Hi everyone. I am putting togheter my next all around hunting rifle. I Will use It for stalking in the woods with shots from 5 to 150 meters (usually between 10 and 80 meters) and for hunting from stands in the hillsides with shots from 20 to 300 meters (usually between 75 and 200 meters). Many shots are taken with low light.

Budget for the scope is below 2k usd (Better below 1.5). I have a kahles 4-12x44i with duplex reticle that was mounted on another rifle but i think that a minimum magnification of 4x Is a bit too much for my applications (i think a 2x would be better) and i don't feel to be able to take full advantage of a 12x maximum magnification without a BDC reticle with this caliber.

So my idea was to buy a 3-10x50i with kahles BDC reticle (illuminated), using the BDC reticle at max Power

What do you think about my points? I am open to any suggestion

Thanks as always!

Not sure what kind of Options you have access to in Italy, but 2k USD really opens the doors. The Zeiss V6 line is supposed to be very nice, never hunted with one though. I do have a coule Trijicons and they are decent for the money. If it were mine, i would throw a Leupold VX3i 2.5-8 on it and be done but it seems like you really see the value in excellent glass so maybe a VX5HD 2-10? I recently expanded my optics foray to kinda get a feel for some other brands including a Zeiss and an older IOR

I'd like to Stick with a kahles because i was really impressed with my previous scope. The only downside was a relatively small eyebox but everything else was really Amazing. Kahles at the moment offers 2 scopes i like: the helia 2-10x50i with illuminated german IV reticle or the 3-10x50i with illuminated BDC reticle on SFP. The 2-10 Is 100 grams heavier and does not have the BDC reticle but the 2x power should be handy in the Woods, the 3-10 is 20% lighter and has a BDC reticle. So probably the more versatile scope Is the 3-10x at the end..i could use It for longer shots and Also for close shots in the woods.. i think with a 3x you can easily hunt in the Woods without problems

What do you think about It?

@XJ700AWR

I personally own a lot of 3-9 and similar power ranges including
2 Leupold VX3i's 3.5-10x40
VX3i 3.5-10x50
VX2 3-9x40
VX2 3-9x40 CDS
VX3i 6.5-20x50
VX3i 4.5-14x50
a recently purchased VX3 8.5-25x50
VX3i 1.5-5
VX5HD 3-15x44 CDS
Vortex Diamondback 3.5-10x50
Vortex Crossfire II in 3-9 and 4-12
Trijicon 2.5-10x56 Accupoint
Trijicon 1-4 Accupoint
Vortex Gen II PSTs in 3-15 and 5-25
Vortex Razor HD Gen ii 4.5-27x56
Nikon 3-9x40 (times about 5)
New to me Zeiss Conquest 3-9x50
New to me IOR 8x56

Point being here is that ive found for a eastern PA deer hunter/varmint hunter, these are my favorite ranges. You'll notice that i only own a few scopes (long range precision scopes included) that have more than 5 power on the low end. I really prefer a 3-15 or 3.5-10ish range for hunting. but stick to around 3 power on the bottom end. I do mostly field hunting for deer and varmints of all sizes but the 10 yard in-your-face shot is possible too and I learned as a young kid that low power is a handy thing to have but the ability to zoom to 10 or 15 power is nice. I personally dont see a huge difference in a 2x vs 3x power scope until you get really close to the target and a lot of that can have to do with the objective diameter and FOV. As far as glass quality, id say those Kahles probably would blow most of what i own out of the water so it really comes down to preference of the power range. If it were me, Id get the lesser expensive of the two and put the savings into good mounts like EAW or similar. If the price difference is negligible, id say get the 2-10. I wouldnt get too hung up on the power range since they are so similar. Id look at the specs for both and go from there, id imagine the 2-10 will probably have better features and performance since its a 5x magnification range and that is generally attributed to higher end scope lines.

As a side note, ive seen a lot popping up about Leica too, seems they are right up there with Kahles and Swaro, kinda interested to try one of the two out.

Thanks for the answer

The 2-10 Is heavier cause it has a 30 mm tube intese of a 1 inch tube. Unfortunately It has not a BDC reticle. The price Is almost identical between the two, around 1.5 k euros. Since you are saying that there is no practical differemce between 2x and 3x for close shots, wouldn't you prefer the ballistic reticle of the 3-10 x?

I suppose it depends on what caliber rifle its going on and what purpose that rifle would serve. A lot of people  believe that larger diameter main tubes transfer more lights and while that may be partially true, its got more to do with objective diameter. Sounds like the scopes are equal for the most part. If you believe your shots are going to be within a couple hundred yards most of the time, I wouldnt get hung up on the BDC. I used to groundhog hunt with great success out to 400 yards with a custom barreled .223 Mini Mauser and a 1970's Leupold Vari-X II 3-9x40. My longest confirmed shot was around 370 yards with that setup doing nothing more than a simple holdover with a regular duplex reticle. Point being, on a deer or stag, a holdover is simple, if even necessary.
I guess my point overall is that if you want the BDC, get that, since everything else is nearly identical. I truly dont think you'll be wrong either way!

I'd be happy with my pst gen 2 1-6. Don't think the vx3i 2.5-8 would hold up for 300yds in the twilight though. ETA: a while ago I was looking at some deer in the twilight with my 2-7 diamondback rimfire (walking back to the truck after squirrel hunting). It would have let me take a shot at 200yds, in what may not have even been legal time any more. It was very clear out though.

I'm sure you know by now round about what 300yds looks like and can easily clarify between that and 200... not rocket science. On a typical hunting caliber your holdover isn't going to be much, especially with a 200yd zero.

Don't think you really need to spend that much for what you're after, but if you can afford it, by all means.

In the one area you ought to be able to get away with a red dot if you want.

Check out the trijicon offerings. I'm just not a fan of their liking the gigantic vertical post, seems like it would make a holdover difficult.

Thanks for the answer, sometimes Is useful to have feedback from someone else to make up your mind.

When hunting in very low light a good glass pays off. I often Hunt in very low light. In daytime any 500 variable scope would be gtg 100%

I decided to buy the 2-10 model, i found It for 1400 euros.  
It Will be a great scope, no doubt. With 150 gr .308 soft points or partitions i should be able to shoot up to 275 meters (a Little bit over 300 yards)