Which riflescope?

This is my firs post on this side of IDO so be gentle. This may have been discussed in the past.

I’m getting a bit older and in need of more eye relief from my scope. I have a Leupold 2×7 over 20 years old. Still a good scope, but it has been moved as far back in the scope rings as it can go. I’m thinking a new scope may be what I need to get more eye relief.

Is getting an new scope the answer?

If it is, I don’t want to break the bank, but am looking for something under $400. Is that possible and what recommendations do you folks have on brand and power? I tend to take shots of less that 200 yards and in most cases I can use a rest.

It will be mounted on a bolt action Winchester XTR Featherweight in 280 caliber.

Don’t ever worry about asking a question that may have been asked before! Not how we do things. Plus, new people come along all the time and its an opportunity to see/hear more opinions.

Do you have an idea of what the eye relief currently is on your Leopold? I looked up the Burris specs on their E1 series. 3.1 to 3.8″ is the average range. Just from working with so many customers at sales events, I often have people coming in looking for better eye relief, when reality is they just need better glass.

http://www.burrisoptics.com/ffe1_3x9x50.html

I think your biggest issue is length of pull depending on the rifle you may want to consider cutting down
your present stock. Or buying another cheapy one with the correct length of pull or to cut it down to the right size.

For target, prone using bags, versus hunting I require different length of stocks for my eye relief to be correct. For hunting my Savage 10 I cut it down to 12 1/2 and if I am bench or prone I have a 1 1/2 rubber butt pad I put on it to make eye relief correct.

I hate a rifle that I have to climb the stock to get the right eye relief either from not being able to move the scope rewards enough or too long of a stock.

Like the others, I don’t think the scope is the issue here.

Eye relief on most modern scopes falls between 3 and almost 4 inches, and that has long been the standard. Any closer than 3 and you risk a nasty scope cut, and longer than 4 is possible but there are compromises that must be made elsewhere. There are exceptions, of course, but if you need more than 3.5 inches something is almost always wrong somewhere else.

Since it’s a Leupold, does it also use a Leupold base and mounts? Pictures would help here if you don’t know.

Many of the older Leupold systems don’t allow for the rings to be moved rearward. Switching to a Weaver-style mount and rings would give you more ability to move the rings backward even more.

However that may cure a symptom, not the problem. Tom is right, one open question is does the stock fit?

Grouse

I bought a Burris e1 on Randy’s recomendation. It is a great scope for the price and I will be buying another for my other rifle.
DT

Don’t cut the stock on a Winchester xtr! If you need a shorter stock buy a cheap one and put the xtr in the closet

I just couldn’t cut the stock off. I’ll have to fix the issue some other way.