What scope for a walkabout multi purpose varminter/stalker

I'd appreciate input - I want to commit the most heineos(?) of sins which is to try and get one rifle and scope to do everything - but it is an expensive rifle and it switches barrels. A Blaser professional (synthetic) with .223 match barrel (26 inch) for varminting and a standard profile .308 (22 inch) for anything else

The scope and barrle can be swapped between barrels without losing true.

Obviously I am hoping to spend on quality to get a rig which I hope will out last me

The purpose with .223 is walking fields and for rabbits mostly around 200 yards off bipod, but out to 450 (have done several times with my current remmington VS) but also down to 15 off hand- when you turn around a corner and one is looking at you - or one has hunkered down and hoped you would walk by without noticing. Often shooting in relativley low light

Thinking I would like a reticule such as the new Leupod TMR or Nightforce NXS NPR2 - which would allow good offsets and a bit of rangefinding. Though I will probably be getting a rangefinder as well as using estimates of rabbit heghts to give distance is a bit risky

These reticules are sort of found on the tactical scopes

So What scope do people reccomend -

The options I have identified and considered to date are:

Leupold MK4 6.5-20 X50 M1 Illuminated with TMR
- but question about quality of optics and the 6.5 magnification at bottom end might be a bit high for off hand shots

Lightforce NXS 5.5-22X50
- good optics - better range and lower end - but the weight at 32 ounces might overewhelm the rifle

S&B PMII
Relly good optics but same weight as NXS for lower magnification at top end

Send my current Leupold VXIII 4.5-24X50 back if they can fit a TMR reticule on it (still will not be illuminated though)

You say that you can switch scopes between barrels without loosing "true". Are you assuming this because you have the same scope mounts on each barrels, or have you actually tried it? The reason I ask, is that I have a T/C Encore pistol with 15" barrels (3 of them) and the identical mount on each barrel. Between the variances of the scope mount drillings and the barrels match up to the frame (not to mention the differences in the ballistics between the calibers) the moving of a scope from barrel to barrel quite definitely changes the zero point. I'm not sure that it would be possible to have the same zero just because of the different ballistics between the 2 calibers. Just my 2 cents worth.....

Blaine

Blaine

Apparently (from a number of sources) the machining is such that it locks into the same "place" each time on the barrel.

So when swapping between barrels one needs to adjust the 0 for the differnt barrel and calibre - but in a consistent fashion each time. It is a pretty pricey rifle and the mounts themselves are the cost of a midrange scope

It sounds bizarre - juts like the fanatasy they put in tele movies but the maching is getting there. Sako's optilock mounts appraently nearly get there as well

DavyD

I would recommend a 3-9 or a 4-12. You said this gun was for walking. When I shoot PDs I often do so while moving. It is when you are moving, that you want field of view not magnification. This lets you pick up the target fast and make the shot. The beauty of variable power is you can set it at 4 or 6 power while you are moving from one position to the next then dial it up for the long shots. In my humble opinion.

longwalker

Long walker

Fair point All the scopes I am looking at have a good low end.

I am probably first going to have my existing Leupold VXIII 4.5-14X50 upgraded with TMR reticule (about 250 USD) and see how that goes.

The other favourite would be the Lighforce 5-22 X50 - but it might make the rig a little top heavy.

It's hard to say. Much depends on where you live, and the type of area you're hunting. This pertains as much to calibers as to scope magnification. Most of my scopes are 6x18 or 6x24 now. A lot of that is due to failing eyesight. A younger person may well get by in the same conditions with a 4x12. Many of my shots at woodchuck will be 200-250 yards so I feel most comfortable with a .22-250 when hunting small game.
Now if a bunny pops out 50 yards away there's not going to be much bunny remaining, but sometime it works that way. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal