New to the forum. I'm curious to see what y'all prefer when it comes to scope magnifications when it comes to hunting. Do you find yourself gravitating and using higher power scopes or lower power scopes? Myself, I have no need for anything over 10X even when shooting over a grand and out to 1200 meters! We we're trained using fixed 10X and low power scopes many years ago. My AR has a Leupold 2X7 and my custom Tikka has a Leupold VX6 1X6. Most of the time the power is set to 4X. My wife loves her 4.5X14 Vortex and my boys scopes top out around 18X. They like the higher magnification.

What do y'all prefer?

For what purpose? Hunting in Texas?

Sorry, should have added that, yes hunting!

Depends on the gun and what I plan on hunting with it. A bolt gun will probably get a 3-9 or 4-12. ARs are gonna get a 1-4 or 1-6.

I hunt a lot in brush and woods so I'm usually on 4X. In more open terrain, I'm on 6X. I like FOV when hunting.

I have 3.5-21X, 5-20X, 5-25X.

About to add a 3-15X. (the magnification range that will do it all!)

I do not hunt from a blind, 100 yards from a feeder.

This question is exactly why I ordered a NF NX8. I'll have 4x on the low end and 32x on the high end. The minimum parallax setting is 11 freaking yards (super close range) and it has 90 MOA of internal elevation adjustment (super long range). I can use the same scope to hunt from my bow blind at 17 yards, or hit a steel plate at 2000 yards. There's no need to have single-purpose scopes with today's technology.

Usually 8x when I pull the trigger

My primary hunting rifle has a 3-18 but it seldom sees the high side when hunting. Truth is 95% of the time I’d be just as happy with a fixed 4x.

The better you can see something, the easier it is to shoot it.

"The better you can see something, the easier it is to shoot it." Just wondering what this really means - as a former TT student and grad of a NM university and and OK university....just askin?

thats my boy!!! more is ALWAYS better

What about that is confusing to you? I guess more clearly stated, higher magnification lets you see things better in most cases, and targets that appear larger can be easier to hit.

For the last 10+ years of hunting, I have used 3 scopes. My main scope was a 2-10 power. It stayed on about 3x in the stand. I shot many of game with that set up. I won a Primary Arms 1-8 scope a few years ago, and it's now on my 308 Win. I keep my hunting scopes on about 3-4 power when hunting. You need the low magnification for those quick shots on a coyote or pig. You (generally) always have time to dial up for a more precise shot when that's needed. But it's hard to dial down when it's a rushed shot on a coyote moving through your area. And you won't be able to kill that running yote on 20+ power level in time.

It's tough to beat a 3-15 with really good glass.

O.G.

NXS 3-15X F-1, MLR, 10 Mil turret.

I will respectfully disagree a bit on this one. When I shoot my wife's rifle with the scope power set to 14 or my sons rifle set on 18 I'm very prone to notice my heart beat and the movements in the reticle that go with my heart beat. Including any body changes in my position that aren't rock solid. At lower powers it's not noticeable. I can still feel it and try to shoot between heart beats. Using anything much over 10x in the Texas summer or fall you'll find the mirage a nightmare to see through. On a cold cloudy day the higher power doesn't contend with the mirage but the reticle still bumps with the heart beat and body positioning.

I've just never seen a need for anything over 10X. I've hit a 2' steel circle at 1600 meters with my .338 Lapua mag with just 10X without any issues. Also, shooting moving targets is much easier to acquire, lead and shoot with lower magnification than higher, even at longer ranges and especially short ranges.

BTW, I'm an A&M grad. Not sure what that gets me. My wife will tell you I'm just a poor dumb educated country boy!

Mine at the moment is a premier heritage with a simple little gen2xr reticle. A touch heavy but the glass and reliability make up for it.

Obviously you didn't major in reading, because you ignored 'most cases' and 'can be'. I never said it applied in all, which is the beauty of a variable-power optic.

Your heartbeat/body is moving the rifle just as much on 10X as it is on 20X, noticing it has nothing to do with the accuracy of the shot. You know how to build a position, the rifle will be just as still regardless. And the argument could be made that noticing that movement gives you a better chance to fine-tune the shot/body position. You can watch it bounce a couple of times so that when you're ready, and it settles after the bounce, you'll be right there.

I've shot a lot in the Texas heat and almost never had much of a mirage issue until about 18X. Again, 'most cases'. I have encountered some of the mirage of which you speak and it can definitely be brutal.

Right on Richard.

I will add, the higher the glass quality, the better they can see through the mirage at high magnification. You're not going to be able to use a Vortex Diamondback at 20X going 700+ yards in heavy mirage. But a Nighforce will let you use it.

