Favorite scope and recommended magnification range

[mxsailor803]

Like many people have said, I only use the higher magnification for the range. It’s super convenient to be able to fire a round, zoom in to see the impact, make adjustments, and fire again all while never getting off the rifle. You’ll hear people say “I never needed more than x magnification”. Good for them. Use what you want to and can afford. There’s so many options now that you’ll pull your hair out lol.

[jimbob86]

At what magnification do you set your scopes?

Mine stay on the lowest setting unless I need to take a longer shot. A 2X or 3X scope is plenty out to at least 100 yards. More magnification and it is hard to find the target in the scope at closer ranges due to limited field of view. If I need to take a shot up close I don't have time to mess with the magnification adjustment. I've taken deer at 200 yards on 2X before when I had to do it fast and had no time to change anything.

I'm with jmr40 on this. I run 3x9x32 on my hunting rifle, and it stays on 3x, unless the target is out there so far I need to see it better ..... in which case, I probably have time to turn up the magnification and probably use my range finder as well. If I jump a buck or one comes walking up behind me, I don't have time to turn the magnification down ..... just point and shoot. 3x and a lot of dry fire "snap in" drills make that almost automatic.

[GeauxTide]

I have Nikon Prostaff 5 BDC 3.5x14 on my 243, 280 and 7mmRM. With their SpotOn software, calculating your bullet/load is mahvelous. Very sorry that Nikon has stopped making scopes. On my 260, 300HAM'R, and 308, I use Vortex Strike Eagle 30mm 1x6 and 1x8. They have lighted reticles and are great for the short stuff.

[Tallest]

My go-to deer rifle is a 7mm-08 Ruger, and it has a fairly old Leupold 4-12 x 40. It's a little more than I need, but this is a really nice scope that was given to me by a friend before I could afford nice scopes. Most of my hunting is done from trees or blinds, or slow, slow walking through the woods. The woods where I hunt break open to large alfalfa fields where some shots can get up to 400 yds (rarely). When I leave the truck, it's set at 4x. The only time it goes higher in 90% of hunting scenarios is if I'm trying to count points... at a distance of > 200 yards... and lower light. Given my druthers, I would probably have 3-9x50 or some such animal, but it wouldn't be better enough than what I have to justify paying for it.

On a less popular note: I am convinced that magnification preferences are entirely subjective! If you choose the advantage of seeing more (higher magnification) over the advantage of faster target acquisition, that is your choice, and vice versa. It's not uncommon to get an earful if you walk into almost any hunting scenario in North America with "too much" magnification. While I understand the prejudices developed from decades of experience (and believe me, I greatly appreciate the access we have the wisdom of others' experience), I don't think there is a "right" answer. If something works well for you, that's what you should do.

[Double K]

4x12 Leupold with the LRD reticle, with most calibers I use {7-08, 223, 6.5prc,7mm saum} I sight the bottom dot in to hit a standard clay pigeon at 400yds, that puts the next dot up right on at 300yds and the crosshair above it on at 200yards.
Unfortunately Leupold has discontinued that reticle but I see them on ebay frequently.
I have to say that the last few years Leupold has been a real disappointment on many levels, they've went from the premier American optics company to a shining example of mediocrity.

[BJung]

I'm still reading everyone's comments. When buying a scope, do you determine your eye relieve before buying your scopes? Do you determine your scope height while shouldering your rifle and choosing bases before purchasing? Does a lighter single power scope make the rifle more stable as it would be less top heavy? Are the Browning scopes made by Redding any good? Has anyone used one? I'd have to read about 32mm vs 40mm objectives and my concern is that the 32mm is not bright enough during dusk and early dawn. Thanks

[Double K]

If you have a wood stock and a heavy barreled 7mag I would assume your not hunting sheep, goats or elk with it!
You didn't say where hunt but weight of the rifle mustn't be a big consideration, another pound+for a scope and rings isn't going to ruin your day.
If the weight isn't a problem bigger is always better when it comes to light transmission and field of view so a 40mm or larger objective and a 30mm tube would be nice, you'll need high rings for the scope to clear the gun.
Your 7mag will be alot easier to shoot if you can get the weight up over 10lbs to slow the recoil down.
I sometimes end up walking alot on hunts so weight is pretty big factor in my guns, standard weight barrels, synthetic stocks and 40mm/1"/non-adjustable objectives all help to keep the loaded rifle with a sling around 8lbs.

[big al hunter]

When buying a scope, do you determine your eye relieve before buying your scopes? Do you determine your scope height while shouldering your rifle and choosing bases before purchasing? Does a lighter single power scope make the rifle more stable as it would be less top heavy?

Yes
No
No

Yes I choose eye relief based on recoil that I expect. On a hunting rifle it hurts when the scope taps your eyebrow. I like about 4 inches on heavy recoiling magnums. A little less is ok on smaller stuff.

No, I try to get the scope as low as the design of the scope and rifle allow. If the scope is too high you loose cheek weld on the stock. This affects accuracy. Just don't go too low and have the bell touching the barrel.

Never had a scope that made my gun wobble side to side. Proper grip on the gunstock will take care of it. A few ounces more scope isn't going to change that.

