Anybody else have spare scopes for thier Hunting Rifles

[220yotekiller]

Extra rifle here. mtmuley

Just out of curiosity do you carry an extra RUM or go with another rifle in another caliber?

 

[mtmuley]

Just out of curiosity do you carry an extra RUM or go with another rifle in another caliber?

The RUM goes everywhere with me. I don't hunt it exclusively except for elk. I have a .243 that is a deadly little rifle. Use it for deer and antelope sometimes. Then, I have a Remington 721 in .30-06 that my Grandfather gifted me the day I was born in 1966. I hunt it some also. Pedestrian cartridges and rifles, but deadly killers that I am used to. mtmuley

 

[220yotekiller]

When I'm not day hunting from the house I always carry an extra rifle.

 

[hank4elk]

No ,I use Zeiss glass now and my 30-30 is always in the truck.

 

[noharleyyet]

As elk hunts are circa 700 miles from the safe, they appropriate a spare rifle. My OCD does not allow QD.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

As elk hunts are circa 700 miles from the safe, they appropriate a spare rifle. My OCD does not allow QD.

Different strokes for different folks. I never thought twice about taking only one rifle on a hunt that involved a long ride. Always chose a mauser action or pre-64, used once fored brass and alway I went. I did take a cleaning rod and a kit of gumsmithing tools.

Nothing wrong with bringing a spare rifle. Maybe I will if I ever do long drive to hunt again. As it stands both my deer and elk hunting require 30 to 45 minute drive. Retired now, am 74, moved to an live right in big game country

When I used to use cheap weaver rings and mounts. Taking them on and off POI moved 1.5 to 2.5 inches @ 100 yards Yucch

Going to leopold rings and mounts, when removed and replaced, shift in POI stayed under or at most an inch @ 100 yards. No big deal

My old Sako Optilock rings change not a bit taking them on and off.

I have never been a big spender on scopes anyway. Only bought one new one in my life. An untralight Leopold 2x to 7x

I bought a used 2.5 to 8 full sized Leopold and a 3-9 Old Burris. I sent them both back to the factory for a free check out. Both fine, both allow use of low rings and both fit in my saddle scabbard without stress.

I like the small adjustment knobs and covers. I just hate big protruding knobs and any rings over low. Really love the ultralow Sako rings, Almost like shooting with iron siights,,,so fast.


For hunting I only use Barnes bullets and off season I have any number of old weaver fixed power scopes that I pust on my rifles and shoot off all my old lead core bullets with.

I know how each fires a barnes bullet and have that written down in my logbook.

That way I do not have to re-sight in my main hunting scope,,,barnes bullst are expensive.

Right now on my 289AI I have a fixed 4x weaver.

While deer or elk hunting it is in my truck, or if I am going into real riff country it is in my backback.

As I mentioned when I began this post my favorite spare scopes are aluminum straight tube japanses made newer 2.5x weaver.

They have rings aleady on them, all sighted in, so light.

 

[Don Fischer]

Different strokes for different folks. I never thought twice about taking only one rifle on a hunt that involved a long ride. Always chose a mauser action or pre-64, used once fored brass and alway I went. I did take a cleaning rod and a kit of gumsmithing tools.

Nothing wrong with bringing a spare rifle. Maybe I will if I ever do long drive to hunt again. As it stands both my deer and elk hunting require 30 to 45 minute drive. Retired now, am 74, moved to an live right in big game country

When I used to use cheap weaver rings and mounts. Taking them on and off POI moved 1.5 to 2.5 inches @ 100 yards Yucch

Going to leopold rings and mounts, when removed and replaced, shift in POI stayed under or at most an inch @ 100 yards. No big deal

My old Sako Optilock rings change not a bit taking them on and off.

I have never been a big spender on scopes anyway. Only bought one new one in my life. An untralight Leopold 2x to 7x

I bought a used 2.5 to 8 full sized Leopold and a 3-9 Old Burris. I sent them both back to the factory for a free check out. Both fine, both allow use of low rings and both fit in my saddle scabbard without stress.

