I have low power variable scopes on woods guns and DGRs ranging from a Weaver V3 1-3x20 on a Marlin 336 to a Leupold Vari-X-II 2-7x33 on a 20" 30-06. I've taken more game with the ancient 2-7x33, but my favorite scopes are a VXIII 1.5-5 on a 375 H&H Mauser action and a B&L Elite 3000 1.5-4.5x32 on a 35 Whelen bolt gun.
Those compact little scopes are hard to beat for FOV and eye relief. They also steady my shaky hold at long range and give me crisp focus at close range. Therapeutically that limits my flinching in anticipation of a brow bender from the heavy hitters and keeps my supply of band-aids topped off rather than pasted to my forehead. They are almost as good as open sights at close range and are generally better than high power variables out to 300 yds. Where they fail is in observing detail for trophy animals and verifying the sex of animals like goats, bison, and bear.
