Gent's,

For those of you that hunt lot's of varmints, what magnification(s) do you find most useful? I mean, for a general purpose walking/truck gun and your average shot might be from say, 150 yards, and a long shot of 300 yards.

I'm thinking of moving UP in magnification, but don't want so much as to be cumbersome or too specialized for all-around use.
(A Luepold 6.5x20 is beckoning to me...)

High magnification = precise shot placement, but harder to hold still.

Low(er) magnification = better field of view, but small critters at longer ranges are harder to pin point.

I've been shooting a 3x9 on my bone stock Rem. M700 in .222 Rem.,
and 4.5x14 on my Ruger #1 in .22-250, and finally 6x18 on my .204... Interestingly, that's the order I got them in.

You are doing fine.
Here's my changing attitude....
If you are shooting from a bench, 32 power is nice to have available...BUT
In high mirage, sometimes it is impossible to see the enemy and you have to back off. BUT in mild mirage, the power helps you see the wind.
From field, either prone or shooting sticks, I find myself cranking down to 20 power or even less -- and most of my varmint glass is either 6.5x20 or 6x18.
Bottom line is, for a walkabout varminter, I'd stop at no more than 24 power, between 24 and 18.
For a mostly coyote gun, maybe 12 tops.
I have two rifles with 32 powers on them, both of them are heavy barrel guns that would rip your arms off more than 400 yards from transportation.
So like I said, you are doing fine.

I like 4-12 and 4.5-14's as excellent all around varmint scopes and even like my Leopold 4.5-14x40 Gloss on my custom Model 70 257WBY deer rifle. Very rarely will conditions allow, let alone require, any more magnification in the field and real world situations. 3x-9x's work for many folks, but as I age I find I can do better now with 12-14 x's at the top end for true precision shooting.

For what you describe, 4.5-14 at the biggest. I'm just running 2.5-8x36 for coyotes.

The magnification of the scope has nothing to do with holding a rifle still.

To me, varmints usually consist of colony varmints and predators are a totally different story...

A typical callin' rig doesn't require alot of magnification. The 3x9's pretty much do everything you need to do. And usually get left on 3-4.

Shotgunjock: I have been using Leupold 6.5x20's since the day they were brought out.
I love them.
And if I had but one scope to use for all my Varminting it would be a Leupold 6.5x20!
These scopes do MANY tasks very well.
They do get "a bit" tough to use at night when spotlighting.
Other than that I have used them for virtually all kinds of predator and Varmint Hunting throughout the west.
Your "stillness" worries are credible - but its not the scope being "unstill" its YOUR field position/support that is causing the "unstillness".
A good bi-pod or tri-pod system will alleviate your ability to be "unstill".
And you are right the "unstillness" is more noticeable with the higher powers - again this is easily dealt with aforehand by planning out your solid field rest system.
And DO NOT let anyone hereabouts talk you out of your contention that the higher power scopes won't let you place your shots more accurately/precisely.
You can!
But from time to time a few turdlike people will try to convince you that "a 6 or 9 power scope is all you need/is just as accurate as a 20 power scope"!
Hard to believe these folks and where their contentions come from - but its occassionally good for laughs.
I also have several Leupold 6x18's on some of my Varmint Rifles - I would still rather use the 6.5x20 when afield, by a tad.
I have shot running Jack Rabbits with my 6.5x20's when set on 6.5 power and once they are 30 or 35 yards out I have them in my field of view usually.
As far as size (cumbersomeness) I don't have a problem at all with my 6.5x20 Leupolds.
Best of luck with whichever scope you choose.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

I am using the Nikon 4.5x14x40 and the Nikon 6x18x40 on all of my varmit rigs , they seem to work for me

Shotgunjock years ago I started with a plan 6 power Weaver for ground hogs, then I went to the 3 x 9 called a variable. It seemed to work ok, had no complaints and doubled up for deer hunting and speed goats to using the old 270 winny.

Then I got a real honest to goodness "varmint" rifle, a triple deuce called the .222 Remington. I was still using the 3 x 9 power. A few years later I picked up a Remington 788 in 22-250 and purchased my first 4 x 12 in a Redfield scope. It has worked like a gold charm for groundhogs and coyotes etc. It cost me over a weeks wages as I remember back in the 60's. I still have that ole scope by golly!

I hear tell for P-dog shooting you best be getting one of those 6 x 18 or 8 x 24 power types for serous P-dog hunting. You should also put a heat sheild over the barrel to keep that mirrage down. I got a 6 x 18 on my 25/06 rig but the rest are carrying 5 x 15 power scopes with adj AO turrets and mil-dots. The wife uses mostly straight 4 X 12 Leupolds with fine haires.

6x, works very well for that, and longer.

Pin-pointing critters is for binos; laying crosshairs on the target already identified is for scopes.

