# Scopes



## catfisherman (Jun 14, 2004)

Hey everyone, I have a quick question I have a Thompson Center 50 cal. muzzleloader and was wanting to get a scope for it and have no clue what strength to go for, any advice would be helpful. If I get a scope where in northeast ohio can I site it in. Thanks in advance. Andy


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## jeffmo (Apr 7, 2004)

catfisherman,i'm no expert on muzzleloader scopes but some of the guys on the hunting informations site might be able to give you some good advice.
when i was planning my '03 elk hunt some of the guys really gave me alot of help on the when,what,and wheres of elk hunting.the only sad part is that now i'm hooked and i have to wait another year or two to get back out there.
just go to the talk groups then put a post in the optics section i'm pretty sure you'll get some help.
http://www.huntinfo.com/


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## Lundy (Apr 5, 2004)

catfisherman,

Scopes preferences are very individual, it's a lot like women, some like blondes, some like redheads, some like men (open sights)  

It's really what you want out of your scope. What kind of terrain do you hunt? Is it primarily in the woods or is it more open country. What is the longest shot that your gun load is capable of? What shots do you feel comfortable with.

For many years I hunted in heavy wooded areas that reduced almost any shot to 100 yds and under. There is also reduced light available in the early morning and late evening. I hunted with a 1x4 x 20 scope and it worked pretty well. Those were also the days of slower less effective muzzleloader loads.

I know hunt very open country and use 3x9 x40's and my newest is a 4.5x14x44. This power would be a complete wasted if not for load and rifle changes over the years. The higher mag would also be wasted if hunting in woods in low light or restricted distance opportunities. The higher the mag the more light you need for a clear bright picture. 

Most MODERN muzzleloaders today with the correct loads are very capable out to 150 yds. The best low light scopes as a rule are ones with bigger objective lenses, 40mm is much better than 20mm. Power is just your preference. A 4 power will kill adeer just as dead as a 9 power will.

Scopes are a lot like reels, you get what you pay for. The outside of the scopes may look alike but in what's on the inside that really counts. The lenses, the lense coatings, the reticle track, ability to maintain zero. repeatablity of adjustments all make a huge difference in the optics being able to allow a gun to shot at it's best potentail. A rule when buying scopes is to buy the best optics that you can afford.

A friend of mine bought a new muzzlelaoder a few years back and was having trouble grouping under 6" at 100 yds. His gun was similar to mine and I went him to the range. We tried all kinds of different loads and couldn't obtain any repeatability. The only conclusion we could arrive at was the scope. He changed from one well known less expensive scope to another well known much more expensive scope and immediatly had 1-1/2" groups at 100 yds. This may not always be the case but I've had enough problems and seen others that I just don't risk it anymore.

Just my opinion

Woods - shots 100 yds and under 1x4, 2x6, 20 or 32 mm objective

open country -shots out to 150, 2x6, 3x9 32 or 40 mm objecctive

good luck,
Kim


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## H2O Mellon (Apr 5, 2004)

Here would be my answer if I could only take 1 senence:

Get a mid-level ($50. scope, not a $100.) 4x32.


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