Ideal hunting optics?
I find that many people want to over-scope their rifles with scopes that weigh too much for the rifle and have too much power for real hunting situations.
From my experience of 50 years of using scopes in thousands of rifle-scope combinations, comparing all of the scopes that clients send me and working with them and comparing them with other scopes in many different light conditions has taught me that a scope with a fixed reticle system is, hands down, the best option, taking all aspects into consideration.
Night Force, Horus Vision, Zeiss and Swarovski all offer fixed reticle systems that offer the best in hunting situations. Night Force and Horus Vision both offer the very best in the lower power variables of less weight for any application. Zeiss and Swarovski offer more user friendly, weight-wise, scopes to cover almost any real life hunting situation.
A heavy scope on a light rifle defeats the purpose of a light-weight rifle, and it upsets the natural balance of a rifle. Huge heavy scopes not only make the rifle heavier to carry but are bulky and put a strain on the mounting system.
For big game hunting I recommend only fixed reticle systems such as the custom dot system for this type of shooting.
Any time you adjust a scope, any scope, you disturb the accuracy level of the rifle and load and it may require several shots, or many shots, depending on the scope, to settle the erector tube, reticle system, back to the point where your accuracy level is where it was before you adjusted your scope. This is not good especially in longer range attempts at game. That difference in shot placement after an adjustment may mean the difference between a quick kill or a wounded animal.
A rifle zeroed today probably will not have the same absolute zero tomorrow due to weather and/or light conditions. Long range exacerbates those factors. Anyone attempting to shoot game at long ranges needs to be aware of these factors.
Most scope makers have reticle systems up to 500 yards which also tells us that is their maximum recommendation for long range shots for game. Bullets fail to perform correctly if the range is too long. Then you need to start factoring in the differences of wind currents between you and your intended target, temperature, terrain conditions, actual hunting situations and finally and most importantly, fair chase and ethical hunting practices dictated in each situation. Never take a shot if your chance of wounding the game you are shooting at is medium to high.
The following link produced by Horus Vision shows the simplicity and accuracy of the fixed reticle system. Whether it is Horus, Leupold or any other fixed reticle system, the simplicity and accuracy is why that is my recommendation for scopes. However, if there is a scope a client prefers, and it balances with the rifle, I’ll be glad to accommodate.
Horus Advantage: CLICK HERE