Is a 4.5-14 scope enough?

[Cow Town Bill]

14 isn't near enough for these old eyes, Oldschool280.

Agreed!!! For me 6x20 is minimum and I favor 8x32 these days. You can always turn down the power.
I prefer Nightforce. They are pricey but they command good resale value if you want to sell it.

 

[redrockranger]

That was the nudge i needed, t36 on its way

Mirage could be a major problem on a fixed T-36. Start early in the morning with it.

 

[H2odoctor]

My varmint hunting consists of PA groundhog hunting. My longest shot is around 550 yds. Everyone's eyes are a little different. I find that 14x is a little low for my longest shots. Glass quality makes a difference and I also find that higher than 20x gives a lot of mirage problems. Therefore, I stick in the 16x to 20x range for my groundhog guns. My favorite scope is my Swarovski 3.5-18. I'm happy with my Burris Veracity 4-20 FFP as well.

If your looking to keep from spending a lot of money, consider the Leupold VX2 6-18. I have that on my 222. For the money, it's surprisely clear and usable.

 

[yobuck]

I would be using what you have until you experience it.
For me that's enough scope for pretty much any distance.
I would rather see you take another gun in 223 as that's where you will no doubt be doing most of your shooting. 22x250 would be another good option. I take 3 guns, a 223 with a fixed 10x Bushnell tactical scope on it, a 22x250 AI with a straight 12x Leupold, and a 6x284 with a 6.5x20 Leupold. I use 69 gr bullets in the 22x250 AI and that's the one i shoot most. If its windy i just don't bother with shots beyond about 6 or 700.
I personally think it a mistake to be buying a 36x scope for anything,
and after you get there you will also.

 

[woodnut]

I agree with yobuck, take at least 3 rifles! There's enough Pds out West to burn up one rifle, and even more! You want to have fun, not be frustrated. Your 6mm is a great eastern varmint and deer cartridge where you shot once, cool down, later shoot again. PD shooting is addictive and you will find yourself with a very hot barrel if you forget how many shots you took at a time. That will lead to erosion and a shot out barrel. Shooting at short distances can be just as much fun and can be done with smaller cartridges to include rimfires. I have found out West that there's something about the elevation and air density that keeps bullets shooting a lot flatter ( and longer) than back here in the East. Count on the wind to always be blowing and try to get it either behind or in front of you. PDs are usually co-operative, if they haven't been shot at recently, and if you miss, adjust and try again.
Bottom line, it sounds like your first trip out West so enjoy it! There's a lot more to it than just whackin PDs. Don't get all wrapped up in the "I gotta shoot long shoots" mantra. Enjoy the time out West and have fun, not frustration!

 

[rscottb]

Read and head what Steve said quite a few back. Then inventory what you have. I would buy another scope that was not close that what you have, but some other variety. Are planning to shoot longer ranges in the future, beyond a 1000? Buy for that. Buy a scope that compliments/fills in gaps your other scopes have and not overlap much, that would be a waste of money.

 

[yobuck]

Read and head what Steve said quite a few back. Then inventory what you have. I would buy another scope that was not close that what you have, but some other variety. Are planning to shoot longer ranges in the future, beyond a 1000? Buy for that. Buy a scope that compliments/fills in gaps your other scopes have and not overlap much, that would be a waste of money.

It would be a waste of money to do (anything), till he actually goes and sees it for himself. He already has a good gun with enough scope to shoot the longest shots he will probably take.
But maybe not if it has the wrong twist and cant handle the heavier bullets, like some of the old Rems did. If that's the case, then figure that you've actually got a 22x250 AI.
Borrow a 223 or 22x250 if need be, because that's where most of the shooting will be if you would like to hit many of them.
1000 yd shots on prairie dogs really requires a team effort, and frankly the majority of them are missed. Yes it can be fun if you have the right equiptment, and experience, but don't count on killing very many at those type distances. Practice on some 16 ounce soda cans at the long distances, preferably with the wind blowing to get the picture.

 

[jrock]

16x to 400 and larger for more dist. Those little buggers get tiny fast at those distances. I too take 2 or 3 guns.

 

[Mark M.]

I would take a close look at the Sightron SIII 6.5-24

 

[swd]

To 300 yards is great, 400 it's barely enough. 18x+ is a lot better.

 

[sourdough44]

If you get a good spot, you won't have to shoot at 350+ yards. I'd rather be shooting inside of 200, I like to hear the 'smack'.

 

[Fester Bestertester]

All of my center fire dog rifles have Leupold 6.5x20's on them. My 17 HMR has a 4.5x14. I just like the extra magnification and I rarely shoot past 300 yards.

 

[Ken61]

The US Army did extensive testing in the 1960's on usable scope power under field conditions. Granted, today our glass is much better, but physics don't change. Mirage makes using anything over 16x under field conditions very difficult. That's why for years the two standard scopes with Leupold MK4 of 10x and 16x power for snipers.

Your 4.5-14x, if it's quality glass, will be just fine. Don't waste your money on anything over 20x unless you will be spending lots of money on the glass, it's just not worth it in my experience.

I agree for field shooting. I do like a little more power for these old eyes at the range however.

 

[Jerry M]

While shooting Prairie Dogs in SD my buddy shot a dog out to 675 yards with a 16X scope. I have a 3.5X15 and 5.5x22 that I was using. In my opinion, the reticle of the scope in going to be as important as magnification (within reason).
I shot several dogs with a 3x10 mil dot, but had great difficulty with a 16x Mk 4 with duplex. The wind blows constantly in SD. I held for most of those shots.

We hunted on Indian Reservation, on pristine dog towns. We shot a few at less than 40 yards with a 1911. We shot hundreds of dogs <300 yards.

Having a PD town that has not been shot recently is very important. PD react to the noise of the shot. Shoot in one direction and dogs will come out in another.

It is a lot of fun...

Good luck

Jerry