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.

Depends on the usage.

My "woods" rifles have LPVOs:

Rem M7 350RM 1.25-4X Swaro
Rem 7600 358Win 1.5-5 Leupold

My midrange rifles wear a couple of Leupold 2.5-8x36s.

My 3Gun rig wears a 1-6X

Similar here. I really like those 2-7Xs. The 1-4Xs are nice, do well in the dark w/lit reticles but I wouldn't mind a little more top end.

I generally keep the magnification on the lowest setting in case I have to get off a quick or close shot, and crank up the magnification to the max setting when I have the time to spare (longer shots) so that it's easier to evaluate antlers and pick clear lanes through the brush. Used 3-9X for many years, but I like the 2-7X better.

Most of my hunting is in thick woods so the range is usually right under the tree. Early season I hunt with a T/C carbine with an 18" .357 Max barrel. It wore a 2.5 compact for years, then I put a Sightron 1.75-5. After the leaves fall I put a 30-30 barrel on. That barrel had a 4x till about ten years ago when I put a 2.5-8 on it.

I finished setting up my .22 mag AR last night. It has a Bushnell Elite 4500 1-4, a 1000 lumen Streamlight, and a little green CT laser and I’m planning on some night predator hunting when that season comes in. I took it out on the deck last night and adjusted the laser to match the scope reticle and both were easily visible in the beam of the streamlight. That’s a nice little scope and would be a good one for Eastern woodlands deer hunting too. It’s a 30mm, so a bit heavier than some others in its range.

With one exception that I can remember, all my deer have been killed with fixed LP scopes or variable set on the low end. For the most part my variables are used as 3&9, 1&6, 3&15, etc, rather than someplace in the middle.

I used nothing but 1-4X and 1.5-5X scopes on everything but varmints until they eyes got to be 60+ years old...now its 3x9s

Fixed 6 covers everything. Not sure why I have a bunch of variables now, but 6x worked fine for me for years.

i do have a 22 K-Hornet with a 1-6 x24 Burris with illumination i kill critters with and my 35 Whelen has a 1-6 x24 Burris with illumination i plan to use this rifle for bear hunting next year 2024.

No one has written about the advantage of those lower power scopes having a huge exit pupil diameter and much larger FOV. I wish that I was young enough and stealthy enough to go still hunting with my 99 with a 1.5-5x20 Leupold Heavy Duplex because that rifle and scope points so naturally with the full fov through that scope even with a less than perfect cheek weld. I do like the higher power 4.5-14x40 on my varmint rifle, but the eye position behind that scope needs to be way more precise.

In stand deer hunting there is usually time to turn up a variable, so most of the time my scopes are in that 2.5-3x range. With a self imposed 6x maximum on my woods hunting stand rifle, it is enough without it being too much. As a kid I remember borrowing a Pre-64 .300 WM (Should have bought that one) with a 3-9x42 scope and I was looking at some does with the scope dialed up to 9x trying to make antlers on one of them. Then when an 8 point showed up, that 9x was too much and all I saw in the scope was brown fur when he ran. A larger FOV matters and a 1.5-6x42 has been ideal ever since.

Most of my hunting scopes are 2-7s and 2.5-8s. I have one 760 30-06 with a 1.5-5.

Have used straight 4X Leupold’s almost exclusively for the last 60 years. Never cared for the look of a variable scope on a rifle and I read everything Jack O’Connor wrote.

I only have one, a (discontinued) Leupold 1.75-6X on a Ruger-made Marlin .45-70 SBL.

I believe your problem is not your scope, it's your stock fit. With a stock that fits you correctly it won't matter, anything from about 6x down, and sometimes 8x down, will line up on target. The only issue you'll have is if the critter is so close that it fills the sight picture completely and you can't figure out which part you're aiming into. Otherwise, it is a stock fit problem. Most people misunderstand those and try to fix them by changing scopes. That's like trimming your fingernails 'cause your belt is too tight.

For close shots I never had a problem with 2-7x.

