Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Fixed 10X for Hunting

I use fixed 6X on my hunting rifles and variables on target rifles. just wondering if anyone is using a fixed 10X and how are you liking it, is there more positives than negatives?

While I don't own one the Gov. trapper here really likes his SWFA SS straight 10x. He says it tracks great. We were shooting out to 700 yards with it. It only cost him $300

I too have and like a SWFA SS 10x. It does track great.

A poster here has piled up larger, more game than I will with one. I just couldn't see how it should work that well. So, one year I hunted with the scope on 10X just to see. It worked and worked quite well.

For hunting medium and larger game, no.

For hunting squirrels, pdogs, and predators, yes.

I have five 10x scopes; 2x Bushnell 3200s, a Unertl Vulture, and 2x Weaver K10s.

The Bushnells are on a Savage 10 parts gun in 260 and a Winchester/USRA 70 parts gun in 25 WSSM.

The Unertl is in a tote box on a shelf in the storage unit.

The K10s are on two of my Father's 1950's vintage 'chuck guns, a Wilbur Hauck single shot and a 1903 Springfield custom job where the action was cut in half, shortened, and rewelded, both in 22-250.

Government Trappers can be full of bs you know.....grin.

Bet I know him. Probably told him to get that scope.

I've used a straight 10X for many years, and never had any problems shooting up close with it. More than enough mag for shooting distance as well.

My favorite is the 10X42 S&B PMII.

I understand the USMC snipers where taught how to use their old 10X scopes when they needed to engage enemies at close range as well. Doable, but, for me, much tougher a shot to make than with a 6X42 Leupold.
The other drawback could be when using it under low light conditions. With a 40mm scope, one might have trouble seeing the target or especially a fine reticle like a Mil-Dot. E

This...

My wife Eileen and I have been using 10x scopes quite a bit in the past few years and like them a lot. The closest range either of us has used one is about 40 yards, and there was no problem.

Eileen used variables for quite a while, and soon noticed she preferred the scope set on the same maximum magnification she used when sighting-in, which was often right around 10x anyway.

A Montana buck I killed back in 2011, with five minutes of legal shooting light left. Here we have until 1/2 hour after sunset, or 1/2 hour before sunrise to legally shoot. That's pretty liberal in my opinion. Anyway, back to the buck....I had been trying for this buck for a couple years, and only got my eye on him four times. Twice before the season opened in August, 2011, and once during archery season in 2010. My opportunity came on November 2nd, 2011. After hiking in to a good vantage point, and playing out a hunch, he finally appeared out of the heavy timber. The range was 338 yards. Through the 10X S&B, I could see it was him without any doubt. I put .8 on the elevation turret and fired. Glad I had that setup that afternoon.....

I had heard that low-light brought issues with the SWFA 10x, which is why I haven't tried one. Maybe with better glass it isn't an issue.

I have carried a variable set at 8x for a couple seasons to see if it would work, and 8x is just fine for me for 20-450+. I'd love to have a $300 8x that tracked well and had decent glass.

The light was all but gone the evening I took this old male black bear at 492 yards with my .308, topped with a 10X42 PMII. If you look close, you'll see the exit hole made by the 155 scenar in front of his left hip. He went less than 40 yards into the timber before piling up.

I use a SWFA 10x Milquad on my Remington 7mm Magnum Long range stainless.
I like the Higher power
Most of my Hunting is in a stand overlooking agri fields
and the 10x milquad is great for that even after sundown and right before sunup.
I also have no problems with using 10x at 25 yards
I have no issue with usimg 10x at any range


But for use in the woods the reticule is the issue

I like a Leupold Duplex reticule better,as it is easier for me to see.

Agreed!
10x works fine. Would prefer 8x.

I have 3, 10X leupolds and hunt with them a bit. I don't even know if all of my Leupold 3-9's will even come off of 9 any more. I can't remember the last time I adjusted one below 9X.

My 4-12's and 4.5-14's don't come off of their highest power much either.

Almost all of my hunting is in open country though.

Compared to some of the variables people use for hunting today, a fixed 10X seems kind of retro and tame...

He has been here a year. Central MT area. He sure likes that scope.

These days I prefer variables for my hunting and target rifles.

When I started out in the early 50's fixed was all that Lyman had.

There is a 10X Supertargetspot on my all time favorite chuck rifle a High Wall .219 I. Zipper.







However 10X has little flexibility for close or moving shots.

Variables rule.

Cause when you're shooting at moving game you have adequate time to [bleep] around with a power adjustment knob...

Always interesting to hear from people like Savage 99, who've never used a modern 10x scope, offer an opinion on their field worth. Of course you could say that about a lot of his opinions on scopes, bullets, cartridges, etc.

Some of us who have used both older and new stuff understand how stuff changes over time. I still use a lot of older rifles and scopes, partly because I like to and partly because it helps me understand why so many people formed some of their opinions years ago. Though some of Savage 99's opinions remain a mystery.