Thread: Best spotlights for deer at Long distance

And go!

We often get a few shots on the private farm we hunt of what kooks to be stags around the 600m mark and our scottie just isn't quite enough to want to pull the trigger or not.

What spotties have you used that is "next level".

We currently use a acebeam w30 which is lep module.

From memory @bunji was using one of these in his wild bull shooting days. Mounted on the passenger side of the landcruiser.

Originally Posted by Joe_90

From memory @bunji was using one of these in his wild bull shooting days. Mounted on the passenger side of the landcruiser.

Attachment 202921

I use these, good to 8,800 yards which pairs nicley with the 88mm flak cannon.

Originally Posted by caberslash

I use these, good to 8,800 yards which pairs nicley with the 88mm flak cannon.

Attachment 202922

she'd be a bit hard on the old landrovers 12volt battery though old chap. can see the advantage of the 88mm-one hit one deer-skinned cubed and hey ho into the pot (or at least what remained). once shot a hare with me no4Mk1 .303 -18gn roundnose lead slug . okIgot one lower back legwith trailing tendon -rest was compst dangling from trees ferns bushes over a fairly wide area.my title -.303 the go all 18"naval gun". as clint eastwood says c'mon punk make my day.

Originally Posted by kotuku

she'd be a bit hard on the old landrovers 12volt battery though old chap. can see the advantage of the 88mm-one hit one deer-skinned cubed and hey ho into the pot (or at least what remained). once shot a hare with me no4Mk1 .303 -18gn roundnose lead slug . okIgot one lower back legwith trailing tendon -rest was compst dangling from trees ferns bushes over a fairly wide area.my title -.303 the go all 18"naval gun". as clint eastwood says c'mon punk make my day.

Welcome back perchance….?


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Originally Posted by tiroahunta

Welcome back perchance….?


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yep .cheers yours elf.

I was going to chime in with a 40mm Bofors, but that 88mm beats the 40mm by a hair.

Originally Posted by 40mm

I was going to chime in with a 40mm Bofors, but that 88mm beats the 40mm by a hair.

A hair and the nut it's attached too?

I have a 2S and 2X maxtoch, the versions that don't like the longer 3600mA Panasonics. I dedomed the 2S which makes a considerable difference in distance, but I would struggle to have the confidence to shoot much past 250/300 and it would have to be perfect conditions. I've had the experience of an 'empty paddock' and shining up a fallow only to find a handful of beefies running down into the overthrow area behind the deer. Turns out a mate of the manager was on the farm that day and didn't reset the gates after driving through so all the animals were in the wrong paddocks. Again a 'tightly controlled, no access/no hunting' farm - we did the right thing by not shooting and stayed to give the manager a hand, but never got the chance to return for another go as it was just too much of a piss around for the farm manager.

600m is a long way to be shooting in the dark, or for that matter identifying your target. I have a pair of maxtoch 2x shooters I don't really spotlight deer but on the one occasion I did 300y was about as far as I was happy to shoot.
No hate at all but you are asking a lot of your light source to be bright enough to identify and place a shot at 600m imo

The biggest lightforce will do that well on a clear night.
There maybe better options out there now but I found a good bulb hard to beat for color, led being too white.

Originally Posted by veitnamcam

The biggest lightforce will do that well on a clear night.
There maybe better options out there now but I found a good bulb hard to beat for color, led being too white.

Have you tried a filter on your Lightforce?

Originally Posted by caberslash

Have you tried a filter on your Lightforce?

I have a red filter for it but don't use it

My best with a 2X was a lasered 375yds. It was on a bush edge ridge which I'd ranged before dark so knew exact distances. There was no chance of it being human on this private farm with tightly-controlled access. A spiker showed up at the top of this and I could clearly make out the head and brisket area through the scope. Had built a solid rest including back rest. Didn't have a dial-up scope on that small gun but knew the trajectory well. It was facing me so aimed between the eyes and it wore one in the centre of the brisket, didn't take a step.

Certainly 300 is easily do-able with a 2X.

The acebeam goes really well, we can see an easy 500m .but pushing it out a little bit further would-be beneficial for our situation. It may not even be for shooting, but to clearly identify hand/stag/yearling etc.

Back scatter from atmospherics especially with a rifle mounted spotlight is the deciding factor. 300 with an x2 is a good maximum really. Having the spot a ways off to the side is a serious help when there's light mist etc.