I'm a user of Leupold 1.5-5's on primary deer rifles for nigh onto 40 years now (those that didn't employ aperture rear sights that is). Mind you my hunting has been in the eastern mountains/woodlands where high magnification heavy scopes would've been as much a hindrance as a help. Come to think of it that model scope served me equally well a couple times in Wyoming too.

Varmint rifles and target rifles are another story though.

My primary woods deer rifle has long worn a Leupold 1-4x20. It's never not been enough.

I have more low powered scopes than any others. I do have some 2.5x8, 3x9, 3.5x10 etc. There are very few places I hunt that offer 300+ yard shots. I cannot stand carrying a rifle with something like a big 20+ power scope with a 50 mm+ objective. Longest shot I ever took was 342 lazered yards on an elk. The 2.5x8 handled that shot just fine.

I have four 4x scopes and one 3x. My variables get set on 4x when hunting.

My rule is that no matter if I'm hunting woods or open country, using a 2-10 or a 5-25 scope, if the rifle is not mounted the scope will be turned to its lowest power, every time. If a close up shot is presented, shouldering, seeing & shooting will be as natural as shooting a shotgun. Provided the rifle fits & the ocular distance to eye is correct. Shouldering practice helps.

No time to turn down the power setting at 20 yards so keep it at minimum. Plenty of time to turn up the power at longer range, or should be. If not enough time, the shot probably shouldn't be made .

Great discussion and info. I have 3 rifles with 2-7x scopes and those are great. I have one rifle with a 1-4x Vortex. Its a CVA Scout in 350 legend. I normally wouldn’t use the Vortex, but it just fit that rifle well. It shoots realy close to 1 moa at 100 yards with it and I love how handy it is to just throw up and get a good sight picture. I put a 1-4 Leupod on my son’s 77/357 but he thought it wasn’t enough, so I changed it to a 3-9x that he likes.

I’ve had and used 3-9x, 2-10x, 4-12x, 4-15x, 1-4x, and 2-7x. I’ve always liked the 2-7 or 1-4 the best. My first deer rifle had a 3-9x and I never used more than 4. Longest shot with it was just at 200 yards. The only time I’ve ever turned by scopes all the way up is when shooting paper.

I’ve set up and shot a lot of rifles. setting up the scope isn’t the issue. I like the eye relief and field of view you get with a lower power.

I’ll go ahead and call myself out here. I forgot that I asked almost this same question here in February. I thought it was on another forum. Apologize for the repeat.

Very first big game rifle I bought, in 1975, was a Ruger M77R. I mounted a 3-9x on it. Next was a Browning BLR .308, in 1978, and I mounted a Bushnell Banner 1.75-4.5x on it, and I've killed deer from 5 ft to around 400yds with that setup. Most of my big game rifles wear 1-4x, 1-5x, 1.75-6x, or 2-7x scopes. I've got a few that have 3-9x, 2.5-10x, or 3.5-10x scopes, none over 10x on top end, IIRC. Of my two longest shots on deer: one was made with a Nikon Pro-Staff 3-9X at 728 yds, laser measured, and the other, just short of 600 yds with a 1.75-6x Leupold with the heavy duplex. I don't own a scope that I twirl the knobs on, but several have some variety of drop compensating reticle.

The Meopta Meostar 1.75-10X has been a winner for me for the reasons others have shared….bright, good FOV, versatile. Also have a 1.5-6 x 32 Burris Signature that’s been great on a boat paddle 7mm RM.

My most powerful zoom scope starts off at 3x. It's a Schmidt & Bender 3-12x42 Klassik mounted on a Ruger No. 1A in 6.5x55 SE. The rest of my zooms are shorter than that mainly because I hunt in the southern woods and the majority of my shots are under 200 meters. I prefer not having too powerful a scope simply because it's easier to put the crosshairs on the deer or hog with a lower powered scope & the accuracy is more than adequate for the ranges I'm shooting at. Some of my favorites are:

Schmidt & Bender 1.5-8x42 Stratos
Swarovski z6 1.7-10x42
Swarovski z5 2.4-12x50
Nikon Monarch 1.5-6x42
Redfield Revolution 2-7x33
Leupold 3x20 Big Bore
Leupold FX-3 6x42

The only scope I have that has a longer minimum value is a Meopta R2 8x56 RD.

