New 6.8 AR.... 2x7 vs 3x9 optic ?

bigger scope doesnt mean smaller groups. If you hunt in low light, morning/evening, the 3x9 i assume has a 40mm? This would gather a little more light. I have both and no real noticable difference to me. I usually dont go above 4x no matter what kind of hunting I'm doing. If something take off or trots away while you're aiming it's real hard to follow it on 7x or 9x IMO

What sort of groups can someone pull off with the 2x7 at 100

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With a 1-4X20 Leupold shotgun scope on a 308, my best 3-shot group at 100 yards is about 5/8 inch. With a 2-8X32 Burris, about 3/8 inch. Those weren't off a real bench.
I'd go with the VXR 2-7 for a walking-around gun, or 3-9X50 for use after dark.

Dean1818 said:

The shots would typically be less than 150 yards, but may occasionally be longer

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I'd say a 1-4x scope is plenty for this.

Agreed. I shoot out past 500 yards with a 1-4x.

For hunting out to 150 yards, I might even opt for a fixed 2X scope. You don't need a lot of magnification for those distances and a fixed 2X or even a 1-4X is pretty compact for a totin' rifle.

For plinking and target shooting, it depends on how small your targets are going to be. I don't agree with the statement above that more magnification does not equal smaller groups. I believe it does, to a degree.

My 6.8 wears a 2-7 VXR. I like it!

1-4X is plenty, but if I had a 2-7X or 3-9X laying around I'd use what I had. If Buying new I'd go 1-4 because of the wide field of view at lower powers. At 150-200 yards 4X is plenty.

I have been hunting a lot of years and have never needed 2X. In my experience 4-16 is optimum. If there was a 2-16 for a good price I would buy it. My reasoning is that 4X isnt going to cost you any game over a 3X and the 16x is going to help you out immensely past 150-200 yards. I understand the logic of shooting at running game and lower magnifications but really it is field of view we are trying to optimize in this situation and that can be offset with a larger objective. I dont take too many running game shots and the ethics of such are fodder for another post.