I like the small adjustment knobs and covers. I just hate big protruding knobs and any rings over low. Really love the ultralow Sako rings, Almost like shooting with iron siights,,,so fast.


For hunting I only use Barnes bullets and off season I have any number of old weaver fixed power scopes that I pust on my rifles and shoot off all my old lead core bullets with.

I know how each fires a barnes bullet and have that written down in my logbook.

That way I do not have to re-sight in my main hunting scope,,,barnes bullst are expensive.

Right now on my 289AI I have a fixed 4x weaver.

While deer or elk hunting it is in my truck, or if I am going into real riff country it is in my backback.

As I mentioned when I began this post my favorite spare scopes are aluminum straight tube japanses made newer 2.5x weaver.

They have rings aleady on them, all sighted in, so light.

Come to think of it my old Sako's, L461's had the built in base with special Sako rings. And I never recall trying to remove a scope and putting it back on to see if it held zero! Well there's a screw up. I did have an L461 in 223 but had two L61's in 7mm mag and 338 mag.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

Come to think of it my old Sako's, L461's had the built in base with special Sako rings. And I never recall trying to remove a scope and putting it back on to see if it held zero!

They are the best for return to zero after taking them in and off.

Sakos were so well designed. The bolt lift is just a bit lower that most rifles so they can use ultra low rings and not hit the scope.

With a low power straight front scope with no bell, this is as close as any rifle can ever come to iron sights,,,and this is superb sight system for dangerous game.

I think this was intended as so many Sako's saw servive in Africa. No other brand of rifle allows a scope to sit so low, none.

I have had many sakos and have put this low scope system to excellent field use.

Years back I hunted so many wild boar, real Russians, black, mean and with that huge cartilaginous shouler plate,,and big ones too.

Weighed in at over 300 pounds on the ranch scale,,,,after being gutted.

Used to hunt them on thousands of acres of barley,,,nights too on depredation pemits. Had a sako 338 with a 2.5 low mounted scope.

Actually did a "triple" once, as fast as I could work the bolt in tall barley,,,up close and very personal. Very excting.

Some years back "real russians" got loose from a canned hunt opration in Nevada after the Virgin Riverv flooded.

They got into the Arizona strip and F and Game let any one come , no license, no limit to hunt them out. They were ruining such fine mule deer country.

I went at them in huge cactus thickets where they were rooting, Used the same low mounted sako 338. What a fine rif and such excitind hunting.

Big clumsy scopes were worth nothing,,,but a scope was needed for dim light or even hunting at night on full moon, that was legal for boar. Now that was really a blast, and required such fast shooting,

Those boar years are gone now, and I sold my sako 338.

I still have a Sako Finllight carbine in 308 with that lowpower low mount fixed scope.

After years of shooting wild boar,,,almost ciimbing fruit trees at night in orchards too, I got so quick and deadly.

I love going into thick stuff, dark timber for elk and deer with that little carbine and ulta low mounted scope. I shot a lot of game on the move,,,not running full unless very very close, mostly just starting to move out

I love that little sako with a low fast scope.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I was just thinkig about the post I started some time back, "Use Enough Gun" How riled up the pea shooters got.

I get where they come from, but,,,,well,,,not my style.

Going back to those years of hunting real russian wild boar, not those Texas pip-squeak, little runt piggies. that least I wanted to go into a cactus tangles or the tall barley with, was a 7x57 with 190 grain Barnes Originals.

I had this Argentine cavalry mauser carbine with a short barrel and heavy bullet twist rifling. It shot those super long bullets about an 1 1/2 " at 100 yards with a large apeture peep site.

