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View Full Version : Hunters- looking for some gun and scope advice



hondardr4life
03-08-2007, 04:19 AM
Ok, I am looking for a new gun. First- the scopes I am looking at are the Leupold VX3 3.5-10 40mm, and a Zeiss Conquest 3-9 40mm. I am going to Cabelas Saturday to look at them, but I would like some opinions. The Zeiss is actually $70 cheaper than the Leupold.

Next the gun. I am pretty much settled on a Remington Model 7 7mm short action ultra mag. Does anyone own one, or know someone that has one? I would just like some opinions on that too.

cletusEX
03-08-2007, 04:49 AM
All my rifles and muzzleloaders wear Leupold scopes. My current deer rifle is a Ruger Mark II in 7mm Rem Mag with a Leupold Mark 4 3.5-10. I have heard good things about Zeiss but I won't buy anything but Leupold. As for gun and caliber, I have never like the Model 7's, too short and whippy (a lot depends on how you hunt, I hunt from a tree stand and can have shots out to 400 yards) I'm more of a fan of the winchester short mag rounds. If I were you I'd get a Savage in 7mm win short mag. Savage guns are less expensive but the few I own all shoot real tight groups.

hdavis21
03-08-2007, 05:51 AM
spend ur money on the scope thats where its at. i would get at least a 50mm objective and savage makes good firearms and r fairly inexpensive.i been wanting the ziess 3-12x56($1,200),but thats where my focus would be,on the scope. good luck.

hondardr4life
03-08-2007, 03:57 PM
I don't see much of a need for a 50mm. I've shot 30's, 40's, and 50's, and I can honestlly say that I can't notice a big enough distance from 40 to 50 to justify spending so much on a scope.
As for a savage-- I don't like their guns at all. Right now I have a pre 1964 Winchester Model 70 .270. Its a hell of a gun, but I just don't want it to get beat up at all, and I would like a little more take down power. I will haveto shoot my friends model 7 .300 SAUM again. I loved it the first time I threw it up and shot. I'm not as much of a fan of my dad's 300 ultra in a Browning a-bolt with a 26 inch barrel. The model 7 is light, easy to carry, easy to steady freehand, and carries a big punch in a 7mm SAUM. This deer season I had shots anywhere from 10 yards all the way up to 300 yards, and I couldnt even get a shot off in the thick woods on the 10 yard one, because I couldnt throw my .270 up fast enough, and I couldnt find it in my little 30mm Redfield I tube.

cletusEX
03-08-2007, 04:12 PM
I agree on the objective, 40 is plenty big. The bigger objectives have to have high or super high rings and to me don't feel right when the gun is mounted. As for gun that is up to you, I have never been a fan of the Model Sevens, shot quite a few and was not impressed at all with the comfort or accuracy, although the magnums have a 22" barrel which might help. I would buy a WSM caliber over a SAUM. I just think the WSM are more popular (easier to find ammo) and they will be around longer. Their have been a ton of good calibers that have disappered over the years. Anyways good luck with whatever you decide!:)

DF400ex
03-08-2007, 05:18 PM
I would definitely go with the Leupold scope. By far one of the best out there.

I have a Remington 700 PSS (Police Special Sniper 7.62mm) with the Leupold VX-III 6.5-20x40mm Long Range scope and bipods. It's a great weapon. I've hit 12 inch targets at 1200 yards consistantly with match ammo. with the variable power scope you can shoot like 25 yards to 1500 (if your weapons MOA will allow you to do it accurately).

The snipers that I talked to in Iraq recommended this rifle because it is what the Army M-24 sniper rifle is based off of, and one of the most popular for law enforcement. Bottom line, great gun. The scope makes the gun.

Shift_450R
03-08-2007, 06:00 PM
swarovski...my dads got a VX3 on his 7mm and its an awesome scope, the only downfall is that it has thick cross hairs. hes planning on trading in his VX3 for a swarovski.

Pappy
03-08-2007, 06:13 PM
Leupold....all i use

i agree 110%, spend the money on the scope

quads14589
03-08-2007, 06:24 PM
im prolly going to be investng in a .243 remington lowest caliber rifle you can shoot a deer with in ct. and its very lightweight and good looking.

redlineranger
03-08-2007, 08:12 PM
Originally posted by hondardr4life
Ok, I am looking for a new gun. First- the scopes I am looking at are the Leupold VX3 3.5-10 40mm, and a Zeiss Conquest 3-9 40mm. I am going to Cabelas Saturday to look at them, but I would like some opinions. The Zeiss is actually $70 cheaper than the Leupold.

