[coyote268]

I have DNZ's on all mine and my Daughters Tikkas.  At 50mm you might have to go with a medium mt. but call DNZ and they will advise you of the lowest mount and rings to get.  Limbsaver recoil pad is the way to go.

[coyote268]

For sighting in and breaking in a barrel (I'm old fashion) I use a lead sled.  At 78 I'm not that good a bench rest shooter anymore and losing the vision in my right eye has forced me to go to left hand rifles so the lead sled is my go to rest.

[coyote268]

I have one in Left Hand and my Daughter Sandi has one in right hand.  Both are sub MOA shooters.  Recoil doesn't bother either one of us.  Put a Limbsaver recoil pad on and you will be good to go.

[coyote268]

These guys prices are off the wall. 

[coyote268]

They don't want to tool up for it.  Probably think they couldn't make enough money off of lefties.  There are other companies that do make them though.

[coyote268]

Yes, put it in a vise and pull it back and then rotate it.

[coyote268]

I think it was manufactured in  Italy. 

[coyote268]

Let me jump in here.  I am a retired (hopefully) Gunsmith and to answer your post, number one, the Tikkas just plane shoot.  Now to the Zeiss.  Excellent optics, but if any problem arises they will take care of it but not in a timely fashion and at pretty good expense.  Their optics are good but their service is slow it was my experience.  Didn't do anything with Vortex but with Leupold I sent in four scopes for a customer that were over 20 years old.  Leupold went completely through them, calibratede them to make sure they were right, replace seals and re nitrogen filled them and sent them back with no expense to the customer.  Being a Tikka owner myself, the only thing that I have done to them is put DNZ rings/bases on them replace the bolt shroud with a  metal one and put a Limbsaver recoil pad on them.  Let me add one more thing, Tikkas are good but Beretta customer service sucks!!!

[coyote268]

They are both good scopes but if you need service the Zeiss is going to cost you a arm and a leg.  Not sure about Vortes factory service.  Why not stay with a Leupold, American made, excellent optics, and best factory service in the industry?

[coyote268]

Well, we just got back from hunting up north.  Daughter Sandi got a Buck with her Tikka Compact 7mm-08.  Her first shot was at 212 ranged yards at the Buck facing her and all she could see was the head and neck of him.  Friend had her shoot off his shoulder and told her to aim for the white spot on its neck.  She fired and the Buck took off.  It was going through some brush and when it entered a small opening she shot again and he went down.  He was moving and the range was 258 yards.  She was shooting the Hornaday GMX 139 grain Super.  Her first shot just grazed the Bucks neck.  It was her Birthday and she made a bunch of us very happy.  You couldn't tear that Tikka out of her hands now.  Great rifle and ammo and I'm one proud Dad.

[coyote268]

Barnes would be good but you might also want to look or try the Hornaday GMX 165 grain.  Either one should do the job for you if you can get a good group that satisfies you.  Selway Armory seems to have the best prices and not to bad shipping charges.

[coyote268]

Got the compact in  7mm-08.  Put a Leupold 3-9X40 with DNZ mounts.  Folks, it is a awesome shooter.  Took 15 shots cleaning every third to break in the barrel.  (I'm old fashion and still believe in breaking in a barrel).  Put in some 139 grain Hornaday GMX.  Shots 16 and 17 were dead center in the bullseye cutting each other.  Raised it up four clicks and 18 and 19 again right on line one inch higher both touching each other.  Wow, so I put in two Barnes 120 grainers and they were half an inch higher but again right on line and in the same hole and I am not a good bench rest shooter.  This little rifle likes everything you put in it.  Messed with the stock and got the length of pull to 13 inches and trigger pull to two and three quarters. Between Daughter Sandi and I we have 5 Tikkas and they all shoot minus one inch groups, but this one in its 20 inch barrel is the best of all five.  We are happy campers.

[coyote268]

On all my Daughters and Granddaughter and my rifles, (a lot) except for the mounts on my Rugger Hawkeye, everything else has Leupold scopes and DNZ mounts and bases.  That's 5 Tikkas in the bunch.

[coyote268]

I'd like to put a word of caution in here.  Many of the scopes mentioned are very good if not great scopes, but that said, if you need them repaired or adjusted you could pay a real big price.  A friend of mine put a very high end (I won't mention its name)on one of his rifles and had to have some aftermarket work done to it.  It was very expensive to say the least. 

I stick with Leupolds and have for over 50 years.  Two years ago I sent in three of my older ones to make sure they were still sealed well.  Leupold went completely through them and sent them back with a note telling me what did to them.  The total bill for all this was zero.  I didn't even have to pay for return shipping.  You won't get this kind of service out of even the high quality Europe glass. 

[coyote268]

Thanks, may have to set it up with the thirteen and a half in LOP and bring the scope back some as I'm going with DNZ mounts and rings