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

Do your 6x42s have finger click adjustment or the friction adjustments?

I’ve never owned a clicking Leupold. I assume by your question that they are available?

Yes, my recent purchase of a leupy 6x42 fx3 uses clicks......

LOL! I haven’t bought a scope in a loooong time. I used to pick up every m8 I could find on eBay that was less than a hundred bucks.

Convince makers that there’s a profit in making fixed powers, and you’ll get ‘em.

Convince them, not me please. I have some, and use them where I see a benefit. Just picked up a nice Burris 6x Mini here for $200. I doubt anyone will consider that snag an indicator of a big market.

This my first leupold since the early 90s.....my only other leupold had 1/2 moa friction adjustment.....only had to zero it once......good for 20 years till i sold it.

3-9 are good enough for those that still believe they need to get as close as one can possibly do so. I have been looking for a Burris compact or Burris compact magnum, U.S. manufactured, I like the posilock feature also. Would consider a 4.5-14 Burris.
Guess I just like to get close enough to see the critters eyes. Then…one and done. MTG

I purchased two M8 4x matte in 1998 for I believe $248, which wasn't cheap, but I wish I'd bought more. One resides on a HR 980 Ultra Slug that despite numerous rounds and a fall from a tree stand has never lost zero. The other sits on a Ruger M77 MKII Stainless/Zytel Skeleton .308 that my Dad shot his only Elk with. That combo I suspect will still be ticking when cockroaches inherit the Earth.

I also bought several of the Weaver Classic fixed 4x and 6x when Natchez was closing them out, including the 6x that sits on my CZ 527 .223 Carbine, and it goes well with that rifle.

I've got an unmounted Weaver 4.75x40mm Grand Slam which is a great scope!

I've never shot an animal at 500+ yds because I've never seen one I couldn't get closer to.
That said, I do use a 4x12 variable. My eyes aren't what they used to be and the 12x on longer shots clears things up.

The 6X has been a good hunting setup for me on several hunting rifles over the years. I like it a lot. There was (maybe still is) a firearms writer that held strongly to the 6X as an overall best selection rather than the variables. I think the name is Jon Sundra and I first noted his writing that praised the 7mm cartridges.

I like fixed power and most are 2.5X. 2 Leupolds and a half dozen El Paso Weavers. Also have an El Paso Weaver sitting atop a '51 vintage M70 that dwells in the low power realm, something around 1.5-4.5X if memory serves. They all work very well. The ones that tickle my fancy are 2-3' long fixed power telescopes on some of my BP target guns.

This is not a topic that will get me all spooled up 'cause I'm not in Kansas anymore.

I've owned a bunch of scopes over the years, and had almost no problems out of fixed powers. I can't say that for variables.

I have a Leupold Big Bore 3x with a heavy duplex. It has the best resolution of all of my scopes. I have 3 M8 4x28mm, a FX II 4x33mm, and a FX II 6x36mm. I have 4 variables too. I like the fixed scopes more.

I know at least one of those dreaded "gun writers" who's published plenty of information on that subject since the 1980s.

Not a 4x, but I had good dope on my 6x Leupold. Pretty simple and effective.

I've got a couple of 6X's in inventory. I should breakdown and buy a S&B 6X PMii.

Very nice.....

I agree with your sentiment on stalking close, BUT...
At 9x a critter at 900 yards looks like it is at 100 yards, a range at which anyone with eyes ought to be able to easily hit the vitals with iron sights. Any myths to the contrary reflect a generation of brainwashing. I ran a Leupold 4x Compact on my .257 Roberts for a decade and routinely killed out to 400 yards and never lost an animal. A 9x would easily double that capability.

Mi Dos Centavos,
Rex

Nice 4x40 with lock ring ocular like the older Nikon Monarchs would be nice.

Not a fan of fast focus ocular scopes and their beer can appearance.

SWFA make of version of their 6x42 into a 4x42 with lower profile turrets would be cool.

Honestly I use variable power scopes.
Keep em on 3x for shooting.
Closet I can get to decent magnification and a good FOV.
Zoom em up to get a look at a deer coming thru the woods.
I would use a 4x40 if one with a lock ring ocular was being made and ditch the variable power scopes.

I could argue that there are downfalls to variable power scopes and turrets.
Ever seen some ding dong with a high power variable hunting in cover with their scope dialed up? Just a couple months ago I was out with a buddy who had his scope set on 12x. My rifle had a Leupold FX-II 4x. We had a sounder of pigs meander right onto our position (we were still hunting) and they caught us out in an opening with no cover. They closed the distance to about 15 yards when the first spooked. I shot two in quick succession. My buddy never got a shot off because he couldn’t find them. I know, easy answer, always leave your variable power scope at its lowest setting and dial up as needed. Well, my buddy forgot. Anybody ever forget to do something before? I have.

Which leads to my next point. Anybody ever go hunting and see someone shoot and miss their target yet feel good about the shot? Only to discover they had their turrets set for a distance other than what the target was at? I’ve seen it. That crap happens when you play sniper on the weekends a few times out of the year.

Simplicity can save people from making silly mistakes. Some good practice with a good, low fixed power scope is all one really needs for 99% hunting conditions, barring something like poor eyesight such as RC mentioned.

I understand the marketing and business aspect of selling what is “in”, but I wouldn’t throw the baby out with the bath water. Fixed power scopes will always have a place on my rifles.