Forums46
Topics537,041
Posts9,719,733
Members86,989
|
Most Online25,604 Feb 12th, 2024
|
|
|
Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
#5843080
07/22/15 06:10 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,773
Gone to Texas
OP
Veteran Tracker
|
OP
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,773 |
I am buying a SWFA SS fixed power Mil/Mil scope and I am debating what power to get. This will be put on a Remington .243. Right now I am thinking either a 6 or 10 power.
Longest hunting distance will be 700 yards and the shortest will most likely be 100. However, sometimes I hunt in a thick area and I am worried if I get a 10 power scope I will have a tough time shooting a deer at 50 yards.
What do y'all think?
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5843095
07/22/15 06:17 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,085
J.G.
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,085 |
Fixed 10 will be fine as long as you are good at getting on target with both eyes open.
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: J.G.]
#5843125
07/22/15 06:31 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,773
Gone to Texas
OP
Veteran Tracker
|
OP
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,773 |
Fixed 10 will be fine as long as you are good at getting on target with both eyes open. Thanks Jason! Thats a good point, I have been practicing a lot with my .22 and at close range I am getting a lot better with both eyes open.
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5843183
07/22/15 07:08 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,045
mikei
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,045 |
Gone To Texas, you're asking a lot of a .243 at ranges above 500 yards! It's retained energy will be very low, and dropping fast, even at 500 yards. Shot placement at those ranges becomes even more important than when you're taking a deer at shorter ranges. For your reference, check this out: http://gundata.org/blog/post/243-ballistics-chart/My general rule of thumb is to make sure I have "enough caliber at the maximum range I'll be shooting at game" to deliver at least 1,000 foot pounds of energy.
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: mikei]
#5843229
07/22/15 07:48 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,085
J.G.
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,085 |
It will have plenty of energy for a coyote Drop is irrelevant and he knows how to compensate for it. He also knows how to place a shot, even at 700 yards. Generic ballistic data charts are for amateurs.
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5843250
07/22/15 07:56 PM
|
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,045
mikei
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,045 |
Thanks, FiremanJG, you're most kind to share.
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: mikei]
#5843262
07/22/15 08:03 PM
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,085
J.G.
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,085 |
You're welcome.
Since your first post had zero to do with the question of a fixed power scope and more about whether or not he should even be shooting anything at 700 yards with a .243
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5843266
07/22/15 08:05 PM
|
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 15,540
TexFlip
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Aug 2012
Posts: 15,540 |
I've got a SWFA fixed 10 on one of my deer rifles and it does everything I need in a hunting scope.
Just to make sure that it is done thoroughly, I go both ways.
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: mikei]
#5843281
07/22/15 08:15 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,773
Gone to Texas
OP
Veteran Tracker
|
OP
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,773 |
Gone To Texas, you're asking a lot of a .243 at ranges above 500 yards! It's retained energy will be very low, and dropping fast, even at 500 yards. Shot placement at those ranges becomes even more important than when you're taking a deer at shorter ranges. For your reference, check this out: http://gundata.org/blog/post/243-ballistics-chart/My general rule of thumb is to make sure I have "enough caliber at the maximum range I'll be shooting at game" to deliver at least 1,000 foot pounds of energy. Thanks for the input but I'm not too worried about it especially with the handloads I am running. After taking Firemans shooting class I am pretty confident taking a shot on a coyote at 700 yards.
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5845266
07/24/15 12:54 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,234
gusick
Veteran Tracker
|
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 2,234 |
How magnification does your binocular have? Do you ever wish they were only 6X? I don't think 10 is too much for coyote hunting.
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5845315
07/24/15 01:17 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,982
pertnear
"Demolition Man"
|
"Demolition Man"
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 2,982 |
I am buying a SWFA SS fixed power Mil/Mil scope and I am debating what power to get. This will be put on a Remington .243. Right now I am thinking either a 6 or 10 power.
Longest hunting distance will be 700 yards and the shortest will most likely be 100. However, sometimes I hunt in a thick area and I am worried if I get a 10 power scope I will have a tough time shooting a deer at 50 yards.
What do y'all think? Sorry, but I guess I'm missing something(?) Isn't this exactly the reason they make variable power scopes?
"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past.” - George Orwell
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: pertnear]
#5845357
07/24/15 01:39 AM
|
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,085
J.G.
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,085 |
Go to SWFA.com And look at the SS HD line of scopes. Then compare prices of fixed power versus variable.
