Scope for my .375 H&H

PHOENIX PHIL

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Well I'm now looking for a scope for my .375 H&H. I plan to use the rifle with quick detach rings on the scope. The rifle would be for buffalo primarily but I'd also like to take an Eland with it and any other opportunity plains game.

I've read quite a bit about the Trijicon scopes and their illuminated reticle. I would go with the 1.25-4 if I went this route, it has decent eye relief at a minimum of 3.4 inches.

The other scopes I'm considering are the Leupold VX3 in 1.5-5 with it's very nice 3.7 inches of eye relief, but also the 2.5-8 with also a nice 3.6 inches of eye relief. The latter giving a little more magnification that could be nice for plains game and also a bit bigger objective for better light.

Your thoughts please and thanks for replying.
 
Hi Phil

I would go for nothing else but the Leopold, great scopes and the best value for money in my opinion.

Most if not all of my clients use Leopold scope and we have never had a problem.

Best Regards
Louis van Bergen
 
Phil,

Louis is correct, rather go with the Leupold scope and get some Warne detach rings with it, just make sure the scope is as close as possible attached to the rifle, but the bolt still has to open freely...
 
I was already leaning towards the Leupold. I have a couple of the Zeiss Conquest series scopes that when I bought them I felt surpassed the Vari-X III's. But when I decided to put a scope on my Tikka I got for this past summer's trip to Africa, the new VX3 was out and it beats the pants off the Conquest for brightness and clarity.

So which would you go for, the 1.5-5 or the 2.5-8?

Oh by the way the rings I put on the rifle are the Warne Quick Detach type. I put my 3.5-10 VX3 on it just for breaking in the rifle until I put a permanent scope on it. The length of the scope nearly was a problem, it sits just a touch behind the rear sight. Off to the range this weekend to see how the rifle shoots at a 100 yards.
 
Phil,

My .375 has a 1.2 x 4.5 Lynx scope on it and i successfully hunted Buff and Eland with it. Although the .375 is more for clients, i do use it offen on other plains game like Blue Wildebeest, Red Hartebeest , Impala, Gemsbuck etc. with success. On plains Game to be hunted over 150 - 200 yards, it can get a bit tricky, but if you 'know your rifle' it is possible to hunt springbuck with a 5 power scope...

I will choose the 1.5-5 power scope.
 
Hi Phil,
Yeah , I will second what all the guys here are saying. Get yourself the best scope you can afford and a brand that is known for their ruggedness, especially going on to a moderate to high recoiling rifle like the .375H&H.

I shoot with a lighter bullet in the 235gr TSX so I can reach a bit further out and have chosen the Swarovski 3-10x 40 . This effectivly turns the .375 into a close to long range rifle and I love taking game with it.
Unfortunately in optics, you get what you pay for and you will need something to take the recoil on that .375.

Hope that with all the help from the other guys that your decision has been made easier.

All the best,
Marius Goosen
 
My .375 is wearing a Zeiss Diavari 3x9x40. I have been very happy with it, very light and compact, SUPER rugged, and very good eye relief.
 
Hi, I have a 2.5-8, Var III Leupold on my 375 H&H and love it! It's great for close and long shots! I think it will suit my needs perfectly...if I ever go on a buffalo/sable hunt at some point in the future.
 
i have both the leupold in a 1.5 -5 and a 3-9. the 1.5-5 is good for closer shooting but the 3-9 is better for longer distance. the 1.5-5 is great for close contact.
 
Hi, I have a 2.5-8, Var III Leupold on my 375 H&H and love it! It's great for close and long shots! I think it will suit my needs perfectly...if I ever go on a buffalo/sable hunt at some point in the future.

You and I are of similar thinking here. There's just not much difference between 1.5x and 2.5x for those up close shots. I may be talking out of my head here a bit, but if you're that close for it to be a problem, I would guess you should be shooting open sights.

At the other end there's a pretty significant sight picture difference from 5x to 8x and could be the difference in pin pointing that shot, albeit the 5x should still be enough to place a proper kill zone shot just not quite as precise.
 
Bob / Marius,

I'd love to have top level Swarovski and Zeiss glass, but I 'd never be able to get back to Africa after paying for it.

I wouldn't compare the new Leupold VX3 probably to those scopes, but for $400 it's an incredibly good buy. Granted, it will need to hold up under that recoil, but I'll have time to evaluate that before my next safari.
 
