I grew up reading the OLD outdoor writers - Keith, O'Connor, Townsend, Trueblood and others - and in much of their writing, a sporterized 30-06 with a Lyman Alaskan 2 1/2X or a Weaver K4 scope was THE hot setup.
That's because the variables of that era were not reliable as most (better ones) are today.
If they'd had what we've had for the last 20-30 years, they'd have used them...........at least a good number of them would have.
Is there any hunting situation where the 4X reigns supreme?
In my opinion, no.............if using something like a 45-70, then I'd just as soon have a 2 1/2x & that's exactly what rode mine for most of the time when it was getting a lot of use.
If I want a fixed power scope for needs more than the 2 1/2x will satisfy, then I will choose a 6x; 90% of my hunting with anything else is, & has been done, with a 2x7 or a 2 1/2-8, & more recently, 3-10's................varmint rifles, excluded, which get more magnification.
Anyone that really thinks they can be more precise with low mags than higher mags at yardages exceeding 100, is either a very superior shooter with amazing eyes, has never shot higher mag scopes or is just BS'ing.....................largely weighted to the latter two.
JMHO, JMMV
MM
