Help to choose caliber.

[Tiger1358]

Dialing in the BDC reticle with Spot On was a piece of cake.

How do you like Nikon scopes in general? Is it worth to spend 500-600$ for a good Nikon scope or its better to invest this money into Leupold or other brand?

I had professional DSLR Nikon cameras with Nikkor Lenses and was happy with quality of the glass.
Also i personally like the Idea of BDC but never used it. Will try it out next week.

Thx.

Don't think it's worth to spend around 600 dollar on Nikon. You can find Prostaff 5's 4-16x for about 200 on sale. For $600 you can buy German glass on sale, like Steiner.

[runamuk]

Dialing in the BDC reticle with Spot On was a piece of cake.

How do you like Nikon scopes in general? Is it worth to spend 500-600$ for a good Nikon scope or its better to invest this money into Leupold or other brand?

I had professional DSLR Nikon cameras with Nikkor Lenses and was happy with quality of the glass.
Also i personally like the Idea of BDC but never used it. Will try it out next week.

Thx.

I love Nikon I have a prostaff on one rifle, that was 169.  I decided to try a buckmaster for 139 liked it so much I bought another for my other rifle. 

[fishingnut71]

.300wm

[yakimanoob]

Honestly man, any of those calibers will do you just fine if you're limited to 500-ish yds.  I definitely recommend reading up on external and terminal ballistics and deciding on your limits based on that.

I have the Savage 16 (the stainless version of the model 11, as far as I'm aware) in 7mm-08 and absolutely love it.  I trust it out to about 600 yds based on the ballistics of the ELD-X factory ammo.  I trust myself out to about 350 yds at the moment.  More practice will extend that, but after watching elk for a couple years now, I don't feel like I'll want (nevermind "need") a longer range caliber anytime soon.  600 yds is a hell of a long way, and in my area at least, it's hard to imagine having a shot at 700 yds without the ability to get closer. 

[yakimanoob]

Dialing in the BDC reticle with Spot On was a piece of cake.

How do you like Nikon scopes in general? Is it worth to spend 500-600$ for a good Nikon scope or its better to invest this money into Leupold or other brand?

I had professional DSLR Nikon cameras with Nikkor Lenses and was happy with quality of the glass.
Also i personally like the Idea of BDC but never used it. Will try it out next week.

Thx.

I was in the same boat (I've had Nikon cameras and lenses for year and love them) and ended up putting a ProStaff 5 2.5-10x40mm scope on my model 16.  That said, I wouldn't do it again.  Hunting is hard on gear, and the no-questions-asked warranties of companies like Leupold and Vortex have become more and more valuable to me.  Next optic I buy will be from one of them, guaranteed. 

[JeffRaines]

Dialing in the BDC reticle with Spot On was a piece of cake.

How do you like Nikon scopes in general? Is it worth to spend 500-600$ for a good Nikon scope or its better to invest this money into Leupold or other brand?

I had professional DSLR Nikon cameras with Nikkor Lenses and was happy with quality of the glass.
Also i personally like the Idea of BDC but never used it. Will try it out next week.

Thx.

I was in the same boat (I've had Nikon cameras and lenses for year and love them) and ended up putting a ProStaff 5 2.5-10x40mm scope on my model 16.  That said, I wouldn't do it again.  Hunting is hard on gear, and the no-questions-asked warranties of companies like Leupold and Vortex have become more and more valuable to me.  Next optic I buy will be from one of them, guaranteed.

This is just my experience, and not wanting to completely dump on Leupold BUT...

I ended up purchasing one not long ago, after having some good luck with one on my wifes rifle. Out of the box, reticle was loose. It was slight, didn't notice it until I had it leveled on the rifle I was mounting it on. Called up Leupold, explained my situation and was told that it would be a minimum of three weeks... wait - three weeks? You mean the scope I just bought and took out of the box you're going to make me wait at least three weeks to get it fixed? Yep.

Look, I don't expect a company to completely bend over backwards. If I had the scope a year, hey it happens, you send it in for warranty and if it takes three weeks well thats okay. If I buy an item and it comes broken out of the box, then I expect it to be made right.

Anyway, I ended up getting sportsmans to take it back and exchanged it for a scope of a different brand. I wrote a review on Leupolds website and wouldn't you know it, I get an email stating it was moderated off. Funny, I don't think there is a 1-2 or even 3 star review anywhere on their website... wonder why...

edit - before it comes up, I have a really nice Cornwell torque driver that I use to torque all the fasteners so it isn't an issue of over-torquing the rings.

[Ziptie]

300 win mag all day.  It might not be as sexy or trendy but it is a work horse that will perform.  It will do long range work and short range.  I have killed elk at 20yds and 500yds with the 300 win mag and 180gr partitions.  Ammo is all over if you are not a hand loader.   I have many of the calibers you have listed and the 300 win mag is my go to gun 90% of the time.  Good Luck.   

[TimBaleia]

Just got great deal on core lokt ammo got 10 boxes for 10$/box.

Is it any good for deer? Heard different oppinions.

[fish vacuum]

Yes

[yakimanoob]

This is just my experience, and not wanting to completely dump on Leupold BUT...

I ended up purchasing one not long ago, after having some good luck with one on my wifes rifle. Out of the box, reticle was loose. It was slight, didn't notice it until I had it leveled on the rifle I was mounting it on. Called up Leupold, explained my situation and was told that it would be a minimum of three weeks... wait - three weeks? You mean the scope I just bought and took out of the box you're going to make me wait at least three weeks to get it fixed? Yep.

Look, I don't expect a company to completely bend over backwards. If I had the scope a year, hey it happens, you send it in for warranty and if it takes three weeks well thats okay. If I buy an item and it comes broken out of the box, then I expect it to be made right.

Anyway, I ended up getting sportsmans to take it back and exchanged it for a scope of a different brand. I wrote a review on Leupolds website and wouldn't you know it, I get an email stating it was moderated off. Funny, I don't think there is a 1-2 or even 3 star review anywhere on their website... wonder why...

edit - before it comes up, I have a really nice Cornwell torque driver that I use to torque all the fasteners so it isn't an issue of over-torquing the rings.

It sounds like your only complaint is the turn-around time, so while I'm not sure what your negative review said, it wasn't a complaint about the product (or the comany's willingness to stand behind the product) so I'm not surprised they took it down.  Being dissatisfied with turn-around time is hardly a criticism. 

You got it from Sportsmans Warehouse?  A defective product off the shelf is something they would (and sounds like they did) remedy immediately.