It looks like it's going to have to be the 1.5-5x, the 2.5-8 does not have enough spacing between the bell and the eyepiece. It's spec'd at 5.1 inches. The space between the rings I put on is a little over 5.4 inches.
 
Hi Phil

I think the 1.5-5x will do just fine most buffalo hunts take place on 80 yards or less so you really don’t need all those extra’s (ultra clear lenses……) the quick detach mounts would be a definite thing to have.

You just need something reliable that will work time and time again.

Best Regards
Louis van Bergen
 
Hey Phil,

Everybody already said what I had in mind. I would also recommend that you buy a scope with a bit higher magnification. Something like a 2.5-8 or 3-9. I had a Schmidt and Bender 1.25 - 5 on my .375 and it is tough to make shots that is over 120yards but great for close up shots. Unfortunately the .375 is such a calibre that you can shoot up to 200 yards with the right loads.

For what you want to use it for I would say buy a leupold with a 3-9 magnification, that way you can use your gun for any kind of hunting from 35yards up to 200yards. If you need to shoot closer than 20yards it should be open sights and hopefully your PH will be there with the right equipment to help out if neccasary.... ;-)

Best regards,
 
Hey Phil,

Everybody already said what I had in mind. I would also recommend that you buy a scope with a bit higher magnification. Something like a 2.5-8 or 3-9. I had a Schmidt and Bender 1.25 - 5 on my .375 and it is tough to make shots that is over 120yards but great for close up shots. Unfortunately the .375 is such a calibre that you can shoot up to 200 yards with the right loads.

For what you want to use it for I would say buy a leupold with a 3-9 magnification, that way you can use your gun for any kind of hunting from 35yards up to 200yards. If you need to shoot closer than 20yards it should be open sights and hopefully your PH will be there with the right equipment to help out if neccasary.... ;-)

Best regards,

Hmm, it just might have to be another 3.5-10 Leupold then. The new VX3 only comes in 3.5-10 and not 3-9. I already have one for my .300 Win that I put on the .375 this weekend. With the Warne Quick Detach rings, it put the bottom of the bell just about right. The rear sight blade is just slightly higher than the bottom of the bell, but it doesn't impede the view when looking through the scope.

The other option would be the Zeiss Conquest in 3-9. It's not quite as clear and bright as the Leupold VX3, but at least the eye relief doesn't change.

EDIT: If I get closer than 20 yards to a buff and it's still on it's feet, I hope the PH is also carrying a clean pair of shorts for me!
 
While not a .375 H&H, I used a Leupold VX-R 3-9X50mm Firedot Duplex reticle on a CZ550 in 9.3X62 during a 2015 plains game hunt in South Africa. It served me well for Duiker at 40 meters up to Nyala at 150 meters. For older eyes, the red dot in the center of the duplex reticle was very beneficial.
Good luck with your scope choice!
 
Phil - A VX6 in 2x12x42 would be quite a good scope and quite flexible with the detach rings. Europtic has $400 off right now - $799. Depends on the reticle if you like what they have or not. John
 
Old thread comes back to life for sure. FWIW after much research, I've moved primarily in the direction of Nikons. Not supreme glass, but sure seem sturdy. I've got a number of them now. The one that has seen the most hardest use would have to be my Nikon 2-8. I've put that on my .458B&M and fired a lot of shots through it. It just keeps going with the flow.

After a number of failures of scopes including a lens that just completely let go on my trip in 2013 to RSA, durability has taken precedent. Making this all the more certain, a gent last October in camp at Serapa had a Swarovski go down. So it can happen to even the most expensive of scopes.

You cannot even start to compare the optical superiority of Swarovski to the Nikons, but great glass means nothing if the construction can't keep up while you're on such a trip.
 
Phil, getting back to using a Leupold 2.5-8, can't you use a different set of bases that allows you to get the ring spacing you need?
 
My bush 375 H & H gas a 1.25 -5 x20 Swarovski illuminated reticle scope..use this for DG
My other 375 H & H has a LYNX 3-9 x 42 for Plains game. Will be replacing this LYNX with a VORTEX scope soon.
My 458 WM fitted with 1-6 x24 VORTEX scope and QD rings.
VORTEX have incredible glass and are the same family as Swarovski but with a much less price tag.
 

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