Old guys

[IdaD]

I like variable scopes that lean lower magnification. My main hunting scopes currently are 2.5x8, 3x9 and 4x12. All Leupold scopes on my hunting rifles. My AR has a red dot on it currently but I'm toying with switching to a LPVO that starts at 1x, I figure it might make for a more versatile rifle.

 

[Dr T]

I tend to prefer scopes in the 3-9x and 4-12x range. After using the simple duplex and plain cross hairs for over 50 years, I tend to ignore the complex reticles that take a manual to figure out. I have several scopes with the (because that is what is available in the market), but I prefer duplex and the German #4 reticles.

I prefer svelte scopes with glass less than 40mm, and I actively dislike the turrets that stick an inch out from the scope sides on 2 or 3 sides. My ideal hunting scope is the Leopold Var X III 2.5-8x36. I also like Bushnell Elites. I have a Bushnell 1-4x 24 mm with an illuminated German #4 and a 30 mm tube that I have in mind for a Contender Carbine in 30-30 (or 7.62x51R if you prefer) if I can ever find a barrel and stocks that will fit...

 

[troy fairweather]

Another thing with lower power scopes, they normally have a better eye box then high power scopes. I hate when scope feel like your looking through a straw. One reason I like leupolds

 

[AK Hunter]

My eyes are not that good anymore. If I'm shooting at around 300yds I like about a 6X power the 3 or 4X is good for 100 yd or less. I only zoom it in if I'm target shooting, so I can see where my shots are landing. If I'm hunting I can tell when my shots hit the proper spot the deer will jump & fall dead. LOL

 

[taliv]

I’m not a hunter but I like the ability to go up. My precision rifles have at least 25x top end. Some 27x or 35x. My eyes are too old to make head shots on ipscs at 10x.

 

[Captcurt]

I'm a late Boomer, so I guess I'm old. I like variable scopes and most of my hunting rifles wear Leupolds in the 3.5-10x40 range, a couple lower (1-4x20, 2.5-8x36), a couple higher (4.5-14x40). I tend to carry them set in the middle of the magnification range, cranking them down to the bottom when still hunting and up to the top when stand hunting. Just personal preference. I do have a few high magnification scopes, but they aren't on dedicated hunting rifles.

This Model 7 in 7mm-08 is wearing a Leupold 2.5-8x36.

 

[Captcurt]

I could be happy with this. Perfect or 90% of my hunts.

 

[.38 Special]

A few decades ago I went through a very brief phase of mounting huge telescopes (6x-24x and such) on hunting rifles, but quickly came to my senses. They were amusing on the range, but looked stupid on the guns and were next to useless in the field. I pretty quickly came to realize that fixed 4x and 6x scopes gave all the magnification I could use for my kind of hunting (spot and stalk) while being a lot handier and standing up to more abuse.

Frankly, that's an evolution that a lot of us go through, I suspect. There was a time when if you asked to see my primary hunting rifle I would proudly show off a synthetic stocked .300 Winchester with a salami-sized scope. Now the same question will produce a blue-and-walnut .30-'06 with an aperture sight - and I'm starting to wish I'd ordered it in .270, if not .25 Bob.

 

[e rex]

And I hate range finder scopes. Just a clean cross hair please.

 

[35 Whelen]

Another common misconception is that one needs high magnification scopes in order to shoot small groups at 100 yds. T'ain't so. The type target used relative to the scopes reticle is of more importance than magnification, and I find targets with 1" grids to be best.

These 100 yd. groups were shot with 4X scopes-





These were shot with an old steel Weaver 6X scope-




35W

 

[hps1]

Have gone the full gamut from open to aperture sights to fixed power scopes in 6x range and higher power variables of late as dictated by eyesight. Ya gotta see it to hit it.

Had cataract surgery on both eyes @ 84, and my, what a difference that made! Could even see iron sights again......for a few months. Didn't notice it for a while, but a few months later, a phantom, or additional shadow horizontal crosshair appeared adjacent to the real one. I'm now sure it is resulting in the flier I'm experiencing w/my current predator rifle, which repeatedly puts 4 shots touching and one out of the group a full inch to 1.5", always at at 12-1 o'clock.

