Thread: Help on scope magnification range??

Originally Posted by suthy

This is a interesting thread. Is very interesting that everyone says that you don't need magnification for this long range shooting and yet no one will put any less than a 4x power scope on a 22lr that get used for the most part at less than 50m!! Adding to this is no one seems to complain about target acquisition with these 4x power scopes so how is everyone having so much trouble with larger game?

Just to add my 2cents, I prefer slightly higher magnification like 4-16 or better yet 3-18 will be far better for long range shooting than a 9 or 10 power scope. If you've ever seen a deer at 500m through a 9x power scope I think you'll agree it's a pretty small target at that distance!!

It's also a lot different when you are talking about a sniper aka someone who is trying to shoot a person @ 500m and a person who is trying to shoot a deer and kill it humanely. Snipers don't shot to kill necessary, it's much better to just wound someone so it takes two people out of the fight. Also field of view in a combat situation is waaaaay more important since you can DIE if you don't see targets!!!!! No so important for hunting since most use binos for target acquisition as the common rifleman in the military does not.

Again just my 2c.

I think your wrong re the deer at 500m on 9 power, I recently shot a stag at 600y on 10 power (3-10 nightforce shv) with no problems what so ever, the deer wasn't that small, certinally not small enough to cock the shot up, I've had a 2.5-25 March scope and the simple fact is if your not pushing past 600 you don't actually need the extra magnification....... Yep it's nice to be able to zoom right in, you can even use them to assess your trophy.... But deff not essential.
Before I bought the nightforce I nearly went with zeiss hd5 3-15.:..... I'm glad I went with nightforce


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Originally Posted by Smiddy

I think your wrong re the deer at 500m on 9 power, I recently shot a stag at 600y on 10 power (3-10 nightforce shv) with no problems what so ever, the deer wasn't that small, certinally not small enough to cock the shot up, I've had a 2.5-25 March scope and the simple fact is if your not pushing past 600 you don't actually need the extra magnification....... Yep it's nice to be able to zoom right in, you can even use them to assess your trophy.... But deff not essential.
Before I bought the nightforce I nearly went with zeiss hd5 3-15.:..... I'm glad I went with nightforce


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Just curious.
If you had been using a 4-12x scope when you shot the deer at 600m do you think you would have wound it up to 12x or left it on 10x?
I know when I had a 4.5-14x on my 300wm I only ever used it on 4.5x or 14x. I don't think I ever took a shot with it on any other setting.Pretty much the same as my 3-9x on my bush pig. I carry it on 3x and if I have time (and the range warrants it) I crank it up to 9x for the shot.

Originally Posted by Shearer

Just curious.
If you had been using a 4-12x scope when you shot the deer at 600m do you think you would have wound it up to 12x or left it on 10x?

Would have wound it to 12...... But only because it was there, just like I would have wound it higher if it went higher than 12..... Just because it was there....... Doesn't mean you actually need it


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