Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Scope Rant- Fixed Powers

With all of the new technology why aren't scope companies making a compact or medium size fixed power or a 3X9 variable that doesn't suck. I know that SWFA is making SS3X9s as fast as they can but it seems that everybody wants to be a wannabe sniper. The prices of the old Leupold M8s and the Texas Weaver 4X are in my view very high for scopes that are often more than 50 years old. I know that Leupold continues to make fixed powers but they are kind of treated like the left-alone weird cross-eyed chick that keeps scratching her patch at the dance while all of the interest is on the 8-9-10s in the high dollar variables with turrets that seem to look better than how they perform.

Just thoughts on a Thursday.

They don't believe that's where the money is.

I assume that by "suck" you mean that the ones being produced don't give you the reticle/dial-up capability that you are after?

Leupold still advertises 3 fixed power scopes but you can have them in one reticle configuration only. I know everyone poo-poo talks them but for a set and forget scope they're a lot for the money. I'm going to be getting a 6X42 for a rifle that is inbound right now.

Personally, I still use and think that the old M8 6X42 is all I need for a lot of hunting I do. Never had one fail, but no doubt, someone has....

Fixed it for you.

But I like your thinking.

We few, we brave, band of brothers...that consider a crosshair, a small objective diameter, a long action mountable tube...sufficient to the task at hand, are an endangered species. I, for one, have several working rifles with scopes dating back to a half century....still sufficient to the task. I'm 77, and thinking back on my hunting journey, I'm trying to think of a time when a scope caused tag soup on the menu, nothing comes to mind. I might go so far as to wonder how much meat could have been cleanly taken with irons...at least half. I will leave the Hubbel's to the snipers.

I really like and treasure those fixed power scopes with a thin crosshair and a 2 moa target dot. I don't think a lot of folks know that you can get a submoa group with such a set up.

I'm all about fixed powers. Especially 2.5 and 4's. I'd love to see more choices

Why not set a variable on the power you want and leave it alone?

It's not like today's variables are as unreliable as they were 50 years ago.

Jack O'Connor hunted for years with fixed power scopes. That was when variables weren't as reliable as today. Most people are buying variables, or they would be offering more fixed power scopes. You can still get them. Everything is higher these days.

A 3X9 would be a fixed power scope. A fixed power 3X scope with a 9mm front objective. The make a lot of 3-9X variables. The trend I'm seeing is scopes in the 2-10X range. I've not personally used one. I can see the potential for a lot of versatility with both lower power magnification and a little more on the top end. But I'm sure there are negatives. I just don't know what they are.

I have no use for a fixed power scope. 50-75 years ago the argument could be made that fixed power scopes were more reliable. Not sure that is still the case. What I'd like to see is a 1-6X or similar scope with a 30mm straight tube without a busy reticle that weighed under 16 oz.

I am quite pleased with the 3-9X40 Meopta scopes that were made with Ziess and Cabelas badges on them. I have one branded Zeiss. I have 4 more with Cabela's badges on them. Those are as much scope as I need and will out last me.

Tactical is what sells today. An M8 Leupold is among my favorites, but I already own more of them than I’ll likely ever use. I am no longer their target audience.

I’d like to see Chevy reproduce the 72 pickup again too, but it ain’t gonna happen.

Something that no one talks about is the ability to range a known target with a 4x Duplex reticle Leupold.

I've seen more than a handful of guys that buy very nice scopes with turrets, and then never use them, and don't know how to dial. I've been told by a few younger guys, that my 10x SWFA just doesn't have enough "power" for shots out to 500 yards. I've won a dollar or two from them. Lol. It's all about the looks, and brand recognition to lots...

I've educated a few about 4x at 300 yards.

Or leaving a variable on 4x and doing the same.

Glossy scopes with no twisty knobs = boring

Just use iron sights. Fixed at 1 power. Cheap too, extremely reliable.

Can you elaborate on how you settled on leopold's fx 6x42?....

I've got a half dozen on various rifles because they work for me and my hunting conditions. They have been very reliable and the weight is very manageable.
Most have the Long Range Duplex reticle and that works just fine for what I do. The FOV is fine for me. I don't feel handicapped for closer shots.

I'd like to find another 6x42 with LR Duplex.