Anybody else have spare scopes for thier Hunting Rifles

[Bambistew]

No spare scope or spare rifle and have even been on a half dozen sheep hunts where a rifle is shared. I just am not that paranoid or desperate to kill an animal. If shit goes south it goes south. I know many people cringe at the idea of sharing a rifle. I cringe at the idea of packing unnessary weight. To each his own. In 30 years of hunting in as rough of terrain as anywhere, using horses, atvs, little planes, big planes, in the west, the east, Alaska and Africa... I've had zero scope issues, never had a single one move. I rarely pack a rifle by a sling usually strap it to my pack or have it in hand. I have rifles that haven't been adjusted in 15 years and still shoot the same poi.

I'm more worried about having a spare spork and lighter. Ever drink cold unrehydrated mountain house for a week? I'd take a bumped scope any day.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I thought every Hunter was judged by the "Extras" he has
I set up most of my Rifles with 1" high see through bases and fiber optic fixed sights.
And always have 1 or 2 backup Rifles in tow. Even on horse back I carry a 30-30 on the packhorse J I C someone in the group my need a standby.

I remember such rings from times gone by. They actually allow very fast iron sight use for close shots . Those super high rings make scope use a bit clumsy for fast shooting, but then the iron sights are there for that. I took another route with lower power scopes on the lowest possible mounts.

I was just at the range today doing final prep for deer and elk season. My 280AI kimber has a 2-7 Leoplod ultralight on it, and in case of a fall, drop or bang I have a fixed light aluminum Japanese Weaver 2.5 X on low rings and all sighted in. It would only move under an inch at most going on and off. I have done that over and over to check. That little scope goes in my backpack wrapped in foam pipe insulation with the little torque wrench to change scopes taped right to it.

All my deer and elk hunting begins a half hour drive from my home so i don't stay anywhere over night anymore,,,just get up early and leave right from home. So no need for an extra rifle.

When I take an elk I have a Garmin In reach communication device and send a message out to some friends with pack horses. They come in for recovery. Deer I just quarter and carry unless I am in very deep. Mostly I hunt alone now.

Before I pull the trigger I am very horse considerate. Can I get horses in safely.

My next prep for deer and elk season will be some trail maintence. I access National forest through private ranch land all so rough even a quad could not get in. Just a bare safe minimum for horses. There are a few small land slides where the trail is just gone. When wet or snowy a horse,,or even me would slide down 20 or 30 feet, So this month I go in with an entrenching tool/shovel and make a flat path across the mudslide for both horses and myself.

All part of my hunting dues.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

No spare scope or spare rifle and have even been on a half dozen sheep hunts where a rifle is shared. I just am not that paranoid or desperate to kill an animal. If shit goes south it goes south. I know many people cringe at the idea of sharing a rifle. I cringe at the idea of packing unnessary weight. To each his own. In 30 years of hunting in as rough of terrain as anywhere, using horses, atvs, little planes, big planes, in the west, the east, Alaska and Africa... I've had zero scope issues, never had a single one move. I rarely pack a rifle by a sling usually strap it to my pack or have it in hand. I have rifles that haven't been adjusted in 15 years and still shoot the same poi.

I'm more worried about having a spare spork and lighter. Ever drink cold unrehydrated mountain house for a week? I'd take a bumped scope any day.

I only had a problem once. Jumped a creek slipped, fell, banged up my scope. Took out my spare and was on my way in 10 minutes.

 

[BigSky!]

I always seem to have few extra (spare) scopes around. None are specifically allocated as spares to specific rifles. I have a sickness such that I don't seem to be able to mount a scope on a particular rifle and then leave it there for years and years. Oh, I guess I have on a few. I just seem to be changing things out all the time. However, when ever I head to the field to hunt, rather than a spare scope, I just make sure I have a spare/backup rifle along on the trip.

 

[HighDesertSage]

Seems like alot of extra weight and hassle. I switched my primary rifle to Nightforce optics, and have never lost a zero. I hunt steep rocky terrain as well and have wacked it pretty good on several occasions. Going on 4 seasons now, and it has always stayed true.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I always seem to have few extra (spare) scopes around. None are specifically allocated as spares to specific rifles. I have a sickness such that I don't seem to be able to mount a scope on a particular rifle and then leave it there for years and years. Oh, I guess I have on a few. I just seem to be changing things out all the time. However, when ever I head to the field to hunt, rather than a spare scope, I just make sure I have a spare/backup rifle along on the trip.

My friend calls this scope changing disorder "Scopitis". Really comes on during the winter/off season.

 

[3855WIN]

Night before archery deer opener at deer camp. Another hunter is packing his Fanny pack. I thought it was funny that he had two releases.
The next morning, as I was putting on my release, the Velcro strap broke. Two releases suddenly seemed like a great idea. I killed a buck with fingers that morning, but learned that extras can be a great idea.

 

[Zootownelk]

spare rifle w/scope back at camp. Never thought of bringing an extra scope with me in the field. Probably won't. Already have too many "what if's" in my pack that never get used.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

spare rifle w/scope back at camp. Never thought of bringing an extra scope with me in the field. Probably won't. Already have too many "what if's" in my pack that never get used.