Next the gun. I am pretty much settled on a Remington Model 7 7mm short action ultra mag. Does anyone own one, or know someone that has one? I would just like some opinions on that too.

you have an amazing gun choice;)

as far as the scopes you cant go wrong with the leupold or the zeiss.... but if you go with zeiss.... spend the extra 100 bucks and get the conquest 3-9x50. trust me its worth it. my dad has the 3-9x50 on his and its an amazing scope. the 3-9x40 isnt a bad choice either, but i just like how the 3-9x50 is bigger, and has the bigger cross hair. hope this helps.

oh and i know a few people on here said 50mm isnt needed, and it may not be in some cases, but i guess im just used to them since i've had 3-9x50 scopes on all my guns. either way your not gonna go wrong on your scope choice.

hondardr4life
03-09-2007, 04:10 AM
Yeah, I'll haveto look through both of them when I go to Cabelas. Personally I am leaning towards the leupold, but who knows... As far as the gun, I just hope that it will do everything I want it to from shooting whitetails to elk. I will rarely get a shot over 300 yards, so it should work out just fine.

hondardr4life
03-13-2007, 05:40 AM
Well I went down Saturday just intending to buy a scope and I came back with a Remington model 7 cdl in a .300 WSM. I also bought the Zeiss Conquest 3-9 40mm. When held up side by side, the Zeiss was noticably clearer, and it had a lifetime warranty also... I couldnt be happier with how the gun shoots. I would reccomend it to anyone!

rYan01400EX
03-17-2007, 08:32 PM
I have a Remington Model 700.... with a Simmons AETEC 4-14x44 Scope.. It's a great gun.. I also love the Winchester Model 70 chambered in a .243 WSSM. Very hard to find cause they don't make it anymore. Forgot to say, my rifle is a .30-06.

06YFZ450SE
03-17-2007, 08:40 PM
I have a Remington Model 700 25-06 I like it alot. It has a 3-12-50mm Barski. It good enought for me.

yamaha250f
03-17-2007, 09:14 PM
im with pappy all i use is leupold my father just sold a 3.5-10x40 in a vx 3 it went for 400 on gun broker and he also has a 7mmwsm in a browning stainless stalker and to tell you the true its a pretty gun but it doesnt perform that well i use a 300 rem ultra mag and right out the box with reloaded ammo 3 shots and touching everytime i just put a vx3 4.5-14x50 with a 30mm tube and boone and croket recticles on it i love it i wouldnt trade it for anything else ever but i would do some research on it befor you jump into the short mag jmo and as for the scope check out the 30mm tube it helps to let in alot more light and if you have the cash check out swavosky(sp) optics. one more thing i worked at the cabela's in hamburg pa and even with my discount prices were rediculous if you contact your leupold rep your your area you might be able to get a scope at a huge discount you order over the phone and they shipp right to your door the scope on my 300 i got for cost from my leupold rep

yamaha250f
03-17-2007, 09:17 PM
Originally posted by rYan01400EX
I have a Remington Model 700.... with a Simmons AETEC 4-14x44 Scope.. It's a great gun.. I also love the Winchester Model 70 chambered in a .243 WSSM. Very hard to find cause they don't make it anymore. Forgot to say, my rifle is a .30-06.

how does your 243 wssm shoot i had bought one in a browning stainless stalker and it didnt shoot worth the sh*t so i ended up selling it out of the box it shot almost a 3 inch group with all different kinds of reloads so out the door with that one

rYan01400EX
03-17-2007, 09:49 PM
Man, it shoots great. No complaints. It holds a real nice pattern. I shoot Winchester Silvertip Ballistic Tips.... Fast ammuntion. At 4300 FPS with a 55 grain shell, it's bound to do some damage. I'll tell you how accurate it is - at 100 yds. EXACTLY, I shot the bolt holding the rear wheel on a wheelchair off. It was in a junk pile where I sight my rifles in. I've shot targets out to 435 yards.. No problem. It also has a Nikon Buckmasters 4-14x40 scope on it.

yamaha250f
03-17-2007, 10:11 PM
yeah i shoot silver ballistic tips out of my 300 i use 180 grains with 93.7 grains of h1000 powder they shoot great only complaint is that the shell is so thin that when the impact hits it pretty much shreds the bullet apart instead of expanding into a mushroom

rYan01400EX
03-17-2007, 10:13 PM
Yea, It's pretty common. Silvertips are designed to just fragment instead of mushroom out. They nearly explode on impact. GREAT bullet though.

yamaha250f
03-17-2007, 10:16 PM
yeah there deff are pretty nasty when i get home from work ill post some pics of the deer i shot this year with it. i took a head shot from about 25 yards away the deer did a backflip befor it hit the ground

rYan01400EX
03-17-2007, 10:37 PM
Nice, yea, lets see the carnage... I wish I had a good picture of the flowerpot I shot a 292yds. with the .30-06. It was cool :D

cletusEX
03-18-2007, 10:03 AM
I know they had a recall on some of the early WSSM chambered guns. Something about the throat being out of whack.

hondardr4life, congrats on your new rifle. Sounds like a good choice.:)