I have a Leupold VX3 on my 700bdl .270 and have shot everything on 9 power.

When I'm in the stand I usually keep the scope turned as low as possible and use the binos as much as possible. If I see something to shoot the low power makes them easy to find and I adjust the magnification to what I feel is best given the distance and available light.

This^^

So youre saying the hashes on a sfp are only accurate on a single setting but the center of the reticle is constant at all magnifications? Think about that.

Archers tend to be more accurate shooting magnified lenses vs regular pins.........just something to consider.

Like a good Bird Dog on point

I may roll a eye back at you but when I am on...I am On

I zoom and dial. Those knobs and gizmos are there for a reason

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[/quote] From what I've been told and read, 2nd focal plane will change impact depending on power at time of sight-in, one of the selling points of 1st focal plain is POI is constant throughout the magnification range. [/quote]

FFP scopes are a big sell because the hashes all stay consistent when you zoom up or down. SFP, the hashes are only accurate at a single magnification. POI of the center reticle should be constant unless it's not a good scope. [/quote]

So youre saying the hashes on a sfp are only accurate on a single setting but the center of the reticle is constant at all magnifications? Think about that.[/quote]

Hum....ok I've thought about it...and? The center is the center is the center...or am I missing something?

Top dead center of the reticle will never change on FFP or SFP. If you're truly perfectly zeroed at 100 yards on an SFP scope your zero will not move, no matter what magnification it is set on. Same goes for an FFP scope. However, your Mil or MOA designations will differ with magnification on a SFP scope. The hashes are for holding elevation and windage corrections. So if I had a SFP scope zeroed at 100 and needed .6 Mil elevation correction to hit center at 200 yards, I have to set the magnification to the setting the reticle was calibrated for. Often that is maximum magnification, but not always, depending on brand. Let's say it is set for maximum, and you need half the magnification, due to unsteadiness, or lighting. That .6 Mil corrections at full power now needs to be a .3 Mil correction, since the designations are worth twice as much at half magnification. This does not apply to making corrections on turrets, only on making holds in the reticle.

Back to the original topic. When the rifle is rock steady, use all the magnification you want. I zero scopes, and shoot prone with all the magnification I have available to me (20X or 21X) and yes, sometimes I see heartbeat in the scope, which cannot be controlled. This problem is more pronounced in the summer when your heart rate increases to aid in cooling. If your shaking, use less magnification. That being said, when I began shooting PRS style matches (before there was a PRS) shooting positional, or using some type of semi-fixed object as support, I turned the scope down very low. As I have practiced getting still, I use more magnification. Now when using something 1', 2', 3', 4', 5', or anything in between, I use 10-12X. The new shooter to those positions should use less, and increase magnification if they desire, as their steadiness in those positions improves.

And "the heavier the rifle, the better for holding steady" is an inaccurate broad brush statement. When it is supported yes, when it's only muscle, with no support, then no. There comes a point it is too heavy. Don't believe me? I'll hand you a 17 pound bolt action, and have you shoot it off hand, with nothing around your or the rifle but air. Try it again with a rifle that weighs half as much, and see what you think.

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Sight in on highest power, carry on lowest... if I need more zoom, there'll be time... not always true if I need more field of view