QuitShootinYoungBucks Wrote:

Your heartbeat/body is moving the rifle just as much on 10X as it is on 20X, noticing it has nothing to do with the accuracy of the shot.

Agreed. The rifle/sight picture is not moving any more or less because of magnification. For some folks...the 'perceived' increase in movement causes a 'mental state' of not being solid/in control and presents a stumbling block for them.

You know how to build a position, the rifle will be just as still regardless.

Exactly.


And the argument could be made that noticing that movement gives you a better chance to fine-tune the shot/body position. You can watch it bounce a couple of times so that when you're ready, and it settles after the bounce, you'll be right there.

Agree with this as well. Also, for aging eyes (such as mine) you can't shoot MOA if you can't see MOA. Though this will not be a problem at normal hunting ranges or for the degree of accuracy needed there.


I've shot a lot in the Texas heat and almost never had much of a mirage issue until about 18X.

Mirage is a product of heat and humidity and generally has to do more with 'Distance' than magnification (inter-related). Most of the time mirage is hardly perceptible until you get out to 600-800 yds. or so. Now when you stretch things out to a mile....yes, you might even expect it on hot days. With the right conditions you can see mirage with the naked eye.


Again, 'most cases'. I have encountered some of the mirage of which you speak and it can definitely be brutal.

No doubt, with some 'types' of mirage, it can present challenges. It can also be an 'aid'. I actually prefer to have a 'little' mirage when shooting beyond 1,000 yds. as it is a good indicator of what the wind (if present) is doing. Many times I've been able to 'wait out' the wind down range because of the change (bend in mirage). When you're just shooting a 12"x12" steel swinger @ 1K yds. its no big deal. But when you're seeing who can shoot a golf ball off the top of the target stand first, it IS.

Mirage is a whole science unto itself. There are several types of mirage and just like learning to read/dope the 'wind', it can be accounted for too. Bullet 'spin drift' and other things all come into play (at longer distances) so being able to SEE your target well can only help IMO.

For the purposes of hunting....well that's a whole new set of variables. My preference for magnification there is 'Just Enough'. I generally want the widest field of view possible and the best light gathering ability (better at lower power). Personally, I like to have about 3X magnification for every 100 yds of distance for medium to large game. More for smaller animals.

"Mirage is a product of heat and humidity and generally has to do more with 'Distance' than magnification (inter-related). Most of the time mirage is hardly perceptible until you get out to 600-800 yds. or so. Now when you stretch things out to a mile....yes, you might even expect it on hot days. With the right conditions you can see mirage with the naked eye"

I disagree with part of this. It does not have to do with distance, it relates to heat, and light. I can assure you mirage is present at only 100 yards. This time of year it gives me enough trouble that I back down magnification when I am zeroing, or a load development. Today, in fact, I had to turn magnification down for 300 yard shooting, the mirage was so thick.

Shooter position versus target position also comes into play. On the ground, shooting at something on the ground can wreak havoc to image clarity. Elevate the shooter, and things can clear up.

I also spot using mirage 12 months a year. Yes it is worse in the heat, but it is still there in cold weather. I agree, it is a helpful tool, but to a point. It helps, when I need to get a read on what the wind is doing. To do that, I take the target out of focus. Again, this technique works 12 months per year. Then, the mirage can become a problem. No matter what is done to the focus knob, the image will not clear up. Thus the use of FFP scopes. When mirage is too thick, turn down magnification until things clear up, but I still want all the magnification I can get.

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Obviously you didn't major in reading, because you ignored 'most cases' and 'can be'. I never said it applied in all, which is the beauty of a variable-power optic.

No, engineering and business! My apologies reading comprehension tends to go the older you get!

Your heartbeat/body is moving the rifle just as much on 10X as it is on 20X, noticing it has nothing to do with the accuracy of the shot. You know how to build a position, the rifle will be just as still regardless. And the argument could be made that noticing that movement gives you a better chance to fine-tune the shot/body position. You can watch it bounce a couple of times so that when you're ready, and it settles after the bounce, you'll be right there.

I've shot a lot in the Texas heat and almost never had much of a mirage issue until about 18X. Again, 'most cases'. I have encountered some of the mirage of which you speak and it can definitely be brutal.
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My M40A1 tactical rifle wore a US Optics USMC fixed 10X rifle scope(replacement for Unertl 10X). Made of steel, tough as nails and some of the best optics money can buy. At distances beyond 400 yards on a hot Texas summer day the mirage was manageable. Anything over 10x was pretty much a wash.

Mirage is a tough beast to tame. Lower magnification always seem to be the best answer.

I like a 3X18 or 4X16 variable.


I like higher magnification capabilities when I need it

Imthereason--- curious, im new to even thinking about this "high end shooting game", what would a scope like you described cost??