Had hoped it was the membrane over the pupil that often deals grief after cataract surgery, but had laser treatment last week and didn't seem to help any. Doc said if the laser didn't clear it up, it was my macular degeneration & there's no remedy for that.

So, 3x9-40 Burris on all my big game rifles may be replaced w/ 4.5x14-44 Burris E1 plex that are currently on my predator rifles, get closer and pick bigger targets. Hunt w/power set at lowest setting for maximum field of view; there's always time to crank it up if need be.

Regards,
hps

 

[9x56MS]

Another common misconception is that one needs high magnification scopes in order to shoot small groups at 100 yds. T'ain't so. The type target used relative to the scopes reticle is of more importance than magnification, and I find targets with 1" grids to be best. Now that’s what I am talking about. You don’t need a sniper scope to kill things or shoot good groups.

These 100 yd. groups were shot with 4X scopes-



View attachment 1020483 View attachment 1020484 View attachment 1020485

These were shot with an old steel Weaver 6X scope-

View attachment 1020486
View attachment 1020487

35W

 

[Barnfixer]

My hunting rifles both have 3-9’s and I think I’d like 2-7 better, maybe a 4x. Good chance the 7mm-08 will get that 2-7. The target rifles have much higher power scopes and the older I get the less I like them. Might switch those to 4-12’s or 4-16’s. Also have a 4x on a .22 and really like it. 35+ years ago a wise old gun shop owner told me “Spend your money on better glass and less magnification” and gave me a side by side demonstration. I still remember that very clearly, almost as clear as that high end scope.

 

[.308 Norma]

My hunting rifles both have 3-9’s and I think I’d like 2-7 better

I like 2-7s better because I appreciate the wider field of view of 2X over 3X, and even in the wide open spaces that are sometimes where I hunt big game in southern Idaho, I've never needed 9X. However, I think I've had and have 3-9s on most every big game hunting rifle I've used in the last 20 years because 3-9s are easier to find than 2-7s.
Because of the ill advise of a friend ("Try it, you'll like it!" he said) I did have one fixed 6X on a .300 Win Mag I had for a few years back in the '90s. And that 6X almost cost me a large mule deer buck that jumped up right in front of me, not 20 yards away. I put the scope on him, and all I could see was deer hair. I was lucky to put a bullet high in his right shoulder before he got into the heavy timber.
At any rate, I wish more companies still built 2-7s, and that has nothing to do with my age (I'm 73) or "seasoning." As a matter of fact, I still have the big game rifle I started with nearly 60 years ago, a Model 100 Winchester .308, and it still wears the original 2-7 Weaver.

 

[27hand]

I have increased the amount of magnification over the years.
I had a dominant eye cornea penetration quite a few years ago and more magnification seemed to help.
Initially, I thought it would help determining the legality of a deers antlers ( 3 up excluding the brow tine here) but I've shot more deer with a crossbow at 12 to 20 yds than with a rifle.
I have a Tikka T3x in. 300 winmag that I got for elk and put a Leupold VX5Hd 3.5 x 15 on it not knowing how far I might have to shoot.
The reticle is still a bit blurry but the magnification seems to help.
The Savage .300 winmag has a 4x12 leupold vx3.

My other deer rifles have 3x9s leupold vx1 and my National Ordnance 1903A3 has my original Bushnell 3x9 with a bdc. I zeroed at 100, cranked the dial to 300 and hit a 8 inch gong first shot.

The fixed 4x Bushnell I had on my 30-30 worked just fine but the antler restriction made me want to be sure at a bit of distance out to 150.

I'm only 71 but parts are wearing out.

 

[Legionnaire]

The fixed 4x Bushnell I had on my 30-30 worked just fine but the antler restriction made me want to be sure at a bit of distance out to 150.

My experience in PA as well. I have a 4X Leupold M8 on my Mossberg 500 slug gun, but for any distance, I need higher magnification to count points. Had to give up the Leupold 2.5X Scout Scope on my 336 Texan for that reason.

