Rifle & Scope Combination Questions

S

stonebl

New member
Hey folks, it has been a while since I was on the site, but I need some input from you all. I have a Browning X-Bolt Long Range Hunter chambered in .300 Win Mag and I just won a Browning A-Bolt 3 chambered in .243 Win. I also have 2 Vortex Viper HST's, one is 4-16x50 and the other is a 6-24x50. Which pairings make the most sense to you?
 
Depends on what type of hunting you plan on doing with the 243. If you plan on varmint hunting put the higher power scope on it. If you plan on just deer hunting, put the scope you like best on the rifle you like best.
 
I'd put the 6-24X50 on the 243 if limited to those. Both are way more magnification than you need. Folks tend to shoot smaller game with 243 so a little more precision might help. The 300 WM will probably be used on larger game with larger kill zones.
 
I have one 4-16 scope. It's a target type with fine cross hairs(not a hunting scope) and it's on a rifle not really suitable for hunting. I also have a very nice 6-24 scope that I got on a traded rifle and immediately removed.
I can't see the need of this much X in ANY hunting scenario except maybe prairie dogs.
 
I am with mobuck way way to much magnification at 24x and crazy heavy weight with either 50mm. I would be looking at scopes like leupold 3-9 ultralight for a 243 and perhaps a vx2 4-12x40 for the 300mag.

Edit: I might have jumped to a conclusion and assumed these were hunting guns. The 24x would be nice for target shooting. Either scope would be fine choices on the bench. Nice thing about higher power scopes is you can see your grouping without shifting back and forth to a spotting scope. In that case, why exactly are you asking us? You know your intended use and distance for each gun better then we do.

I would like to try one of those browning bolt action rifles some day. I am impressed with quality and finish of my single shot and lever. And accuracy of the single shot.
 
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Thanks for the feedback so far. I should have given more information in my original post....I plan to use the .300 WM for elk, mule deer, sheep and maybe moose. The .243 will be more of a varmint rifle for beaver, coyote, prairie dog, etc. The 4-16 is already mounted on the .300, and the 6-24 was purchased for the .243. I was looking for input before I had the second one mounted.
 
6-24 on Varmint rifle. Both scopes are adjustable. They do not have to sit on full power to function. One can be a 4 power and one a 6 power. It sure is nice to have that extra power when you need it though.
 
I'm reminded of the old saying, "better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it", where optics are concerned. Not everyone's eyesight is 20/20, some of us enjoy a bit extra magnification at times. Get what you want, it's why they make them
 
My experience in deer hunting is that I always use the lowest magnification. 2X or 3X. As a walk/stalk hunter, field of view seemed more important than magnification. I know that 3X is adequate for Bambi at 350 yards.

My one prairie dog hunt with my .243 showed me that 7X was quite adequate to 300 yards.

I always have zeroed centerfires for 200 yards. "Set it and forget it." For me, then, high-quality adjustments inside the scope were not necessary.

I've rarely hunted at earliest or latest legal hours, so large objective lenses weren't needed.

IOW, tailor your scope choice to the most probable conditions of use. :)
 
I would keep the 4-16 on your elk rifle and put the 6-24 on the 243. My primary elk rifle has a 5-25 on it but I generally hunt with it on 5x. The only times I've dialed it up is to view animals way past what my shooting skills allow for.
 
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