Q:
“Shepard, Happy 4th! My son is going elk hunting this fall in western ID. I have a 30-06 for him and we need a good scope. Do you have any recommendations? I know that you like Vortex, but they seem to have more tactical features than we would need. My goal is to have a well built, superior optics scope, that has hashes on the reticule for elevation adjustments. What do you think?”
A:
My thoughts are as follows:
- The shot taken with this scope will likely be at 100 to 300 yards while elk hunting in Western Idaho.
- The gun might be carried through brush, get wet etc.
- You like the BDC type reticle.
- Because the shooter is younger and thus smaller framed, a large objective (diameter at downrange end of scope) might require the scope to be mounted too high to be comfortable for cheek weld without a cheek riser.
I suggest that the best brands are probably Schmidt & Bender (mostly tactical), Swarovski, Kahles, Leupold and Zeiss. I of course love Vortex, and think it is a great hunting scope for those with limited finances.
From best option on down for your circumstances, I suggest the following:
V8 Zeiss, see specific scope HERE.
Swarovski Z3, see specific scope HERE.
Vortex Viper with BDC reticle, see specific scope HERE.
Leupold VX-5HD, see specific scope HERE.
Swarovski Z3, see specific scope HERE.
Vortex Viper with BDC reticle, see specific scope HERE.
Leupold VX-5HD, see specific scope HERE.
If you have other ideas, , please email what YOUR favorite “hunting scope” in the $750+ range to me & I will add YOUR scope! shepard @ shootinjh dotcom
