Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics hunting rifle scope magnification selection "formula"...over-scoping ?

You wish to select a hunting rifle scope's magnification for your needs.

"A" = max distance in yards we will take a shot at the intended quarry, with the SCOPE

"B" = max distance in yards we will take a shot at the intended quarry, with IRON SIGHTS (or peep sight)

"A" divided by "B" = "X" scope magnification

Examples:
A = 400 yards
B = 100 yards
X = 4x

example 2:
A = 600 yards
B = 100 yards
X = 6x
(c'mon, how many hunters actually shoot that far?)

Then ask yourself , "What is the TYPICAL yardage the intended quarry is taken? (" T " ). I'm guessing "T" is about 50% of "A" ( max distance in yards), which means scope magnification can be 5O% of "X" (magnification) .

Point to ponder: Are we "over-scoping" our hunting rifles (more magnification than needed)?
Scopes in the 2.5x to 4x power range (upper end 6x), don't really give up much and appear to be able to meet 90%(?), 95%(?), 99+%(?) of our hunting needs?

I believe Wayne van Zwoll wrote an article (Guns Digest? Shooters Bible?) which included this concept. I seem to remember him stating that he (sic) did not feel handicapped hunting big game with a 2.5, 3x, or 4x scope. I agree with him.

What's my point? Nothing more than responding to the many threads I've read about variable hunting scopes with 6x zooms to magnification of 14 to 18++ . Not saying it's "wrong," just trying to justify the fixed 4x scope on my 30-06. I think I'll stick with it.

Are we over-scoping ourselves? What is your "A", "B" , "X" and "T". values?