Long Range Scopes & Magnification

[L.Sherm]

I'm a believer in the saying aim small shoot small, that being said don't limit yourself to the lower power if a 5x25 is in your budget as long as it's clear on the higher powers.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

"life" is full of "trade off's" ! Either buy, a smaller scope and get closer, to shoot
Or, carry the extra 4-5 ounces and have,.. the 700 Yard, "capability" !
That's why, I carry a 4.5 X 14 on MY .270 WSM, it's to "reach" out there IF,..necessary! My 140 AccuBond is going 3,150 FPS at the muzzle, and still going, 2,000 FPS at 700. I use my Rifle for Hunting, from Black Timber, to open rolling Sage/ Juniper country and, I have NO desire, to shoot from one mountain range across, to another mountain, AKA Extreme long range,.."shooting" ( 800-1,200+ yds) NOR, do I want to carry an 11 to 15 pound Rifle ! I'd be happier with, a 200-300 yard shot and good bullet "placement" for a quick, humane kill,.. Again, JMHO
PS; there is,.. NO,.. "free Lunch"

 

[Plinker147]

Go with something to minimum of 3-4 up to 14-18 power. I like and use 3-18 vx 6 perfect power range, light weight. You can easily shoot 700-800 at objects like deer on 10x but I prefer the xtra power.

 

[Ckgworks]

Just another thought, I will take lower magnification with better quality glass over a higer-power scope of lower quality. A smaller image that is crystal clear is much better than a larger somewhat blurry image. Not very long ago people were doing amazing things with 10 power scopes. I know I can get wrapped up in what equipment I wish I had versus spending the time and money practicing with what I do have!

 

[Rich Coyle]

Just another thought, I will take lower magnification with better quality glass over a higer-power scope of lower quality. A smaller image that is crystal clear is much better than a larger somewhat blurry image. Not very long ago people were doing amazing things with 10 power scopes. I know I can get wrapped up in what equipment I wish I had versus spending the time and money practicing with what I do have!

How 'bout good glass with high magnification? My Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 for $800 matches Swarovski z5 5-25X52 and Leupold VX-5 4-24X52. So far I have not found any Vortex with glass as good as these. Schmidt&Bender....that's a different story.

 

[Ckgworks]

How 'bout good glass with high magnification? My Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 for $800 matches Swarovski z5 5-25X52 and Leupold VX-5 4-24X52. So far I have not found any Vortex with glass as good as these. Schmidt&Bender....that's a different story.

Not sure..... my comment was based on same brand, I should have elaborated more. A buddy has a Leupold Varix I 4-12, which for the same price he could have bought a Vari x II 3x9. If I compare my 3x9 to his 4x12 (in hunting conditions), the 3x9 is much clearer..... so I personally would not drop down a level for higher power.

 

[the hunter]

3-15 should be perfect for your ueses, look at the vortex razor hd lh in 3-15x42mm it is 16oz.

 

[Capt RB]

swfa has their tax day sale going for 559 you can get the 3-15 ffp . For 11XX you can get their 5-20 illuminated. The glass is is above the rice point they don't break under severe recoil of a brake and they track like a train in the turrets. If you only want to spend 250 the 10x SS has no pier at that price point and the glass again is above the price point

 

[MudRunner2005]

swfa has their tax day sale going for 559 you can get the 3-15 ffp . For 11XX you can get their 5-20 illuminated. The glass is is above the rice point they don't break under severe recoil of a brake and they track like a train in the turrets. If you only want to spend 250 the 10x SS has no pier at that price point and the glass again is above the price point

I have 3 of the SWFA SS scopes, and I can attest to this. For the money, they are simply impossible to beat.

 

[jjmp]

my 2cents look thru a vx3 4.5x14x40 & compare vx3 4.5x14x50 but use the Boone & Crockett reticle ,lots of Great answers as per usual ! i'm happy with my vortex's diamondback hp 4x16 x42 bdc, time tells all, in the past I had a vx2 old style 3x9x50 liked it fine plain vari-x plex it was lite & tuff,but whats not a Compromise ..... hey good hunting for that rite glass!

 

[Hondo64d]

I'm curious on your opinion on what scope magnification do great for longer range shooting. I grew up in a budget family so the 3x-9x scopes were all we hadand they worked great for the 150 yards shots we were taking. Now I've been getting into elk hunting and have never shot with any other magnification scope. I get parallex, MOA/Mil, and other things but for a guy that wants to get to a point where I could make a 700 yard shot, what's a magnification to go for when buying a scope? I took my 3x-9x scope to the range and sighted it in at 200 yards then found my marks for 300 yards but at 300 yards, my crosshair was about the size of the 6in target I was shooting. I know I don't want to go cheap on the scope, is 5x-25x too much, just right, or not enough? I'm even open to you saying something like 3x-9x for 250 yards and less, 4x-12x for 400 yards and less, and so on!

Thanks!
Sean
(Will be mounted on my Tikka T3 Lite .300 Win Mag)
(Bow hunting Wyoming 2017 in the snow, and rifle hunting Colorado 2016 in orange gear)
View attachment 95836 View attachment 95837 View attachment 95838

It's not so much the magnification that allows one to precisely place a bullet at distance, but more so a good reticle and reliable internal mechanics. Hits on deer sized vitals way out there are very doable with even a good 6x scope, the 6x SWFA SS. Have easily made hits on 12" steel at 800 yards with that very scope many times myself.

For what you are describing, I recommend the SWFA SS 3-9 or the Bushnell LRHSi or LRTSi. GA Precision is taking deposits on their next 4.5-18 LRHSi special, scheduled for July. They are $750 and there has never been a better bargain in a scope.

I have had the 3-9 SS, 3-12 LRHS and currently have the 4.5-18 LRTSi. They all do what a scope should do but many others do not. That is track correctly, maintain zero, and return to zero reliably. Any of those three would simply amaze you with what you will be capable of when you learn how to use it correctly.

John

 

[Earnhardt]

What magnification range are you guys using on the 1500-2000 yard guns?

 

[Capt RB]

What magnification range are you guys using on the 1500-2000 yard guns?

You need precise turrets with good glass and a reticle that won't obscure the target. I read on here Kirby Allen shot a woodchuck or rock chuck at 2300yds with a 3x15nsx at the jamboree a bunch of years ago. That said David Tubb's son in law used a 5-25 with his dtr reticle to shoot a mile then 2011yds for the current elr record. I've watched guys shoot 4-16 S&B's to a mile. Alot depends on what type of shooting is being done. Is it a kyl target at a prs type match or a shot you can set up for and wait for your conditions to come in? Alot of the really high powered scopes don't have enough up in the turrets for ultra long range firing solutions. The 7-35 ATACR I think has 100+-moa Most of the 5-25's have 30 mils or more. Now with the tacom device you can add 20 mils and March has a 400 moa mount. Gordy Gritters built a 150moa base to shoot a 338 to 3500 yds before it was cool.

 

[NEMTHunter]

I have been looking at a Hi-Lux scope in 7-30x50 The recticle is what is intriguing me.
I am sure the scope is not even the best for the price. The aiming dot in the middle is 1/16 MOA @100 yards on 28 power. That would be 1.047 inches @ 1600 yards. On 14 power its 2.094 inches round @ 1600 yards. If the glass is clear thats a true LR and even ELR recticle.

Link to said scope. https://hi-luxoptics.com/products/hi-lux-optics-top-angle-7-30x50-moa