the more light it will let in and the better your view will be in low light shooting conditions (i.e., dawn and dusk).

On my long range rifles (i.e., .270 and .300 Win), I have Burris Signature Series scopes that are 4-12x with 52mm bells. On my varmint gun (i.e., .220 Swift) I have a Burris Signature Series scope with a 8-32x with a 52mm bell.

If I really had the money when I purchased those rifles and scopes, I would have opted for the 30mm tubes with the Burris Black Diamonds, but those scopes run around $600.

To answer your question, the scope your are thinking about getting (i.e., the 3-9x 40mm) will do just fine for a beginner. When I started out deer hunting, I was using a straight 4x scope with a 32mm bell and I killed my first deer within 15 minutes of my deer hunting career. Trust me, it hasn't been like that all the time.

At the end of the day, but the best scope you can afford because it does make a difference, but you do not have to get a loan/mortgage for your glass and to be able to hunt.

I know guys that hunt without scopes and they do just fine.

[Evan03]

lol

the 3-9 is great beginers scope. allthough maybe true it sure diesnt mean fabs has out grown his in any way shape or form. i about spit my beer out when i read that.

none of are are to good to use a 3-9. our hunting styles and likes may change but the 3-9 would stiff fit them just perfect. while we play with other glass that may do better or not as well

Evan

[fabsroman]

Evan,

I almost spit my Coke up while reading your post.

I haven't switched a single scope on any of my guns since I bought them.

I bought the Ruger .300 Win after graduating undergrad and bought the Burris Signature 4-12x for it at the same time. That was my first rifle purchase and it hurt the pocket book. The next batch of rifles didn't come until 6 years later and they consisted of the Ruger MkIIvt .220 Swift, a Ruger Mini 30, and a Ruger 10/22. The .270 I have was purchased by my dad a couple of years ago. The reason I use 3-9x scopes on the guns mentioned above is because they will not be used for any long range shooting.

While I believe in getting out there and hunting regardless of the equipment I have, I also believe in buying the best equipment that I can afford at the time I buy it.

Sure, it didn't feel good parting with the $400+ for those scopes, but I have not been dissappointed by any of them. The next rifle I get will probably be the Ruger MkIIvt .25-06 and I will definitely get a Black Diamond for it. I would like to make that rifle my main hunting rifle because I think it will work just fine on groundhogs and whitetails alike.

The current scopes on my rifles will stay there until the rifle or scope is broken or I die.

At the end of the day, if all I could afford was a 3-9x scope, I would have been out hunting with it and I am sure it would have done just fine because I love the ones I have on my slug guns, muzzleloader, etc.

[BILLY D.]

FABS

JUDAS PRIESTS, I THOUGHT YOU HAD SOME CLASS, YOU GOT A MINI 30? THE ONLY GOOD THING I COULD FIND GOOD ABOUT THEM WAS FOR DRILLING HOLES THROUGH THE AIR.

I DID KILL A COYOTE WITH ONE ONCE, WITNESSED. I SHOT AT HIM, MISSED AND HE STARTED HAULING BUTT, I STARTED SHOOTING AGAIN FROM BEHIND HIM AND FINALLY CAUGHT UP AND PLUNKED HIS PIANO KEYS. WHEN IT WAS ALL OVER I HAD ONE SHOT IN THE MAG LEFT AND MY PARDNER STARTED CALLING ME BELT FED BILLY. I AIN'T LIVED THAT ONE DOWN YET. I FELT LIKE USING THE LAST ROUND ON MYSELF.

[BILLY D.]

Originally posted by judgemint
Hi everyone. Well I am getting into this hunting thing. I went for the first time last year and got bit by the bug. I am borrowing a 30 06 this year but in the off season buying a 270 wsm. I am trieng to figure out what scope to use(power wise) I will be doing mostly deer hunting at first. I am looking at the leupold vx2 3 x 9 x 40 when it comes to the magnafication # I am confused I see they have a vx3
with some sort of rangefinder 3.5x10 I belive. Is this for longer range shooting?? Any info would be apreciated Thanks

IF YOU HAVE ACCESS TO A GOOD SPORTING GOODS STORE ASK THE ASSOCIATE IF HE WILL ACOMPANY YOU OUTSIDE SO YOU CAN TAKE A LOOK AT ANY SCOPES YOU MIGHT BE THINKING ABOUT BUYING. ON MY LAST SCOPE PURCHASE I DID JUST THAT. IT SAVED ME ABOUT $700 DOLLARS. BOTH SCOPES WERE 4,5X14 AND BOTH HAD MIL DOTS. I WON'T MENTION BRAND NAMES BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO TAINT YOUR VIEWPOINT.

FABS GAVE SOME GOOD ADVICE ABOUT THE POWER YOU SHOULD THINK ABOUT. IF YOUR NEW TO HUNTING YOU WON'T OR SHOULDN'T BE TAKING ANY LONG RANGE SHOTS. BEFORE YOU DO THAT GET COMFORTABLE AND PRACTICE, PRACTICE SO YOU KNOW YOUR FIREARMS AND YOUR CAPABILITIES. IF YOU WANT TO PM ME ABOUT MY THOUGHTS ON LONG RANGE SHOOTING OF ANIMALS, FINE, DO IT. I'D DON'T TALK ABOUT THE SUBJECT ON PUBLIC FORUMS. IT IS JUST A HOSING CONTEST.

[Evan03]

Billy

im curious about your scope purchase.


Evan

[fabsroman]

Billy,

I have yet to take the Mini 30 out hunting because after sighting it in, it just wasn't any good for anything but a brush gun. However, I'll hang on to it just for farts and giggles. What I am looking at right now is an AR-10 and an AR-15, but I need to start billing some clients so that I can afford them. I am even thinking about buying a second AR-15 for home defense, but almost think the Mini-30 will fit that need once I have the target AR-10 and target AR-15. Plus, I currently have a handgun for home defense with a second one coming once the Beretta PX4 Storm is released to the public.

[Catfish]

Judgemint,
I think you made a great choice in scopes. I bought my first Leupold scope in 1968 and it has since went through a car wreck where it was on a gun the was destroied and it don`t look any to good, but it still functions like new. Over the years I`ve owned abt every kind of scope on the market and have had trouble with all except Leupold. At present I own around 30 Leupold scopes and most are 3 x 9`s although I have fixed powers from 2x to 36x and some other variables. I think that the 3 x 9 is the most versitile. In my life time I bought 2 Burrius scopes,they were remanufactured, but wrapped in factory boxes. Both were junk. In 30 Leupolds, most bought used at gun shows, I`ve yet to get a bad one.
The VX 11 in 3 x 9 is a great choice. The VX 111 in 3.5 x 10 is alittle better scope, but it cost more. Is it worth the extra???????? If the funds are tight absolute not. If you`ve got the extra change laying around and won`t notice another $150, get the VX 111.

[Evan03]

catfish knows his leupold.

i agree with him 100% even though hes got 20 something more than i do.

you wanna spare a few 3-9s for good cause here in idaho. if you have a few ill gladly pick up another rifle or two to put them on.

Evan

[Catfish]

Evan,
Somrtimes 1 woman is to many, but you can never have to many good rifles or Leuople scope.

[Evan03]

ewwww dont get me going tonight.

you are most certinaly right. when life decisions get envolved with women any and all women are one to many.