Scope selection for poor vision

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Richard Owl Mirror

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I currently have a vortex 3-9x40 on my Weatherby vanguard .270 and this week I went out to the range to get ready for hunting season. I noticed my vision has changed and just to view the 100 yard target, I had to increase the magnification to 9 to get a clear view of the target. I've just begun hunting last year, when I purchased the rifle & scope. My eyesight was fine then & I had the setting on 5.
My question is, would I benefit from increasing my scope power to something in the range of 4-20x50 or similar?
Being new to shooting firearms & hunting, my comfort zone distance is around 100yd - 200yd.
I refuse to take a shot beyond what I'm comfortable in making a sure kill shot.
I was awarded a Mule deer Buck Permit to hunt HD510, Pryor Mountain Range in Montana. I'm disabled so I can't travel more than a few 100 yards on foot.
Can anyone suggest a scope which will increase my accuracy, with a budget under $500 for a scope? Also, which brands should I stay away from & which would be best within my budget. I'm on SSDI so the cost is important.
 
Richard, one of the guys I hunt with had the same eyesight issues. He was fitted with glasses which were a lot less costly than a new scope. Good optics are very pricey and a higher power scope with a 30mm tube of good quality is quite above the <$500 range. Good luck
 
Dosh said:
Richard, one of the guys I hunt with had the same eyesight issues. He was fitted with glasses which were a lot less costly than a new scope. Good optics are very pricey and a higher power scope with a 30mm tube of good quality is quite above the <$500 range. Good luck
Click to expand...

Thanks Dosh, I have looked in to obtaining eye glasses but, Medicare & Medicaid won't pay for them so, the whole process of an Optometrist & the cost of eye glasses will cost about the same. I use drug store cheater glasses for reading but, looking through Binoculars & a rifle scope are a different story.
Thanks for the suggestion though !

I'm 56 years old & just began an interest in shooting & hunting since moving to Montana 3 years ago. I'm disabled & don't have anyone to assist me so, I may just be wasting my time & money. I don't even eat much meat. My purpose to learn to hunt began with the plan of donating the meat to Hunters for the Hungry program for families who need food. Not having anyone to teach me best practices of shooting & hunting beyond reading & youtube video's, I think I've made good progress. I'm just concerned on taking a shot and not getting a quick kill shot.
I'm not in good physical condition to go tracking a wounded animal for a mile !

I wish I could find somebody to accompany me on this hunt in the Pryor mountains. Pryor Mountain Wild Mustang Center, Lovell Wyoming
Right now, my plan is to locate a place near the road & sit overlooking an area.
I did purchase this book: Deer Hunting Secrets

I'm still studying it and taking rides out to the area to try spotting a good area for me to set up in. I have a Caldwell rifle holder which pivots while holding the rifle full-time so I don't need to support the rifle much.

With the scope I have, I'm able to place my shots within a 1/2 dollar size range around the bull's-eye at 100 yards. I would like to have a scope which allows me to take a confident shot out to 300 yards, just in case that's what I'm presented with.
This area is only allowed 200 permits and last year there was a 100% success rate. The majority were Trophy worthy so, I'm excited about the opportunity. I just don't want to screw it up with equipment not up to the task. (including my eyes)

Anyways, thanks again for answering my question.
Richard
 
Walmart can do a cheap set of frames, exam, and lenses all for about $100. You need to be able to see man. One of the rules of hunting is knowing what beyond your target as well.
 
My vision has changed as well over the last couple of years. I've gone from needing nothing to needing a 1.5 or 2.0 readers for u close.

A scope, just like any optic, needs to be focused. There are 2 focus adjustments on some scopes, and only one on others. All scopes have some mechanism to adjust the objective lense. Usually it's by twisting the eye piece.

If I use a scope that is adjusted for a normal vision eye, I must wear my readers or the crosshairs are very blurry. The objects I see are blurry, but not as bad. If I then adjust the focus, I can take off the readers and all is clear.

Given all of that, not all scopes are created equal. As your vision gets worse, better scopes may required. Or get glasses...

