3-9 vs 4.5-14 for a "do all" 308

[Erussell01]

Hey gang,
Because I like to tinker...
I have a savage axis 308 topped with an inexpensive Burris droptine 4.5-14 that I really kinda love. It's not the clearest or brightest glass at 14.... it's certainly not the lightest. I believe it weighs 18 oz.

I am considering a different optic for the rifle. I love a bdc reticle, and I really genuinely like Burris a lot. What are the pros and cons of getting another scope, in 3-9? Is it really worth the couple hundred bucks to get a 3-9? It would be 5 or 6 oz lighter. Yes I'd lose magnification but I would imagine it would be better at 9x than the droptine I have is at 14.

However, for the modest amount of rifle hunting I do
(One deer two years ago and one antelope last year) is it worth it?

I'm realistically a 400 yard and In shooter, and if I'm honest, I'd say I'm a 300 yard and in shooter. Do I need a 4.5 or would grandpa's classic 3-9 do the job for me?

I ended up with the 4.5-14 for a Christmas gift from my wife. Given the choice ai probably would have gotten a 3-9, but I'm not sure I'll notice a difference. I don't carry the rifle often, but will be carrying it again in Wyoming for antelope and hopefully next year for cow elk with my dad, but I doubt he and I will cover a ton of miles on that trip.

 

[Mountainrancher]

A 3-9 would probably fight this rifle better if you don’t want to shoot past 400 with it. When using a bdc reticle a majority of the time the bdc marks are only accurate at max magnification. When only shooting to 3 or 4 hundred yards 14x is probably too much magnification. With the lower top end of a 3-9 you will have higher fov which makes spotting hits/misses much easier. I personally don’t like to use a bdc type reticle in a scope over about 12 power ideally 9 or 10 power.

 

[Erussell01]

A 3-9 would probably fight this rifle better if you don’t want to shoot past 400 with it. When using a bdc reticle a majority of the time the bdc marks are only accurate at max magnification. When only shooting to 3 or 4 hundred yards 14x is probably too much magnification. With the lower top end of a 3-9 you will have higher fov which makes spotting hits/misses much easier. I personally don’t like to use a bdc type reticle in a scope over about 12 power ideally 9 or 10 power.

I honestly just can't see myself running a scope up to 14 for the type of hunting I do. Saying that now until I need to hit something at 500+, but man I just don't think I have it in me. I'll lob lead at coyotes, but the farthest game I'd have opportunity to shoot would he elk or antelope and I can't fathom a time where I personally would shoot 500+ yards. I'm just not that good

 

[Erussell01]

A 3-9 would probably fight this rifle better if you don’t want to shoot past 400 with it. When using a bdc reticle a majority of the time the bdc marks are only accurate at max magnification. When only shooting to 3 or 4 hundred yards 14x is probably too much magnification. With the lower top end of a 3-9 you will have higher fov which makes spotting hits/misses much easier. I personally don’t like to use a bdc type reticle in a scope over about 12 power ideally 9 or 10 power.

Would you rather dial a turret or use a bdc?

 

[Mountainrancher]

Would you rather dial a turret or use a bdc?

Although I do both I think that dialing is more versatile. The only problem is that to get a scope that dials accurate and repeatable you have to spend a bit more money. It’s also always going to add another level of complication to the process of shooting at game. For your situation I think a bdc is probably a better choice. I also like Burris scopes and would look at a fullfield 2 or e1 scope in 3-9 from them. Burris has a ballistic tool on their website that allows you to enter your data from your rifle and it will show actual yardage that each mark represents in the reticle.

 

[keystone112]

Get the 3-9. Keep the 4.5-14. Set them both up with rings you can remove and reattach without losing zero. Run either one depending on the situation.

 

[Gone4Days]

I have a NF 3-10 on my 308 and I hunt out west if that helps.

 

[Bull_n_heat]

If it were me, I wouldn't change anything. You have a fully functioning rifle scope that is sighted in. You won't notice 4 or 5 ounces lighter while speed goat hunting, and that hunt with your dad won't hinge on scope weight either. I'm a bdc person too, and you can always figure out the different drops at different powers if you don't want to dial all the way (somewhere on this site there is some info on figuring out subtensions on a scope at different power).