This is a good point. Poor technique can give pretty much the same result. A lot of people bring the scope up to their eye, then look around for the target in the scope. Instead, you should be able to look at the target then bring the rifle up to your eye and find the crosshairs superimposed on the target. A few rounds of dry fire will help you understand which method you're using.


Okie John

Most of my hunting these days is done with a 308 Win that wears a Nikon 4X. It seems to work well. My 375 H&H wears a 1.5x6 Bausch & Lomb and it has been to Africa 5 times. My 9.3x62 wears an old 6X Burris. I don't need high magnification on a hunting rifle. I have good binos and a spotting scope for the long distance stuff. My scopes are for after I have closed the distance to shoot.

I think I have (3) 1-4 Leupolds, 2 of which have coarse crosswires and adjusted for zero parallax at 75 yards. Both my No 1 Rugers (a .308 1B and a 7X57 1A) have 1 1/2- 5 Leupolds. My 700 XCR/CTR .223 has a 1.75 - 6 Leupold. I recently put a Burris LPVO 1-6 on one of my AR's. The rest of my hunting rifles tend to have 2 1/2 - 8's with a few 3 - 9's thrown in the mix.

As mentioned above, having a rifle that fits and handles well and having the scope mounted correctly relative to your size and shape and the eye relief of the scope is the biggest part of the equation. For fast shooting at close range I would prefer a quality vixed 6X set up properly over a lower power scope of lesser quality set up wrong for me.

At least where I reside (east coast) multi hundred yard shots do not exist and as others have said sub 100 yard shots are more common. Thus, a smaller scope is the logical choice. When I see someone who has a huge "tactical" scope on his hunting rifle I would guess they are pretty new to the game and will go home empty handed more often than not.

I hunt the northeast, so close cover. Big fan of 2x-7x on my deer rifles. I mounted a Nikon Monarch 3x-12x on my Ruger M77 .35 whelen when I hunted in Colorado 15 years ago, I've been meaning to put a 2x-7x back on it. I run 2x-7x Burris scout scopes on my .308 Ruger Scout, .223 Ruger Scout and my Springfield M1A scout. I have two rifles in the safe that I need to get back in action, the first is my Uncle's Marlin /Glenfield .35 Rem and my Father in-law's Rem 660 .308 Win that's had the stock hacked on and is missing the rear sight. The .35 Rem is probably getting a LPVO 1x-6x. The 660 I'm thinking of having rebored to .358 Win., and done up in Scout configuration, and it'll get a Burris 2x-7x Scout scope. I realy like the Scout setup for deer hunting.

I like to use and the looks of a straight tube scope.

But keeping snow outta the front objective is harder for me than a objective with a bell.

My rule of thumb is if I am going to be shooting off my hind legs I use a 4x, if I am walking and using a rest it is a 10x-ish. If I have my arse firmly planted in a vehicle and under a spotlight it is a 24x.

I have had enough of the later, now it is the first and second.

Ran into a hunter in the WMA parking lot a week ago that had a big tactical scope on his 6.5 AR 10. He’d been unable to pick up the deer he saw in time. That scope was a 5-25 I think, borrowed from his PRS rifle. He was all kitted out in web gear, including a can of bear spray under his bino case. Nice guy, and an experienced shooter, just following the current thinking on hunting gear. There was another just like him across the lot but with a .458 SOCOM carbine, a more practical choice IMO than that big AR 10.

Just looking at their combat loads made my back hurt though….

For those of you who are hunting with scopes that start at 1 or 2X how many of you kills come at that magnification level?

Most.

I did crank up the 1-6 Credo on my Grendel last season to get a better view of the doe I shot. She was in a bunch of scrubby pawpaws.

That one btw, is a great scope.