Decades ago I drew the highly coveted tag for a Desert Bighorn Ram. It was without question the hardest, driest,coldest and at the same time hotest hunt I ever did. Bitterly cold freezzing winter nights,,,days pushing 100 degrees.

I was licensed hunting guide myself then, but was wise enough to hire a guide that was a specialist in desert big horn sheep hunts.

We would be gone for days on end with our backbacks into genunine desert wildeness. One simply could never carry enough water. Just too heavy and the need too great.

Except for "Tinyahas" huge bed rock rain puddle pools that smelled terrible and were surrouned by wild sheep dung and urine there was no water, not a drop.

The guides son and the guide carried in many bottles of water and energy bars then stashed them all over these mountains in the early fall way before the season started,,,kinda like how the Bushman Of South Africa once stashed water in plugged ostrich eggs all over the desert.

The terrain was the most unforgiving imaginable. Rocks, cliffs, sandy washes. hiking in and sleeping miles from any real camp. We were living like bushmen day and night. The potential for falls was constant.

Those water and energy bar stashes were crictical for our survival.

He was adamant about many things. One was bringing a spare scope,,,one already sighted in, as small and light as possble,,on the best mounts,,,and tested for return to point of aim after being taken on and off over and over.

The is when I began this spare scope habit,,,,a light little 2.5 fixed power aluminum Japenese Weaver was my choice.

A few years earlier, he took a hunter deep in,,,two days worth,,on what is a once in a lifetime hunt, the hunter took a fall and his scope was useless. The hunter did not bring a spare scope as was told.

Two days in,,,two days out,,into the finest sheep country and he was unable to shoot one,,,and they saw some real nice rams too.

MR

 

[JT88]

I understand your concern. My experience, though, is that something like that happens once and you prepare for it so that it doesn't happen again. Then something else completely new and different happens. At some point you just learn that there are things you can be prepared for and things that you just can't anticipate or out-guess. What happens if you smash your back up scope too? The sky won't fall on you. You learn to do what you can, with what you have, where you are. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, haha

 

[Zootownelk]

Maybe in the most extreme place under the most extreme circumstances, I would re-evaluate what I pack. I don't hunt in places (yet) that would require that sort of planning. A spare rifle/scope at camp keeps me sleeping soundly. Glad it works for you.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Maybe in the most extreme place under the most extreme circumstances, I would re-evaluate what I pack. I don't hunt in places (yet) that would require that sort of planning. A spare rifle/scope at camp keeps me sleeping soundly. Glad it works for you.

Thank you for responding to my post. I can see that I am not winning any contest here. i get that.

When I finally bought a new flyrod, I had one major feature I had to have. cheap tip replacement,,,and yes a good reputation too,.

I had for years a two orvis flyrods, and over the years I broke the tips on both,,,and a little Garcia spinning rod too. It cost about $65 for a new tip on each Orvis rod.

I am a tip breaker,,,why? Because I go bushwack the back streams,,,climb a lot getting into deep canyon pools.

I bought a Temple Fork flyrod from Cabelas when they introduced that brand at a great introductory price,,,,with a forever $25 tip replacement. I broke the tip the second year I had it,,,,I slipped climbing around some ledges going into a canyon.

I hunt the same way, deep and steep. Wilderness prefered. I sit in trees a lot too. Not it tree stands, just big branchs. I bring my rifle up and down with with a cord. I like crossing smaller rivers and streams,,,$69 LL Bean Canoe shoes work just fine,,,great way to beat the crowds of hunters.

Add in horses a lot in the past,,,,they are rough on all gear,,,rubbing and rolling.

Having a small light spare scope all set on rings floats my boat and rings my bell.

Thanks again, never thought this post topic would have had so much life.

 

[ImBillT]

I leave a spare rifle in the truck.

Leupold standard rings aren’t really made for swapping. If the front ring and base are in good shape its hard to get the front ring to turn all the way to the original position without allowing the rear to go past the position it needs to be in. It’s also hard to get the rear in the exact correct position without using a torque wrench to tighten the rear screws. Those are the reasons you’re usually about 1” off. That’s 5” at 500yds. Fine for whitetails, not ideal for western hunting.

Leupold QR’s are slightly better.

If I was going to keep a spare at the truck, I’d use QR’s or something Weaver or Picatinny, and I’d shoot something in the field to check sight-in.

I put enough crap I don’t need in my pack. Im not gonna add a scope to that. If something that extreme happens, I’ll walk back to the truck, and id waste enough time with that, my best bet is back-up gun.

 

[Bullshot]

I think there are categories... does my life depend on it? does the overall hunt depend on it? How long would it take to fix, etc. I appreciate what you have researched (POI after changeout) and don't doubt you for a second. To me it is overkill but to each their own. I bring an extra GPS and pair of glasses.

