Need advice on scope for my first safari rifle

[Mtn_Infantry]

I have a leupold 1 -5x. Shot a buffalo at 60m, wished I had a 9 power scope, because even at 60m the engine room of the buffalo is a bit too small for 5 power. Espcially when you are staring through brush etc. And when you are on sticks, you will move around alot, they are not bench shooting stable..... so get a higher power and at least you can turn it up or down. 9 power minimum. 12x better

p.s my shot was good and the Buff expired, but it jumped up like a bee stung and took off....few heart stopping moments, but then we found it dead

What do you mean at 5x the engine room of a buffalo at 60m is small? Their vital area is practically a 10” pie plate and should be a chip shot for most hunters and shooters even with iron sights, nevermind a scope dialed to 5x.

5x at that distance, and especially 9x, your FOV has shrunk so much it’s a handicap. You’re going to really struggle to get back on him for a follow-up shot when he’s running with a scope dialed to 5x let alone 9x. At 60m or less that’s the idea scenario for a 1x or 2x.

 

[JG26Irish_2]

I watched the video by PGlass with great interest. His advice is solid even if some of it is contrarian. Experience is a great teacher. I agree with him 100% about QD mounts. Some of them work. Many cannot be trusted. Most will get you close but to me close is not good enough. If you want to use a QD mount, then bring extra ammo to use for checking zero every time the scope is replaced onto the rifle. As for the need to remove a scope while hunting because the scope became damaged? Here once more, I agree with him. It has never happened to me. I have never heard of it happening either. I am sure it has but the odds are small.

As for his assertion that the 2.5-13x scope with the 42mm objective bell is better than the classic straight DG scope? Meh. It can work. True that the larger objective gathers more light but that can be countered with very good glass. The key is to gather enough light after that, more is just more.

I have night hunted with a 70yr old optic that had only a tapered crosshair without any form of illumination. It worked fine. All I would have done to improve on that would have been a red dot lighted center dot. More magnification may help with longer shots but I would counter that proper selection of reticles can allow very precise aiming even with a lower power optic. My two current safari rifles wear 1-6x and 1-8x optics and both have a tiny little dot built into the center of the more heavy reticle. I can aim very precisely out to distances where I would never shoot on game.


Here are two examples from the same scope. The first is at 1x showing the large lighted Ghost ring with a round center dot and the second shows the same scope at 8x with the red center aiming ring and the 0.4mil center dot for very precise work. It also has a ladder for hold overs to avoid the time and risk of open turrets. With a properly accurate rifle, you can decide which eye in which to shoot your Croc.

With the classic DG scope using a straight wall 24mm objective, this enables the owner to use the lowest rings to get the scope closer to the bore centerline. Why is that important? Twofold. First it reduces the error of the bullet path to the line of sight at close range where DG hunting happens. This is small and probably negligible unless you are a perfectionist. Second, it helps the shooter to get a good solid cheek weld. That coupled with a proper length of pull helps to reduce the incidence of being scoped due to recoil. I think the cheek weld may be more important than the length of pull but they both matter. Attention to detail is a hallmark of any good hunter. If the scope is too high it is impossible to have correct cheek weld and when you fire, you head will naturally rock forward from the recoil leading to the dreaded black eye/cut brow. Modern rifles often come with adjustable comb to aid in adapting to larger scopes but most classic hunting rifles do not. I am all for bucking conventional wisdom if I have found a better way. But, when I am learning, I try to at least look first and what my predecessors have learned and try that method as a foundation for my journey.

 

[661944]

I really appreciate the input from everyone!

JG26irish_2 , i agree “when I am learning, I try to at least look first and what my predecessors have learned and try that method as a foundation for my journey.”

This is why i am asking y’all here for your experience and wisdom.

Again, thank you all!

 

[Novice Huntress]

Hi All, the OP has had a lot of great advice here.

We have just returned from SA where I hunted DG and PG, we were in Limpopo and then we traveled to the Eastern Cape.

So my personal view is a 2.5-10x42 leica illuminated, that is what I used, it gave great low power ability in the short distances of the Limpopo and flexibility for a longer shot in the Eastern Cape. I had compared it to a 1-5x24 but to my eyes I felt the 2.5-10 was better, I don't think you will go far wrong with a Leupold firedot equivalent

In North America you will get a great deal on a Leupold Scope, we pay the earth for them in Europe, plus you will be able to compare easier with others. You don't need to pay a fortune for latest German glass, opt for illumination definitely you can always carry spare batteries, opt for reliability on heavier recoiling rifle and most definitely what suits your eyes!

Just my personal take from my recent experience.

Regards

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Hi All, the OP has had a lot of great advice here.

We have just returned from SA where I hunted DG and PG, we were in Limpopo and then we traveled to the Eastern Cape.

So my personal view is a 2.5-10x42 leica illuminated, that is what I used, it gave great low power ability in the short distances of the Limpopo and flexibility for a longer shot in the Eastern Cape. I had compared it to a 1-5x24 but to my eyes I felt the 2.5-10 was better, I don't think you will go far wrong with a Leupold firedot equivalent

In North America you will get a great deal on a Leupold Scope, we pay the earth for them in Europe, plus you will be able to compare easier with others. You don't need to pay a fortune for latest German glass, opt for illumination definitely you can always carry spare batteries, opt for reliability on heavier recoiling rifle and most definitely what suits your eyes!

Just my personal take from my recent experience.

Regards

Great advice and magnification choice.

