What's your variable scope power range?

[Brad Quarnberg]

Having lived in the western US many years and having spent time in family hunting camps as early as the late 1960's, I am always interested when I'm at a gun store/shop listening to people discuss scopes. Most of my family members used either fixed 4 power scopes or 3-9 variables. I naturally went with 3-9 when I bought my first scope because that's what my dad had on his rifle.
Over the past several years, and zoom ranges have increased, I have purchased a variety of different variables. One such was a Zeiss 6-24. I mounted it, hunted with it, but found myself in a situation where I was trying to get a follow-up shot (didn't need it) and couldn't because of the field of view at 6 power. I sold the scope not long after that and now most of my scopes are either 3x or 4x at the low end (I don't shoot competitions, only shoot targets for load development and dial up work).
When I was in Germany, I found most of my scopes bottom end was 1-3 power with one rifle wearing an aimpoint for driven hunts: most of the shots we had were less than 100yards.
So, the question is, what is your scope zoom range and why do you like that range?
I'm curious as to what the community thinks and what your experiences are.

 

[2rjshort]

Like you I bought a Zeiss 6-24 as my first high power scope but also found the lower magnification limiting. Now all my scopes have at least 4x or 4.5x on the bottom. My favorite is 3-15 or 3-18. I can do all I want to do with that range.

 

[quigley257]

I personally own a number of different high power variable scopes which I use mainly on long range and target rifles(5-25x56, 6-24x50 etc.). They are large and heavy and don't fit the bill as far as what I would consider a hunting scope. While I don't own one myself, the Swarovski Z8i 3.5-28x50 seems like a great hunting scope, albeit a bit on the large side. I mount and zero many of them on the rifles that we make. The magnification range is fantastic allowing for both in-close, low power at 3.5 as well as the ability to crank it up to 28x for long range shots. My "standard" hunting scope for western South Dakota is 3-15x44 or 4.5-14x42.

 

[hesse]

I like the the 4 x16 I am in the mid West to Eastern part of the US. So I shoot out to 400 yards which is long range most people are good using the old 3x9 because a long shot is a 150 yards

 

[cohunt]

For me, it's not just what power--- but what i can afford.
March makes a 2.5-25 that would cover about every situation , but I can't afford them.
It's really going to depend on what terrain you are hunting. I prefer around 4 power scooe or lower on the bottom end--- and 12-24 on the top end depending on terrain and rifle capabilities...for turkey i prefer a red dot, and dove/grouse I prefer just a front bead.

 

[marksman1941]

My favorite scope I've owned was a Swaro Z6 2-12 BRH. 2x was perfect for up close shots (I had a 17 yard shot on an elk that would have been a different ballgame if I had a 4-16 or similar) but the 12 really made a 400 yard shot easy if a person had the opportunity. I sold that scope, as my hunting areas didn't merit that much glass, and 12x isn't really required for a 400 yard shot.

I have gravitated to lower power optics on hunting rifles, between 1-6 and 3-9. But it really is all dependent on the distances you plan to shoot.

Another note is that glass quality makes a big difference in perceived magnification. I have a Vortex Strike Eagle 5-25 on a rifle that is a decent scope for the money, but picked up a SWFA 5-20 SS HD recently and when looking through both of them on 20x, the SWFA looks dramatically more magnified and more clear. Those are on bench rifles and are not something I would take hunting except in certain circumstances, but the glass quality point still stands. Meaning, a high quality 2-7 will probably look as good or better than a lower quality 3-9, and so on.

 

[Old Rooster]

Depends on where I am hunting,if open country where a possible long shot I bring the 6.5-20 Leupold I have used for the past 25 years.
If in woods where shots are close to 100 yards hunting I use a 1.75x6 power Leupold.

 

[HuntnPack]

I prefer my hunting optics in the 3 to 4 on the low end & 15 to 20 on the higher end.

