how much scope is enough?

[garsticker]

I am building my first long range rifle and plan on alot of action when the pines are cleared out on our place. The problem I keep having is in scope choice. My question is how much scope is enough? 3x12 or 6.5x20 or somewhere in between. I will buy upper end optics for sure but I have never done really long distance hunting and was wondering about what was enough and how much is overkill. By the way I will mainly be hunting deer in TN maybe a coyote or 2

 

[Black Diamond 408]

You didn't mention the distances you will be shooting. If your going with a top end scope then get a Nightforce 5.5-22x56 ... that is mostly the scope of choice for long range hunting, it will also work well for close shots too.

Dave

 

[garsticker]

I'll probabaly top out at 600 yards. The vast majority of shots around the 300 to 400 mark. I was going to buy a Diavari 3x12x56 and then was thinking that I may need more
power. I wasn't thrilled with the nightforce optics because of the narrow field of view but I do notice alot of folks shoot them.

 

[jwp475]

I think that the 3X12X56 would be a very good scope for your purpose. I mostly use 3.5X15 or 4X16 power. I also have a 5.5X22 but do not like it as much for an ALL around scope,definitely for past 1K the 22 power shines.....

 

[Perkules]

[ QUOTE ]
I'll probabaly top out at 600 yards. The vast majority of shots around the 300 to 400 mark. I was going to buy a Diavari 3x12x56 and then was thinking that I may need more
power.

[/ QUOTE ]

The better the glass quality, the less magnification is really needed. Quite a matter of taste... I was shooting an A4 size target the other day at 500 meters using 5x magnification on a Karl Kaps Sniper 2.5-10 x 56. Ok hits, no problems at all. We have a crazy heat wave going on up here and more magnification was quite useless, hot air disturbing the picture.

With that Kaps at 10x I can see 30 cal bullet holes from 400 meters in a brown IPSC target, I´d say 10x is enough for up to 1000 meters/miles or so for deer size targets. Fine reticle of course.

In my case, less has turned into more. I like to see what is happening around the target area,too. And I have used much more magnification earlier... now my shooting is much better.

Also, it´s nice to have that 2.5 , ready for an occasional "surprise deer" up close. But these all are highly personal opinions and depend on what you are possibly encountering in the woods.

There was a brown bear a few miles from my home last week. I sure wouldn´t like to face one at 50 yards with a 6 x scope.

 

[Nomosendero]

I am curious, what would a crazy heat wave in Finland mean?
What temperatures are we talking about.

 

[sharpshooter1]

[ QUOTE ]
I´d say 10x is enough for up to 1000 meters/miles or so for deer size targets.

[/ QUOTE ]
Heck I shoot golf ball sized targets out to 1000 miles all the time with my eleventybillionsuperbanger magum and a 10x scope /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[Perkules]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
I´d say 10x is enough for up to 1000 meters/miles or so for deer size targets.

[/ QUOTE ]
Heck I shoot golf ball sized targets out to 1000 miles all the time with my eleventybillionsuperbanger magum and a 10x scope /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Oops my yards became miles lol. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

It´s been sunshine and over 30 C ( 90 F) where I shoot for a week now. The mirage is quite serious, add a warm suppressor and it gets interesting.

 

[Alan Griffith]

One thing, besides the the Schott Glass (same stuff in Zeiss), I really liked was the 1:6 ratio for IOR scopes. My 3-18x42 Tactical is an awesome peice of glass. I can crank it down to 3x for walking around and up to any power I feel is capable of completing the task at hand, based upon the mirage.

875 yard Ackley w/ IOR 3-18x42 Tactical scope
Just realized the phot's date is wrong. It was about 2 weeks back.
Right side of Rem 700 w/ IOR 3-18x42 in 30-06 Ackley

For reference, the gongs are 15" x 25" (20" to top of shoulder)and 10" round from LV Steel.