 

[J-Bar]

I’m 77.

This Leupold 1-4x Variax II is at least 21 years old now, so I guess I will have to pour it a drink after the hunt.

It is set to 2X on top of the Ruger #1, .270 Winchester most of the time in my whitetail woods. I have no reason to change.

 

[Barnfixer]

Always wanted a Burris Fullfield 1.75x5 to put on my 6.5x55 for some reason.

 

[Chuck R.]

I could be happy with this. Perfect or 90% of my hunts.

I've come to the same conclusion, hence the 2 rem M7s with Leupold 2.5-8x36s on them. The 2.5-8x36 is scaled about perfect for the little M7 and make for a good candidate for the elusive "all around" deer rig. My 3rd M7 wears a Leupold 3.5-10x, it's still pretty compact, but that's about as large as I'd go with the M7.

I've got an 8" swinger at 307 yds and have no problem connecting from a solid rest with it on 8x.

 

[Captcurt]

I had a compact Ruger 77 in 260 that wore a 2-7X Leupold. I have kicked myself for selling it even though it was Gray Laminate/Stainless. If it had been Blue/Walnut it would still be here.

 

[DDDWho]

I have a 3-9x on a Ruger 77 Hawkeye. My critter gun that usually sets in front of me on the porch is a Mini 14 with a 4x Weaver on it. I’m surrounded by timber in all directions, the farthest I could see a critter is 100 yards. I’ve hit groundhogs in the head at 70 yards with it.

 

[kmw1954]

I find it ironic in this age of more shooters going long range that I find myself choosing smaller lighter lower power rang scopes. May it’s because as a hunter With shall we say a bit more experience under my belt I have never taken a shot at an animal that required more than a 4x scope. Anyway just wondering if any other “seasoned” hunters find themselves in similar circumstances?

I see this question is directed more towards Hunters than Target Hunters and I find it a distinct difference between the two.

At 67 and a person with P.A.D. in both legs I can no longer venture out into the fields or up and down hillsides. I might get out there but I'd never make it back on my own power. Then if I had to haul out a 150lb carcass we would both be stuck.

Today I shoot paper targets from ranges of 50 to 300yds and I am using a simple Savage Model 10 in 223 with a 22" barrel. I have gone from 3 different scopes on this rig from a 3-9x to 4.5-14x to now a 8-34x FFP.



These are the targets I shoot at ranges of 200 and 300yds, The black shoot'n see are 3" the black dots are 1" inside a 2" circle.



This is the gun I am shooting. first picture is factory stock with Burris 4.5-14X44 SFP scope and the second picture is with the new Boyds stock and an Athlon 8-34X56 FFP scope. At 300yds you cannot see those 1" dots with the Burris because they are covered by the reticle.

Now compared to the folks I will be shooting against in this winter league these targets are pure crap. Won't win anything.

 

[d2wing]

It depends on if I am shooting paper or fur. My slug guns have either a Red Dot, or 1-4 scope. My highpower rifles 2-7, 3-9 and to 4-12. High power for targets and low for hunting. The older I get, I'm 73. the more I like magnification. Upcoming cataract surgery might change everything.

 

[9x56MS]

It depends on if I am shooting paper or fur. My slug guns have either a Red Dot, or 1-4 scope. My highpower rifles 2-7, 3-9 and to 4-12. High power for targets and low for hunting. The older I get, I'm 73. the more I like magnification. Upcoming cataract surgery might change everything.

My Dad had cataract surgery last year at 85 and said he wished he had done it 10 years ago. He is back to shooting woodchuck with his peep sighted 22 Remington bolt action rifle.

 

[.308 Norma]

Upcoming cataract surgery might change everything.

I hope so. It sure did for me.
Before my cataract surgery, I couldn't see animals in the distance without my glasses, and I couldn't see through my scope with my glasses.
When they did my cataract surgery, I elected to have them install the lenses to correct my distance vision. Besides, my close-up vision never really was all that bad - +2.5 for reading. Now I can hunt and spot the animals in the distance just like I could when I was 23 (instead of 73), and I can see through my scope just fine.