Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics When do you use less than full magnification?

There's a few reasons why I shoot a fixed 4x....

There are many reasons why I use a variable scope.

10 years ago I hunted with a Leupold 2x7.
The power ring was very hard turn.
One year I shot a number of deer average 400 yards stuck on 7X.
The next year I shot a number of deer average 400 yards stuck on 2X.

Now I use much better scopes, but I am not hunting any better.

When going to or coming from stand, mostly when boots are on the ground, I keep mine on the lowest X. When on stand, typically set at 6-7 depending on cover and expected range. Can't always make a quick adjustment when hunting close cover but typically easy to crank up the Xs when game is distant and undisturbed.

There are a few reasons why I shoot both.

Always use less than full magnification. On a 2.5-10 variable it's set on 4 usually. Now I stand hunt in Sask for big whitetails and shots are set at about 100yds. Also hunt elk here. Call move call move. You get the idea. Anyways when trophy deer hunting if a buck comes in that interests me and I don't have my binos then I will crank it up. Hope this helps.

For open country west I carry my scope set on 4X. The only time I have cranked it higher was on a lasered 337 yard shot, the longest I ever shot.

I never use full magnification on any scope but I appreciate things like clarity, field of view, reduced mirage effect, better light transmission, and tighter groups. For anything under 200 yds hunting I prefer as low as a 2 power scope and my rule of thumb that works well is add 1 for 1...........At 600 yds I use 6 power and at 1000 yds I use 10 power! IME that is the sweet spot on scope usage.

Magnification does exactly what it implies.....it magnifies mirage, parralax error, less than optimal glass or any imperfections in especially a cheaper scope

Trystain,

Post some "pictures" of "your" rifles...you "lucky" kchunt. Hint. Congratulations?!?

You Day Dreaming DUMBfhuqks are HILARIOUS,in your aspirations. Hint.

Fhuqking LAUGHING!.....................

I know your busy being a know it all dickheaf right now but I was curious as to which bushnell scope with the lit reticle you were talking up the other day. I'm thinking about getting one even though I can't afford it! Also is the turret system solid??? I'm assuming it is or you wouldn't be waisting your time. Please try to reply in English so I can understand what the phuqk your saying

Thanks

Lowest magnification unless I need more.

Mine stay at the lowest setting unles I see something far away.

I've never used anything more then a fixed 6x40 -6x 42 power for 35 + yrs from 20 yards out to 750
from the thick woods of maine to the wide open praries of eastern montana and south dakota and every type of terrain on between ,never needed more and I've never missed

???

You have to know the simple ratio determining exit pupil...

For many years I ran 3x Leupies on most rifles because there was a reasonable chance I might bump into a bear at close range and 3x was more than enough for circumstances. These days it is hard to keep track of the different rifles and unique scopes used.

A few bears (+) have died looking the wrong way through a 6x42 Leupie at a broad span of ranges. Age makes it harder to deal with what the scope gives you. These days adding a few x works better. But mostly I will run near the bottom of the scale. My 375AI is usually at 1x and moose, big bears, and bison seem to fit nicely in the FOV.

Many times I have seen people screw themselves by running scopes near the upper end of the magnification range when the huge targets and short ranges did not support the idea.