High-Power Rifles with Low-Power Scopes

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amprecon

amprecon

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Just curious as to how many of you rifle shooters use low powered scopes on your high powered rifles.

What is considered a high powered rifle is relative so I guess I have to say for this question, high powered would be considered .243 and above.

For those of you that do, why do you do it and how do you use your set-up?

I have a Remington 700 SPS Tactical in .308 and have a 1.5-5X20mm 30mm tube scope on it.

I would consider the highest setting on a low-powered scope to be 5X and 5X and above I'd consider high-powered.

In my experience, I have always found that the lower settings have been way more useful than the high settings. It's not often in my experience that I have seen many targets at great distances where I'd need the high setting anyway, much more frequent at closer ranges where lower power is more useful.

Of course the type of game hunted and terrain play a part, but if I am hesitant to take the shot, I'll either pass or try to get closer, it's part of the experience.

Any magnification is an advantage over iron sights IMO.
 
In my experience, I have always found that the lower settings have been way more useful than the high settings. It's not often in my experience that I have seen many targets at great distances where I'd need the high setting anyway, much more frequent at closer ranges where lower power is more useful
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People fool themselves with those higher power scopes. Magnifies things at distances beyond their marksmanship abilities.
 
Agreed SlamFire1.

Nothing wrong with low powered scopes. I have a 1-4x Vortex Razor HD on my PE90 and can hit a 13" steel plate at 550 yards with it with relative consistency. IMO, even a 3-9 powered scope is much more than most hunters need, at least where I am.
 
For accuracy I agree that "low powered" optics are the ticket. I don't mind staying around the 1 to 2.5 mark for low end.

For precision shooting however I do like to have more magnification.

Of course the type of game hunted and terrain play a part, but if I am hesitant to take the shot, I'll either pass or try to get closer, it's part of the experience.
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This is my thinking as well.
 
I prefer low power scopes for my field rifles and use nothing more powerful than a 3x9 generally set on 3. High scope powers just magnify every movement and make holding on a target very difficult unless you happen to find a concrete bench in the field. Even on my bench rifles super high power scopes can be hard to control, anything above 36x and I can see my heartbeat in the scope. I had a Leu[pold with a 50x conversion on a BR50 rifle for a short time but found it to be way too much scope and soon went down to a Weaver T24.
 
A Leupold 2.5-8X36 scope is my favorite all around scope, with a 2-7X32 in 2nd place. I've found that 7X is plenty of magnification for ranges well over 500 yards and that is farther than I'm going to shoot. The only reason I prefer those over most of the 1.5-5X20 scopes is because I like a little larger front objective than 20mm for low light shooting. I don't like the fixed power scopes because most quality fixed powers are either 4X or 6X and are too powerful in my opinion.

Even with those almost all of my shooting at game has been at the lowest power setting. I find that when shooting offhand or from most other shooting positions I actually get smaller groups at the lower powers.
 
An optic isn't just about magnification, it is that you can focus on the target and superimpose the aiming point on it, rather than focus on a front sight and see a blury target. I traded a 3.5-10 for a 2-7 and love it.
 
I'm a huge fan of 2-7x scopes on hunting, field, or practical use rifles.

But I still like a high magnification, meaning 12 to 14x max, on range/bench rifles.

It's all about matching the scope to the use of the gun.



I don't see a lot of use for anything over 18x.
 
3x fixed power on my 30-06.

3-9x variable on my .223 & 25-06 coyote rifles, but they are left set on 3x or 4x all the time.

Many people put way too much scope on hunting rifles.

Nothing worse then having a deer walk in front of you at 15-20 yards and all you can see through the scope is a patch of hair "somewhere" on the deer.
Or a running coyote cross in front of you and you can't find it or track it with a high magnification scope.

rc
 
You use a scope power that you are comfortable in your abilities to shoot. You could put a scope good for $3,000 and 1,000yds+ on a bolt action .338 Lapua, but are you going to hit the target? People that shoot those distances practice to shoot those distances, and they rely on top notch equipment and experience. Their is no shame in putting a simple 3-9X on a 7.62 rifle.:)
 
You have to see it before you can shoot it! If you ever have a situation where low power costs you a trophy you'll change your mind. I consider low power to be 4X and my favorite hunting scopes are variable 3.5X-10X and 4X-12X. I hunt with the rifles on 6X and proficiently shoot running targets at 100 yards on 6X. If the power doesn't fit the situation it's just as easy to turn the power down as it is to turn the power up. BW
 
shooter5907 said:
You have to see it before you can shoot it! If you ever have a situation where low power costs you a trophy you'll change your mind.
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The same could be said for if high power costs you a trophy. A shooter or hunter must honestly look at their optics needs and buy appropriately.

