066wally
Well-Known Member
3-9, or fixed 4x or 6x. Less weight beats more magnification.
Opinions on optimal magnification for hunting out West
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corsair4360
Well-Known Member
I am using a 1-6 variable for hunting now.... we hunt in open meadows and thick lodgepole pine, quick shots are the most frequent and most demanding and field of view is key to find and lock on to the target
Low end magnification is important for stalking in heavy cover/close/quick shots, but don't give up magnification on the upper end. You can never have too much magnification for judging game at distance before a stalk or for that once in a life time long shot. Remember, you can always dial down magnification, but you can't dial up beyond your scope's top power. I often glass with a 25-32 top power using a phone digiscope on scope ocular eyepiece, rifle held in a lightweight graphite tripod. Allows two eye viewing, with even extra phone zooming, while avoiding eye fatigue from long periods of one eye scope glassing plus can often avoid packing a heavy spotting scope. NF 8x power range scopes offer low and top end power ranges and great glass and performance reliability. I'm a "have my cake and eat it too" kinda guy. Save a little more......buy once, cry once, be happy ever after. Scopes are a lifetime investment. Buy the best with the most features you can ever afford. Skimp and go cheap.....you will spend more in the long run.
Nikon Made a good 2.5-10x42 and night force. Don't discount the smaller objective lenses either. I have an older Leopold 2-7x28 on one of my rifles and at lower power it is plenty bright for low light pig shooting.
10X42 binoculars
65mm spotter with light weight tripod
15X or less max magnification 40-44mm objective scope.
Binoculars to find animals, spotter to decide if they are worth pursuing, and a scope preferably 20oz or less to keep your rifle sub 8lbs all up.
65mm spotter with light weight tripod
15X or less max magnification 40-44mm objective scope.
Binoculars to find animals, spotter to decide if they are worth pursuing, and a scope preferably 20oz or less to keep your rifle sub 8lbs all up.
Hugnot
Well-Known Member
Scopes - 4.5-14X40 works well for most hunting, good enough for rodents at 400. More magnification and bigger objectives make for more weight and bulk. My favorite scopes for deers are 4.5-14X40 Leupolds either 1 inch or 30mm. All my scopes and rifles, almost all Leupolds 4.5-14's and 6.5-20's and .17HMR thru .300WM get some time shooting varmints to check things out - shooting under field conditions at various ranges.
Binocs - 10X42's. I have plans to get 15X56 but will need a tripod for that.
Spotter's 20-40X with 65mm objective and tripod.
Go for high quality glass & coatings. The 3-18X44 looks like the best all around scope, 18 X is sure nice when needed.
Binocs - 10X42's. I have plans to get 15X56 but will need a tripod for that.
Spotter's 20-40X with 65mm objective and tripod.
Go for high quality glass & coatings. The 3-18X44 looks like the best all around scope, 18 X is sure nice when needed.
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del2les
Well-Known Member
The Nightforce 2.5-10 is always a good choice, but there are high quality, compact and lighter weight 3-18x out there.
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hthunter
Well-Known Member
SHV/NSX 3-10x42, mk 5HD 3-18x44, and vx6hd 3-18x44. I've seen some bad reports on the latter but I've never had an issue with any of the above.
BHC
Well-Known Member
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If you are comfortable with taking longer shots in open areas or across ridges, mtns and canyons then I think there is good advice already given 20-25 power on the top end is probably all you'll use. Depending on your scopes quality, increasing the power tends to deteriorate the image quality. This is where high end scopes do power and low end scopes don't. I personally use a Sightron scope in the 10-50 x 60mm power range. Overkill on the power and 10 on the low end with an elk up close in the timber can be challenging with 50 really not necessary for a longer shot. I laser ranged a bull several years back in CO across the canyon on the other side at 880 yds and put my scope on 20 power and looked through just as a test and it seemed fine to take a good shot, to me anyways. I wasn't going to shoot at that range through trees on my side and not a good stable platform but just to see and experiment. The main factor for going with this scope was the 60mm objective lens ie. lots of light. Sightron makes a good 8-32 x56mm for a decent price and they are known for excellent glass quality which is what you're really after. That power range might do the trick for you depending on how far you feel comfortable shooting. Good luck out there and hope you get one.
mlayne
Member
I really like my 2.5-10 X 42. I'm 74 and my vision's not as good as it was when I was a young helicopter pilot. I don't like to take shots much over 400 yards as they tend to involve dragging the carcass down and uphill a lot and 400 yds seems to be adequate for my needs. I also have 2.5-7x33; 3-9x40; 6-18x44 and 4-16x42. I grew up shooting a fixed 4 power so I'm pretty much ok with the lower power scopes. Enjoy your hunt
D
Deleted member 115654
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Why NF stopped making the 2.5-10x32 is a mystery. I have 2 and they are about the best all round hunting scope there is.
Airedale56
Well-Known Member
3-18x, 4.5-14x, 4-16x.....all are great western open-area scope choices.
Great suggestions here.
Great suggestions here.
HRM Johnny
Well-Known Member
Check with Doug at camera land before you buy anything! He is also a great source of advice. He is: gr8fuldoug on the forum.
Hugnot
Well-Known Member
The 3-18's are sort pf pricy. A 30mm tube 4.5-14X40VX3i SF will cost less than 1/2 as much.