What a fine rig. I look at the other end,,,huge long magnuns with scopes that look like are ready to explore the universe. Not my style either.
Most guys do not get the art of close range rifle hunting with handy little rifles in "real" calibers

 

[OntarioHunter]

I seem to do okay shooting things on the run close or far with 3x9x40 turned down to 3x. Gemsbuck incoming full gallop @ 15 yards then flying by @12 yards, both through the heart. A couple months later a muley buck on the run @ 65 yards dropped dead. Next fall a coyote @ 55 yards broadside through the heart. Scope was probably turned up to 5x for those two. The old 3x fixed Weaver was good for quick shots for sure (these two bull elk were shot in the head in thick cover on the fly) but no better than my three year-old Nikon variable on the same gun.
The stock determines which height scope rings work best for fast acquisition. Scrunching down hard on the comb is no less difficult to find the crosshairs than raising up to find them.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I seem to do okay shooting things on the run close or far with 3x9x40 turned down to 3x. Gemsbuck incoming full gallop @ 15 yards then flying by @12 yards, both through the heart. A couple months later a muley buck on the run @ 65 yards dropped dead. Next fall a coyote @ 55 yards broadside through the heart. Scope was probably turned up to 5x for those two. The old 3x fixed Weaver was good for quick shots for sure (these two bull elk were shot in the head in thick cover on the fly) but no better than my three year-old Nikon variable on the same gun.View attachment 215300View attachment 215301View attachment 215304View attachment 215305View attachment 215306
The stock determines which height scope rings work best for fast acquisition. Scrunching down hard on the comb is no less difficult to find the crosshairs than raising up to find them.

I always enjoy your responses and Don Fisher's too.

I would suspect that your lifetime loyalty to just one rifle accounts for your ability to shoot "reasonable running game" under reasonable conditions.

My need for more rifles comes ftom the fact that I once did so much non-hunting shooting, and also because I moved to the pretty wet/humid PNW.

During the decades I lived on the desert my gunownership was pretty simple. I had three blued and walnit rifles.

Since going "damp" I added three stainless rifles to my list.

I belive that you are so correct about the impotance of the "fit"

I am getting tired tonight, more about "fit" later

 

[OntarioHunter]

I think shooting several thousand rounds at the shotgun range every year makes a big difference too. Not the same gun but the basics are the same: float to the target and follow through. I would never advise anyone to take running shots and for most of my career I'd only do it if the animal was already hit. But now I have confidence, experience, and the right gun. This bull buffalo was shot through the lungs on the run @ 60 yards with a strange gun I had only fired twice two years earlier (once at the range and one shot to drop my first buffalo). Had to shoot him again although he was pretty much done for ... but still maybe capable of doing us in. I'm certain the 3x9 Leopold on the borrowed CZ Safari .375 was turned down to 3x. PH was confident enough in my ability to not stop me from taking the running shot. The afternoon before he did say not to shoot at another bull on the run but that one was going away. I had no plans of taking the shot but was on him in case he decided to turn for us (only 35 yards). That one was for sure an ornery bugger. It's why the farm owner wanted him shot. Anyway, I guess that gun fits me well enough. Honestly, I don't know if I had to hunt for the crosshairs or not. It is a fairly heavy gun like my Springfield and the A5 Magnum Twelve shotgun I use for wingshooting. Heavy guns swing better.

Scope relief and comb height make the fit for fast aquisition. Adding layers of clothing will mess with scope relief a bit but if the comb is right and magnification turned down, it should only require a split second adjustment, if that, to get on target. For open sights the correct length of pull is also important. LOP too short and you're looking up the barrel instead of through the sights. Too long and you'll get hung up in clothing trying to get on the gun in a hurry. A slip-on recoil pad works well for changing LOP to meet changing conditions. Unsightly but it works.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I think shooting several thousand rounds at the shotgun range every year makes a big difference too. Not the same gun but the basics are the same: float to the target and follow through. I would never advise anyone to take running shots and for most of my career I'd only do it if the animal was already hit. But now I have confidence, experience, and the right gun. This bull buffalo was shot through the lungs on the run @ 60 yards with a strange gun I had only fired twice two years earlier (once at the range and one shot to drop my first buffalo). Had to shoot him again although he was pretty much done for ... but still maybe capable of doing us in. I'm certain the 3x9 Leopold on the borrowed CZ Safari .375 was turned down to 3x. PH was confident enough in my ability to not stop me from taking the running shot. The afternoon before he did say not to shoot at another bull on the run but that one was going away. I had no plans of taking the shot but was on him in case he decided to turn for us (only 35 yards). That one was for sure an ornery bugger. It's why the farm owner wanted him shot. Anyway, I guess that gun fits me well enough. Honestly, I don't know if I had to hunt for the crosshairs or not. It is a fairly heavy gun like my Springfield and the A5 Magnum Twelve shotgun I use for wingshooting. Heavy guns swing better.

