Trying to Understand the Advantages of Low Power Scopes

[andrews1958]

I have read a lot of information on why you do not need a high power scope. Most have said they do not like or do see any reason for going above a 9 power scope with standard or heavy cross hairs for shooting/hunting at 100, 200, 300? yards. I am trying to understand these comments. When you look at game or at a target with the lower power the crosshairs covers up so much more of the target . This is not the same with a high power scope as you are bringing in the target closer/ clearer thus the cross hairs are not covering the target up as much. You are getting a more accurate picture of the target.

Most of my scopes are 4x12 4x16. I like this range as I can shoot close range and power up to for longer ranges.

Thoughts?

 

[rardoin]

Short of varmints I've always used 4-8x for my medium/larger game optics. For a 300yd shot on a whitetail an 8x scope is plenty enough magnification. With higher magnification it can be difficult to locate game in the sight picture, particularly if they are against a blending background or on the move. I have a couple of higher mag scopes bought for varmint rifles but they are usually at under 10x unless target shooting or crow hunting.

 

[Falfan2017]

Most deer are shot well within 150 yards. Try to keep a deer in the scope picture moving through brush at 75 yards with a 25x scope and you’ll see why a 3-9x is so popular.

 

[JFrank]

Low mag for dangerous game, other than that mo power is a good thing.
J

 

[rayporter]

well one thing is that big objectives on long scopes don't fit well in a scabbard.

plus I don't like to carry a long scope in the field. don't mind sitting with one.

 

[Outrider27]

For me, it depends on what I intend to do with the rifle. Other than my Varmint rifles, mine tend to have fixed or variable power scopes in the 2x-9x range because most of my hunting is in the east, often in the woods, and a wider field of view has proven more useful than higher power, especially, as pointed out in a post above, on running shots. YMMV.

 

[Doug Beach]

For pigs and larger at 400 yards and less, I see no advantage to more than 9x. I use 2.5-8x Leupolds, which are small, light, and offer fast acquisition at 2.5x.

 

[hogpatrol]

A lot depends on an individual's eyesight. If they're good, you can kill groundhogs and clay pigeons out to 500 meters with a 2-10 Trijicon with a post reticle set on 10x.

 

[Doug Beach]

If you’re good, you can shoot very close to minute of angle, at any rifle distance, with iron sights. The scope is useful for picking out the animal in imperfect conditions, and more precisely picking your point of impact. An 8x scope makes a 400 yard deer look to be 50 yards away. Pistol distance.

 

[Liven The Dream]

For pigs and larger at 400 yards and less, I see no advantage to more than 9x. I use 2.5-8x Leupolds, which are small, light, and offer fast acquisition at 2.5x.

I am with Doug 2.5X8 Leupold I have Gotten all my game one Elk at 500 plus . I shoot F-Class have Big Scopes 50 power . I can't use more than 20 ??? All that movement is crazy .

 

[Barlow]

Another 2.5x8 Leupold user. Never felt under powered for any of my type of hunting use. Barlow

 

[shoobe01]

The principle is that low power gives you wider FOV, and so it is easier to orient onto the target and therefore quicker and easier to shoot.

High powers are the opposite; so much so that adding an RDS has become a thing, much as it is with spotters (or low power scopes have long been with astronomical telescopes) to line it up first. Higher power also is more prone to mirage effects, and it shows off all your wobbles so can make you less likely to break the shot even if you do have a good one.

Lower power scopes have a larger, so more forgiving, eye box, including fewer parallax effects of being not perfectly centered behind it. Again, this makes them quicker, and easier to get behind and take the aimed shot.

Lower power scopes are smaller, and lighter. Within a particular maker and series at least.

Use the lowest power that allows positive ID, and adequate targeting for the ranges you expect. Zooms are the attempted solution to this, of course. If you need to shoot from 50 - 200, then you get a 1-6 (or 2-10) or something like that. You dial not based on the target at the moment you see it, but on the conditions. If you stop with a good view across a wide field (and are hunting things that bound around in fields) you zoom in a bit so are able to take a shot without fussing around. If stalking through trees, you keep it at minimum magnification so you can deal with close range game (or threats) rapidly, before it moves away.


This goes so far that stalking cultures (e.g. German hunters generally) are going to RDS as their only optic for most purposes.

 

[andrews1958]

Thanks for the great info/feedback. Sill trying to understand how a 4x 2nd plane standard or heavy weight cross hair at 200 yards or more can give you a more accurate shot then a 12x or higher at these longer distances Wouldn’t the 4x cross hair cover the target at this range much more then the 12x would ?Wouldn’t the 12x or more give you a better shot placement since the cross hairs are not covering more of the animal or target? If it is a variable scope you could easily crank it down for closer shot but with the lower power scope you can not crank it up?

 

[Falfan2017]

Thanks for the great info/feedback. Sill trying to understand how a 4x 2nd plane standard or heavy weight cross hair at 200 yards or more can give you a more accurate shot then a 12x or higher at these longer distances Wouldn’t the 4x cross hair cover the target at this range much more then the 12x would ?Wouldn’t the 12x or more give you a better shot placement since the cross hairs are not covering more of the animal or target? If it is a variable scope you could easily crank it down for closer shot but with the lower power scope you can not crank it up?

Cost is a big factor too. If you want to spend a couple thousand you can get a March that will zoom 3-24 in a lightweight package and have your cake and eat it too. However a cheap variable scope is likely to either have poor glass or not hold poi or both. If you didn’t have much money to spend I think you’d be better off with a low power fixed than trying to get a cheap scope and expect it to zoom well.

 

[Shawnba67]

I deer hunt with a 1x4. on 1 I can leave both eyes open and focused on same thing. Can shoulder the rifle and align sights like a shotgun. Which is handy on keeping track of a woods walker while you wait for your chance.
On 4 power i would not have trouble head shooting a squirrel at 200yds.(Fox squirrel a gray miggt he tough) I cant see the gain in more magnification.

 

[sawcarver]

I'm with the OP, I like 3-15x or 4-16x for hunting, gives me more magnification when I need it. I don't typically take shots at running deer and if I'm in thick woods I use a revolver.

 

[CjC73]

i too agree with the OP. I like more magnification. I'll start at low mag and i'll dial up the mag once i have target in the scope. If hunting in thick woods, then yes, lower power.

I also like the higher mag in case the deer doesn't come into the open completely. Can see small branches or whatever that may interfere with the shot.

 

[hogpatrol]

If I'm hunting the woods I'm on the lowest power, usually 3 or 4. If things start stretching out, a zoom may be necessary.

 

[andrews1958]

I deer hunt with a 1x4. on 1 I can leave both eyes open and focused on same thing. Can shoulder the rifle and align sights like a shotgun. Which is handy on keeping track of a woods walker while you wait for your chance.
On 4 power i would not have trouble head shooting a squirrel at 200yds.(Fox squirrel a gray miggt he tough) I cant see the gain in more magnification.

Thanks is some pretty good shooting. I am not that good

 

[Ledd Slinger]

With today's 6x, 8x, and even 10x wide magnification range scopes, the only advantage I can see for lower power scopes is that it gives a person a false sense of confidence where it makes a person "think" the rifle is more steady on target.

I like hunting scopes with mag ranges around 3-18x, 4-20x, 5-25x, 4.5-30x and am really looking forward to trying the new NightForce 4-32x NX8 (if NF ever releases a SFP model)

Some say the low power scopes are better for close shots, but a lot of today's high end scope manufacturers have built in very wide fields of view. My 4.5-30x56 Trijicon has a wider field of view on 4.5x than any 'low-mid priced' scope I ever owned in the past which went down to 3x or 2.5x.