Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics What the longest range a 6x power scope is good for on big game?

To complicate matters, what if its a First focal plane #4a? I worry it would subtend too much out at longer ranges

I'd say as far as you should be shooting.

YMMV

My longest kill shot on an elk was 467 yards, with my variable scope set on 4x.

On deer, the longest was 435 yards with the scope set on about 5x.

So a fixed 6x scope shouldn`t be a problem for shots greater than those distances, assuming one feels confident to do so.

The the middle crossbars of the heavy duplex in my VX-III 1.75-6x32 subtend 1 MOA on 6x, but I have no problem shooting sub-MOA at 300 yards with it.

I don't like past 200 yrds with 6X just not precise enough.

The aiming error with a 6 power scope should be less than 1/2 minute of angle-That would keep you on a big game animal to close to 1000 yards. Parallax will get you before lack of magnification, as will the ability to hold under field conditions.
A scope that reduces aiming error to 1/4 of an inch instead of 1/3 inch or 1/2 inch does the shooter little good, because field conditions and positions just don't allow use to hold that close.

Since I have cleanly killed big game (caribou) at 350 yards with iron sights, with no problem, I would guess that the practical range of a 6x scope would be somewhat farther. Of course it would depend on the shooter, time of day, animal, etc.

Aiming error or not the stinkin target is just to dang small. Look at a deer at 400 yrds with 6x then look through 12x . Is 6x better?? Come on now... I shoot 100 yrd targets on 10x, 6x I feel limited. But I see on 24 hour lots of guys like a good fixed 4x or 6x . Everyone I know uses variables even old school old enough to be my Dad sorta guys,Grin One guy I know who's about 60 yrs old and has killed a pile of game including and B&C bighorn uses variables but always has them on max power he likes the 3-9x40 and 3.5-10 sorta strange to me ,I walk around on 6x and adjust from there if need be.And very often it's a need be kinds deal..LOL

My personal best was 515 yards on a freezer doe.The rifle was a 280 AI with a 1.5-6x42 S&B 4a.At 100 yards that reticle covered .68 so what like 3.4 inches of coverage at 500.
We hunted woodchucks in the very same field all summer and had all the distances in my head.
One shot.One dead deer. No problem.No problem at all.
DAMARA,I have to tell you.You start monkeying with a FFP reticle.You will never want anything else.
dave

...........Highridge1..........FWIW! Remember too, that the more you magnify a target, the more scope wobble there is, which can cause extra uncertainty and can delay the shot. Everyone has it to a degree and cannot be gotten rid of completely. The amount of wobble an individual may have also depends on the type of rifle rest and other physical factors. That is not to say that success cannot be achieved using a max of 8x, 9x or greater. One`s eyesight is also a determining factor as to the best setting for a particular distance on certain sized game.

On a 400 or 500 yard deer or elk target, I prefer a 4x to 6x setting over a 12x setting. A 4x setting at 400 yards gets my eye 100 yards from the target and at 500 yards, 125 yards from the target. Closer still with a 6x setting. For steadiness, I`d rather have less wobble on a lower power, than more wobble with the scope set on a higher power.

Wayne Van Zwoll addresses the issue of scope wobble on a video at either the "shootingtimes" or "rifleshooter" website in the video section under "optics." If I remember correctly that video is called "Low Powered Fixed vs Variable" or something like that. It`s easy to find.

Or 'worst' depends on the way to look at it.



Not here to pick any fights, though.


To answer the question:

Here is some rule of thumb.

"Distance you are comfortable with iron sights x magnification of scope in question."

Say you are comfortable to 100 yards with irons - 600 yards with the scope on 6x.

As rules of thumbs go - they are often quite broad. This one is.

Reticle print has as much bearing other factors involved with long range shooting.

To sum up:

A 6x scope will be able for any distance a hunter has business shooting at a game animal without
dedicating time and equipment to learn and practise the art of long range hunting.

My 2 cents.

I would add that a scope putting the crosshairs on the same focal plane as the target is a advantage as compared to a peep, when your 20 its a small advantage, when your 50.. its a big advantage. Every year that goes by the range of my peep sighted rifles is reduced and my scope sighted rifles is uneffected.

As for me 6X is more than enough for any range that I would pull the trigger on an unwounded big game animal.

This is easily remedied by changing the target to suit the reticle and magnification you are using. Even with a thick reticle and the scope topping out at 6x I can shoot well below MOA with my 308 and the small VX-III I mentioned earlier.

Don't think I'm a fixed power or low magnification hardhead though. I use a bunch of different scopes from that little one up to and including a 6.5-20x40LR model, and I like shooting with them all.

Remember, the original question was not "What is the ideal scope for shooting big game at 600 or 700 or 800 yards". He asked what the longest range a 6X is good for on big game.

on a 6x I limit myself to 350-400 yards(coyotes)

That depends on what the shooter is accustomed to. Yesterday I was able to shoot 1.5"-1.6" 100 yard groups with an H&R crack barrel 45-70 with open sights using Hornady Leverevolution ammo. It has at least a six pound trigger and I'd never fired it before. This was in crappy pre-rainstorm light near dusk.

Give me a reasonably flat shooting rifle I know well with a 3x scope and a deer isn't going to get away because he's 300 yards out. From a rested position it's easy to break clay pigeons at 300 yards with a scope set on 4x. Since I only get to practice to 300 I know a 6x would be plenty at a much greater distance than I'd be comfortable shooting.

I've got 6 steel plates of various sizes hung at various ranges in front of my camp. I leave the turrets on most of my hunting rifles set for 250yds and have a 4"x4" plate hung at that distance for easy zero verification. It is no problem to ring that little target with my 25-284 and its 6x42. The larger targets at 300, 350, and 400yds are even easier. Is it easy to pick out a 2" paster dot on the 400yd target? Not really. But that 400yd target is a 12"x12" and hitting near the center is not difficult. 400yds is about as far as I typically shoot at deer around here, as that is about as far as most locations will allow me to see.

Well I can reliably hit 4" clay birds at 500 meters (548yds) With a 6X42 Leupie if the mirage isn't too bad. The cross hair covers the bird so It is a bit of a challenge to move on and off the target, but not too hard one you get it figured out. It would not be hard to keep shots in the kill area of a MD or elk, given good conditions.Have not shot it farther so not sure what the max would be. That said though, I prefer more X's for truly long range big game hunting. Cant beat a dotted 4.5X14 for all around LR hunting IMOP.

LC

cmg,
It was not a hail mary.I practiced to 500 with that rifle.Felt good and still do about that shot.
No worst about it.
Know your gun.Know your distance.Practice.
Pretty simple.
dave

dave,

as stated - not picking fights. I did not mean any "worst" regarding your shot.

More like:

"My longest shot was my shortest stalk."

The 'best' in long shooting was the 'worst' in getting closer.

You see?

Totally your way how you approach your hunting - all the best.

Was just playing on the fact that there is two ways to look at each coin, as always.

Carl