Poll on a common question (scope magnification)

[choc dogs]

2.5x7 I think it's been around 5 for the last 4 years. I've got a rifle that needs glass and I think it's gonna get a fixed 6x

 

[smokepolepaul]

3x9 Leupold VX-II on my T/C Omega .50 cal muzzleloader. The extra magnification, at my age , comes in handy on shots out to 200 yds. (my outer limit).

 

[Bambistew]

Looks the same as using iron sights at 100yds. Folks seem to have made that combo work for a few hundred years...

I know what you're saying Pointer... all I'm saying is the dozen or so "old timers" I grew up hunting elk around probably shot/packed more elk than the collective lifetime effort on this board (think Buzz's body count then add 30 years to it)... 300 yards was a long, long shot for these average elk hunters. They shot 300 Sav, 308, 270, or 30-06, and one had a 300 Magnum (wish I had it). Most either had old 3x Lyman or 4x Weaver scopes or if they were "rich" a 4x Leupold. At 400 yards an elk was a blurry spot in most of these scopes. I know the German post in 3x Lyman darn near covers an elk completely at 400 yards. The 400 yard shot was the the stuff of legends because no one took those kind of shots, they all believed in getting closer... because they couldn't see it clearly in their scopes. only in our generation has it become SOP to shoot if you can see it... because you have a big azz scope and rifle to match. YMMV.

If you plan on shooting long range, do yourself a favor and get a scope that you can see a lot of target at long range to make a good shot, and then practice a lot. I'm no crack shot, and know for a fact that I've killed exactly 1 animal out of a couple hundred that was over 400 yards. I know my limitations and stick to them. 3x9 or 4x12 work great for me.

 

[shoots-straight]

Straight 6x

 

[danr55]

I always hunt elk with two rifles. One I will carry if I'm hunting in canyon country where the possibility of a long shot is evident. It caries a 4.5-14 power scope. The other for hunting flatland and open country where the max shot is liable to be 400 yards.. It carries a 2.5-10.

 

[Sabot]

Thanks for all of the participation. This is really good insight. Last year a buddy and I both shot the same elk within 3 seconds of each other ( long but good story). The shot was 325 yards. He was on 6x power and I was at 17 x power. I'm in the process of moving to a lighter scope hand will probably be using either a 3.5-10 or 4.5-14 in the future. I'm a Leupold man for life.

 

[1_pointer]

I know what you're saying Pointer... all I'm saying is the dozen or so "old timers" I grew up hunting elk around probably shot/packed more elk than the collective lifetime effort on this board (think Buzz's body count then add 30 years to it)... 300 yards was a long, long shot for these average elk hunters. They shot 300 Sav, 308, 270, or 30-06, and one had a 300 Magnum (wish I had it). Most either had old 3x Lyman or 4x Weaver scopes or if they were "rich" a 4x Leupold. At 400 yards an elk was a blurry spot in most of these scopes. I know the German post in 3x Lyman darn near covers an elk completely at 400 yards. The 400 yard shot was the the stuff of legends because no one took those kind of shots, they all believed in getting closer... because they couldn't see it clearly in their scopes. only in our generation has it become SOP to shoot if you can see it... because you have a big azz scope and rifle to match. YMMV.

If you plan on shooting long range, do yourself a favor and get a scope that you can see a lot of target at long range to make a good shot, and then practice a lot. I'm no crack shot, and know for a fact that I've killed exactly 1 animal out of a couple hundred that was over 400 yards. I know my limitations and stick to them. 3x9 or 4x12 work great for me.

I hear ya! The technology of today has made it possible to do what was l'egendary' not terribly long ago. On Sat. I was at the range checking my rifle that I'll be taking to WY next month for pronghorns. Though nothing to really brag about, but with what I was shooting hitting the 8" gong at 400yds was easy. The scope went way above 4X... First post was to just make the point about the sight picture.

Heck, even today's 4X scopes would make those guys swoon. It's more about the Indian than the arrow, but good Indians with good arrows are sure deadly.

 

[A-con]

An elk at 400 yards is friggn tiny in a 4x scope. Your heartbeats move it off target. YMMV
.

The question was, how much is “enough”, and I stand by my answer, 4 X is “enough”.

Seriously Bambi, if you can’t see an elk through 4X at 400 yards, get your eyes checked.
Get your eyes checked before you hunt, before you drive a car or operate heavy machinery.

I haven’t killed an elk at 400/4x but I‘ve killed deer, ground squirrels and 9”paper plates, Elk are big targets.
As far as your heartbeat moving your crosshair off target. Once you understand the basic principle you will understand that any influence of outside movement, heartbeat, wind, whatever, will move any scope the same, 4X, 14X or 40X. If it will move one off target, it will move them all off target.

I don’t know how old your old timer friends are, but I have a pair of Leo. VX IIIs made in the mid 70s, , both pushing 40 years old. A 1.5X5 and a 3.5X10. Set at 4X, either one of them still has enough resolution and clarity to “pick your spot” on an elk 400 yards away.

Just a basic difference of opinion, if you want a big scope, by all means use one. I’m just saying you don’t need one.

 

[noharleyyet]

4.5x14 on one 7short and 3x15 on the other. I must be compensating.

Parallax adjustable?

 

[hedjam]

My go to rifle in 308 has a 3-9x40 and does most things well. I find that in thick country I keep it on 3x and 6x when things open up. I need a very good rest and extra time to steady the reticle at more than 6 x. My AR has an Accupoint 1-4 with post and green triangle and I am getting very fond of this combo for Jacks and coyotes out to 375 yards so far. I recently got to spend some time with a Swarovski 1-6 and I think that it may be perfect, except for cost. Remember the old guys rule, you can't be too close or too steady. Especially if you shoot like me.

Mike R.

 

[jryoung]

I've got a 6x, 2.5-8, 3-9, and 4.5-14....rarely does the 14x scope go past 10x.

I'm digging my new 6x on my '06 and my 2.5-8.

 

[Wally Dog]

B&L Balvar 8 2.5x8 on 300 H&H Docter 1.5x6 on 358 Norma

 

[sagebrush]

Another vote for 3-9 being enough. Personally, I use 4.5-14X40 on my elk rifles and just put one on my wife's 29th wedding anniversary gift, a Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker in .270 Winchester. She won't know about it until she opens the gun case on her NV deer hunt. I hope she likes the surprise.

 

[bkob]

elk scope poll

where is the 2x7

 

[buckykm1]

I use a 5 x 15 x 40 on my Rifles, but I think a 3 x 9 will get the job done.

Kevin

 

[ismith]

Open sights for me this year.......................

 

[ric]

All my rifles carry 2 X 7 leapolds. Here in north central Idaho your average shot will be 100 yds or less most of the time, and I have shot a lot of elk at under 50 yds. Try to find a running bull thru the timber at 40 yds with a 4 power scope, and then be able to tell where your cross hairs are on him. GOOD LUCK!! If you do see an elk at 400 yds, you can almost always cut that distance in half or more, with out throwing lead, if you have any hunting skills at all.