DaisyCutter
New member
I’m in a conundrum, and emotion tends to cloud judgement.
My current all-game hunting rifle is a Remington 700 ADL, 30-06, made in 1972, with an old Leupold M8 4X scope. From a rest, with my handloads, I can group 2.00-2.25 inches at 200 yards. I don’t practice farther. My loads are between starting and full power, because a full 30-06 in this rifle nears my flinch threshold.
Last November, I had several deer in my sights, a skinny muley spike tagging along with some does in the Harquehala Valley of the Arizona desert. I could see him well in my Vortex 12 binos, but grabbing the rifle I couldn’t resolve the buck with the 50 year old 4X Leupold scope. The fur all blended together, and I couldn’t see the spike’s tines.
Fast forward.. My credit card got hit last week, so I’m suspecting I was drawn again this year, and I don’t want the same problem again.
My first plan was to put a new Leupold VX3-HD 3.5-10x40 on the old Remington. But then again, the matte scope will look kinda ugly on the pretty gloss rifle, and a modern rifle is probably more accurate than the old Remington.
Now I’m considering a second plan, getting something like a Tikka T3X superlight in the 6.5 Creedmore and putting a 4.5-14X scope on it. People get awesome accuracy out of these, the recoil is super manageable. The stainless and synthetic would be easier to care for than the pretty blued steel and wood.
I can really observe and justify the performance difference between a 2022 scope and a 1972 scope. No brainer, The current scope is a non-starter.. As for the rifle, I have a harder time justifying the performance difference. The old rifle isn’t so bad as to need to replace it, but is it good enough to keep? Throw $500 at an old rifle, or throw $1500 at a whole new hunting rifle?
I also kinda like the old Remington, because it reminds me of my father’s rifle (it’s not though, only similar).
I’m kinda curious what you would do?
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I know I’m not the most active member, but I still lurk around.
My current all-game hunting rifle is a Remington 700 ADL, 30-06, made in 1972, with an old Leupold M8 4X scope. From a rest, with my handloads, I can group 2.00-2.25 inches at 200 yards. I don’t practice farther. My loads are between starting and full power, because a full 30-06 in this rifle nears my flinch threshold.
Last November, I had several deer in my sights, a skinny muley spike tagging along with some does in the Harquehala Valley of the Arizona desert. I could see him well in my Vortex 12 binos, but grabbing the rifle I couldn’t resolve the buck with the 50 year old 4X Leupold scope. The fur all blended together, and I couldn’t see the spike’s tines.
Fast forward.. My credit card got hit last week, so I’m suspecting I was drawn again this year, and I don’t want the same problem again.
My first plan was to put a new Leupold VX3-HD 3.5-10x40 on the old Remington. But then again, the matte scope will look kinda ugly on the pretty gloss rifle, and a modern rifle is probably more accurate than the old Remington.
Now I’m considering a second plan, getting something like a Tikka T3X superlight in the 6.5 Creedmore and putting a 4.5-14X scope on it. People get awesome accuracy out of these, the recoil is super manageable. The stainless and synthetic would be easier to care for than the pretty blued steel and wood.
I can really observe and justify the performance difference between a 2022 scope and a 1972 scope. No brainer, The current scope is a non-starter.. As for the rifle, I have a harder time justifying the performance difference. The old rifle isn’t so bad as to need to replace it, but is it good enough to keep? Throw $500 at an old rifle, or throw $1500 at a whole new hunting rifle?
I also kinda like the old Remington, because it reminds me of my father’s rifle (it’s not though, only similar).
I’m kinda curious what you would do?
Thank you for taking the time to read this. I know I’m not the most active member, but I still lurk around.