Also prefer 4x or 5x ratios,
& 30-34mm main tubes,
& 50 mm objective

 

[memtb]

Having lived in the western US many years and having spent time in family hunting camps as early as the late 1960's, I am always interested when I'm at a gun store/shop listening to people discuss scopes. Most of my family members used either fixed 4 power scopes or 3-9 variables. I naturally went with 3-9 when I bought my first scope because that's what my dad had on his rifle.
Over the past several years, and zoom ranges have increased, I have purchased a variety of different variables. One such was a Zeiss 6-24. I mounted it, hunted with it, but found myself in a situation where I was trying to get a follow-up shot (didn't need it) and couldn't because of the field of view at 6 power. I sold the scope not long after that and now most of my scopes are either 3x or 4x at the low end (I don't shoot competitions, only shoot targets for load development and dial up work).
When I was in Germany, I found most of my scopes bottom end was 1-3 power with one rifle wearing an aimpoint for driven hunts: most of the shots we had were less than 100yards.
So, the question is, what is your scope zoom range and why do you like that range?
I'm curious as to what the community thinks and what your experiences are.

We used 2.5-8 Leupold's for many years and were very happy. Then we relocated to an area where our "new" prim hunting area offered a much higher percentage of long shot opportunities….and getting older the higher power did hurt either!

That said, we limit our shots to under 600 yards and don't require high power scopes. Our present scopes are 3.5-10 Leupold CDS's!

We like to have a low power setting in the 2 to 3 range for timber hunting…..but can't afford or justify one of the newer scopes with a quite broad power range! Plus……do not want the additional weigh! memtb

 

[bultinkle]

3-15 or 4-16

I was shooting a match this last weekend and laughing with my buddy about how we were both dialed back to 12 power for 900 yard targets.

I sit at the flat range and I want 25+ but when I'm actually doing dynamic shooting I'm never up there.

 

[Rick Richard]

When I was young hunting the bayous and swamps of Cajun country, the ultimate was to have a Remington 742, 3006 topped with a Redfield Widefield 3X9. Now, days it is more like 3X18, 2.5 X20 or 4X32 on some custom bolt action rifle. Times and WANTS sure have changed.

 

[LRNut]

For me, it's not just what power--- but what i can afford.
March makes a 2.5-25 that would cover about every situation , but I can't afford them.
It's really going to depend on what terrain you are hunting. I prefer around 4 power scooe or lower on the bottom end--- and 12-24 on the top end depending on terrain and rifle capabilities...for turkey i prefer a red dot, and dove/grouse I prefer just a front bead.

You are not missing much by not having a March. I know people rave about them, but the 2.5-25 has these shortcomings compared to a NF:

- Parallax adjustment is narrow - very difficult to see wind mirage
- Not as bright as a NF
- Warranty sucks - I dinged the bell and had to send back to Japan - cost me $700

 

[comfisherman]

I'm back to 5x and 6x erector ratio scopes. Every scope I have or have used with a ratio more than that has had some kind of optical error at one end of the range or the other. Seems like with a ratio under 6x the whole range works, maybe some day they will engineer around the tunneling or eye box sensitivity of the wider ratio scopes. Have a fair bit of hope they will, as the early 6x scopes 20 years ago like the burris sixX had the same issues.

I'm a fan of 2x or at most 3x on the lower end. This is a change from my previous local. If I lived in wide open parts of Eastern Idaho, montana, Wyoming or the Dakotas I'd probably be rocking a 5x lower end. Where my main hunting occurs now the probability of a shot on game comes at 2 distance groups. Either they are jumped I'm the heavy brush at almost bow ranges, or at the opposite end of a clear well into our long range category.

Many moons (or at least smaller waist line and no grey hair ago) my long range education came from a friend who shot 1000 yard competitions. He started me on a fixed 10x, his theory was it was enough for vitals on most big game out as far as was needed but didn't magnify shooter movement. The latter being a big part of the mind game aspect of shooting. If you think your good and stable often times you will be.

15-18 is good enough for me top end and I'm still happy with the 10x and 12x top end scopes for most ranges my shots occur.

With that in mind my eyes are about the only part of me that works as good as they did at 20. I'm assured that I'll want top end when they go, but for now the fov is more important that the top end.

 

[K9TXS]

Nightforce SHV 5-20 for me.

I hunt prairie dogs and coyotes. I want to be very accurate at 200 yards. Very seldom I shoot past that distance. Normally I use 5-7 power on the scope. The only time I use 20 power is for spotting my shots at the range. It beats having to buy a spotting scope and dragging it and a stand to the range for practice.