[RaySendero]

Double K wrote:
If you have a wood stock and a heavy barreled 7mag ,
I would assume your not hunting sheep, goats or elk with it!

Let's not assume.
burbank_jung, What are you going to hunt?

[ocharry]

you know it is all subjective

my old 7mag has a 4-12x40 leupold on it,,,i use a ruger 223 with an old 8x40 leupold on it,,,i use a 250ai 99 savage that has a 6x lyman all american on it,,,i have a savage 6.5CM that has a 6-24x56 with a 34mm tube,,,,i have a 308 savage that has a 8.5-32x56 on it,,,i like them all,,,,,,this year for deer season i plan on using the 6.5CM......yes it has a big scope,,,,yes it is bright and clear,,,but it is a variable and the beauty about it is,,,, i can turn it down to where ever i want it to be or if i need it i have plenty to turn up

all that being said,,,,i think,,,,,you should see what your budget will allow and then that is where i would start looking

but you should keep in mind that a $300 scope today will rival the top end scopes from 20 years ago,,,maybe even 10 years ago

i do like fixed power scopes,,,,BUT,,,you sure cant go wrong with a good variable and then you can have what ever power you want

look at vortex,,,leupold,,any of the better brands,,,,even though nikon is getting out of the scope business they still made some fine scopes,,,,with maybe now no warranty ,,,,but it all depends how much you want to spend

i dont care much for buying used glass,,,,,,but there are some killer deals out there for older stuff

and that is my .02,,,,worth exactly that too

ocharry

[pete2]

A higher quality scope can make more difference in brightness than the 50 MM front end. The old small 2.2to 8 Vari X 3 is brighter than a 3-9 Vari X2 . My compact 3-9 Burris is just as bright as the 40MM 3-9 Vari x 2. The better lens coatings make it brighter. I prefer mounting the scope as low as possible, do not like the 50 MM scopes, especially when they aren't as bright as a smaller scope. Also, check out some of the 40MM German scopes...

[Double K]

My 7 short mag wears a 4x12-40mm Leupold, it's normally an elk only rifle so the suppressor comes off for trudging up and down steep canyons.
Even with a lightweight stock and all aluminum rings and bases the 700 magnum contour 24" barrel makes makes the gun heavier than I like after a couple of days hunting. It's a little over 8lbs loaded ready to go with a nylon sling, not a true mountain gun for sure.
The 4x12 Leupold is a pretty light scope, there has been many variations of it but there all about the same weight 12.0 oz, with aluminum rings you can keep the total weight for both to around a 1lb.
Lots of imported scopes as well as steel tubed scopes are closer to 18oz + rings, but like I said earlier if the op isn't hunting in the mountains weight and size doesn't matter.

[BJung]

I have a Browning Olympian 7rm that was purchased years ago. My friends at the time hunted with 7rm and this is the rifle I found. The rifle has a barrel than is not a bull barrel but is thicker than a Remington BDL. It became a long term project after I got married, had a kid, and had less money and time. My plan was to use it for deer or pig hunting here in CA and if I left the state with my friends, I'd go elk hunting. I want to complete the rifle.

I reload and shoot curio-relics sometimes so I'm comfortable shooting open sights. The Browning does not have open sights.

[Double K]

That has a contour similar to the 700 magnum barrel, you were probably comparing it to a standard 30-06 or a mountain rifle. California pig hunting can entail some pretty good hiking, might want to stay with the 4x12 or a 4.5x14 Leupold and aluminum rings and bases.
If it has that high gloss stock I'd look for one more suitable to hunting, they look good in the store and when your friends are over for a gun show but need to be in a padded case when outdoors! Someone makes a synthetic stock for it.

[jimbob86]

If the scope is too high you loose cheek weld on the stock. This affects accuracy.

It does more than just affect accuracy- it also also does not give you a repeatable reference point when mounting the gun ..... makes finding the target in the scope slower on snap shots. You will never consistently be able to hit moving targets if your face is bobbing around above the stock trying to keep a sight picture, while the gun is moving to stay on target ..... the whole has to move as a unit, or you are just hoping that you hit something at random...... the same goes when you touch the round off: the whole deal has to recoil as a unit, or the gun will go back, push your shoulder, which, being connected to your neck, and neck to your head, will pull your head down into the stock ..... letting your gun take a run and smack you in the face every time you squeeze the trigger is a recipe for flinching.

You should be able to look at a target, close your eyes, mount the gun, open your eyes and have the reticle centered in the scope, and if not on, then very near to on the target..... If you must move your head around to obtain a sight picture, the gun is not set up right.

[BJung]

My experience with rifle scopes is to secure the base and rings to the receiver and then secure the scope into the rings. There is no sim adjustment. It's as if there is an average height given people's various neck length and head shape. At the bench, I have to lower my line of sight to the rings, observe the shading of the rim, draw back and make sure there is now shadow on the edges as I move forward and hold the stock. I don't know if there's a better technique.

