It was one of those late season days. Cold, a little snow cover, slate grey overcast but no wind at all. The calm before the storm we knew was coming. Animals seem to know when a storm is rolling as well and tend to be active the hours before the snow starts flying.

I was hunting with my buddy, Will. Will’s shot more deer than anybody I know and just plain has that killer instinct in his blood. I was still learning the craft of deer hunting so he was good enough to put me in one of his tree stands. He was going to do some still hunting in a huge circle around the tree stand and in the process try to push a buck my way.
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I was getting pretty comfortable in that stand observing the squirrels collecting acorns and the inevitable conflict between the reds and grays. The red squirrels are a lot smaller than the grays, but they kicked the grays butt every time two of them mixed it up. It was really fun to watch.

I heard a twig snap and it brought me back from my ring side seat at the fights to see a doe coming my way. I only had a buck tag, so she was safe. I was hoping there might be a little late season rut action going and there would be a buck in tow behind her.

She walked about 30 yards from the tree stand and she bed down! What happened for the next hour and a half was an education. She lay there obviously unaware of my presence. She curled up and put her head down. At first her ears were up, twisting around like a couple of radar antennas and her tail flipping once in a while.

After maybe 10 minutes her ears lay back on her head in a relaxed fashion and her tail stopped flipping. I figured she must be sleeping now. Ten minutes or so passed and about 80 yards off the squalls started doing the Hatfield and McCoy routine again and that does’ head shot up right fast. She looked in the direction of the racket, and finally decided it’s those damn noisy neighbors again and put her head back down.

This scene played itself again and again. She would look like she was sleeping, and then sometimes just the ears would perk up then lay down. Sometimes the head would move a bit, and sometime come up completely. If I slept like that I’d be at some clinic for sleep apnea. I don’t know how she got any rest.

Finally, her head jerked up and she looked in the direction of where I know Will would be coming from. She got up pretty slow and casual. No alarm in her demeanor at all. She walked in the opposite direction that Will was coming from, looking over her shoulder periodically as she browsed and walked away.

I looked at my watch, and wondered how long it would be before I heard Will. The wind was dead still and the leaves were down off the trees and crunchy. I waited. I saw patches of his blaze orange way off through the hardwoods, and finally heard him. It was 12 minutes since the doe first got up. He came to me in slow, steady, careful gait and it took another 10 minutes before we met up.

I asked him if he had stopped or changed course in the last 15 minutes. He said he hadn’t. I told him about the doe. As seasoned a hunter as Will is, he was amazed the doe made him so far off compared to when I finally heard him. We both learned a good lesson that day. With no background noise from wind and noisy stalking conditions, we had about zero chance of jumping a doe, let along a respectable buck.

Deer’s hearing is far superior to ours, and I have an appreciation how much better. When all is quite in the woods, I’ll stand hunt all day. That’s the only chance I’ve got. If the leaves are wet or there’s snow, it levels the field a little and those are fun, challenging hunts. Otherwise, dress real warm and prepare to be still for a long time.

SCOTT, COULD YOU GET ME P&A ON TWO DIFFERENT SCOPES?

LEUPOLD MARK 4 CQ/T

BUSHNELL YARDAGE PRO LASER SCOPE (4-12X42MM)

I WANT TO MOUNT ONE ON A BUSHMASTER M4A3 (AR15). NEED HELP IN MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE.

THANKS, SCOTT

Hi Scott,

The Yardage Pro and CQ/T are very different scopes meant for very different jobs.

The Yardage Pro is designed for long range shooting at unknown distances.  The built-in laser range finder enables you to quickly determine the yardage to the target so you can compensate with some hold-over if necessary on long shots.

The CQ/T, which stands for Close Quarter Tactical, is meant for quick target acquisition from 5 yards to about 100 yards.

If you will be doing long range shooting, then the Yardage Pro is the way to go.  For short range, then the CQ/T is the right scope.

The Yardage Pro is in stock.  Price is $697.  You can find it here:   http://www.theriflescopestore.com/buyaprosc442.html

The Leupold CQ/T is in stock.  Price is $879.99. 

Hello.

I’m going to buy a Nikon Monarch 6-24×50mm, 8428, Side Focus, Matte Finish, Fine Cross Hair Dot Reticle, 1/8 MOA on next Tuesday or Wednesday from your site and I need to know what rings and bases to get. Can you please help me. I have a Browning A-Bolt Abott 25-06 that I am planning on putting this scope on. I’ll obviously add the rings and base on to the order if y’all can provide them. Thank you for the help. 
Zach

Hi Zach,

Thanks for the inquiry.  This is an easy one.  I really like Leupold rings and mounts.  The PRW rings are very high quality and I like the way they hold the scope.  Just note that you will have to ’snap’ the scope tube into the lower portion of the base.  It’s not very hard, but the scope just does not drop in the rings. 

The bases for the A-Bolt: LEB49847

The rings: LEB54150

And the scope link: Nikon Monarch 6-24×50mm.

Scott

Hey Scott,

I’m trying to find a way to move my scope back far enough to get proper eye relief and I’m really getting frustrated. To begin with, I found your store while googling for shorter eye relief scope bases. Here’s where I’m at; I’ve got a plain 2 crosscut Weaver base to which I’ve mounted Weaver 49045 rings. I still feel like I need to bring the scope back another inch, especially on higher magnification. I’ve looked at a lot of bases online including picatinny and they all seem geared for moving the scope forward.

What do you suggest?

Thank you in advance for your thoughtful reply.

Jim

Hi Jim,

It looks like you have done the obvious, and that is get the dual extension rings and face them both toward the stock.

I really don’t have any other ideas for stock bases.  A cheap solution is the have a good machinist or gun smith drill new holes in a 1 piece base that allow it to be installed 1 inch further back than the stock holes.

