Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles load testing using a high power scope

I agree, but sometimes it is a good idea to take a scope that is proven and use it to test the rifle it is going on. After I know the rifle is capable, I'll generally use a new scope and verify the new scope is good to go. I generally use one of my 4.5-14x40 nikons for testing, not because they are "higher powered" (compared to the 4x or 3-9's we use) but because they have proven to be very repeatable and consistent on my other rifles. One poor Nikon has a couple of ring marks on it but is still working great and I think it is retired for this intended purpose (has been tested on 5 different rifles) and is going to stay on the rifle its on .

You've clearly missed the dime! Again this phenomenon prevails.... OT

I had a guy seriously say that when I fired a 3 shot group slightly over an inch at 300 yards. One was in the "X" and two were beside it.

I don't switch out, but have gone to higher mag scopes as I've aged and gotten richer. One can shoot quite accurately, if his target meshes well with his sighting system. I've gone to 10X scopes on my 22 LR's. At 100 yds it's the difference between hitting Beldings ground squirrels in the head, or simply trying hit the squirrel with a 4X scope. With a couple of 24X scopes, I center on a 1/4 inch wide bullseye at 100 yds. With that equipment, I'm cognizant of my heartbeat, motiong that I would never catch with a 6 x scope.

With front and back apertures on my 45-90, I can do MOA groups at 100 yds. The target that fits those sights at 100 has about a 7 inch diameter black circle on a white background with a 2 inch diameter white circle in the center. It's the large black circle that I am centering in those sights. That same target would not work at all for me at 3 or 400 yds.

I like to hold belly-button on them..................

Makes for better acrobatics

"Hit that [bleep] in the belly button!",is one of my most oft used phrases...................

I like the behind the ear shot

I have a pretty reliable old Leupold LPS 3.5-14 set up in Talley QDs for a Rem 700 long (its "home" is a .257 Roy). Since Talleys is pretty much all I run on hunting rigs, I have been known to strap it onto a new rifle in 700 long to develop loads, or on a rifle where things seem screwy and I want to check the scopes/mounts off the list of possibles.

It ain't a 36X, but it's nice for range work, and so I use it. Normally, I swap it out with a 2.5-8x36 when I'm done.

thanks guys for all the comments and comedy.

I prefer the head with my 22 LR's. No one makes it back to their burrow. With a good scattering of bodies out in the target zone, the landowner will furnish me with free ammo.

I'd happily pay extry,for belly-button pokes.................(grin)

What the fork is a butt buddy?

Google Images is your friend!

Dayum Pete that reply spooked me, Im afraid to look. LOL

I used to until I compared results with various scopes and found that there wasn't any difference in group sizes. The only advantage of a high X scope is you don't need a spotter to check your group size.

I'd love to be able to shoot a sub 1/4 moa group w/ my 350 rem mag, but it's only a 1/2" gun



and that group shot w/ a 2 1/2x scope.

I can see more X for competition or shooting at targets so small you can't see them w/o high x, but as far as more x improving ones load work, my experience has been it's just a way to waste ammo and have to re-zero another scope. But I'm lazy w/ load work and would rather find a good load, load up a pile, and shoot the heck out of em vs. playing musical scopes.

If you maintain that you can target shoot as well with a 2.5x as a 12x, you are sadly mistaken or a very poor shot. And a 3 shot wallet group doesn't change that.
I've never found changing to another scope and sighting in a rifle to be that difficult a chore. Maybe you need to study up on that too.

X's get superfluous,very fast. Reticles and aiming point,matter muchly.

I've never had to swap glass,to wring a rifle out.................

I concur with Lott's thoughts on this. Xs can be handy if you're too lazy to get or make a proper target that you can see, but a good target, at least with a hunting rifle, works equally well in my experience when paired with a decent hunting scope.

Everybody's different, for me the extra magnification makes it easier to shoot tighter groups and see what the rifle will do. I have a 4-20X scope I sometimes swap on a rifle to wring it out. If it's a 1 in. rifle at best then the 20x scope isn't going to do a lot of good, but if it's a sub 1/2" rifle then I can tell the difference. It's sitting on a 6.5 WSM with a Kreiger barrel right now, the extra magnification helps on that rifle. I'm well aware that I don't need a sub 1/2" rifle to kill deer, but need has nothing to do with it, it's what I want and I enjoy playing with them. If you can shoot as well with a really accurate rifle wearing a 6x scope then good on you. The extra magnification helps me and it's not much trouble to swap scopes.