A 3-9 power(9X) seems a little low to me to be shooting at 500 yds. You're gonna need a rock solid rest anyways so you may as well be able to see what you're shooting at and be able to shoot at a spot on the target or animal rather than just shooting at it. I have a 4.5-14 on my 7 Mag and to me 14x is ok but I wouldn't feel over powered on magnification with a 6-18 either.
This is interesting to me.....I have no quarrel with someone using exactly what they want for scope power because we all get used to different things....
But the reticle of a garden variety 4X scope subtends an inch at 100 yards;even at 500 yards,if we get the steady rest(required)the reticle is subtending 5" at 500 yards,an area about the size of your fist.Since many are hard pressed to hold a MOA group under field conditions,and since the vital area of a good sized deer is about a foot square,we have,even with such absurdly low power as a 4X,enough precision to do the job nicely even at 500 yards,if we know what we are doing.
Not suggesting that more power may not be helpful at times,but the notion that you are holding with great precision at 500 yards with a 14X,but sorta only shooting "at them" at 9X stikes me as a bit simplistic.I would respectfully suggest that if you miss at 500 yards with a 9X,best take a hard look in the mirror for the reason.....