Scope relief and comb height make the fit for fast aquisition. Adding layers of clothing will mess with scope relief a bit but if the comb is right and magnification turned down, it should only require a split second adjustment, if that, to get on target. For open sights the correct length of pull is also important. LOP too short and you're looking up the barrel instead of through the sights. Too long and you'll get hung up in clothing trying to get on the gun in a hurry. A slip-on recoil pad works well for changing LOP to meet changing conditions. Unsightly but it works.View attachment 215350

Once again we are in complete agreemnet. A rare situation for hunters/shooters, nowadays or even ever.
The "rifle of my life" is a safari grade belgium Browning in 30-06 I bougt for a staggeringly high price of $180 fifty one years ago.

I had to make payments!

It came with a 3-9 Redfield scope in the the cross hair reticle moved around as the power changed, such were the early variables!

If all did was hunt, I never would have needed any other rifle. Only three rifles in my life have fit me perfectely. This one, another Safari grade Browning in 243 and the Sako Finnlight in 308 I mentioned earlier,,,and yes heavy clothing changes rhe fit.

I have to be more carefu too mounting my rifle to my shoulder.

When it came to the above 30-06 with it's beautful old hard plastic curved butt plate, when shot too much it began to hurt. And I woud never take it off, cut the stock straight and put on recoid pad.

Pure sacrilege to a vintage rifle.

Mine had only three serial numbers and the models just before it actail had cape buffalo horn butt plates.

Ahh what fine era.

So espcially moving to the southwest in my early 20's the need for a "shooting rifle" developed. A rifle I could shoot alll day, especually at running jack rabbits and really develop my shooting skills to a fine tuned level.

I never was a shotgunner.

To that end finding that riflehad been a grand search.

The first contender, was a remigtinton model 722 in 257 Roberts, but alas it had the low comb for iron sites.

I have had rwo ,243's, A great rifle they were for extensive active field shooting, but for me no more.

Hunting big wild boar year round required more gun, but for target shooting the 243 is great and I actualy wore out the barrel on the Browning Safari grade in the caliber.

Let's see we were talking about superb "fit".

Wincheters stocks are just a tad too low for me to shoot them with deadly accuracy when I need to shoot at my fastess.

The tiny micro adjustment is the issue. I have remedied this on both my 6,5 x55 and 270 pre-64 by cutting off about a three inch section of motorcycle tire tube, creating a sleeve, I then put over the stock where needed, and then adding just a piece or two more to make mini comb that is just perfect.

This works great but if left in too long will change the finish on a stock. That happened to a model 39 Marlin lever action 22 which I used for exetensive practice with 3x weaver scope.

I am quite fortunate that the stock on my new kimber hunter in 280Ai is very close to a perfect fit with low mounts. If I just stick with it I learn to set my face just right and all is well, though the just perfect fit of both my Sako and Safaru grade 30-06 are just a joy to shoot the fit is so perfect for shooting smoothly, again with low power scopes and thier great eye relief.

It is critical to recall that so many of the great hunters of times now gone, esepecually those that hunter dangerous African game, had thier stocks length of pull and height of comb custom fit,

Jack O'Connor did.

Let me not fail to do as I so often do in my writings,,,incur the rath and rancor of modern shooters and thier "hunting rifles"

When I see these bizzare looking, really sniper rifles, with thier obsenely huge and by demand high mounted scopes, with bipods no less,,, I cringe!

