Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics low power variable

I lied, checked my photo album, the 'yote was 390.

I have 1x4x20s and 1.5x5s on all my hunting rifles..A 20 mm objective is the best way to insure your scope stays in zero..The bigger the scope and the more extension you have out the front ring, the easier it is to knock out of adjustment. I see this every year in our African hunting camps..BTW you can get a very good sight picture even at 800 or so yards with a 2.5 or 3X scope in that all you have to do is put the X on the shoulder..I don't shoot that far, but I have looked at a lot of animals at those extended ranges with my 3X's and the longest shot that I have ever made was with a 3X Leupold...

On a varmint the largest scope I use is a 4x12...and lately a 2x7, hate those heat waves..I don't target shoot as that is a different dicipline.

420 you kidding? thats a hard shot on 4x admit it

I have used lots of Leupold 1-4X, 1.5-5X and 2.5x scopes on leverguns and quite a few old and new Weaver 1.5-5x,1-3X, 2.5X and 3X, Burris 2-7X, 4X, Redfield 1.5-5X, 2.5X etc. I think any of the 20mm straight tube scopes are great for leverguns. They ususally have a wide field of view, are easy to mount nice and low where they belong and give plenty of magnification out to as far as I could possibly shoot something with a levergun.

If I was forced to pick one that was the best all around, it would be the Leupold VX-III 1.5-5X with standard duplex. It is very clear, light, compact and has the most forgiving eye box of any of the scopes mentioned. The other Leupolds are not far behind. The Burris scopes have somewhat forgiving eye boxes, the Weavers are ok (some have great eye relief), and the Redfields, not so much.

Ya I know this thread is wayyy old but I just found it,,,, I have 6 burris 1.5-6 Sig select scopes, half illuminated rets and half plain, and they are my fav scope. Put on 1.5 in the brush, dial up to 6 if you need to.

I have a Leupold 1-4x20 mounted on a Kimber Model 82, a 1.5-5x Leupold on a custom 257 Roberts and just recently, I bought a 1.5-5x Weaver for an AR15. I haven't had time to use the Weaver but I really like the Leupolds. It is very entertaining to watch some of the rifle/scope combos at the public shooting range just prior to the deer hunting season.

I have a VX3 1.5x5 on a restocked Rem 722 in 300 Savage. It is an excellent combo for my needs and that caliber. A vari xll 2x7 on a Belgian Browning BAR in 270 needs to go back to Leupold for repair. I bought the 2x7 in 1969 or 70. Those darn Leupies just don't hold up!

Used them plenty,up close here in New England,Manitoba, Alaska....250 yards is a sneaze with a 4X;so isn't 300....and 400 if you know your rifle and scope.

Longest shot at a mule deer was 500-ish,made with a 4X.Sometimes more power is nicer,but 4Xcan get things done.

I've had a couple of 1.5-5X Leupolds and shot some with a 1-4X.

I don't really like them. Kept going back because the armchair experts on what works for me told me that's what I needed, but I'm a lot faster getting on target with a 2.5-8X or 3-9X. I have a much harder time getting the crosshairs to the target, then keeping them there, with a real low powered scope than I do with one of medium power.

Last year I picked up a 1.75-6X Leupold. I like it a lot better than the 1.5-5X and 1-4X. A couple weeks ago I picked up a 5 year old, but NIB, 2-7X Vari X II which I just know I'm going to like.

Anyways, I'm not at all a fan of the very low powered scopes. Tried 'em. They don't work well for me.

Tom

over the years I have used a variety of low power variables with good results.
Among them have been Redfield 1-4X, Weaver 1.5-5.5X, Weaver Classic Extreme 1.5-4.5X, Leupold 1.5-5X and others.

In my area, the shots are not long, and usually even these low power variable scopes are left on the lower settings.

