Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Variable vs fixed rifle scopes

A variable scope has more glass and moving parts, a fixed X scope "should" be brighter all things equal. At one time, I was a fixed X fan having the following on my rifles but have since gone to variables as they better fit my hunting needs. When boots on the ground, I always keep my variables on the lowest power, once "hunting" I set to 6 or 7X and adjust based on conditions.

Leupold 6x36 (the only scope I ever bought used and it was a good one)
Leupold 6x42 (several)
S&B 6x42 (two)
Swarovski 8x56 PH (super bright in low light)

All have gone to other shooters, some from this forum, I just prefer variables these days, mostly Leupold 5HDs.

I hunt out west, all over Montana and have always had variables, 2.5-8 or 3-9. After one time walking into a bedded herd of antelope with my scope left a nine power, seeing nothing but blurred shapes as the whole herd bounded away, I always keep my scope dialed all the way down. I have never dialed it up over five, so I could live with a fixed four power.

succinct!

The biggest difference is when you want more power than 6X you can only do it with the variable.

If you can’t hunt without misusing a variable scope, you better stick with the straight power.

I currently have 10 centerfire rifles that I hunt with. 1 has iron sights, 4 have variables & the other 5 are fixed scopes. All of the variables start between 1.5x ~ 2.4x so none of them have overly powerful magnification ranges. A lot of this reflects the shorter ranges (sub 250 meters) that I hunt at and the fact that I personally prefer to keep things simple. I mostly hunt with single-shot falling blocks. Large zoom ranges and adjustable turrets would provide me with features that would be of limited use based on the way I hunt. Whenever I buy a new rifle, putting a fixed scope on it is always something I consider. My fixed scopes are 3x, a pair of 4x, a pair of 6x & one 8x56 and I really do like them all. I totally understand why some hunters prefer scopes with a lot more adjustability but for me personally, I'm happy with the way I do things.

That is a bigger requirement than manipulating a variable power scope. Known ranges and sight settings are critical to hit anything at varied distances.

I enjoy the gun as much or more as the game, but it is more critical to know sight settings than the power on a variable scope…

Hey shrapnel, those are some great photos! Thanks for sharing. I do enjoy seeing other hunter's successes especially when it's different from what I'm doing. While I favor fixed scopes, I do wish my terrible eyesight was good enough to feel comfortable hunting with iron sights more often. But my lack of ability to see clearly at some of the distances I encounter is definitely a weak point with me.

I told myself, I wasn’t going to allow my eyes to get that sensitive, but I have been wearing bifocals since I was 45. I do have progressive lenses and I can still shoot iron sights quite well.

I love guns and shooting, so I have to balance between old guns with iron sights and new guns with scopes. I also live where I would vacation, so I don’t have to go far to shoot or hunt…

Great Pictures Shrapnel. Lucky guy to live in MT. I wanted to stay out there in 1976 when my cousin and I are spent 8 weeks camping x country. Had a gf home, now my wife of 46 years!! Hope to take the camper out west next spring and possibly Alaska.

I bought a 6x42 and 8x56 both S&B’s this year, like them a lot. Also have a S&B variable 2-12x50 coming in today from Eurooptic to mount on a new SAKO S 20 .30-06.