Back in the early 70's a 2-7 was the way to go....in the late 80's a 3-9.....now the sky is the limit and all the crazy crosshairs.....
For big game my maximum is a 3-9 but in close to 60 years of hunting only one time I've shoot over 600 yards and that time a 2-7 worked just fine....

I live out west and mainly hunt coyotes, some years I hunt up to five different states. I'd say that 80% of my kills are on the lowest power of the scope I'm using be it 1x, 1.5x or 2x. I find FOV trumps X's most of the time when calling coyotes.

NM


WA


AZ


NV (Burris 4X 1.5-6x4?) Testing a 22 Mag



Having grown up in MN and WI all my deer hunting was in the northern forests where all my hunting was either still hunting or tracking, again FOV trumped X's. Fast target acquisition is king.

Nice WI public land buck 25-204 100gr Partition Weaver V-3

The number of kills I have at low magnification can probably be counted on one hand. Most of mine have been at moderate magnification from 3x~6x. I always like the option of the lower magnification levels when I'm moving through the woods but I've had very few opportunities for an unexpected shot where quick target acquisition was paramount. Most of the time I'm stationary with a field, clearing or shooting lane visible & the magnification gets moved up a few notches. The two scopes I have that top out at 12x were both acquired because of a great price & not an actual need for that much power.

While we hunt different places, I’m of the same opinion on coyote hunting: they’re almost always moving and about half the time, there’s more than one. They often move cover to cover, and FOV, eyebox, and speed are far more important than hitting a dot at 300. The same often proves true on deer/hogs around here as well: it’s not that you have to shoot fast movers all the time that makes LPVs the ticket, it’s the speed with which you may have to execute a shot opportunity in a given window or bad position. LPV (or fixed power) optical properties of eye relief, eye box, FOV, and depth of field make mounting and shot execution smoother….to me. JMO

A pretty good bunch of them, but I also like hunting with open sights so maybe I'm demented......

I would say around half. If I’m still-hunting in the woods most of them. I generally only have a short time to take the shot or lose it and I’m generally close enough to see that it’s a deer I want. From elevated stands, here in the Low Country, not as many because I often have time and sometimes need to crank up the x’s to be sure I’m looking at a doe and not a spine or button buck. The best three bucks I’ve killed last year and this were shot down on low power, from elevated stands because, as is sometimes the case, they showed up close and unexpectedly and were obviously hot on a doe’s track and I had only a couple of seconds to make the shot.

I use a variety of scopes, but also a few low-magnification variables, like the 1-4x Leupold on this drilling. Had it set on 4x when taking this pronghorn at around 250 yards, but could have easily gone to 300+ after practicing on the full-size painted pronghorn gong on the local range.

The gun is something erich might use, a Sauer drilling 16x16x6.5x57R, a cartridge that produces the same basic ballistics as the 6.5 Man-Bun. The handload used the 129-grain Nosler AccuBond Long Range, which groups five into less than an inch at 100 yards.

I like low-power variables on drillings for the same reasons erich does, but also because if I keep it on 1x while hunting big game it also works very well on any gamebirds accidentally flushed in 16-gauge range.

I ran into a guy kitted out like a Spetznaz trooper during late deer season this year. His rifle had a prone stock, an adjustable cheekpiece, a big ol' detachable magazine, a huge scope, and a bipod that made it look like an M-249 SAW from a distance. He was wearing close to $1k worth of designer camo and had a big rucksack with a tripod lashed onto it.

I have no idea whether he scored but there are a couple of spots on that property where his rig might have been put to good use.

I wish him the best either way.


Okie John

I avoid variables if I can. I mostly have 4x and 6x scopes. i have a few higher power scopes (including variables) on varmint rifles though.

A few weeks ago I shot a 5X5 bull elk at 30 yards with a 3-10x scope as it trotted by me. It was an easy shot with the scope set to 4x.

I've used a 1-6x scope in Africa on my .375 H&H and it worked great on a variety of game in thorn brush country.

But most of the areas I hunt in are fairly open, so I generally use a 3-9x or 2-10x/3-10x scope. I can still make very close shots at 2x or 3x without a problem. I generally keep my scopes on a lower power depending on the terrain and turn them up if I have a long shot.

