Need advice on new optic for ground hunting
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2021
Posts: 1

I am looking for a scope that will allow me extended eye relief for my Ruger American in .308. I am currently using a 3 - 9 Bushnell Trophy scope but am looking for an upgrade and also something with magnification as low as 1x or 2x. I pretty much only hunt thick timber which means I do not take shots over 100 yards at most but am usually closer to 50 yards. Due to how dense the trees are and that I am often sitting on the ground and shooting off my knee I sometimes have to be in somewhat awkward positions to pull off a shot which means I might not be able to get perfectly on the optic in order to get the best sight picture which obscures my view.
I wanted to get a scout scope so that I could get some wiggle room when it comes to eye relief so even if I am not in a perfect shooting position I will still be able to see clearly. Is it possible to mount a scout scope where you would put a traditional scope or does the long eye relief create issues if it is mounted too far back?
If the scout scope is not an option for a Ruger American is there anything else anyone would recommend?
Thanks for any help you all can give me.
I wanted to get a scout scope so that I could get some wiggle room when it comes to eye relief so even if I am not in a perfect shooting position I will still be able to see clearly. Is it possible to mount a scout scope where you would put a traditional scope or does the long eye relief create issues if it is mounted too far back?
If the scout scope is not an option for a Ruger American is there anything else anyone would recommend?
Thanks for any help you all can give me.
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Southern NH
Posts: 396

Leupold VX6HD 1x6 Firedot Duplex Reticle is the scope that fits your needs . Lightning fast target acquisition on moving targets in the woods. There are 8 diffent setting for the firedot. From small ( 1 ) to very bright ( 8 ) . I keep mine no higher than 3 .
The bullet is going to go where the red dot is . Huge field of view . But they dont give these away.
Whatever you do , DONT get a scout scope. Its too far down the barrel and you give up alot of field of view
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/leup...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
The bullet is going to go where the red dot is . Huge field of view . But they dont give these away.
Whatever you do , DONT get a scout scope. Its too far down the barrel and you give up alot of field of view
https://www.basspro.com/shop/en/leup...E&gclsrc=aw.ds
Last edited by SportsmanNH; 07-26-2021 at 04:06 PM.
#3

No, a scout scope cannot be receiver mounted. The same problem will occur as if you’d mounted a conventional scope out on a scout rail - when your eye does not fall within the eye box, you’ll have shadowing, even ringing of the image.
It sounds as though: 1) your optic is not properly positioned on the receiver to allow varying position to place your eye within the eye box, 2) your optic has an exceptionally small eye box (highly critical eye box), 3) you don’t use proper head position in varying positions, or 4) some combination of the above.
Grab a partner, stick a piece of masking tape on the comb of the stock, assume a natural cheek weld on the stock with your eyes closed, and mark the position of the tip of your nose. Then open your eyes, move your face forward until you see ringing, have them mark this position, then move backwards again until you see ringing in the scope, have them mark this as well. This determines the length of your eye box, and where your natural cheek weld falls. Change your position, is your cheek weld moving? Is your nose moving out of the boundaries of the eye box? Is your head tilting differently in these varying positions?
It sounds as though: 1) your optic is not properly positioned on the receiver to allow varying position to place your eye within the eye box, 2) your optic has an exceptionally small eye box (highly critical eye box), 3) you don’t use proper head position in varying positions, or 4) some combination of the above.
Grab a partner, stick a piece of masking tape on the comb of the stock, assume a natural cheek weld on the stock with your eyes closed, and mark the position of the tip of your nose. Then open your eyes, move your face forward until you see ringing, have them mark this position, then move backwards again until you see ringing in the scope, have them mark this as well. This determines the length of your eye box, and where your natural cheek weld falls. Change your position, is your cheek weld moving? Is your nose moving out of the boundaries of the eye box? Is your head tilting differently in these varying positions?
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 2,744

you might also benefit from having the stock measured (LOP) , as maybe it is NOT fitting you well, causing you poor shooting form issue's which in return is causing scope alignment issues due to the gun doesn;t fit you very well!
#6
Spike
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Concord
Posts: 12

Now I use Primary Arms, but before it I tried different scopes and can say that Vortex is also not bad budget optics. The SLx range from Primary Arms offers budget-friendly optics that are nonetheless of good quality. This one, unlike the majority of the others on this list, features a first focal plane reticle. The reticle is on the same side of the magnified lens as the objective lens, which implies the reticle is on the same side of the magnified lens as the objective lens. As a result, the reticle seems to grow and shrink appropriately to your target as you change magnification. No matter what magnification you employ, the hash marks or dots on ranging reticles always indicate the same distance in the real world. or I can compare it with Vortex Strike Eagle https://tacticsfaq.com/vortex-strike...mary-arms-1-6/ - The Vortex Strike Eagle 1-624 Low Power Variable Optic is an excellent cheap option for magnified optics. For build and durability, I would give it great scores all around. A drop of Loctite is required to keep the threaded throw lever on the bell in place for easy magnification change. If you don't, you'll probably lose it along the way. The turrets for windage and elevation, as well as the brightness control, are all in low-profile locations that operate effectively. I really have enjoyed using both of these optics and can highly recommend it to you