One more thing, higher magnification is sometimes used to compensate for poor quality glass.
 
You have to see it before you can shoot it! If you ever have a situation where low power costs you a trophy you'll change your mind.
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A true statement, but a 4X scope provides more magnification than most shooters have the skills to use. About 1X per 100 yards is plenty. A scope's main purpose is to make seeing the target easier. This is more important at close range in poor light than at long range in good light. At 200 yards in good light I can shoot almost as well with irons as with a 10X scope. But cannot see the iron sights, or even the target at 20 yards when in thick cover 15 minutes before sundown.

A 0 power scope will be a huge aid in shooting because of the better light transmission and the fact that the sights and target are on 1 focal plane instead of 3 with iron sights.

As far as having to see it to shoot it, you will have more issues with tiny fields of view with scopes that have too much magnification.
 
My Sako Forester L-579 243 has had a Kowa 4x on it from day one and doesn't need anything more.My sons and I have killed deer at every range the 243 can handle without problems.I like the lower stuff for general use, in fact, 98% of my uses.
 
In parts of Texas 200-400 yard shots are pretty common, I like 4-12 on the long shots. My Ruger 77 RSI in .308 is one of my favorite rifles for deer hunting in areas with shorter shots though (up to 200 yards), and it wears a fixed Weaver Grand Slam 4x40,
 
I mounted a turkey scope 2.5x on a 18inch rem 30.06 auto. There is a circle surrounding the point the cross hairs meet. In the deer woods perfect. Sold it, as I don't care for Rem autos.

My current big game rifle is a Marlin 1895 45/70 with a 4x leupold IER mounted scout style. IMO, this is the perfect woods rife. Maybe a bit much with the buffalo gun caliber, but, with a good shoulder mount, I don't feel a thing when shooting at a white tail. I should sell this cause I am unable to hunt now due to heath.
 
Minute of deer doesn't require much. Minute of ground squirrel at longer ranges does.

My '06 uses a 3x9-40, but I rarely crank it up past about 6x. My target/varmint rifles have high power scopes.
 
I have a Pentax 1.5x-5x by 30mm scope on my most powerful rifle, my Sako 375 H&H.

My other hunting rifle has my most powerful scope. A Remington 700 in 7mm Rem Mag with a 3x-9x by 40mm scope

I prefer a lower power scope on most my rifles.
 
low power for hunting and high power for sighting in
I consider 4x and less,-low power

1x3x20 Weaver on a .375 Winchester
1.75x5x20 Pentax on a 8mm mauser
1.5x6 Leapers on model 99 in .300 Savage
4.75x40 fixed Weaver on a 7mm mauser
6x42 fixed Pentax on a .280 Remington
6x42 fixed Nikko on a 22lr

the rest are iron sights

M98k - 8mm mauser
M48a - 8mm mauser
Spanish 1893 (1916 first pattern) 7mm mauser
Hawken .50 cal

4 handguns
& a few shotguns
 
3 x 9 is what I use on all my rifles with power settings set at 3 95% of the time. As a matter of fact I only use 9x to scout for Aoudad if I don't have my binocs with or spotting scope, so that I can check the horns. This is my terrain around Terlingua and Big Bend area.

P1000068.jpg
 
There is absolutely nothing wrong with using a lower power scope IMO. I also agree thst they would be much more useful/practical but at the same time it depends on what you want to use it for. In many cases, my rifles serve several duties like hunting, long range plinking etc. And while not everyone can hit a target at 1000 yards if you already have the rifle and a good scope at least you have no other excuse for not hitting a target at thst range other than yourself. My point here is you got the gear to make it happen so get out and ^^^do it! I for one am a guy thst tries to get the best of both worlds by using a 3x or 5x- to say a 20- 22 power scope. That way you truly have the best of both worlds. You have a beginning range thst will give you a wider field of view, not the widest but decent and then if you want to crank it up to really reach out and touch something you have that option. It also depends on the rifle for me. My bolt actions will tend Roger a little higher power scope than say one of my ARs.
 
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