There could be other issues:

I don’t know the scope you have on there, but if it’s a low powered scope they tend to have short tubes and therefore not much in the way of lee way moving it back.  If that’s the case then may want to consider replacing the scope with one with a longer main tube.

As a last resort you may want to consider having a gunsmith measure you and determine if the stock is just too long.  I’m not a big guy and have to cut down stocks so the gun fits me.

Scott 

My girl friend hunts and I do not I am getting her an 870Express and I want to get her a scope for it, and I know nothing about buying them. She hunts Deer Turkey .can you tell me what kind of scope she will need,Thanks

Stephen

Hi Stephan,

When using a shotgun for deer and Turkey, a low powered scope is all you really need.  The range is restricted compared to a rifle.

A couple of real solid choices are:

Leupold Shotgun / Muzzleloader scopes.  These are high quality, tough scopes that will last a real long time.  I’d go for the 1-4x models.

Here’s a link to the page: http://www.theriflescopestore.com/leshmusc.html

Bushnell makes a nice Camo shotgun scope.  They are good quality scopes in the right magnification range.

Here’s a link to that page: http://www.theriflescopestore.com/butrcatusc.html

You will need to be able to mount the scope onto the gun.  You can swap out the barrel on an 870 to use either shot (for turkey) or slugs (for deer).  Typically guys will go with a saddle mount from B-Square.  With a saddle mount, you can swap out barrels and never have to take the scope off.  They are $54. 

Hope that helps!

Scott

Hi,

I have a new Ruger M77 Hawkeye 308 that I am looking to put a scope on.  I’ve been looking at Nikon Monarch scopes, specifically the 8420, 8422 and 8425.

My questions;

Are any of these too much scope for this 308?  

Also, any opinion on the 8425?  A number of sites do not even carry it, which pauses me to ask what’s wrong with it.  Another item of concern is the 1/8 MOA and lack of total MOA as compared to a 1/4 MOA scope.  

One of our local Brick and Mortar sporting good stores thought a Buckmaster 6453 was all I needed.


I need some help before I can choose.  Great web site by the way.

Thanks,
           Jim

Hi Jim,

Thanks for the inquiry.

First, the Ruger M77 is a very accurate rifle, especially in .308.  If you intend on doing some serious long range shooting, the 8425 is a good option.  I’d say if you will be shooting 500 yards or over, go with the 8425.  The 8422 would good to say 400 yards, and the 8420 to 300 yards.

The Buckmaster is a good scope.  The main difference is the quality of the optics.  The Monarch has 95% light transmission, while the Buckmaster has 92%.  If low light shooting performance doesn’t matter to your type of shooting, then the Buckmaster is a fine choice and will save you some money.

I don’t know why other sites don’t carry the 8425 other than they are hard to come by.  I have sold plenty of them so I know there’s nothing wrong with them.  I have one in stock. 

Here’s the link to the Nikon Monarch scope page: http://www.theriflescopestore.com/nimosc.html

and the link to the Nikon Buckmaster scope  page: http://www.theriflescopestore.com/nibusc.html

If you would like to discuss this I’d be happy to talk with you.

Scott

Scott,

 I was looking to purchase a Leupold VX-1 2-7 x 28 Rimfire scope from your site. When I tried to match up sight mounts through your links it said “none available??? How do I mount this scope on a 10/22 and I also am wanting a gloss finish so I would want the mounts to have a gloss finish.

 Also are these items in stock and can I receive them before Christmas???

 Thanks in advance for the help…

 Regards, 

Keith

Hi Keith,

I’ll set you up with Leupold standard rings and bases:

Here’s the proper base for the 10/22: http://store.theriflescopestore.com/ru10glfi.html

And the rings:

http://store.theriflescopestore.com/oneinloglfi.html

And the Leupold VXI scope: http://store.theriflescopestore.com/levx2ulri28o.html

All this stuff is in stock.  If you order today or tomorrow you will definitely have it for Christmas.

Scott

Hi I own a 22 cal Remington  fieldmaster pump action I would like to put a scope on it but to be honest I’m not sure what to get, I would like to spend around 100 dollars. I use it mostly for target but I also hunt small  game with it. Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks— Stepan

Hi Scott,

I have a boy that I hunt with that has a CVA Optima Elite with the .243 barrel on it.  I bought some Weaver bases for it.  The holes line up, but the screws are too small.  Can you please help.  Ralph.

Hi Ralph,

The CVA Optima Elites have large diameter holes drilled and tapped into them compared to a standard rifle.  You need #8-40 screws.  DuraSight also makes bases and screws for the Elite, P/N DS102B (or 102s for the stainless barrel).

Scott

Hi Scott ,

I’m buying my man a rifle for Christmas and it needs a scope too. I know absolutely nothing about scopes, but I do know he needs one for this Browning X-bolt Hunter .270 caliber Winston I’m getting him. He’s been hunting about 3 years and likes high quality but doesn’t demand the best there is.  I could spend $200-$350 for a scope. What do you recommend? Maybe you could suggest two for me in that range and I could check them out-if that actually means anything- I’ll probably go by gut choice, but at least I’d have two good suggestions!

Appreciate it,

Cindy

Hi Cindy,

Thank you for the inquiry.

Part of choosing a scope is knowing how far the average shot is.  If you man shoots up to 200 yards, then a scope with 3-9x magnification would be fine.  If he shoots up to 300 yards then a 4-12x would be better.

 A number of solid choices in the price range you mention are the:

 Nikon Buckmaster Scope:

 3-9x or 4-12x

 Leupold VXII: 3-9x scopes 

 Bushnell Elite 4200:3-9x Scopes 

Bushnell Elite 3200: 4-12x Scope 

You really can’t go wrong with any of the scopes.

Scott