Just bought Bergera B14 for my son and I in .308. I’m going to scope them with the Leupold Mark 4HD 4.5-18x52 (34mm). I was wondering what base and rings to use. Wanted to take some long range classes with my son. We will need enough elevation, also will be using them for hunting from time to time. Mostly though they will be used for long range fun. Got .308 to be a bit more ammo economical till we learn some fundamentals and learn more about reloading.
I’ve kind of made it a personal sop that when I buy a new rifle, I will get the most direct simple scope connection I can. Typically that’s a one piece combination scope and base from someone like Talley. They make good stuff and they’re relatively close to me.
If you choose a multipart, multi-connection mounting system to begin with, and the rifle is not shooting well, then the first thing the rifle company is going to tell you to do is to tear down that scope mounting system and use something simple. They won’t typically examine the rifle, accept it back until you’ve done that. Then, if the Gun Works well and you want to change to a more complicated system you’re able to do that.
Not familiar with that particular scope model. Does it dial? If so, and if you are planning on doing a good bit of long distance shooting or concentrating on long distance shooting then most Shooters want some form of a mounting system that tilts the scope downward so they can have more elevation adjustment upwards. That’s typically done with a picatinny rail with a particular MOA cant.
Picatinny rails have advantages other than just giving you an elevation adjustment advantage. They often can help save space in the gun safe as you can remove the scope plus rings from the mount and store it separately. However, they also have downsides. They do raise the scope up so that your height is higher, adds a little more weight to the gun system, and since there’s more connections that’s more potential areas of failure.
But if long range is only going to be a rarity, or the scope doesn’t dial and you’re just going to hold over, then I would stick with something more simple typically
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Which Bergara b14 did you get? We could help link you to the right rings.
Hey Jim, i got the Terrain Wilderness B14 for my son. And the Crest Carbon B14 for myself. I like the rings you sell on your web page. I almost went with that $500 price range scope you sell but man i loved your scope in that bear hunting vid you showed the push button locks and I’ve had such great customer service from leupold. I dropped a rifle off my shooting bench and bent a scope they sent me a new one with just the picture of it in an email. The reticle seems less cluttered in the Leupold as well. Anyway, thanks for your help. Most all my hunting rifles have Burris full field with the balistaplex reticles. I even have one an a smith and Wesson 460mag. I can shoot 16oz soda cans with that thing on the second dot hold out to 125yards. Man i love their scopes too.
BTW my father in law got mad at me in Las Vegas one time. He left me in Vegas and drove to Brian Head. It was the weekend Tyson bit off Holyfields ear. O could find a rental car and any way to get to Brian Head. I hitch hiked from Vegas to St. George. Every time you say “St George” in your vids I’m like geeez that was an adventure. Love that little town man. Brian Head was amazing did a bunch of Mountian Biking and Fly Fishing. Love you channel man it’s amazingly produced and really fun the watch.
What type of reticle in the model you are looking at and MIL or MOA adjustments. That 34mm tube has a lot of adjustment for elevation and you will be able to get to 800 yards without any additional MOA adding rails. Depending the load you shoot, getting past 900 with a 308 becomes the challenge and bullet + velocity combinations get more important. If the weapon will shoot it, and you are gearing towards long range shooting, in a factory load I would recommend the Federal loaded with the 185 Berger Juggernaut; it will get you to 1000 with good grouping. If you shop around on the internet, you can find it in the 45ish dollar range per box; off the shelf will be in the 55ish bracket. The next long range recommendation would be the Hornady 178 ELDX for a shooting and hunting load with good range. 175 Sierra match will get you to 1000 but not as well as the Berger. 800 and in you can shoot anything from a 125 to 168s, the other one that will definitely reach to 1000 is the Hornady 178 BTHP Superformance, that stuff is a hammer, but has a reputation for being finicky depending on the weapon; if your rifle likes it then it is great, and reasonably priced also.
good luck
Mil reticle
So, with a mil reticle it gets you a lot of distance by virtue of the mil measurements. The 185 berger federal factory load gets you to 1000 with 10.5 mils; 2600 fps.
Good luck