I have two Leupold 2.5-8 x 36 scopes on different rifles and they are very handy. They have long eye relief, and when turned down can focus in very close brush, when turned up I can see bullet holes in 100 yard targets. Personally do not need other low power combinations.

I came to a similar conclusion, but it depends on the rifle.
I have a 2.5x20 on a model 600 in .308w that gets used a lot as a backup when hunting with my son, and when scouting. It's good enough for me to make good hits to 300 yards +/- so far.
My Roberts has a 2-7x that seems perfect, as does my old '06. My .338wm sports a 2.5-10x 50mm that has been great for elk as close as 15 yards.
On rifles I use out in the open I don't mind a higher magnification on the bottom end but it definitely causes some loss of FOV.

Well I’m convinced I would like these LPVOs better. I’m going to be getting some and switching out some of the scopes I have.

MD, the one shown with the coyote is a 16ga/16ga/6.5x58R Sauer & Son it is one of my favorites when the brush gets really thick. Much like a 25-35, in fact it does shoot .257 bullets quite well but I size 264s down to .260 it's groove diameter

I have both fixed 6X and variable scopes. ALL of the variables are set on 6X and never move. 6X gets everything done for me.

Also tend to do that a lot. In fact have killed running animals at 10-20 yards with 6x--and also killed one of my two biggest caribou at 450 with a 1.5-6x set on 6x.

Nothing larger than 1-6 these days.

All of my shots are close in. I never get a shot over about 75 yards. Often much less. So, higher magnification is more burden than help. I can always turn a low powered scope up if I need to zoom in more. But I can't turn down a high powered to less than it's rated at if I need to.

I don't have the luxury of shooting in big fields or plains. All of my hunting is in the mountains and rough terrain and a lot of undergrowth.

I'm sure there will be many that are able to shoot longer distances. For them, I understand the attraction to higher magnification. But for me and where and how I hunt? Nope.

I use a 2.5, 1.1-5, 1.5-6, and several 1-6 or 8 LPVO's (coyotes mainly). I use more fixed 6x scopes than any other. In most cases, when using a variable and I'm not moving, I set it on 6x...in woods or open areas. When not moving, I don't care for less than 4x in woods as it helps when picking shooting lanes. I don't care for more than 6x in woods as it seems to tight. 6x is just Goldilocks for me.

1-5 PST Gen 2 on my ar-15. Love it

A scope with a true 1x, not 1.1 or 1.5 really becomes a game changer. I put a Leupold VX6 1-6 x 24 on a .375 H&H and on the 1x, it's akin to shooting open sights with both eyes open, especially with the illumination turned on. I've also put Trijicon 1-6 x 24 on my AR-308 and AR-15.

I'm really starting to like the 1-6 x 24 scopes. I'm starting to consider putting one on my primary TX whitetail and pig bolt action rig. All my shots are under 225 yds, especially when I'm hunting pigs at feeders or in the brush.

I like the idea of a 1-5 or 1-6, but I’ve never had trouble with a 3 or 4x low end scope on a rifle that fit me.

I’ve killed probably 200-300 hogs and 100+ deer with a 3-9x40 and a 4-16x42. The vast majority of those were shot at 6x.

The only time I’ve found 3 or 4x to be a bit much on the low end is calling coons and trailing wounded deer.

Many hundreds. This site singularly has the most posters who don't seem to understand FFP vs SFP.
I go on dozens of driven hunts across the continent annually, and my preferred optic (despite "WILD BOAR FEVER") is a low powered S&B Flash Dot. Dialed down to 1.5 or so it is superior to a dot site and dialed up is a superlative stalking scope. How do you top that?

With a 1-4 Triji Accupoint.

Pretty much exclusively ALL kills under 3x as who has time to crank up when you are carrying a 3- 9 X

I’d be interested in hearing your thoughts on pros and cons of each.

