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Author Topic: Muzzleloader scope  (Read 1623 times)

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Offline jd45

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Muzzleloader scope
« on: October 16, 2010, 12:55:15 PM »
Hello to all! Sorry I haven't posted in quite a long time. Hope you're all in good health, & your loved ones as well. Here's my question...........What is different about the construction of a scope designed for use on a muzzleloader rifle, mine happens to be a Lyman Great Plains Hunter in 50 caliber, from a scope designed for use on, say a pistol, or for that matter, a rifle? I am having an NCSTAR 2X7X32, ($43.00@OpticsPlanet.com, free shipping)pistol scope on it, in a sort of scout-scope position, so it won't interfere with the lockwork. I figure if it'll stand the shock of full-house .44MAG loads, why wouldn't it withstand the recoil of an ML discharge? BTW, I only plan to use 85grs 777 under a Hornady Great Plains HP conical bullet, 385grs. Thanx for your input, jd45
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #1 on: October 17, 2010, 02:29:33 AM »
mostly the differnce is that paralex on a muzzle loading scope is usually set at 75 yards vs 50 for a pistol scope and a 100 for a centerfire rifle scope but differnt brands may be differnt. I do know that a muzzle loader has a differnt kind of recoil and there hard on scopes so its no place for a cheap scope.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #2 on: October 17, 2010, 03:17:56 AM »
Just my 2 cents here....I've used a lot of cheap scopes on muzzleloaders including some bubble pack Walmart Tascos.  I've never had one fail.  I really like the Nikon Prostaff 2-7X32.  They are impossible to break as far as I can tell.
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"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

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Offline jd45

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #3 on: October 17, 2010, 08:29:28 AM »
Thanx for the feedback, guys. BTW, I'm using a Nikon Prostaff 3X9X40 on one of my Marlin levers in .35 Remington. Great basic Nikon quality w/o the frills. $150 @ Bass Pro Shop. jd45









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Offline Swampman

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #4 on: October 17, 2010, 09:46:14 AM »
I use one on my .30-06 and prefer it over a lot of others.  I sold my last Leupold yesterday.
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"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

1st Special Operations Wing 1975-1983
919th Special Operations Wing  1983-1985 1993-1994

"Manus haec inimica tyrannis / Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ~Algernon Sidney~

Offline JimFromTN

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #5 on: October 18, 2010, 04:51:59 AM »
Check out the vortex viper 2-7x32.  They are on clearance at swfa for $170.  They are normally a $350 scope.  I bought one for my 30/06.  I had a leupold varix-II 2-7x33 and the viper blows it out of the water.  There is no comparison.
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Offline Mulehell

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #6 on: October 18, 2010, 02:13:24 PM »
2X7 Redfield Revolution.
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #7 on: October 18, 2010, 03:12:06 PM »
I wouldn't buy a new Redfield.
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"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

1st Special Operations Wing 1975-1983
919th Special Operations Wing  1983-1985 1993-1994

"Manus haec inimica tyrannis / Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ~Algernon Sidney~

Offline Mulehell

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #8 on: October 18, 2010, 03:50:05 PM »
I wouldn't buy anything in a blister pack, what is your point?
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #9 on: October 18, 2010, 03:53:03 PM »
Me either....as for point see the thread title.
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"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

1st Special Operations Wing 1975-1983
919th Special Operations Wing  1983-1985 1993-1994

"Manus haec inimica tyrannis / Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ~Algernon Sidney~

Offline jd45

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #10 on: October 18, 2010, 04:06:05 PM »
Regarding Leupold optics, I've come to the conclusion they're over-rated. A few years ago, I bought a 6-1/2X20X40 to put on my Remington 700 Varmint Synthetic. My shootin buddy & I went to the range. He had a 7MM Sendero with a Nikon Monarch, same magnification as mine, & I just could NOT believe the brightness & sharpness of focus I got looking thru his scope! UNbelievable, to say the least! jd45
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Offline Swampman

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #11 on: October 18, 2010, 04:17:16 PM »
I agree I sold the last Leupold I'll ever own on Saturday.
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"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship and serve the Great Spirit. If there is but one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agreed, as you can all read the Book?" Sogoyewapha, "Red Jacket" - Senaca

1st Special Operations Wing 1975-1983
919th Special Operations Wing  1983-1985 1993-1994

"Manus haec inimica tyrannis / Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem" ~Algernon Sidney~

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #12 on: October 19, 2010, 02:28:38 AM »
well i do like leupolds and have NEVER had a bad one and cant say that about any other brand and ive had about all of them and have had lemons in the rest. I dont like a prostaff the optics are crappy and theres better optics in other scopes in that price range and ill lump buckmasters in there too. there optics are a little better but still lacking in low light.. When the redfields first hit the shelves i though i had the answer for a midpriced scope. the glass is much better then a prostaff but found the click ajustments are very vague and not repeatable and theres nothing more frustrating then trying to sight in a gun with ajustments that dont do what there suppose to. Ive got two of them and wont buy another. I dont have any experience with vortex scopes but have one of there redots and its a great bang for the buck. In that price range in my opinion the hands down best bang for the buck is the 3200 bushnells followed closely by the newer weavers. Optics on both are as good as a redfield or a nikon buckmaster or better and everything works as its suppose to. Like i said im a leupold fan but this summer has taught me one lesson even about them. Ive got a couple vx1s and old varix 2s and the friction ajustments on these scopes suck too. If i was going to step up to a better scope then a 3200 id go with the new vx2 leupold. they have the same glass as the old varix3 and have click ajustments now. Or id look at a 4200 bushnell or a nikon monarch. The monarchs are hands down a much better scope then anything else nikon makes. I get a charge out of guys who buy nikons because they say nikon on them and think that majicaly makes them some kind of good glass. they stick there noses up in the air when it comes to bushenll and weaver because some of there older products werent that good. Take a look at what there making now and you will change your mind.
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Offline jasonprox700

