Scope power for 200 - 300 yards

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Baldman

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I have a Ruger American Predator in 223 with a Nikon Prostaff 3 - 9 power and its working very well for me at 100 yards. My range will be opening up a 200 - 300 yard range in the next year or so and I was wondering if 3 - 9 is enough for the longer distances or if I'll need a more powerful scope. I'll be looking to put the scope on a 308 bolt gun that is TBD. I'm also not looking to break the bank and would like to use the current set up on the 223 on the longer range without having t get a new scope for it as well.

Thanks
 
What's the size of the targets you want to hit with your first shot at them?

What shooting position will you use most of the time?
 
Your Nikon will do you well on either caliber. As for finding a scope for the TBD 308, NOW is the time. Most retailers are putting up their Christmas deals. If you aren't pressed for time to get the new one, wait until towards the middle-end of January, after the SHOT show. You should be able to find deals on some discontinued models from name-brand manufacturers at online retailers like CameralandNY, Optics Planet etc.
 
9X is quite sufficient, although some folks like higher magnification. I know I do. Quality of glass is more important.

These Sightron S-Tac 3X16X42 scopes were $600 plus until recently when they dropped in price all over the net. I bought the 3MOA reticle one ($381 delivered) and really like it.

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/16...be-3-16x-42mm-target-turrets-side-focus-matte

Keep your eye out for sales on scopes, especially when they are closing something out. That is your best chance to get good or great glass at a good to great price.
 
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You really need to define what you want to do with your rifle.

If you want to shoot for small groups off the bench at 300 yds, you could buy a very high powered scope and shoot the smallest target for you can see. Aim small, miss small.

If you will hunt with that rifle, that 20x scope might be a pain and un suited to the task.

If you're going to out up some man-sized silhouette targets (or even 6" circles or some other plinking target) your 3-9x will be just fine at 300.

So, what's your plan?
 
Although a 3-9 will work for big game hunting out to 300 yards for target shooting I would want something more. I use a 4.5-14 and 5-15 on a couple of middle range guns and a 6.5-20 on another. For over 600 I really prefer to have something up to 25 or 30 power. Have a look at Natchez Shooters Supply, they had the Weavers on sale and the Grand Slam/Super Slam/Classic Extreme are very good scopes for the money.

https://www.natchezss.com/optics/ri...ock=202997&manufacturer=201872&order=position

They have the 2.5-10 Classic Extreme for $259 right now, and it compares very well Leupold VX3 series. There are several other going up to 6-24 Classic Extreme with ill. reticle for under $300.
 
At only 300 yards your scope on 9X is more than enough. On big game it'll work out to 700-800 yards. If your goal is to hit small varmints at 400-500 yards then your scope is still usable, but more magnification might help.

Honestly more quality means more than more X's. I have a friend with poor eyesight. He kept trying to compensate by purchasing cheap scopes with lots of magnification. I finally talked him into buying a Zeiss 3-9X40 and he can now see the target so much better than with the cheap 14X and 16X scopes he had been using.
 
I think its as much a function of the age of your eyes as anything. Young eyes can make due with 3x9. Old eyes like a 12 power. I had a Ruger #3 in .223 and got it to a 235 yard zero point blank range with a 50 grain reload using a 1-4 20 Leupold. 1 1/2 inches high at 100 yards and 1 1/2 inches low at 235 yards. So a scope with some holdover dots might be useful. I have gone to reticles with hash marks or hold over dots on all of my scopes.
 
If you are exercising your hunting rifle to practice for the wilds, a 3-9 is fine.
If you are target shooting, the highest power that your pulse doesn't bounce around too badly.
I am ok at 24X for F class, prone off a bipod, but the tendency among more serious shooters is ever more magnification. My friend at 32X said scopes had gotten so powerful that cross-firing due to not having the target number board in the field of view was a real problem.
 
I'm over 70, and I can't imagine ever needing anything more powerful than 3-9 for anything.
The scope on my primary big game hunting rifle (.30-06) is a 1.5-6X42 Swarovski.
 
Thanks Folks,

The 308 will be sued mainly for target shooting off a bench / bipod and possible for deer hunting. In PA I don't expect many if ever 300 yard shots for whitetail so basically and over all scope. I know you get what you pay for with glass but like many I'm on a budget so I'll need to keep the cost around a few hundred bucks. It sounds though that a 3 - 9 or maybe up to a 12 power scope should work for what I need it for.
 
Sam1911 said:
You can't imagine benchrest shooting and F-class competition?
Click to expand...
I can imagine someone not wanting to shoot any competitive shooting event.