And as Jack O'Connor often said:

"You could not run fast enough to catch me, and force me into using such a " ,,,,I'll add the last word, Monstrosity

 

[prhunter]

I always take a second rifle.

 

[Don Fischer]

They are the best for return to zero after taking them in and off.

Sakos were so well designed. The bolt lift is just a bit lower that most rifles so they can use ultra low rings and not hit the scope.

With a low power straight front scope with no bell, this is as close as any rifle can ever come to iron sights,,,and this is superb sight system for dangerous game.

I think this was intended as so many Sako's saw servive in Africa. No other brand of rifle allows a scope to sit so low, none.

I have had many sakos and have put this low scope system to excellent field use.

Years back I hunted so many wild boar, real Russians, black, mean and with that huge cartilaginous shouler plate,,and big ones too.

Weighed in at over 300 pounds on the ranch scale,,,,after being gutted.

Used to hunt them on thousands of acres of barley,,,nights too on depredation pemits. Had a sako 338 with a 2.5 low mounted scope.

Actually did a "triple" once, as fast as I could work the bolt in tall barley,,,up close and very personal. Very excting.

Some years back "real russians" got loose from a canned hunt opration in Nevada after the Virgin Riverv flooded.

They got into the Arizona strip and F and Game let any one come , no license, no limit to hunt them out. They were ruining such fine mule deer country.

I went at them in huge cactus thickets where they were rooting, Used the same low mounted sako 338. What a fine rif and such excitind hunting.

Big clumsy scopes were worth nothing,,,but a scope was needed for dim light or even hunting at night on full moon, that was legal for boar. Now that was really a blast, and required such fast shooting,

Those boar years are gone now, and I sold my sako 338.

I still have a Sako Finllight carbine in 308 with that lowpower low mount fixed scope.

After years of shooting wild boar,,,almost ciimbing fruit trees at night in orchards too, I got so quick and deadly.

I love going into thick stuff, dark timber for elk and deer with that little carbine and ulta low mounted scope. I shot a lot of game on the move,,,not running full unless very very close, mostly just starting to move out

I love that little sako with a low fast scope.

Ya know, one of my Sako's was also a 338 Win. Bought a scope just for it. 2 3/4x Denver/Redfield. That was back around 1972. Rifle is long gone. beautiful rifle but to much recoil. If I didn't shoot it a lot I didn't handle it well at all. But, still have the scope. It's on a 1903 Springfield 30-06, my elk rifle! Also have an old Denver 1-4x Redfield on a 308. First variable I ever owned. Don't recall what I bought it for but probably a Ruger mod 77 7x57.

 

[Don Fischer]

I was just thinkig about the post I started some time back, "Use Enough Gun" How riled up the pea shooters got.

I get where they come from, but,,,,well,,,not my style.

Going back to those years of hunting real russian wild boar, not those Texas pip-squeak, little runt piggies. that least I wanted to go into a cactus tangles or the tall barley with, was a 7x57 with 190 grain Barnes Originals.

I had this Argentine cavalry mauser carbine with a short barrel and heavy bullet twist rifling. It shot those super long bullets about an 1 1/2 " at 100 yards with a large apeture peep site.

What a fine rig. I look at the other end,,,huge long magnuns with scopes that look like are ready to explore the universe. Not my style either.
Most guys do not get the art of close range rifle hunting with handy little rifles in "real" calibers

You must be an old guy! So am I. Don't own a rifle without a wood stock and biggest scope I have is 3-9x as when I got them I couldn't find much in the way of 2-7x. Favorite hunting scope is still that old 2 3/4x Redfield. Actually it's a widefield! Found my 2-7x's on the internet!

 

[Mustangs Rule]

I can see there is cloud of confusion about this post.

A spare scope is not a replacement for a spare rifile when needed, nor is a spare rifle back at a hunting camp, or left i a truck a replacement for a damaged scope while deep in the field.

They are two separate issues.

Maybe this will help.

About 14 years ago I drew a desert bighhorn sheep tag,,,on my first ever draw attempt.