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #13 on: October 19, 2010, 04:55:30 AM »
I agree with Lloyd.  For the money, the 4200 series Bushnell and VX2 are hard to beat.  I have a 3-9x40 VX2 and a 3.5-10x50 Bushnell 4200.  I also have a Buckmaster 3-9x50.  Both the Bushnell and the Leupold are better glass than the Buckmaster (which has better glass than the Prostaff).  I personally would spend the extra money and pick up a 3200 or 4200 series Bushnell, Leupold VX2, or Nikon Monarch (another one with nice glass).

Another option that you may want to look at is the Hawke line of scopes.  I have their 1.5-6x44 Eclipse with an illuminated reticle.  I put it on my DPMS AP4 .308.  This is my "close" range gun I use for deer drives and woods hunting.  I really like the glass and the lighted reticle (green or red with 5 brightness settings) is etched into the glass.
http://swfa.com/Hawke-Eclipse-Riflescopes-C1954.aspx
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Offline tobster

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #14 on: October 19, 2010, 12:16:17 PM »
I think 2-7 is the perfect power range for a blackpowder rifle. Mine currently wears a 2-7 Browning (Bushnell) because at the time they were being discontinued and Natchez had them for a real good price. I now kick myself in the donkey for buying only one!
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Offline jd45

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #15 on: October 31, 2010, 10:33:58 AM »
Lloyd, are these scopes you mentioned, the 4200 in particular, as I have a Bushnell 3X9X40 Legend Dawn & Dusk, and love it, available in a shotgun/muzzleloader mode? And with a long enough eye relief to enable you to mount it forward of the lock so as not to interfere with it? But then maybe I should contact Bushnell themselves for that info, shouldn't I?
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Offline jrnsuz

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #16 on: October 31, 2010, 03:38:26 PM »
jason, I've never heard of or seen the Hawkes, but that reticle is almost exactly what I've been wanting. How does the clarity and light transmission compare to a 3200? Also, are the clicks solid and adjustment repeatable?
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Offline 351 power

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #17 on: October 31, 2010, 05:11:11 PM »
how about the weaver 1-3x? i've wondered about those
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Offline jasonprox700

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #18 on: October 31, 2010, 05:59:08 PM »
Quote from: jrnsuz on October 31, 2010, 03:38:26 PM
jason, I've never heard of or seen the Hawkes, but that reticle is almost exactly what I've been wanting. How does the clarity and light transmission compare to a 3200? Also, are the clicks solid and adjustment repeatable?

I actually have never looked through a 3200, but I do have the 4200 and this Hawke is very close, if not equal.  So far, windage and elevation adjustments seem to be very repeatable.  They have a nice detent system because you can feel and hear the clicks with no slop.  The dot is on the larger size, probably around 2moa, so I would not call this a "long range" scope.  The bottom and side posts are very thick, but end well before the dot.  It is a very fast and easy reticle to use in the woods. 

I was very impressed with light transmission.  I was sighting in and trying out some new loads and I ran out of light early.  I was able to keep shooting, even though I could not see the target with the naked eye!  I have to say, I was pretty impressed at that point.

I haven't had a chance to use it a lot, but at this point, I'm declaring it a winner!  I think it may be one of the best values in scopes, especially if you compare it to the very similar Burris 1.5-6x40(http://swfa.com/Burris-15-6x40-Signature-Select-Rifle-Scope-P3600.aspx).
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #19 on: November 01, 2010, 12:53:04 AM »
dont know the answer to that one pal. In my experience if your looking for a combo of optical performance, reliability and longer eye relief the vx2 2x7 leupolds are about as good as it gets.
Quote from: jd45 on October 31, 2010, 10:33:58 AM
Lloyd, are these scopes you mentioned, the 4200 in particular, as I have a Bushnell 3X9X40 Legend Dawn & Dusk, and love it, available in a shotgun/muzzleloader mode? And with a long enough eye relief to enable you to mount it forward of the lock so as not to interfere with it? But then maybe I should contact Bushnell themselves for that info, shouldn't I?
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Offline jrnsuz

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #20 on: November 02, 2010, 05:06:24 PM »
Thanks jason, sounds like a winner! And as far as "long range", minute-of-whitetail is good enuf!
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Offline jasonprox700

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Re: Muzzleloader scope
« Reply #21 on: November 02, 2010, 06:05:58 PM »
I forgot to mention that it also has over 4" of eye relief!  Hard to be that...
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