With a cheap, used Weaver T10 scope in Tasco rings in F class positions before the NRA established that discipline testing 30 caliber rifles for accuracy at ranges from 300 to 1000 yards, I was shooting test groups as small as the winners in such matches do today. One holds as still aiming a rifle with a 4X scope as he does with a 40X scope. They hold as still with metallic aperture sights, too, proved by slow fire scores shot slung up in prone are almost equal for both types. The slight advantage goes to scopes which are easier to hold off correcting for subtle crosswind changes seen only with scopes while aiming.
 
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Swfa SS 10x or 12x, but I personally would go 16x. I have 2 and loved them. And only about $300
 
Baldman said:
Thanks Folks,

The 308 will be sued mainly for target shooting off a bench / bipod and possible for deer hunting. In PA I don't expect many if ever 300 yard shots for whitetail so basically and over all scope. I know you get what you pay for with glass but like many I'm on a budget so I'll need to keep the cost around a few hundred bucks. It sounds though that a 3 - 9 or maybe up to a 12 power scope should work for what I need it for.
Click to expand...

Like others pointed out there is a huge difference in the intended size of the target so if you enjoy target score shooting you need to go for very fine aiming points.
This means scopes you can use to read the newspaper at 300 yards if you want that are the typical Target scopes you will find for target and varmint work.
These scopes are large and heavy so if deer is also an objective then you want a scope perhaps a tad more compact that will give you the benefits of larger magnification
but wilt a starting smaller magnification and plenty field of view so it will not be unpractical hunting deer.

I am not going to give you brands and models to drive you even more crazy and I suggest you hit some stores and try them out.
Adjust the ocular piece to your eye sight before you evaluate contrast and reticle design along with other features.

Also check out the weaver tactical, vortex viper/PST, leupold mark6, Bushnell elite... those give additional features and benefits.
Those brands also have mid range budget alternatives for target with 2nd focal plane and very fine target reticles.
 
Fixed or moving target? Fixed target needs repeatable adjustments. Moving target needs good glass. Either one is affordable. If you need both be prepared to spend some money.
 
I shoot praire dogs at 200-300 yards frequently and the 3-9X is just not enough for me. I have 3.5-10X, 4-12X, 4.5-14X, 4-16X, and 6-24X depending on which gun I choose for the particular shot. The 6-24X Bushnell Elite on my Kimber .204 is a great long distance combo.
 
Ive always subscribed to the rule of thumb that says 1x for every 100yds, but mostly to give a magnification range to choose from, and based on general purpose use, as opposed to a benchrest rifle.

I have a Vortex Viper PST 1-4x24 on my .223 AR. I consider it a 400yd gun.
A PST 2.5-10 FFP on my PTR-91. 800yd gun.
A PST 4-16 FFP on my 7mm Remington LongRange. Ive shot out to 800m (875yd) but ballistically, it's a 1200yd gun on paper.
 
1stmarine said:
Like others pointed out there is a huge difference in the intended size of the target so if you enjoy target score shooting you need to go for very fine aiming points.
This means scopes you can use to read the newspaper at 300 yards if you want that are the typical Target scopes you will find for target and varmint work.
Click to expand...
I don't think any rifle scope made on this planet lets people do that when temperatures are above freezing or less. There's always subtle air movements and different temperatures in the air that cause enough mirage to blur newspaper print. 10 point Times New Roman is popular for the finest print and its lower case dimension is about 1/16th inch high. If this claim is about reading headlines and somewhat smaller article title print, then that's ok.

Might be done at midnight at zero degrees F if the air's calm with an illuminated target.
 
Right. For that matter, it is hard to find a spotting scope that will pick bullet holes out of the black to any great range. Of course conventional target shooters have pit crews and 3" markers for that. Or electronic targets in the second decade of the 21st century.
 
I use 20x on my .223rem pistol and many times wished for more.
But i am shooting for groups at 300 meters
Thinking about trying to find a T36
 
Bart B. said:
I don't think any rifle scope made on this planet lets people do that when temperatures are above freezing or less. There's always subtle air movements and different temperatures in the air that cause enough mirage to blur newspaper print. 10 point Times New Roman is popular for the finest print and its lower case dimension is about 1/16th inch high. If this claim is about reading headlines and somewhat smaller article title print, then that's ok.

Might be done at midnight at zero degrees F if the air's calm with an illuminated target.
Click to expand...

I understand.
I didn't mean literally, only as a representation of the kind of scope and aiming many target shooters use.
Sorry for the confusion.
 
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