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5845371
07/24/15 01:44 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606
603Country
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606 |
I hunted for years with a fixed 4 power. That worked fine. Then, later, I hunted for a few years with a fixed 6 power. That also worked very well. But these days, with terrific and very light variable scopes, why in the world would somebody hunt with a fixed power scope? And if all you have is a fixed 10 power, that is more of a limitation than a benefit. I say that, even though I keep my scopes set on about 8 power when hunting in open areas, but I can dial the power down when I hunt in the thick woods.
If ya gotta have a fixed power, I'd go for the 6 power. I shot coyotes out to about 400 with my fixed 6 with just the plain old Leupold Duplex reticle.
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5846384
07/24/15 06:23 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 37
Angrif
Light Foot
|
Light Foot
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 37 |
either will be a hinderance at 50 yards
NEVER THE LEAST DEGREE OF LIBERTY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE GREATEST DEGREE OF SECURITY...LIBERTY,ABOVE ALL ELSE,LIBERTY!
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5847898
07/25/15 07:49 PM
|
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 406
fr3db3ar
Bird Dog
|
Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 406 |
I tried coyote hunting with a 10x. I had a hard time keeping track of a coyote moving at 100 yards and trying to keep it in the scope in brushy terrain. That may have been all me but just a note of experience.
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5848721
07/26/15 02:21 PM
|
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,396
Pittstate
THF Trophy Hunter
|
THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 5,396 |
I love my FX3 6 power Leupold on the Tikka T3 .243, just an awesome deer and hog gun setup. I can't imagine trying to shoot pass 200 yards with it though. My eyesight just isn't as good as it once was.
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5849506
07/27/15 01:53 AM
|
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,753
Nathan Nelson
Extreme Tracker
|
Extreme Tracker
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 4,753 |
I love my Leupold 6x for setting in a Blind, it provides all the magnification that is needed.
A 10x for varmint hunting is not a bad idea. 10x is fine in open country in bush it is a little to much magnification. I have SS 10x on my 17 HMR and love it to shoot prairie dogs and yotes, this is all in open country. I do not have trouble tracking or finding targets with the 10x. I am not a big fan of the focus on the SS scope. Mine is pretty stiff but it does work just a little slow.
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5855790
07/30/15 08:37 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 37
Angrif
Light Foot
|
Light Foot
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 37 |
I used to shoot at all ranges out to 350 on all kinds of game for years with a fixed 2.5X Weaver..., 'til an EXPERT told me it was impossible to shoot past 50 with ANYTHING LESS THAN A 3-9X....he also told me a .38 wont kill a deer..., as I dug the LSWC slug out of a 109# whitetail near Medina Lake....experts !!!
NEVER THE LEAST DEGREE OF LIBERTY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE GREATEST DEGREE OF SECURITY...LIBERTY,ABOVE ALL ELSE,LIBERTY!
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5855835
07/30/15 09:04 PM
|
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606
603Country
THF Celebrity
|
THF Celebrity
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,606 |
Why make it any tougher than it is by using a low powered scope. Note that Nathan says that 6 power is good when he's in the blind, but 10 power would be nice for varmint hunting. Yep. You can do both with just one scope - a variable scope. What a marvelous idea.
Anyway, if the OP just has to get a fixed power, do get the 6 power. It'll be easier to sell when he finally decides to get a variable.
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
|
|
|
Re: Fixed Power Scope for Hunting
[Re: Gone to Texas]
#5858942
08/02/15 12:08 AM
|
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 37
Angrif
Light Foot
|
Light Foot
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 37 |
I agree about the 6x; the Leo 6x42 is my favorite..., I wasn't saying get a low power; I was just comenting that you are not handicapped by low powers...IF you can use it within the context of ONES opportunities/skill....I was brought up on irons; so 2.5X was like day and night..., now a days ,variables are so clear and dependable; even low end scopes are MILES ahead of variables from 55 years ago when I started using scopes.
NEVER THE LEAST DEGREE OF LIBERTY IN EXCHANGE FOR THE GREATEST DEGREE OF SECURITY...LIBERTY,ABOVE ALL ELSE,LIBERTY!
|
|
|
Moderated by bigbob_ftw, CCBIRDDOGMAN, Chickenman, Derek, DeRico, Duck_Hunter, hetman, jeh7mmmag, JustWingem, kmon11, kry226, kwrhuntinglab, Payne, pertnear, rifleman, sig226fan (Rguns.com), Superduty, txcornhusker
|