I was a hunting guide myself then but chose to hire a guide who knew the country, and knew sheep. I visited him before making this final descion and when he took me to his office and brought out his lifetime files on wild sheep I was stunned.

Field journals, filled with details, stacks of maps from four western states, loaded with with details, locations of trails, water holes, bedding sites, shallow caves they took shelter in during bright summer heat,,and on and on.

A life of study about the needs of wild sheep. Also an experinced based mandate to never shoot predators, especially coyotes and and bocats because they eat rabbits, and lacking those predators rabbits of all kinds, will simply overpoulate and eat desert plants to nothing to the point where wild sheep simplly cannot thrive at all.

He was a master guide, great naturalist, and tough as nails.

I hiired him,,first time I, myself being a guide. ever hired a guide. Rather fitting for a once in a lifetime hunt.

Anyway, he gave me his mutilpe sheets of info.

One was, bring a small light spare scope, with high quaity rings, already sighted in just in case.

There was next to water where we were going, virtually bone dry desert flats and mountains. The only free water woud come from seasonal rains.

Once i contracted him for the hunt, he would have his son go out in the deep places and store bottles of water,,,in thick containers rats and mice could not chew through. Same went for food too.

We headed off with our lighest possibe packs, and would go deep down, way ac ross, steep up, far into the desert wilderness. We would be consantly climbing up and down boulders, travelling through rocky canyons, following preciptious wild sheep trails.

The chance to drop a rifle, bang up a scope was maximum.

Based on his experience, dragging along a spare rifle for days on end going deep was just silly, but carrying a small spare scope already sighted in, he insisted on. That spare scopee was not optional.

It was an incredible hunt, nearly a hundred degrees during the day, way below freeezing at night, gaining our hunting elavation by climbing though cactus country at night, no flashlghts, just seeing by starlight.

The chances of a fall were absolute maximum.

Bring a spare scope!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Steiny]

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'm kinda in this camp.
50+ years of hunting all over North America and haven't needed a spare scope or rifle yet. In the event something bad happened to a rifle, in most cases you could borrow one from somebody else in camp or run to town and get another. If you're remote hunting solo, you wouldn't dare haul extra weight like that anyway, your hunt would just turn into a camping trip.

 

[OntarioHunter]

I'm kinda in this camp.
50+ years of hunting all over North America and haven't needed a spare scope or rifle yet. In the event something bad happened to a rifle, in most cases you could borrow one from somebody else in camp or run to town and get another. If you're remote hunting solo, you wouldn't dare haul extra weight like that anyway, your hunt would just turn into a camping trip.

An extra scope doesn't weigh as much as a bottle of spring water. I would carry the weight of an extra scope in my daypack before I'd haul along binoculars. Or a full box of shells.

How many times has my gun/scope crapped on me hunting? Banner scope crapped for no reason while hunting with my dad in 1972. It went flying down the mountain. He filled his elk tag when I missed and I used his gun to fill my tag the next day. Horse rolled on me hunting alone in the Great Bear Wilderness 1980. Stock broke in two. End of hunt. New scope fell apart in Africa 2019. Borrowed a gun from lodge but it wasn't zeroed. Used some creative Kentucky windage to get my kudu with it in the last moments of that last day. Last summer my same gun went haywire in Africa after fresh bedding material shrank and it wouldn't stay zeroed. Borrowed my PH's rifle and shot eight more animals.

I can definitely see an advantage to having an extra scope handy or optional iron sights if hunting alone in remote locations. Any other situation I suppose borrowing a gun (which I know all to well can be a roll of the dice) or simply going to town and buying another scope is always an option. I am a one gun guy who usually hunts alone and I prefer to keep shooting what I'm familiar with so I prefer to have backup options to keep it working.

 

[MTLabrador]

I would carry the weight of an extra scope in my daypack before I'd haul along binoculars.

I’d rather hunt with an iron sighted .30-30 than leave my binos at home. I cannot imagine anything more essential to the hunting I do than binoculars.