what scope for .338 win. mag.

[243shooter]

my wonderful wife gave me a ruger m77 in .338 win. mag. for Cristmas. someday i would like to go grizzly hunting. and also use the gun to go out west, maybe. the rifle has open sights on it and it would be nice to be able to use them for back up. see thru mounts or maybe detatchable? i want something suitable for "dangerous game" but don't want to limit the potential range of this caliber. i'm not having much luck finding different types of mounts/rings for the ruger. any ideas?

[charles p]

Forget the see through mounts and get a good, solid mount for your magnum rifle.  Never hunted a grizzly but saw one up close in Alaska.  If it had been charging at me (after the first shot) I would want something with a wide field of view and a fairly low magnification.  I suggest you consider the 2X12 variable range offered in the most recently introduced variable scopes.  This should meet all your needs.

[skyhigh_seller]

Warne makes QD mounts for your rifle - that's what you want.  As for scope, see your pms.

[JimFromTN]

Leupold also makes QR rings for weaver style mounts if you can find a weaver style mount for your ruger.  If you want one scope to do it all then I would get the best variable 2-7 you can afford.  If you were to get 2 scopes and make use of the detachable mounts, I would go something in the 1.5-6 range for dangerous game and something in the 3-12 range or maybe the 4-16 range at most for hunting out west.

[drdougrx]

A 338 for CHRISTmas!!!  That wife of yours is a keeper!!!!

I went through much the same thing..including planning a brown bear hunt a few years ago.  I bought a 375HH though...my preference...and quite honestly didn't do much thinking about the scope issue.  A 338/375HH has about the same range balistically as a 30/06 with a 180gr bullet.  Also...dangerous game...like a charging grizzly...uh...hope not..but, I suspect you'll be better off making the first shot count.  Also, a good, clear scope with a lower power setting pretty much negates the need for iron sights...though many still use them...I just bring a back-up scope pre-sighted in on the appropriate rings.

So, I went with a standard Leupold VX-II, 2x7x33 and it's just fine...plenty of eye relief, etc.  I wouldn't be uncomfortable with a 2.5x8 or a 3x9 or even 3.5x10.....just get one with alot of eye relief!!

[mcwoodduck]

For what you want my two choices would be
a Weaver 3-9X38 ( I have this scope on 5 of my rifles now)  {Add to that one 2.5-7X32 and a 6X38 by Weaver}
or a Leupold Var X II 3-9X40 LRD. (I have a Var X II on one gun adn a 4X on a 375H&H that I have no problems reaching out to 200 yards with)
With bear hunting the 3X should give you a wide field of view and the 9 for reaching out for an bear, elk , or deer.
the LRD stands for Long Range Duplex and has mill dots in the bottom of the cross hairs only.
I have a 338 with a 4.5-14X40 AO Weaver grand slam but I do not like the adjustable objective and if I were to set up another 338 one of the two above would be on it.

[243shooter]

thanks for all the input.

[243shooter]

if i go with a 40mm objective, i should be good with med height rings, right?

[mcwoodduck]

I think you will like the 338.  I really like mine. I shoot the 225gr  Remington soft points.  Accurate, and cheap, if there is such thing with 338's.
Yes the standard rings that come with the rifle will work with the 40 mm scopes. 
And on the two elk hunts I have taken both included horses.  Most scabbords are made for 40mm scopes.  If you are going to go with more than 40mm you may need to get your own saddle scabbord.  I brought a Remington 700 V I have with a Var X II 3-9X50 in 308 Win as a back up rifle and there was NO way it was going in the scabbord on the MT hunt.  I shortly after bought a 375H&H as a back up.  Always wanted one after reading the Capstick books.

[diggler1833]

if i go with a 40mm objective, i should be good with med height rings, right?

Unless you have iron sights mounted on the barrel low rings will work fine and keep your stockweld a little tighter.

I managed to get a 56mm objective onto a Remington Varmint contour barrel in low rings, had a solid 1/16" clearance there.

[243shooter]

i've been looking around tonight and so far i'm liking the leupold vx-II 3-9x40 with warne qd rings. once i get the scope mounted, more than likely, it'll never come off, since the gun has iron sights on it i just like the idea of being able to use them if i needed to for some reason. thanks again for all the advice.