35 Whelen: An Outstanding Video Summary

Steiner Predator 4 4-16x50 Illuminated

 In a past post I talked about the Steiner S1 reticle and how it is the perfect match for the 7mm-08 Remington cartridge when shooting 150 grain bullets. Link Here

So it is, that when Steiner released the New Predator 4 rifle scopes, with the same reticle but Illuminated, I just had to give it try. In the Predator 4, the reticle is named E3, but it's the same thing as the S1. 

I now have a new Steiner Predator 4 4-16x50 Illuminated reticle scope atop my 7mm-08, which replaces the Steiner GS3 3-15x50.  

Steiner has really knocked it out of the park with this scope for 2 BIG reasons. 

1. As far as I can tell the quality of the glass and overall construction is just as good as the GS3 series, but it comes to you at a significantly lower price point. Cabela's has had the 4-16x50 versions on sale for as low as $1000 Canadian ... the GS3s used to retail at around $1500 or more. 

2. You get an illuminated reticle. 

I found that sighting in was a breeze because the clicks were perfect ... all it took was a couple shots at 25 yards then 3 at 200 and I was dialed in. I used a tape measure to determine how many clicks I needed to move ... and the scope delivered perfectly. 

The glass is clean and crisp, in fact in my estimation it far exceeds the clarity of similarly priced scopes like the Swarovski Z3 series and Leupold VX 3i series.  I can't over stress the quality you get for the price point. 

The turrets are capped, which makes sense given that the scope comes with the E3 reticle. It has a parallax adjustment knob on the left, and set atop it is the illumination knob. Illumination settings are good for daytime to low light. The knob is the standard on/off setup.

My only criticism so far is that the illumination knob is quite stiff.  I think they did this to make it clear to you when you are handling the parallax adjustment (which turns easy) compared to the illumination knob. 

Low light capability is right up there with any 50mm scope in the sub $2000 Canadian price point. 

The sight window is broad and long making target acquisition, even at 16 power, very quick.

Over all, I can't recommend this scope enough. 

Update: Steiner offers one free ballistic reticle for the Predator 4 scopes. Contact Kenton Industries for details. 

Zeiss Conquest V4 3-12x56 Illuminated

Zeiss Conquest V4 3-12x56 Illuminated

 I love rifle scopes. Over the years I have bought and sold a number of scopes that I have topped my 35 Whelens with. Over that same period of time I have been amazed at the steady increase in quality for the same price points. 

Recently I replaced my Swarovski Z3 4-12x50 with a Zeiss 3-12x56 Illuminated scope which I topped my 35 Whelen with. I haven't hunted with the scope yet, but I have sighted it in and tested it a bit.  Here is my initially summary.

Sighting in was a breeze. It took 2 shots at 25 yards to get things basically in the zone ... the clicks were very accurate. At 100 yards I took 2 more shots and I was set. I used a tape measure after the first shot at 100 yards and dialed in the exact amount I wanted to move. My second shot was right there ... the clicks are perfect. 

The illumination knob is a standard on/off between clicks. Brightness can be turned to daytime bright, or all the way down to low light dim. 

The low light capability of this scope is amazing. Those early morning or evening cloudy day hunts in November are going to be that much more doable. 

The turrets are capped.

If there is a downside to this scope, it's the size of the 56mm objective lens. I had to purchase a rail mount and high rings to clear the barrel. The result was that lining up the crosshairs when sighting was a bit awkward. To compensate, I purchased a padded cheek rest which raised the alignment. It worked perfect... and actually reduced the felt recoil. Some may not like the added hardware strapped to the rifle, though.

The sight window is very generous and quick to attain. At 3 power this scope is perfect for close in or heavy brush work. Even when dialed all the way up to 12 power, target acquisition is quick. The glass is ultra clear and crisp... when viewing a snowy scene it's shockingly radiant. 

In my opinion 12 power is plenty for 300 yard shots. Given that I am using this scope on my 35 Whelen, it's all that I need.