Try adjusting it and see of that helps.
 
My grandfather who is 75 recently obtained an Ultra Mag Remington. When he went to put a scope on it, he and I compared Vortex, Leupold, Bushnell Elite, and a couple of other brands that really didn't hold a candle to those three. I myself liked the Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44. With his eyesight, and with the eye relief forgiveness it offers, he went with a Bushnell Elite 4-16x50. It is very good IMHO for the $$ (around $550)
Right now, Cabela's is running an awesome deal on a Burris MTAC for $299.99. May want to check that one out. If you can get a scope with excellent clarity, then high-power magnification is not always necessary.
You can get a Vortex Viper at cameralandny.com 6.5-20x44 for right around $350 I think. Either one of those would be a great scope for you I think...
 
jrhammo08sxt said:
My grandfather who is 75 recently obtained an Ultra Mag Remington. When he went to put a scope on it, he and I compared Vortex, Leupold, Bushnell Elite, and a couple of other brands that really didn't hold a candle to those three. I myself liked the Vortex Viper 6.5-20x44. With his eyesight, and with the eye relief forgiveness it offers, he went with a Bushnell Elite 4-16x50. It is very good IMHO for the $$ (around $550)
Right now, Cabela's is running an awesome deal on a Burris MTAC for $299.99. May want to check that one out. If you can get a scope with excellent clarity, then high-power magnification is not always necessary.
You can get a Vortex Viper at cameralandny.com 6.5-20x44 for right around $350 I think. Either one of those would be a great scope for you I think...
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info. I'll look in to those you mentioned. I guess my question is whether going to a scope like 6.5-20 vs 3-9 would help or is it a matter of glass clarity?
 
Clarity trumps magnification in almost every case.

A $199 6-24x50 scope will be nearly useless at powers above 12...especially with our old eyes.

Look at a 4-16x50. Vortex viper pst, nikon monarch, etc. $500 price range.

Check the focus on yours first...
 
kaborkian said:
Clarity trumps magnification in almost every case.

A $199 6-24x50 scope will be nearly useless at powers above 12...especially with our old eyes.

Look at a 4-16x50. Vortex viper pst, nikon monarch, etc. $500 price range.

Check the focus on yours first...
Click to expand...

Thanks again. It help me with making a decision.
I went for a ride yesterday through the area I'll be hunting.
Here is a slideshow of a few photo's
HD510 Custer National Forest Slideshow by owlmirror | Photobucket
 
It is personal preference. But, from my time in the USMC, I will tell you that I can shoot better at 500 yds with an M-16A4 with a 4x Trijicon ACOG than I can with a Savage 10 FCP-K in .308 at 300 yds with a Tasco Varmint 10-40x50 scope.
I would go for a combination of clarity and enough power to bring your target relatively close. In that case, I would opt for the Burris.

Currently, I have a Vortex Crossfire 2 6-18x44 ($220~ish) with Adjustable Objective on my 300 Win Mag. I LOVE it. The glass WAY outperforms the price range. The nice feature about the crossfire is that it has an adjustable/quick focus eyepiece AND an adjustable objective. They will not rape your wallet either. With the warranty that they offer and the performance in whitetail season last December in western PA, I am pretty happy with it.
 
Sully2 said:
Get glasses
Click to expand...

At least get a proper eye exam. There are two main types of eye doctors. Opthamologists study all forms eye irregularities and are medical doctors. Optometrists are skilled technicians who measure for and fit corrective deices like glasses and contact lenses. There are others who do specialized surgical procedures.

If your eyes changed fairly suddenly and simply changing the eyepiece setting on your scope doesn't bring the reticle into sharp focus I'd suggest seeing an Opthamologist to find out what's wrong. There are many possible problems only some of which are correctable with glasses. Some are serious, some are normal with age. Asking what works for others on the Internet is likely not to be right for you.

I cannot see worth a **** without wearing glasses, but with some riflescopes with an eyepiece diopter setting of over 5 I can see quite well without wearing glasses. Each person is different . For just about everyone their range of focus decreases with age.
 
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