New Scope!

[The Sodbuster]

My new Burris Fullfield II 4.5-14 X 42mm tactical just arrived in the mail today!  Put it on a Ruger .25-06 I picked up in March.  Haven't shot it much yet.  I had put an old Simmons 8-pt 3-9X40 on it, but I've been waiting on the new scope for further load development.  Got it in the olive finish, just to be different.  As an unintended consequence, the olive of the scope is a perfect match with the olive hue of the laminated, Ruger stock.  On a side note, I also got a Pachmyr decelerator pad for it.  Those Ruger recoil pads are hard.  Hot dog, I'm cookin' with oil now!

I know a lot of folks feel I don't need that kind of magnification to shoot deer, but that rifle will shoot at a lot more paper than it will deer, and I like to zoom in on the target.  I can turn it down to 4.5 come hunting season. 

Can't wait to get to the range with it.  We'll be going out of town for a few days this week so don't know if I'll get out with it before the following week.  This is my first Burris and the most I've ever spent on a scope.  Please don't bring me down with comments like "For the same amount of money you could've gotten a . . .  .   ."

[Cement Man]

Sodbuster,
Sounds like a great scope for a fine rifle which is chambered for a great cartridge.  You're pumped!  Have fun and let us know how your rig shoots.

[The Sodbuster]

Made it to the range today to try out the new scope.  Very clear image and smooth feel to the zoom ring, adjustable objective and windage & elevation turrets.  Tried 3 different bullet/powder combos.  All shot better than my first efforts which averaged 1.5-1.7" maximum spread at 100 yds.  I don't know if these loads were that much better, or if it was the Burris scope.  My first efforts involved a cheap, Simmons 8-pt scope I took off my Savage 110 in .270Win (it came with the rifle).  Maybe that's why I've never gotten a load to consistently group tighter than 1.5" with my .270.  That's why I postponed further .25-06 load development until the Burris came in.  I'm pretty happy with it.

For those interested, the combo of H4831SC and 100 grain Sierra gamekings consistently came in under 1".  IMR 4350 and 100 grain Nosler Ballistic tips came in a close second.  IMR7828 and 115 grain ballistic tips grouped around 1.25".