Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics who uses lower powered scopes? (1-4x, 1-6x)

How many of you use a 1-4x or 1-6x scope or something like it regularly? I think I generally have too much scope. Reason being, is I get quite a few closer shots. Had a close on last week on a walking deer and with the 4-12x, I struggled finding the deer in the scope. I’d like to hear from those that like these scopes and why. Thanks.

1st it depends on the brand of scope you use ? what is it ? my Nightforce scopes work fine for me at 8 -10 power but i have a 56 objective , do you know how set-up a good scope on your rifle ? a cheap rifle with an expensive scope is way better than a expensive rifle with a cheap scope and mnts.

1-4s have become my primary big game scopes in the last few years. I’m mostly a woods hunter and they work great, with minimal weight and bulk. I’m not missing out on anything with 4x magnification on the top end. I like the older Leupold VX 2s and the Trijicon Accupoint.

I use 2-7x on my Ohio deer rifles, both the 350 legend and the 45-70. A 100 yard shot where I hunt is extremely rare.

I’m in southern Indiana. Most of my deer hunting is in the woods and always has been. Ninety percent of my shots over the years have been sixty yards or less.
That being said, I have two primary deer rifles; a 44 magnum H&R Handi-rifle and a sporterized 1891 Argentine Mauser in 7.65X53.
The H&R wears a Leupold VX-II in 2X7. The Argentine has a Leupold M8 in 3x.
Both scopes do really well in the woods and I won’t be changing them out anytime soon if ever. They just work really well for the ranges I shoot.
My Knight In-line wears an M8-4X.
I have higher powered scopes on my varmint rifles but I favor the lower power scopes myself.
I think you would be happy with a 1-4X.

The 6x36 Leupold, especially with the LRD, is my all time favorite scope for hunting rifles. I have them mounted on about everything from a 243 to a 375 H&H.

I hunt where distances range from underneath my stand to 350 yards and have quite often shot deer out to 250 yards while on 6X.

I have Leupold 1.5-5x20s and 2-7x33s on a number of different rifle and they have worked fine for many years. Back when Leupold would change reticles for a reasonable fee, I had heavy duplex reticles installed on several 2-7x33 VX2s to use on short to medium range hunting rifles.

Some of my friends in northern New England who still-hunt or track favor old Weaver K1.5s and Bushnell Scopechief 1.5-4.5x20s with post and crosshair reticles on their Remington pump guns for the close shots that are common in their style of hunting.

1.5-5x on my primary deer rifle. All my other hunting rifles have maximum 3-9x scopes. Never set them above 6x that I can remember when actually killing.

my wet tamarack swamp is thick but i have cut and cleared 200-300 yard 25 ft wide lanes in this swamp , i am only hunting for a bigger buck so i need more power in my scope like 8-10 x to see what size horns that buck has , i pass on plenty deer and small bucks . i use a single shot Ruger #1 you generally will only get one shot .i don`t get a bigger buck every year. Pete53

I shoot with at least five straight tube 1-4 thru 1.5-5 on my coyote rifles. Three 1.5-6x40ish and three 2-12 on coyote rifles, all of them will get me to 300 on those long ones that hang up but most are under 100 with far more under 20 than over 200. Yes I do use shotguns in combo guns, drillings and a pump, even it wears a 1-4.

I have three big game rifles and they wear a 1-4, 1.5-5 and a 1.5-4.5.

This year I used a Nikon 1x4 Monarch African shots 100 yards or less. No need for more power. I used that one cause it was lighter and handier and pretty fair glass, I am switching back to a Swaro 1x6 not for the higher power but better glass.

I use 1.1-4x24, 1-5x24, and 1-6x24 types frequently. I also have some 1-8x24's. The 1-8's mainly because this scope was not offered in 1-6. These are predominantly 30mm straight tubed scopes.

I like the normally shorter lengths of the straight tubes. The upper power ranges are more than adequate for my hunting distances. The wide to very wide field of views, 70 to in excess of 100', I appreciate when the shot potential is in the 25 yard and under range. The mid to upper end 24mm objective scopes usually give me ample light transmission and magnification in the terrain and environmental conditions that I hunt in.

I do have larger objective scopes in the 1.5-6, 1.5-8, 1.6-8, 1.7-10. The field of view on these are 60 something to upper 70's. To me these have some advantage in the darker conditions while still having ample fov. They are a bit longer and bulkier with the increased objectives.

Mainly straight 6x scopes here. A couple 2.5x and one 4x. One 1-4 variable on a .375 H&H.

I can count on one hand the number of times I wish I had more magnification and have never absolutely needed more. I do have a 10x on one rifle but constantly tell myself to ditch it for a 6x. I just haven't done it yet.

I hunted with 2.5x and 4x scopes for years. In that time, I never wanted LESS power and only twice did I want more.

The first was a pan-sized hog that I shot at about 10:00 PM with a Nightforce 3-10 SHV set at 5x. The second was a smallish black bear that I killed at 353 yards with the same scope set at 10x. Those are the only two shots I can think of where a 2.5x or 4x would NOT have worked as well as anything else.


Okie John

I use a 1.75-6 Leupold on my 416. Has worked perfectly for 3 safaris.

I have quite a few 1-4x, 1.5-5x, etc. scopes on various rifles, but they aren't the rifles I hunt with regularly.

That doesn’t surprise me.
I have never owned one of those but have often thought that would have to be about the perfect scope for about any situation one might encounter.

First scope I owned was a 1 3/4 x 5. When I had young good eyes and my longest shot was 100 yards in the woods I thought it was perfect. I did a lot of walking and hunting then and shot at running deer.

All my scopes are 1.5-5X or 2-7X except one fixed 6X on a 22 Hornet. The variables are set at lowest power about 95% of the time. Never wanted for more magnification.