What's the highest magnification you use while hunting from 500 to 1,000 yards?

[Buzzsaw]

age old argument. the only thing you need to worry about is weight of scope on your rig and if you are good with the weight.

as far as magnification, the higher the better. Depending on weather and shooting conditions re; mirage, clouds, sun, solid rest, etc. Why people haven't figured this out is beyond me: YOU CAN ALWAYS DIAL BACK THE MAGNIFICATION.

 

[jrock]

Close up, I won't use anything less than a 6x50 or 4x40. In terms of field of view, that's about 20' or more at 100 yards. On the other end, 20 power is a nice power out to 1000 yards on big game. The 4-16x44 or 50 is a good middle of the road combination. I think the 5-20x50s or larger are nice on a dedicated long range gun. The Zeiss scopes I've used in the HD5 and V4 models have plenty of light at 24 power to see well past dusk. Almost like night vision

 

[Buzzsaw]

age old argument. the only thing you need to worry about is weight of scope on your rig and if you are good with the weight.

as far as magnification, the higher the better. Depending on weather and shooting conditions re; mirage, clouds, sun, solid rest, etc. Why people haven't figured this out is beyond me: YOU CAN ALWAYS DIAL BACK THE MAGNIFICATION.

 

[Canhunter35]

age old argument. the only thing you need to worry about is weight of scope on your rig and if you are good with the weight.

as far as magnification, the higher the better. Depending on weather and shooting conditions re; mirage, clouds, sun, solid rest, etc. Why people haven't figured this out is beyond me: YOU CAN ALWAYS DIAL BACK THE MAGNIFICATION.

Reticles, even ffp scopes are designed to be optimal at certain magnifications, and most at or near max magnification. so you dial back a 32x power scope, your reticle is shrunk right up and unusable.

 

[aldeerhunter]

Reticles, even ffp scopes are designed to be optimal at certain magnifications, and most at or near max magnification. so you dial back a 32x power scope, your reticle is shrunk right up and unusable.

This is not true based on the scopes I have used. Good glass makes the difference. My PMii is optimal dialed up or back. Small amount of tunneling at 5 power but thats about it.
With the Stryker dialed up to 50x you do lose light, but dial it back a bit and I would just as soon have it at dusk as the PMii.

The XRS II 4.5-30 is the same dialed up or back. Very good.

All of these scope have good to excellent glass, an adjustable diopter/eyepiece and parallax adjustment. I see no indication that they are better at any particular setting.

 

[knapper]

I have two simultaneous new builds that are moving along and the barrels finally arrived. One will be used strictly for casual target shooting (probably 6.5x47) at 500-1,000 yards, and one is for deer/elk hunting (either 7 Saum or 7 SS). The hunting rifle was the result of a spur of the moment decision a few weeks ago to buy a Tikka 300 WSM and rechamber it. I plan on elk hunting out to 700 or 800 yards and maybe at some point out to 1,000 yards with the Tikka. I also plan on shooting steel out to 2,000 yards with the 7mm (at 5-8K elevation, the ballistics are amazing w/ a 195 Berger.)

Anyways, I bought the Vortex Golden Eagle HD 15-60x52 in anticipation of the 6.5x47 and I would like to use the scope for both rifles. Had I known I would be building another hunting rifle and using the same scope, I would have chosen a different scope. So - what are your thoughts on using what's essentially a bench rest scope for long range hunting? It obviously would be a nightmare at 100 yards but what about in the 500-1,000 yard range?

Thanks

Tragik;
In my humble opinion; when you are shooting at the range that you quoted, 500 to 1000 yards.. I would definitely leave the 6.5x47 at home in the gun safe. I believe
the 6.5 is out of its league at the range of anything over 500 yards, especially at an
elk.. I DO believe that shot placement with ANY rifle is of paramount importance
and the thought of trying to harvest and elk with the 6.5 at those ranges is bordering on utmost arrogance.. I DO agree with you on the choice of scope for that range, particular, for the 7MM Saum or the 7 SS..

I do love the Golden Eagle and was torn between that one and the BURRIS XTR II
8x40x50 for my new rifle which is a 300 WIN MAG necked down to a 7MM. I went with the Burris.. I won't go into for the sake of the subject at hand but in my opinion, I would stay with the golden Eagle and use the option of dialing down on the power and unless you have deep pockets and decide to go with the upper end of rifles like the 50 BMR, you will be right in there...