I have a 1.75 - 5x Leupold and it is probably my favorite scope for hunting. On deer or similar size animals, I do not think a 4x limit hurts you at 200 yards, or what ever your personal accuracy limits put you at. My own skill level is such that at an offhand position, I should limit my shots to 150 yards. Sitting to 300 yards. Regardless of the scope's power. Heck, the records show years of exceptional accuracy with peep and globe sight shooters at 200 yards and better. The power does not make for accuracy as much as other factors. Having said that, if you are going to push the edges of legal hours, a 36mm or larger 6x scope will let you see better than any other. Lastly, there are times I will put some syrup on a target, wait for flys to land, and hunt them. I know it isn't really fair chase, but I am getting old now. My favorite scope for these hunts is a Weaver T-36 on a .22 Remington 40x with match ammo. And little problem dragging the critters out of the field.

Chief,

My new FN Winchester Model 70 in 7-08 has one of Leupold's new VX-3, 1.5-5x scopes on top.

That should serve you well.

Don

Since the thread has strayed from Big Chief's initial request to keep it to scopes no larger than 1.25x4...

The Zeiss Conquest 1.8-5.5 I bought a few months ago continues to dazzle me. It's remarkable in every way- remarkably clear, remarkably good in very low light, and remarkably big and LONG for a low-power variable.

...........I use two 1.5-5x20 Leupolds. One is a VX111 and the other is a newer VX3. One is mounted on a 375 Ruger Alaskan and the other is mounted on a 300 WSM Ruger compact.

Although a very capable long range (400-500 yard) elk rig, despite its size, the Ruger compact I primarily use for hog hunting in the thicker cover and sometimes in more open plains where I have taken big hogs at 300+ yards.

On the 1.5x, they have both eyes open capability for very fast target acquisition and aiming along with wider FOVs. Excellent for hunting at the closer ranges in the thicker terrains as needed for a 375 DGR.

On the 5X (one higher than your max, but not that much different)with both rifles, I can easily take out 1 gallon milk cartons filled with water at 300 yards and for any deer sized game and larger, longer ranged 400-500 yard precision shots are not a problem.

Some if not most hunters, seldom use more than 5x for their longer shots anyway. When hunting, increased magnification causes additional scope wobble, uncertainty and can delay the shot.

My groups at the range are no different now than when I had a 3x9 on my 300 WSM using the 9x. The lower variables will also keep a rifle`s weight down by a few ounces.

If you`re looking for a very versatile scope for use in any terrain, from 5 yards to 500 yards, that is very fast on the low power, very capable to 500 yards and is lightweight (except the 30mm tubes), a 1x4 or a 1.5x5 is an excellent choice.

I had a Leupold Vari-X II in 1-4x20 on a Mannlicher-stocked Ruger .243 carbine, and now have a Leupold Vari-x III in 1.5-5x20 on the same carbine in 250 Savage. On the lower powers you can point 'em with both eyes open like a shotgun. On the highest power the field of view is still large enough to quickly find game. Even with the 20mm objective, they are bright. I've never taken a shot over about 200 yds with either of them, but wouldn't hesitate up to maybe 300, depending on how it all looks at the moment of truth.

I have low power variable scopes on woods guns and DGRs ranging from a Weaver V3 1-3x20 on a Marlin 336 to a Leupold Vari-X-II 2-7x33 on a 20" 30-06. I've taken more game with the ancient 2-7x33, but my favorite scopes are a VXIII 1.5-5 on a 375 H&H Mauser action and a B&L Elite 3000 1.5-4.5x32 on a 35 Whelen bolt gun.

Those compact little scopes are hard to beat for FOV and eye relief. They also steady my shaky hold at long range and give me crisp focus at close range. Therapeutically that limits my flinching in anticipation of a brow bender from the heavy hitters and keeps my supply of band-aids topped off rather than pasted to my forehead. They are almost as good as open sights at close range and are generally better than high power variables out to 300 yds. Where they fail is in observing detail for trophy animals and verifying the sex of animals like goats, bison, and bear.