My first prairie dog rifle, a 22-250, had a 15-power Weaver scope. It suited me well until I bought another 22-250 and tried a 6-24 scope on it. Since then I have had a ton of prairie dog and gopher rifles. Their scopes go up to at least 24-power except my K-Hornets. Since I do not shoot them much over 200 yards they wear 4-16 Nikons. VarmintGuy is right when he says, ��from time to time a few __ people will try to convince you that a 6 or 9 power scope is all you need...� A 9-power scope is an absolute handicap. No one can convince me that they can consistently and accurately shoot center mass of a 10� tall and 3� wide gopher at 200 yards using a 9-power scope. What happens if the animal is 300 yards away and the scope reticle covers the entire gopher? The only down side I find with the higher powers is the movement of the rifle at the shot is magnified and I may not see the results of the hit.

You mention a truck gun which is a different animal. It has to quickly be ready for coyotes, skunks and whatever. You usually have a rest on the window opening, a fender or a fence post. It should be a lighter and shorter rifle than what you would take out prairie doggin. My truck gun has a 12-power scope. Seldom is it required to shoot beyond 200 yards.

4.5x14 is about as good as it gets for a all round varmint rifle.

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4.5x14-44 !

I have had a few 3x9's but i always seem to crank them up around 5x -so 4.5x14 is just right even longer ranges.

I really like a 6-20X for gophers and PD's. But I honestly do plenty good with a 2-7X or 3-9X out to 400yds. or so.

For calling dogs a 2-7X suits me well.


Travis

PDogs, I have a 12 & 18 for 223, a 6.5-20 o 22-250.

More than that and I have mirage problems.

HM

I used a 12x Weaver for many years with no complaints. It was just for groundhogs and crows though. Now that coyotes are here, I use 4.5-14s almost exclusively.

In reality, you've got the experience in the three power ranges that most suggest for "their" ideal scope.

But if you were starting from scratch.....

I favor a 3.5-10 for a truck/calling gun,

a 4.5-14 with the Varmint Hunters reticle for prairie dogs/gophers,

and 15X and up, for waaaay out there.

This is tough to answer because you mention a walkabout truck rifle but don't say what you plan to use for that rifle.

I'm going to assume you plan on using a .224 type caliber in a light rifle of about 6 pounds with a total weight of about 7 pounds with scope.

You also mention shooting 150 yards to 300 yards. Therefore, you don't need or want a 6.5x20 scope especially a 50mm on a walkabout rifle. I have one, a nice scope but a monster. Mine's a Leopold 6.5x20 50mm.

I would recommand a fixed 6 power and no more than a 12 power scope for a walkabout rifle. Look for a compact ultralight scope. I have a ultralight compact on my 10/22 that is a 3-9 power that would work real well on a walkabout rifle.

+1 For calling anything.

My predator hunting/calling sights have followed this sequence: open sights, then a 2-7, then 3-9, then briefly a 6-20 (? I know it topped out at 20) then 3.5-10, then 2-7.

For gophers and ground squirrels, I've used bow and .22 rimfire, but if I got serious, it would be a larger scope.

My lightweight walkabout varmint/predator rifles wear 3-9 scopes and that is plenty for chucks, crows and coyotes out to 300 yds. I used a straight 6x {Weaver K-6} on my old Rem 788 .222 for years and any chuck within 250 yds. was dead meat if the wind wasn't blowing.

i have a 17 remington fireball that shoots straight and fast as the day is long. it wears a 14 power Nikon that I adore more than any other scope in my arsenal. in fact, i am slowly trying to replace all my scopes with Nikons. i have owned and shot lots of different brands and i keep going back to the Nikon's. my friend is picking up a vortex pretty soon for his 22-250, looking forward to checking that out.

Now most of our rifles are wearing Leupold & Bushnell Tactical scopes! The power is 5 x 15 for the most part but I do have a 6 x 24 & an 8 x 32 that hasn't been really tested as of yet, hope to this weekend with the 25-06.

For a walking varminter a 3-9x40, 2-10x40 or 3-12x40 are good choices. I like the Nikon Monarch 3-12x42 Side Focus.

Well then I won't try and this will be for the rest of you guys out there........Any shot I've missed at 200 yards with 9x magnification has been my fault not a lack of magnification. 200 yards isn't far and with 9x it's like shooting 1x at 22 yards. Who here can't hit a 2" target with a rifle zero magnification at 22 yards? Magnification does not correct shooting errors. Now on a dedicated varmint rifle I'd go bigger than 3-9x without a doubt but for 200 yards a miss isn't the scope fault.

In general, I think most shooters are over scoped for the job at hand. With a 2-7x on my predator guns I would be fairly confident that any shot I miss out to 400 yards was due to my bad judgment of range/wind or my bad shooting. Where as I know I've had close up critters get away clean due to too much magnification. Case in point: I had shot a bedded fox one morning and had turned my 4-16x to 10x. Later that day we spotted a moving coyote heading down a fence row. I got around the section, got out of the truck and waited. A couple minutes later the coyote popped up over a hill at dead run. When he hit the 75 yard mark I pulled up the rifle and couldn't get on target to save my life. Forgot to turn the scope down and the yote disappeared without a shot being fired.

