To much scope on my 30.06 for my hunting area.

It's 6-24X50 and 3-9X40.

Depending on the scope I could make 6X work, but it wouldn't be ideal. Certainly no more than 6X in the woods. Something with that much magnification on the upper end is really intended for small varmints or 1000+ yard target shooting rather than big game hunting. Much over 10X and they are useless in low light even with the 50mm objective.

The 3-9X40's are a good all around scope. With 3X on the low end they work pretty well for close, fast shooting but for a dedicated close range scope I like something with 1X or 2X on the low end. For hunting ranges 9X is more than enough.

On that rifle I'd be looking for a 1-4X20 or 2-7X32.

Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6x24 is a great budget scope for 100 yards and in. I have one on a 300 blackout AR pistol and another on a Ruger GSR .308, both took a buck in the last two season.

I had the same problem a few years back. Took my Bergara out during early season when the deer were on acorns. Had a 6-18X Vortex on it when a herd of does came through a thicket 30 yards from me. The old long-nosed leader filled the scope on 6X. I dropped her and tried to get on another one. Didn't happen. Went back the next day with my go to brush gun. A Savage 10 Sierra 300 WSM with a 2-7X Leupold. It worked a lot better.

For me I use 4x on every single rifle that I hunt with. 4x works for 20 yards out to 100 yards with no issues at all. I like having that higher magnification if needed if I'm sitting on a field and have longer shot with time to dial it up. It also helps to identify antler size on bucks. To date my longest shot on a game animal has been 234 yards I used 8x and it left me wanting nothing.

CoalCrackerAl said:

went out today. I changed my scope over the summer to a 6x24x50. I was checking

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The very first file I used to hint with had a fixed 4x scop. Most of yhe optics I use for hunting are 4x on the bottom end I fo have a 3-9x50 on my AR but it hasn't been out yet, my go to rifle wears a 4.5 -14x 42 Burris ff2i see no real difference in either with game acquisition in the woods.

I have hunted with my 223 but put a 6- 18x50 on it and would take it only in areas that are more open.

Back quite a few years a lot of people hunted with fixed 4x and 6x scopes and did well. I generally feel that over 5 is too much in dense woods, but would use it if that's what I had.

I made the 6X minimum mistake once, luckily it was only while calling coyotes. 30 yards running just sucks at 6X.

I tailor my optics to the terrain/game.

For deer/Big game
Wooded/small fields/still hunting: 1.25-4X or 2.5-8X
Open country: 2-12X and 4.5-14X

Varmints (spelled coyote)
Wooded/small fields: 1-6X, 3-9X, and 3.5-10X
Open country: 4-16X and 6.5-20X

My M7 in .350 RM has two scope setups in Warne QD mounts: 1.25-4X and 2.5-8X
My favorite calling AR15 has 2 scopes in ADM QD mounts: 1-6X and 3-9X

Why in the wide world of sports would you put a 6-24x50 on that rifle? Serious question. I guess you've learned on your own it wasn't the greatest idea. Not trying to be mean, I'm genuinely interested in the thought process as I see it frequently at rifle sight in day. The market trend towards too much glass frustrates me in my search for "woods" scopes with modern optics. About to take my Swiss connection up on the offer to rebuild El-Paso Weavers with modern european glass, reticles, seals and purging. It's expensive, but not quite Zeiss epensive.

I was in a big box discount department store and idly wandered by the now locked glass cases to see what binoculars were available. I have 6x, 8x and 10x at the house. The display started at 10 and worked UP from there. No smaller.

I'm thinking the marketing departments are using the old method, and now it's called "glass envy." I still prefer the 0 power red dots which will reach out accurately to 100m.

My favorite is the 6x Leupold Yosemite, in mixed Ozark woodlands you generally can't see over 100 yards anyway. The 10x I picked up at another location as described, I'm not passing up a pair of roof prism Nikons for $40. There is this mark down aisle there, and every now and then it's worthwhile. It may not be a prescribed hunting season out of doors, but inside around sporting goods, it's always hunting season.