 

[Erussell01]

Does anybody's opinion change knowing that I am sighted in at 250 which gives me a mpbr of almost 300 yards?

 

[Erussell01]

Anybody find 4.5 power on the low end to be too much for tight cover close quarters shots?

 

[keystone112]

anybody find 4.5 power on the low end to be too much for tight cover close quarters shots?

Yes, I personally would not be happy with 4.5 on the low end if I was hunting in the timber. Open country??? maybe not a problem.

 

[Pickettpuncher]

It really depends on what you wanna do with your so called do all rifle. Hunting, the 3-9 is probably ok. Targets out to 400 it’s probably fine. Shooting for groups that far, no, a 3-9 isn’t gonna produce the results you want. I’m also not sure a 14-16 power on the high end is enough either. Not to accurately paper punch for groups. 4.5 is probably as high as I’d go on the low end.


My bigger concern would be the durability of the droptine scope. It’s their bottom of the barrel scope. I surely wouldn’t expect it to track properly, and I think you have the same expectations. For hunting, I’ve always heard people they’d rather have clarity than magnification and you’ve stated that the scope wasn’t the clearest. I’d probably try to upgrade to something with more clarity, and if possible, more magnification as well. Depending on your budget, you might can find a good solution.

 

[Erussell01]

Yes, I personally would not be happy with 4.5 on the low end if I was hunting in the timber. Open country??? maybe not a problem.

Considering where I take my wife and father in law rifle hunting, I think lower might be better. Heck a red dot might be the ticket for some of that stuff lol

 

[Blockcaver]

I’d get the 3x9 with the Ballistic Plex. Better on the 3x low end for timber and 9x is better than 14x on the high end for using the plex and finding your big game animals. 14x limits field of view…and the Ballistic Plex reticule is typically used on max power. The last I looked they were sub $200 even in Canada.

I find the Burris 3-9 w/BP FFII to be a very clear scope to my eye. I have two and like them as well as Leupold’s 3-9x scopes and like the BP better. They are a set and forget scope, not made to dial in my opinion. Suits you described useage and .308 very well.

 

[DawnPatrol]

Anybody find 4.5 power on the low end to be too much for tight cover close quarters shots?

Not if you practice pointing your rifle off-hand plenty.

 

[Kentk]

Agreed. Practicing with scope you have off hand will matter more than changing your scope. I just tried a 6-25 for the last couple seasons and never had any FOV issues while hunting in tight timber. I quickly learned it was the wrong scope for me but it did not limit my ability to hunt under 200 yards.

 

[BLJ]

Considering where I take my wife and father in law rifle hunting, I think lower might be better. Heck a red dot might be the ticket for some of that stuff lol

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Maybe consider something like this? I have one and it fits my 308 very well. IMO.

 

[Erussell01]

Agreed. Practicing with scope you have off hand will matter more than changing your scope. I just tried a 6-25 for the last couple seasons and never had any FOV issues while hunting in tight timber. I quickly learned it was the wrong scope for me but it did not limit my ability to hunt under 200 yards.

I'm interested to hear how you did in close at 6x... my grandpa always ran a fixed 6x scope. Always blew my mind that he could shoot deer up close with that.

 

[Erussell01]

Not if you practice pointing your rifle off-hand plenty.

That's a really fair point. I probably should shoot off hand more...

 

[DawnPatrol]

That's a really fair point. I probably should shoot off hand more...

We should all shoot more, especially off-hand.

But I wasn’t even talking about shooting. If you are unsure about your ability to find a deer at close range in your scope, some practice could help (or show you your/your scope’s limitations). Being safe (ie with the bolt out), just practice mounting the rife and pointing it at nearby things you see (stumps, sticks, rocks). The trick, like with binos, is to put the rifle up between your eye and the target—not put your eye behind the scope and then try to move the scope to the target. It helps if the rifle has the right comb height and eye relief for you.

I basically never take my 3-9 scope off 5x, and most of my shots wind up being 40 to 60 yards. I’ve never had an issue, so I bet you’d be fine, especially with a bit of practice.