I hunt a variety , 1-4’, 1-6’s , 4-12’s , 6.5-20’s
When hunting I turn em down to lower settings and crank em uo for testing loads .
But the. Back them down to what I’m going to hunt with to make sure POI didn’t change if it’s a new scope I’m not sure about
I like the 3-9’s and up with AO or SF for focusing ,
Have been hunting with non AO or SF scopes and couldn’t find the deer standing in the brush that I saw in binoculars .
Kenneth

I have some 4x and 6x,but really enjoy upper magnification on a 3-9 for target and zeroing.Then they’re set back at 5x for hunting…

same ,when hunting usually set at lowest power

I enjoy using vintage weaver fixed 4x power scopes on older rifles. Haven't had problems with shots out to 300 yards with them. Even with the low power, I was used to seeing 1-1.5" groups at the range frequently.

Here's a couple examples of usage.

Pre 64 FWT 243 Win.

I dunno, it's nice, I just grabbed my second one, sold a green triangle long ago, this time German #4 green dot to compare to the trijicon accupoint 1-6 German and leupold vx5hd 1-5 firedot cds....and while it's nice, its the trimmest of the 3 in dimensions and weight, close to the leupold but bit shorter, bit less bulky turrets/eyebox, the 1-6 trijicon is the tank of the 3. But when all 3 of them are on 1x the fov isn't comparable to the 1-5 and 1-6, its much larger with those, also the eye box on the 1-4 has much thicker black ring. The heavy bars are heavier and a little closer into the center than the 1-6 and the center section and dot are a little heavier also .9 moa vs .6 moa sort of thing and the glass is sharp and bright like trijicon and a very useable scope and for the price bracket a top choice but they 1-5 and 1-6 are in a completely different league imo and their price bracket reflects that.

I was expecting to love the 1-6 trijicon over the leupold more than I do, I have made pros and cons lists and have come to the realization that they pretty much wash each other out. If the leupold proves to track, rtz, and hold zero its one heckuva scope, amazing glass, eye box and the fire dot reticle highly intuitive.

I'd say 30% of the deer I've killed were with the scope set at 2x.

I like the 1-4 Triji better than my 1-4 Leupolds, which I prefer over the 1.5-5 Leupold. While there might be more to gain by going to the 1-6, I’d also gain size/weight over the 1-4s. I might throw a 1-6 on my 9.3x62 build, but I general find most Xs past 4-5 are waisted for me on a straight tube scope….early and late. The conquest 1.8-5.5 beats a lot of stuff on features/capability, but it is big and heavy for what it is….even so, I like the heck out of it for woods deer/hogs. I shoot most stuff without ever coming off 1x. I have cranked up for some long shots though. It’s all subjective preference, but I never liked fixed 4x or 6x stuff. Neither has ever been ‘better’ than an equal quality LPV for me….that’s me. I’m fine with 2-7/3-9/2-10, etc on stuff. Never needed to own more. I had stuff with more Xs to use when if I needed them elsewhere, but not hunting.

Learn to mount the gun correctly. Both eyes on the target, move the gun into your field of view. On 12X you would be on the deer even.

That said I see nothing much wrong with low power. Though in thick stuff I actually like a bit more so I can see where the vines etc... are that have screwed me a few times running red dots....

1-4 Nikon about 5 years old... it was purported to hold up to mag power. It sits on my brown bear guide gun. 458 win mag. So far so good.

As a general scope, I like 2-7s the best. I recently put a Leupold 1-4 heavy duplex on a 45 Colt lever gun. Opening weekend I used it to take a doe at 80 yards at last legal light. The scope was on 2x power and I had no problem putting the crosshair on the deer and dropping it. I will use more of these type scopes in the future.

Typically, my higher power range scopes are set on 5-6x and left there.

^^^those little 1-4s are highly underrated. I have one with the heavy duplex and one with a German #1. They work and are way small/light.

My Kimber with a Leica Amplus 1-6x24. Like low powered scopes for hunting in woods. Try to shoot with both eyes open on 1x magnification

1.5-5 or 2-7 here.

I like the lower magnifying scopes on my hunting revolvers. Its a good balance between additional challenge of handgun hunting and optical assistance.