On a walking gun the most scope I'd go with is 4-16x, probably less.

CB

Agree with Chris. 3-10x is all you need on a walking varmint...And keep the setting magnification on the low end....You always have time to dial up on a long shot....Never time to dial down on a close shot.

The biggest issue is going to be the thickness of your recticule!!! A medium size recticle will cover up that P-dog at 200 yards, you will need a scope with a very "FINE" recticle in a 4 x 12 power. I have even used a 2 x 7 FINE recticle on my 25-06 walking gun but I am shooting groundhogs understand, not P-dogs.

wow. after reading this I feel way lucky that the prarie dogs and crows I have shot over the years with a 3x9 and my favorite 4x12 Leupolds were pure luck, might want to see what the hunter rifle benchrest boys do with 6X at 200 yards Russ

I used to be a 3-9 guy. Now, 4.5-14 is perfect for these 55 year old eyes.

Im fond of the Nikon's also. The Pentax scopes are also nice varmint scopes.

Here is a picture of a prairie dog shoot I took to central Montana. There are elk below the ridge just above the orange box on the front of the quad. There are prairie dog mounds just over the ridge behind the box on the rear of the quad.


To hit these varmints at these distances with a 9-power and even a 12-power scope will be pure luck. These guys do not let you get within 200 yards and you have to shoot them at much longer distances. It is very difficult to carry a brenchrest bench with you, but you can try. Then you can use your 6-power and try to find a dog at 200 yards. I expect you will get very tired moving that bench within 200 yards only to pick it up and move it again when the dogs dissappear.

Carlm.........Yeah, things do change for the worst with the eyes after 50 for sure, now when you hit 60 it will be a brand new experience. I had to change lenses twice in one year, then diebetes hit me and I have had to change lenses in my glasses every 6 months lately. I wish I was 55 yrs old again.....Wow!

A 6.5-20 is just about perfect for shooting rodents. You keep it at 6.5 unless you are taking a long shot and need more precisions.

It can be a bit much for coyote calling though. I would rather have a lower power scope such as 2.5-8 for coyotes. As you don't need a lot of magnification to shoot coyotes and the lower power give you a wider field of view.

I have had a ton of success using a 4 x 12 power scope for groundhogs, deer, antelope and so on. It just seems to fit the bill for most things, rifle usually weighs in at 8.25 with the scope attached.

Depends. I can't entirely separate the choice of scope from the choice of rifle and cartridge. There's "balance" to be had.

For a general purpose varminter, I like a Remington 700 VSSF pattern, 26" fluted varmint weight barrel, matched with a 6.5-20X scope.

For a walking rifle, I'll go with a lighter rifle and smaller scope. Anything 2.5-8X or 3-9X up to maybe 4-12x or 4-16X.

With a rifle you might want to deploy in a hurry, like a calling rifle, having everything fit you so the gun comes up with the crosshairs lined up is more important than any specific choice of scope, etc. So ... more than anything else ... it depends on what you are comfortable and familiar with.

Tom

I use a 3x9 Redfield Illuminator (old scope) on my Remington 788, 22-250. You only ever use a variable on the lowest or highest setting. I do not recall a single instance where I needed 8X instead of 9X. IMO.

This pretty much sums up my outlook and would add 6X for a truck/calling gun.

A Leupie VX-I 4-12x40 is housed in the same exact body as the standard 3-9. Seems to work just about perfect for most things that need to be shot from 150-300 yards. Keeps the size and weight down, gives a good variation on the low and high ends, and is reasonably priced. Can be had with dots too if so desired.

I haven't used one but seems like a Z6 Swarovski 3x18x50 (or maybe a 5x30x50) would be very nice for this use. Anyone used one?

Like puttin' a truck muffler on a weed wacker IMO.

Our mileage do vary! There's a lot of truth to your comment, but I also shoot a lot of critters at medium range with one quick twist of the power ring without looking at it as the rifle comes up. On my old Redfield 2-7 that turned out to be 5.5 power, and on my new 2-7 it is 4 power. Such settings were checked after the shot to see what it was set on.

That's my Pd set up. Two right now in .223. I'm thinking about a .204 to see if I can hold better on the shot after the recoil to better see the hits.

I don't think you need to go up in magnification, but RESOLUTION.

You have good scopes with more than adequate magnification. But those scope are not the best available. I personally don't use anything over 16x. But I use German optics like S & B and Zeiss V/MV. I've never had a problem seeing anything through my scope that I have spotted with either a spotting scope or my bins. My spotter is Leica and my Bins are Zeiss FLs. So I'm seeing a lot of stuff others don't.

Now for those little critters far out, I have gone to the Bushnell 3200 Tactical scope in the 5 x 15 power, with turrets, adj AO and mil-dots. I do have one Leupold in a 6.5 x 20 but not sure how it's going to do with mirage (need heat sheild) this summer on sunny days.