That said, shooting from the standing and sitting position must be similar. Do you adjust the scope with shims.. so when you shoulder your rifle, the scope falls into full vision as you anchor a certain part of your face to the stock? Maybe you'll have to learn to lower your line of sight by leaning forward and into the rifle than twisting your neck? If you don't adjust the scope, do you adjust your butt plate? My field shooting has been with open sights.

[big al hunter]

The height of the scope is determined by the size of the base and rings that you purchase. If you take the rifle to the store where you purchase the scope they should have someone there that is experienced in mounting scopes. They will have the proper tools and knowledge to do it right.

Generally speaking rings come in low, medium and high. But that is not the end of the options. For a hunting rifle it will be enough to get one of these. What I usually do is attach the base and set the rings on the base without tightening them all the way. Then set the scope in the rings to check the location of the objective bell vs the barrel. And make sure the eye relief is correct, and the bolt clears when operated. If the bell is a ways above the barrel I try the next size down. If it touches the barrel, next size up.

If everything works the next step is to lap the rings. Take the scope off the rings. Tighten the rings to the base. Apply lapping compound (abrasive paste) to the lapping bar and snug the screws on the rings to the lapping bar. Wiggle it around to shape the rings to mate the surface of the scope. It will take out minor alignment issues and remove any machine marks or burrs on the rings. Then clean the rings with solvent.

Mount the scope and torque the screws just enough to hold it, but not tight. Check eye relief and reticle is level. Then torque screws after adjustment to get everything right.

If your store doesn't do this I recommend finding one that will before you purchase the scope. If you want to buy online, find a gunsmith that will mount it for you.

[Double K]

Very few American hunters shoot at moving targets with a scoped rifle so any efforts to make your deer hunting rifle shoulder and aim like a shotgun might be nice but not necessary.
Most of the bolt guns I see at hunter sight-ins have the scopes mounted to low, the shooters have their heads tilted over to the side and faces crammed into the comb. That makes for very unpleasant shooting experience. Not to say there aren't people who need low rings, a short necked, thin faced person using a classic style stock with a low comb and -0+cast will be very comfortable with a low mounted scope. If your wondering why that favorite O/U shotgun comes up so nice on a clay target look at the stock and notice how much cast off it has, they don't stock centerfire rifles like that unless it's a custom fitted gun in the US, the stocks are made for both right and lefties. The AR-15 is a good example of rifle that's difficult to get any cheek weld on regardless of a persons build yet lots of people can shoot running targets with them just fine with a little practice, I have no problem shooting running coyotes with mine.
Here's a picture of one of my German rifles that has a high rise cheek piece and cast off as an example of how stock design dictates scope height.

[BJung]

Ok, thanks for the photo.

[wild willy]

The less you shoot the lower the power.I've been with hunters who never fired a shot at deer that should have been easy shots.In every case a big variable scope 6-24 size I think they had the scope turned up.One was the buck of a lifetime.

[Double K]

Scope power is age related as well, lots of silhouette shooters use very high magnification scopes when there young but steadily decrease as they get older.
I used a 36x fixed power leupold to shoot smallbore silhouette until my mid 30's but know have a 6.5x20 I rarely go over 12x with, age it'll get everyone of us eventually.
I shoot just as much as I did in my 20's and 30's if not more.
If you need more than 12x on a hunting scope you have some sort of vision problem I would guess.
I carry a little Burris spotting scope antelope hunting, pretty handy and you won't get hassled using it off the side of the road like you might using a rifle scope as spotting scope.

[wild willy]

The Op said hunting scope I doubt if anyone would recommend 36X for a hunting scope.Maybe I didn't word my reply too well most hunters would be better off with a scope with 2 or 3x at the lower end.I've seen shooters that don't shoot much or were newer have trouble finding a stationary target I could only imagine the trouble they would have a deer moving thru the brush.

[jimbob86]

The height of the scope is determined by the size of the base and rings that you purchase.

But as dk noted, the site plane of the shooter is determined by the stock and the size and shape of the shooter's face..... the sight height and the shooter's sight plane must match, or the gun is not set up right.

Very few American hunters shoot at moving targets with a scoped rifle so any efforts to make your deer hunting rifle shoulder and aim like a shotgun might be nice but not necessary.

.... It's a skill that is essential in some situations. Just because most don't have it is a poor reason not to learn it. Having a gun that shoulders well is important..... certainly more important that what particular caliber you use. You are faster with target acquisition, recoil is managed better ..... it's more comfortable, and therefore more enjoyable to shoot.

[Double K]

I totally agree JB86.

Nothing helps me with running targets better than 3 rounds of skeet a couple of weeks in a row before coyote season, the lowhouse station 6 is a great teacher for escaping coyotes.

[BJung]

I don't have a scope at hand to test this. Would you say 4x is too much for a 50 yards shot? I think a 2x-7x scope would probably be best for wooded to an open field. Then 3.5-10x or 4-14x for Western open country and something in between like 3x-9x for something in between. While my rifle doesn't have open sights, how good are detachable scope bases? Are shot's repeatable after a scope has been removed and re-attached. I'd guess not but maybe one of you has the setup to comment. As for scope height, I suppose a person can attach a cushion on the comb of the stock