 

[Pamountainman]

Hi
Well many years ago my Ruger #1B No Sights...a tack driver.. never should have sold her,
anyway going down a mountain but more or less really climbing down the mountain fell down backwards not really that far landing on the rifle, the scope was crushed no spare rifle, Broken scope OY pouring rain... Needless to say my hunting trip was ruined

first time last time.... I always bring two rifles with me now both scoped both have iron sights...

I know how they shoot with or without the scopes and I know my limitations with iron sites

know your firearm but also know your limitations.

PaMtMn

 

[std7mag]

Nope!
No spare scope, no spare rifle.
In my almost 40 years of hunting i have never needed either.
I keep seeing buy this brand or that brand because of their warranty.
I don't buy because of a warranty.
Only scope i've ever tried to warranty was a cheap POS Barska. Threw it in the trash can & haven't looked back.

 

[howl]

...attached to a spare rifle, yes.

I do swap scopes for load testing. You may find better results with good picatinny rails and rings. I don't like the looks, but the utility makes up for the ugly.

 

[Don Fischer]

I'm in the take a spare rifle group!

 

[OntarioHunter]

I can relate. 2018 I picked up a new Nikon 3x9x40 on sale Black Friday for $99. My old 3x Weaver was still good but I liked the better glass and the price so I upgraded. Took it to Africa the following August and my old Springfield did great the first five animals. Never missed. While loading up after shooting the gemsbuck, the rifle fell off the back seat onto the floor a foot away. I'm sure it landed on a water bottle. But that was enough. All I had left on the list was kudu and four days to shoot one. I missed six shots before finally determined the scope was toast. The lodge gave me a loaner the morning of my last day. I assumed it was zeroed. Late that last afternoon I finally got a shot at a decent bull standing broadside 200 yards away on the side of a mountain. I'm on the sticks (actually, two sets of shooting sticks front and back). A blind person with Parkinsons could make that shot. I put the crosshairs in the boiler room and see gravel fly just under his belly a foot and a half low. Away they run over the hill. We hiked up to the spot to confirm a miss and found the bullet. Then worked our way to the top. Five of the seven bulls were standing on the next ridge, including the shooter. He was way out there though. "Hold on the very top of his shoulder. You can do it." When I got on the gun the bull was standing almost facing us. To put it on the tip of his shoulder meant shooting through his horns. I was about to squeeze off when I remembered this gun shoots way low at 200. So I hiked the crosshairs way up between his horns and touched off. We initially thought he ran off down the hill but turns out that was his partner. As we were hiking up to look for blood I asked my PH what was the range. 330 meters! "Why didn't you tell me?" "Because you wouldn't take the shot but I knew you could make it." I had dropped the bull dead with a neck shot. This was about 45 minutes before sunset. When I got home to the range I learned the reticle was loose in my scope. It shot a straight line of holes in the target left to right through the bull at fifty yards. Nikon fixed it in time for deer season in Montana.

Recently I decided to go with quick detach rings and optional iron sights, mostly for hunting in really bad weather. When I changed barrels last summer the replacement came with a nice high ramped front sight so I was half there already. We had a couple days elk hunting last fall in a very wet snow storm that off and on turned into downpour rain. I was wishing I had backup iron sights those days. Changing to QD rings was more complicated than I anticipated. The Weaver bases on my Springfield were spaced too far apart for this short-necked Nikon scope so I had to mount it with one extended ring. No one makes a QD extended ring so I had to find a rail that would fit my Springfield. One outfit makes them but the forward hole for anchor screw didn't line up with the holes tapped in my receiver. Rather than punch another hole in the receiver, I drilled a hole in the rail. That required building a jig for my drill press. Got er done. In the meantime I picked up a used like new pre-64 Model 70 rear leaf sight. When my brother finally sends it out I'll need to tap a hole in the barrel for mounting screw which will require making another jig (and buying two taps, one blunt end and one conventional). These Warne QD rings are guaranteed to hold zero and they have a good reputation. Their low rings were as close as I could get to same height as my existing medium Weaver rings which were perfect. Weaver also makes QD rings but every review I've read says they are junk. Since my old Weaver K3 is just gathering dust I may as well spend the extra eighty bucks and order QD rings for it too. Good to have an extra scope along at Montana deer camp or Africa lodge in the unlikely event my big scope fails again. I'll always have iron sights for on the spot backup but 3x scope is a slight improvement when accessible.

 

[CuzPat]

For most every big game hunting rifle, I have a spare scope, in my pack, with attached Leopold standard rings, already sighted it. Just take off the old/damaged one, put the spare scope on, deal done.

Well before season, I take it off, put is on, shoot it and repeat this process several times to see how much POI has changed. Always does a little, an inch at most, usually less.

My spare scopes are either 2.5, 3 or 4 power old but restored Weavers. Probably my favorite is the 2.5x Aluminum Weaver made in Japan. It is light, short.

Only needed to change a scope once. Was hunting the steep canyon country, jumped a little dry creek, slipped and my rifle landed really hard on the scope and hard ground.

Felt good to change the scope and not worry.

MR

Wish I was wealthy enough to have spare scopes. The idea sounds great.