I have tried a 3x9 on a .30-06, when you pull it up for a shot and all you can see is fur, no bueno. No more 9x after that.

I want to get a decent illuminated scope on my 243 H&R Handi-Rifle next year.
New York changed hunting time to half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset so it is really dark at early morning and late in the day especially in the woods.
I will have to see what kind to pick up. I was looking at the Leopold brand. Probably a 3x9.

Frequently heard in the gun store here in the previous century: "All I could see was hair through that Redfield three times nine teevee scope, so I just dropped down and aimed through the look under bracket."

CoalCrackerAl said:

I have see through rings on my 760, With the weaver i can see the sights for close shots. Im carrying my SBH while hunting with the CVA. I'll use it if a deer is way to close for the scope.

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I’m working on a friend’s 760. I’ve suggested he replace the rings on it. He has see throughs on it. By the sound of this post, should I advise him to keep the see throughs on it?

Scopes, meh. I quit use'n 'em when I grew up.

For those looking for a "woods scope," I've shot a lot of deer on 3X. Woods hunting isn't just about shooting close deer. It's also about finding a sight picture quickly, and finding a window through the trees to connect with the right part of a deer. It's also about keeping your rifle well balanced, and not snaggy in the brush. I've found a 40mm objective on a belled 1" scope to be about right for wood shooting in low light without getting too big and clunky. A 30mm tube with a straight objective is also suitable. I've taken many coyotes with such a scope in very low light. Don't ignore the reticle either. I REALLY favor the 3p4 "German" style reticle and similar arrangements. 3 big heavy posts, and a fine crosshair vertical and center. Unfortunately such a scope is nearly impossible to find these days, the market favoring Hubble telescopes and busy reticles instead of practical hunting scopes. Burris used to make a FF2 in a 2-7X40 that was perfect. Bushnell had a 1.5-6X32 in their Trophy line on a 30mm tube that was even more perfect. My wife's rifle sports this scope. I should have purchased 3 of them. I can only find such optics on the secondary market or high end German gla$$ these days. Perhaps the supply chain will ease and more diverse offerings will become available again.

What Random 8 said.......... 3X is great for the woods. Filled my antlerless tag last Sat. with the Vortex 1-8X 24mm Strike Eagle that I put on my .Marlin .30-30 this year because it has an illuminated reticle and the new reg.'s allow me to shoot deer 30 min. before sunup and 30 min. after sundown. The scope wasn't being used so I figured it might come in handy on the .30-30 in low light. Then my opportunity came in broad daylight at 3:23 P.M. and at 75-100 yards. The scope was on 3X and no problem and I never got to use that illuminated reticle yet but no complaints, ( a pic of it is in the 2021 hunting picture thread). The 30-30 previously had a 1-4X Leupold on it and that's more than enough for the woods but I just wanted that illuminated reticle. Even at 100 yards a 2.5X Leupold is plenty. That's what's on my fully rifled 870 slug gun that gets zeroed at 100 yards. I couldn't picture myself using anything over 4X on a woods gun.

My general use rifle has a 6.5-20 scope on it. It's pretty rare for me to turn any of my variables down below about 6..... quite honestly it's pretty rare for me to turn many of them up above 6 before shooting unless ive got a ton of time or forget they are turned up lol.

If you ever hunt in a tight woods you will find that a 3 to 4 power is more than enough. Any more & you will be trying to figure out what you are seeing when the deer runs through

CarJunkieLS1 said:

For me I use 4x on every single rifle that I hunt with. 4x works for 20 yards out to 100 yards with no issues at all. I like having that higher magnification if needed if I'm sitting on a field and have longer shot with time to dial it up. It also helps to identify antler size on bucks. To date my longest shot on a game animal has been 234 yards I used 8x and it left me wanting nothing.

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One of, if not the longest, shots that I have made on a deer was with a 4.5X. The owner of the farm checked his odometer on his Scout and counted fence post and guessed it between 400-425 yards.