Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Does the 4X scope still have a place in the modern hunters lineup?

I have three, 4x scopes one mounted on a 12 Ga. slug shotgun M8 Leopold, and bolt. 308. Burris 4x. I have a weaver mico trac 4x waiting in the wings just in case. As I go up in caliber, magnification goes down. A very simple rule for me.

If they had more options for fixed 4x scopes nowadays i would definitely prefer to use those over the variable powers..i like to keep things simple

I am very fond of 4x scopes. Even with my 73 year old eyes and shaky old body I can shoot a 1" group using a 4x scope. A few months ago I was easily clanging a gong at 200 yards using a rifle with a 4x scope.

As much as I do like a simple 4x scope, you are right. A new VX2 in 2-7 is a nice trim scope, just as lightweight as a 4x and offers more flexibility, esp at the range.

I have one of those on a rifle...and I am constantly surprised...but seems like every time I have taken game with it, I look at the scope afterwards and notice I had it turned down to 2 power once again...

so "lack of magnification" didn't seem to handicap me much at all...and its not like I am Mr Eagle Eye...

I find a 2 x 7 is more useful for my needs than a 3 x 9.

IMO depends on what you're hunting and where. I like a 3-9x 40 as well as anyone. They're versatile and good for smaller targets at longer ranges in open country but I've shot my share of small game, varmints and deer & antelope out to a little over 300 paces with a 4x. For me it's always been a light weight, trouble free, set it and forget it type scope.

Got rid of my last one in 1969. Never looked back.

Hard to argue with this right here.^^^

I like low powered variables. The only time I turn them up is at the range for load testing and while trying for internet hero target pics.

If we were buying them the manufacturers would be producing them. Hunters voting with their wallets.

There's that logic thing again.

I still use fixed 3x, 4x and 6x scopes, mostly Leupold M8s. On a Savage 99 F or Husqvarna lightweight bolt an old long tube Leupold 4x28mm seems perfect to me. Anything 200 yds and under is easy money with those setups.

Vintage Leupold M8 gloss 4X (and 6X’s) are my all time favorite scopes and I have at least a dozen on various rifles. Classic scopes that to my eye look just as good on a pre64 M70 as they do on a Kimber Montana.

Never had a place in my hunting. Started out with 3x9 scopes and now most are 4x16

You would think that would be the case. So why did Leupold drop the VX2 2-7x33, probably their bread and butter scope?

I believe that most of what is offered, not only in scopes, is based more on "what we want to sell" than on "what the buying public wants".

Love the fixed power never have to think about it just point and shoot

4X16 is my favorite

I highly doubt that was their bread and butter scope.

I’ve got one on my wife’s deer hunting shotgun. I was sighing it in one day a the range, and this young guy came over and said boy the scope looks like it was blued. I said that’s cause it is. An old Weaver 4power. Still works good!