Blacktailbc
Well-known member
Leupold VX-3 4.5-14x40 CDS
What scope for out West on 270?
- Thread starter Drewd
- Start date
buffybr
Well-known member
I've lived "out West" in Colorado and Montana all of my life.
I've hunted deer, elk, and antelope most years since 1971.
Since 1978 my primary deer and antelope rifle is my .257 Ackley, and until just a couple of years ago it wore a Leupold 6x36 scope. I now have a Leupold VX 3 4.5-14x40 with their B&C reticle on it.
Until 2010 my primary elk rifle wore a 3-9x40 Weaver scope. A few years ago I put Leupold VX 3i 30mm 4.5-14x40 CDS scopes on my two primary elk rifles, a 7 mm Rem mag and a .300 Wby mag.
I also have a Wby Vanguard in .308 Win with a Leupold VX 3i 4.5-14x40 CDS scope and another Vanguard in .223 with a Leupold Freedom 3-9x40 CDS scope.
I still have a Weaver 4x scope on my .270 Win.
Most of the big game animals that I've shot "out West" and internationally have been with my scopes set at 6x or lower power.
I've hunted deer, elk, and antelope most years since 1971.
Since 1978 my primary deer and antelope rifle is my .257 Ackley, and until just a couple of years ago it wore a Leupold 6x36 scope. I now have a Leupold VX 3 4.5-14x40 with their B&C reticle on it.
Until 2010 my primary elk rifle wore a 3-9x40 Weaver scope. A few years ago I put Leupold VX 3i 30mm 4.5-14x40 CDS scopes on my two primary elk rifles, a 7 mm Rem mag and a .300 Wby mag.
I also have a Wby Vanguard in .308 Win with a Leupold VX 3i 4.5-14x40 CDS scope and another Vanguard in .223 with a Leupold Freedom 3-9x40 CDS scope.
I still have a Weaver 4x scope on my .270 Win.
Most of the big game animals that I've shot "out West" and internationally have been with my scopes set at 6x or lower power.
sbhooper
Well-known member
The .270 will take care of anything that you want, within reason. There is a lot of bashing here and on other forums, on the .270 and Creed. Take it as the stupid banter that it is and enjoy the discussion. The .270 is fine for nearly everything and shines for deer and antelope. You do not need fancy bullets, super powders, or any other things that you see pushed on these forums. A good 130-grain bullet from a .270 has been killing stuff for years-without the ridiculous bc and velocity conversations. Whether your rifle pushes an accurate bullet at 3000 fps, or 2850 fps, the animal will never know the difference.You guys are really making me consider hanging on to my 270 after reading through all these successful posts. I have been on the verge of trading it off or having to re-barreled into something else!
I just acquired a Winchester Model 70, through a trade. First .270 that I ever owned. It shoots Hornady Whitetail ammo very accurately. I chrono'd that ammo this afternoon and it clocked a respectable 2977 fps average. I have dies, but keep hoping that I will sell it before I need to start loading for it! I just, plain have more rifles than I need! If I don't sell it, it will get the nod for some summer depredation work, if that comes around again this year.
Unless you want to change to another long-action cartridge, just keep the .270 and if anything, upgrade it to a 1:8 twist barrel to take advantage of the new, longer bullets-if that is what you like to do.
Couldn’t agree more, mine has killed several deer just as dead as my other rifles, believe it or not with a 130 Core-Lokt! For whatever reason it just doesn’t seem to make it out of the safe near enough. I won’t lie tho, the thought of picking one up in an m70 after reading some of O’Connor’s stories would be hard to pass up!
AlaskaHunter
Well-known member
That's what (leupold vx2 3-9x40) I've had on my 2 rifles since the late 1980s,
both Remington 700 (.270 and .300 H & H), same trigger pull, same scope.
JohnCushman
Well-known member
I have a VX2 on my 30-06 and love it. There's a reason why they still sell for how much they sell for.
I think the older VX2's are really underrated. I have several, buy them when I find them. One of them has lived on top of a .300 RUM for 20 years. I can't even begin to say how many rounds through the rifle. Still holds zero, and I bet I can twist it tomorrow and hammer a 10 inch steel at 1000, then twist it back. Lucky I guess. mtmuley
elkduds
Well-known member
That is how I glassed my 270, which is intended to be light weight. W the Leupold I got to 7# on my Stevens 200. Since I'm not shooting @ much past 300 yd, 8x is plenty. Empire State, it appears great minds think alike
tzone
Well-known member
If you’ve been hunting for 40+ years with your scope dialed in 3” high at 100 and it’s been working...I’d not change a thing.
Yes, that is my set up on my rem pump in 30-06 I use in the NE woods. I am working on my 270 I had used years ago in PA and need a new scope for it. The old 4x scope is very cloudy. I will most likely go with the same type set up for point of aim as it's what I'm use to but wanted opinions on a new scope. Put an older Nikon 3x9-50 on it and now and will need to reverse the front base to have a little room to adjust the eye relief. Thinking I would like to try a lighter scope and a 40mm bell. Lots of great suggestions from the group to look into! Thanks everyone!
targetpanic
Well-known member
VX-3i 3.5-10X40 w/CDS is what I went with. Very happy with it
antelopedundee
Well-known member
Be interesting to stop 100 random antelope hunters in Wyoming and ask to see their rifles and scopes.
AmericanLongrifle
Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2020
- Messages
- 90
I use a fixed 4x luepold. I live "out west". I have never felt like I didn't have enough scope for big game. Then again, I have practiced religiously with my rifle (and no, shooting from a bench isn't practicing as I dont think there are benches to shoot from in the field). I also have learned the ballistics of the round I am using and know what to expect. Too many people rely on the scope and dont of take the time to learn the rifle.
AmericanLongrifle
Member
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2020
- Messages
- 90
I have a friend that lives in Laramie. He has an old 1917 like I do. His is topped with a fixed 4x weaver. The guy fills his tags for antelope, deer and elk every year.
Pronghorn country looks flat from a distance, but it’s not really There are usually gullies and enough terrain features to allow you to get inside of 300 yds. I used the landscape to get with 100 yds of several last season. I killed my antelope inside of 200. I shot my mule deer at 275 and where I elk hunted, a 100 yd shot would have been a long poke. I carried a lightweight 270 with a 3-15 VX5. I think I shot everything on 5-6 power. Never dialed. Don’t overthink it.
Boarmaster
Well-known member
This right here.
GlockZ
Well-known member
I have a 3-9x40 on my 270, and out to 500yds. it's all I need, probably could go further, but don't see the need.
I have a tough time with mirage over about 10x, out on the prairies, so I have settled on a 1.5x8 Vortex ( before that the leupold 2x7, 2.5x8, Burris 3x9 have done as well as every bigger scope I tried ( I tried many though the years...just preferred smaller packages/lighter weights.) I have 'averaged" 190yds on elk, about 250 on antelope and 75 yds on mule deer...in 30 yrs out here! ha Coming from East Tx, I was pretty "intimidated" by the wide open spaces, and the "invisible" wind has always been my boogerman! I just try to get as close as I can, and if I don't like my odds, I pass. I always freak out at the idea of chasing a gut shot antelope over those plains! Not for me...
EastTNHunter
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- Joined
- Jun 13, 2018
- Messages
- 1,596
I’m a fan of 3-9x40, or somewhere within that range, but I’ve only hunted the west once. I plan to change that next year, Lord willing