I personally prefer the German glass options, with Schmidt & Bender, Kahles, and Swarovski being my favorites in order. You’re 100% right on us Americans being able to get a great deal on Leupold here in the states like y’all can get a great deal on the German glass in Europe. I’ve compared the costs when traveling abroad and have been shocked at how much closer an Leupold is cost wise to a Swaro or something. Unfortunately the German glass options carry a much higher premium here in the states like our American Leupolds do in Europe and Africa. Having a dozen or so Schmidt’s and another half dozen or more Kahles and Swaros should tell you I think the premium they bring in the states is worth it depending upon the application.

 

[FlowHamed18]

Great advice and magnification choice.

I personally prefer the German glass options, with Schmidt & Bender, Kahles, and Swarovski being my favorites in order. You’re 100% right on us Americans being able to get a great deal on Leupold here in the states like y’all can get a great deal on the German glass in Europe. I’ve compared the costs when traveling abroad and have been shocked at how much closer an Leupold is cost wise to a Swaro or something. Unfortunately the German glass options carry a much higher premium here in the states like our American Leupolds do in Europe and Africa. Having a dozen or so Schmidt’s and another half dozen or more Kahles and Swaros should tell you I think the premium they bring in the states is worth it depending upon the application.

Please let me clarify that Kahles and Swarovski are Austrian products

 

[skydiver386]

Please let me clarify that Kahles and Swarovski are Austrian products

 

[FlowHamed18]

Yes, we are the ones with the alps and the snow, but all without the kangaroos

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Please let me clarify that Kahles and Swarovski are Austrian products

Guess I should've rephrased and said European Glass since not all my S&B's are from Germany either. I've got at least 2 that were made in Hungary.

 

[sureshot375]

I’m with Philip Glass on this one.

A high quality scope in the 2-10 ish power range is the best all around. The need for a true 1 power is overstated.

I am not a fan of QD mounts.

 

[cajunchefray]

Guess I should've rephrased and said European Glass since not all my S&B's are from Germany either. I've got at least 2 that were made in Hungary.

Do you notice much difference in optical quality in the Hungarian S&B?
I haven’t compared so I’m unaware.

 

[Tex .416]

Hi,

Long time reader, new to posting.

I am looking for some advice on scopes. I have a Winchester model 70 in 375 H&H on order. My future plan is to hunt a cape buffalo and some plains game and like the idea of a 1 rifle battery for the trip. In the mean time, i plan to occasionally use it for elk and bear in the Pacific NorthWest.

I am looking at a Leupold VX-5 1-5x24 firedot duplex. It seems to possess enough eye relief for the caliber.

I’ve never owned a leupold or a scope that uses a battery.

Can anyone provide some input on scopes?

Can anyone speak on the reliability/quality of the vx-5 scope? Battery corrosion? Failures? Anything?

I need an education.

Thank you all!

I have completely given up on Leupold.

There is not even one Leupold in my house any more, which makes me a bit sad, but they have let their reliabilty drop off.

Nightforce NX8 or NXS’s, Trijicon, or Aimpoint are on my rifles these days.

Buy once, cry once.

This thread is worth a read and quite interesting too. Please note Michael 458’s comments about Leupold.

T

Thread 'Scope Reliability'

Feb 28, 2025

There is so much discussion here about scopes, but almost never any discussion about scope reliability and durability.

To me, the single most important quality in a scope, rifle, and ammo, is that it will work correctly to send the bullet to the intended point of aim. When the animal of a lifetime is standing there, I want everything to work - right then and there. A warranty is utterly useless at that moment.

To me, the best customer service is not free return shipping to fix something, but to have designed it right, built it right, and give it a quality control check before it goes...

• Tex .416
• Replies: 63
• Forum: Hunting equipment, gear & optics

• 

 

[Pasme]

Swarovski Z6 1-6x24 series is what I have used. Also the 1.8-10 seems like a very good scope. The Zeiss will be fine also.

 

[MacJenkins]

I have not hunted with a rifle without QD mounts in probably 20 years over 30 ish rifles. Never had a problem. I do take a sighting shot or two every time before hunting. Maybe I’ve seen 1/2-3/4” MOA shift at the most? Lots of claw mounts, a few swing, 8 or 9 Blaser, a couple Smithson’s and a good dozen and a half Talley.

Hard to beat a K95 in an A case in the bottom of your duffle bag for any domestic hunts.

And international I have a really compact custom case made for a double rifle in one half and a K95 on the other. Can’t be beat, IMO.

 

[Mtn_Infantry]

Do you notice much difference in optical quality in the Hungarian S&B?
I haven’t compared so I’m unaware.

I have a fixed 6x Hungaria Klassik whereas all my other Klassik’s are variable power scope from Germany. I might have a 1.25-4 Hungarian buried in the safe but need to double check. All my S&B LVPO’s are Short Dots so there is a noticeable difference between product families. Same with all my high magnification S&B’s they’re all PMII’s and even between German made S&B’s you can notices a difference between a 5-25 on 10x and a 3-12 Klassik on 10x..

With regard to the Klassik’s since that’s all you can compare between the two plants, I’ve never taken time to compare the German 3-12x42 on 6x to the fixed 6x Hungarian. I normally shoot the 3-12 at either 3x or 10x or 12x and never thought to do a side by side comparison. Based on my overall experiences with the 2 (at different powers) I’m not sure my eyes can tell it. I’ve also only shot both scopes in the same session during ideal conditions and again it was at different power setting since I had the capabilities. I’ll have to take some time next time I take the fixed 6x to the range and try to do a side by side comparison.

That said I can 100% see a difference between their Klassik line and the Polar and PMII offerings, but that doesn’t really answer your question.