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

I'm just a backyard deer hunter, so even an old M8 works during any legal light.
Am set and forget too.
Hell its hard to find a place to rip a groundhog to 300 around here anymore.
Really don't need anything fancy on any rig.

Will say that a 1 or 2X I do like better on movers close.
I suppose if I get a Sav 99 featherweight in .300 Sav I might slap a 2.5X or 3X on it.

Same here. A 30-40 yard shot is a long one.

Looks like my current deer spot

My old place had a mature oak woods w some roll, I blasted stuff out to 150 there, scoped and irons.
The fields were CRP and longest was still under 200.

4x on a Knight Wolverine was cheatin LOL
I felt bad after blasting a few and went back to sidehammer and irons.

Now I'm too cranky to mess w BP and too blind to run irons.

Yes if your 18, no if your 60.

Astigmatism has pretty much chased me out of the iron sight business. A low power scope is the bomb.

kwg

No the 4x is a dinosaur on a serious hunting rifle. A simple 3-9 has way more utility & for under $200 lifetime warranty. Even the close up hunters might want extra magnification to determine fork/spike/doe on small antlers.

Once a year trip to more open country doesn’t require a scope change, Eve sighting in is simpler & better with the variable.

Kids 22 is the only real use based on simplicity.

LOL ...... I didn't realize that when I've used them in the past, I wasn't using a serious hunting rifle.

Same here, I have a couple very serious hunting rifles that wear 4x scopes. I have never been in a situation where I felt the 4x lacking, having made several successful shots around 400 yards with them. Part of this, for me, is simply an unwillingness to take more risk of longer range shots at game. This is about hunting, and if it’s much beyond 400 yards, I get closer or don’t shoot. Even then, while more magnification might be comfortable, it’s not critical.

[quote=GF1]Same here, I have a couple very serious hunting rifles that wear 4x scopes. I have never been in a situation where I felt the 4x lacking, having made several successful shots around 400 yards with them. Part of this, for me, is simply an unwillingness to take more risk of longer range shots at game. This is about hunting, and if it’s yards, I get closer or don’t shoot. Even then, while more magnification might be comfortable, it’s not critical. [/quot

At sensible, ethical hunting ranges the 4X is still a very viable scope. In fact, I'm now thinking having a max of 4X, maybe a 6X, would limit people from attempting ridiculous, unethically long shots when they don't have the experience or the equipment to pull it off. Even if I have those things necessary to make such shots I still limit my maximum shot range to no more than 500 and usually 350-400 yards, until they come up with the technology where you're scope will read the wind speed and direction at target. At those ranges a 4X in the hands of a rifleman with decent eyes can pull that off.

I just acquired yet another fixed four power this weekend. I picked up a rifle I had on layaway at the local pawn shop. When I put the rifle on layaway I didn't know what the brand of scope was or care because so many have cheapo scopes their owners slap on them before pawning just to see if it will increase the value given by the pawn shop. Many pawn shops don't seem to know the difference in a bubble wrapped Simmons from Wally World and a Schmidt Und Bender. Anyway, when I picked it up and took it home upon closer inspection I realized it was Bausch and Lomb Balfor B, which is a fixed 4X 32 MM and a very clear and solid scope made in the 90s in Japan. Most all scopes made in Japan back then were of quality. Anyway, I'm very happy with the acquisition and will leave it in place until I do something with the gun which could be a couple years. I'm looking forward to taking a hog or deer with it. Then, depending on what I do with this Remington 721, I'll decide whether to put a higher power or variable scope on it and maybe move this fine 4X to a lever gun.

One good thing about those old M8s is that given their extra length they fit better on some longer actions. Many current scopes are quite short and depending on ring spacing they may not fit well. That #1 is a good example of this.


Here's a (shoulda kept) FN-98 in factory chambered 300H&H that is topped with a M8.

The M8 4x that came on my ‘66 Savage 99 .308 sure has a place. Traded for this rifle a couple years ago. Never used a fixed power before. Was a little concerned about it til I got it out in the woods. Yeah, that M8 is staying on it. And if it crapped the bed on me, I might even hit the used market to replace it with another. If 4X is too much, you gotta love those Weaver tip-off mounts! Never had one of those either. To my amazement, it does indeed hold zero. I’m under fifty years old.

Czech10/22: No.
I can foresee NO Rifle or Hunting situation where I want to "limit" myself to a fixed 4 power scope on said Rifles or said Hunts and haven't for MANY decades!
I am NOT saying a straight 4 power scope can't do some things - I am saying there are so many scope options out there that will perform so much better in virtually any instance I have ever had, in 60+ years now of Varmint and Big Game Hunting.
Technology and reliability of variable power scopes have rendered the straight 4 power scope at worst "obsolete" and at best a "third rate" option.
First scope on my first scoped Hunting Rifle was a 4 power - that was well over half a century ago - haven't shopped for a "straight 4 power scope" for one of my Rifles/uses in the last 40+ years.
Ones monies can be MUCH better spent/invested in other options rather than a straight 4 power scope.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I have 1 fx-i rimfire, 2 fx-ii 4x33 and 3fx-ii 6x36.
They are the only scopes I have and I don't plan on getting anything else.
I have the 4x's mounted to a Ruger M77/22, a M77/22wmr and a M77/44.
I have 1 6x36 on a Hawkeye in 308win.
The other 2 6x36 are spares for now.
They are my preference because of their compact size, and the 4 and 6 power magnifications work good for me.
I was saddened to here that Leupold has discontinued the 4x33.

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.



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

I have an FX 4x33 on my No.1S 9.3x62. That rifle is a 'stalk in close' rifle and the 4x is perfect I think.

AGREED X2> I am 66 years old i need more scope power now days

Just posted a pic of my new to me 270 Ti in the Image Gallery, scoped it with a 1981 4X M8. Also have a 700 Classic 270 topped with a 4X M8 that is the only gun I’ve used in the last 40 years to chase NY and PA bucks.
Wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Disagree if ones eyes are healthy and they have the correct prescription....Lots of over 60 YO have 20/20, and if you do then 4x has little to do with age....

Agreed Harry, 4X scopes still work perfectly for this soon to be 70 year old.