 

[lancetkenyon]

For hunting anything larger than fox & bobcats out to 1000, in my opinion, a high quality 3-15X is plenty. TT 3-15, S&B 4-16, Kahles 3-18, S&B 3-20, March 3-24, or S&B 3-27 would be sheer perfection. I have no problems shooting my Premier Heritage Light Tactical 3-15x50 well past 1000 for coyote sized game and up. Last fall, I shot a pair of coyotes at 1365 on 17x. 15X was enough to shoot a 2.9" 3 shot group at 921 yards for me. 16X was enough to shoot another coyote @ 1327 yards.

Lower magnification means wider FOV, allowing you to spot your own misses or hits at distance. Meaning better follow up shots if needed.

If you plan on shooting jackrabbits, cottontails, or prairie dogs @ 1000+, 24X+ would be a benefit.

That being said, on my dedicated LR rifles (800-1300), they wear a 5-25x56 Premier (.300RUM), and 5-25x56 S&B (6.5SS).

My medium (out to 1000-1100) big game rifles, those wear a 3-24x52 March (.280AI, which just replaced a 3-15x50 Premier this weekend), 3-20 S&B (7RM).

My long range varmint rifles wear a TT315M (coming soon in a 6CM), and Kahles 6-24x56 (6.5SLR, also medium range deer/antelope too), and my 24" AR wears the 3-15x50 Premier now.

 

[sendero72]

I have the Nightforce 8-32x56 and depending on the environmental conditions, I shoot deer out to 1000 yds and most of the time my settings run from 22 to 28 power.

 

[Buzzsaw]

Tragik;
In my humble opinion; when you are shooting at the range that you quoted, 500 to 1000 yards.. I would definitely leave the 6.5x47 at home in the gun safe. I believe
the 6.5 is out of its league at the range of anything over 500 yards, especially at an
elk.. I DO believe that shot placement with ANY rifle is of paramount importance
and the thought of trying to harvest and elk with the 6.5 at those ranges is bordering on utmost arrogance.. I DO agree with you on the choice of scope for that range, particular, for the 7MM Saum or the 7 SS..

I do love the Golden Eagle and was torn between that one and the BURRIS XTR II
8x40x50 for my new rifle which is a 300 WIN MAG necked down to a 7MM. I went with the Burris.. I won't go into for the sake of the subject at hand but in my opinion, I would stay with the golden Eagle and use the option of dialing down on the power and unless you have deep pockets and decide to go with the upper end of rifles like the 50 BMR, you will be right in there...

knapper has a VERY good point here. Also, I watch all the long range hunting shows. "experts" and their wives taking super long range shots on game, plainly showing the bullets vapor trail hitting the animal in the gut/butt/leg. Just doesn't seem right to me. Shooting steel?> He77 yes, all day long but live stuff past 500, like knapper says , you owe it to the animal to KILL it with one well placed shot.

 

[Greyfox]

knapper has a VERY good point here. Also, I watch all the long range hunting shows. "experts" and their wives taking super long range shots on game, plainly showing the bullets vapor trail hitting the animal in the gut/butt/leg. Just doesn't seem right to me. Shooting steel?> He77 yes, all day long but live stuff past 500, like knapper says , you owe it to the animal to KILL it with one well placed shot.

I respectfully disagree with you guys! While there are displays of "nimrods" that have no business taking shots at ANY range, the knowege and technology, absolutely exists to effectively harvest game at ranges well past 500....That is if the hunter has the talent, and makes the commitment to learn how to do it. Not an opinion, a well proven fact.

 

[Rich Coyle]

What you get in magnification you give up in low light and field of view.

How do you figure you loose low light performance with higher magnification?

 

[Barrelnut]

How do you figure you loose low light performance with higher magnification?

The exit pupil of the scope gets smaller as magnification increases. This allows less light to reach the shooters eye. Turn the magnification down and the reverse happens. The exit pupil gets larger as the magnification decreases and more light reaches the shooters eye.

 

[Tragik]

age old argument. the only thing you need to worry about is weight of scope on your rig and if you are good with the weight.

as far as magnification, the higher the better. Depending on weather and shooting conditions re; mirage, clouds, sun, solid rest, etc. Why people haven't figured this out is beyond me: YOU CAN ALWAYS DIAL BACK THE MAGNIFICATION.

Except .... I can't dial it back further than 15x when 15x is the minimum on that scope described in my original post.

 

[Tragik]

I have Viper PST's on two rifles. A 6-24 on my 300 Ultra and a 4-16 on my 7WSM. I don't like the 6-24 as well as the other. What you get in magnification you give up in low light and field of view. Wouldn't buy the 6-24 again in this scope for hunting.

Thank you, that's helpful to consider.