Low power scope that will hold zero for a pump rifle

[Adam Gibbs]

All this losing zero talk has me wondering. I have a 35 Whelen Rem 7600 in need of a scope. I had always planned on putting a leupold 2-7 or 1.5-5 on it. As they're proving to be less and less reliable, what is a good replacement for a non dialing hunting scope with low magnification and doesn't look all "tactical" and such? Just needs to be reliable.

 

[Axlrod]

Trijicon Credo 3-9x40mm Field Evaluation

This is a field evaluation of the Trijicon 3-9x40mm Credo SFP, duplex reticle scope. This scope was sent to Ryan Avery for an evaluation. It was personally purchased. The ammunition used was Hornady Black 168gr AMAX personably purchased by Ryan. The baseline 30 round group with this ammunition...

rokslide.com

 

[Adam Gibbs]

Trijicon Credo 3-9x40mm Field Evaluation

This is a field evaluation of the Trijicon 3-9x40mm Credo SFP, duplex reticle scope. This scope was sent to Ryan Avery for an evaluation. It was personally purchased. The ammunition used was Hornady Black 168gr AMAX personably purchased by Ryan. The baseline 30 round group with this ammunition...

rokslide.com

I have this scope with the MOA hunter reticle. I wouldn't consider the reticle usable in timbered areas of the Midwest. May pick up a duplex version if I don't find anything with less magnification.

 

[Macintosh]

I have a credo 3-9 with a duplex reticle on my 7600 carbine, which I use almost exclusively for hunting very thick woods. The reticle works fine for me even with failing “50-something” year old eyes…until light gets low. It IS a thinner center section on the crosshair compared to most duplex reticles, so I can see how some people would not like it. It has very good illumination. If this is a concern for you I would look at one of the accupoint models.

I really like the credo, and on a pump I really like the bigger throw lever, but two notes.

1, it has a slightly shorter mounting length than Im used to and the objective needs to be a little farther back—try it on yours but I may end up changing my rail to a pic rail so I have a little more flexibility in mounting position. Not sure if you can see in the pic, but the obj bell is as far back as possible, and I could still use it a touch further back—the weaver rails that are most common for this rifle dont allow moving the rings.

2) field of view is noticeably tighter than Im used to on this gun. I will probably use it for another year before making a change, but I may be looking for a different option with a wider field of view. Perhaps one of the accupoint models.

Everything else about this scope I like a lot. Especially the low-drama zeroing compared to some others Ive had.

 

[qotsa23]

Weaver Classic 4x38 tends to be pretty reliable and its duplex is a bit thicker than most.

 

[Macintosh]

I have this scope with the MOA hunter reticle. I wouldn't consider the reticle usable in timbered areas of the Midwest. May pick up a duplex version if I don't find anything with less magnification.

The duplex reticle has the exact same illuminated center crosshair—10moa on either side, .125moa line thickness—as your reticle. It just doesnt have the hashes, and the 1moa thick bold portion of the crosshair extends all the way to the illuminated center section. I think they do this to keep as little as possible in the field of view, but for the purpose it would be a better reticle if the bold lines extended another 5-6 moa toward center, making the very fine center cross half as big as it currently is. Regardless, it probably is a more useable reticle for your purposes than the moa hunter simply due to the bolder lines being closer to center.

Like I said, it works very well when illuminated but it is not “big, bold obvious eye-catching” in a dark, cluttered background if it isnt illuminated. I was looking at the 1-6 accupoint. I have also heard good things about the nx8 lpvo although the parallax adjustment is an unnecessary liability on a scope for this use. I’d like to get a look through both reticles though before I drop $1000+ on an experiment. Id really love to find a current-production 2-7 or 2-10 scope with a 36-40-ish mm objective and a big bold eye catching reticle that held zero, but havent really found one.

 

[Rich M]

I have an old viper 2-7 and it is excellent.

That or an old vx-2 leupold. Mine outlasted a leica nad vx-3. Well made pieces of history.

Or a 4x bushnell banner. Cheap but it WILL hold zero.

 

[qotsa23]

Another deep cut is the Bushnell 3200 1.5-4.5x32 with the Firefly reticle. I picked one up recently and the size, reticle, and eye relief are all great.