Why do folks want low power scopes?

[30-30man]

I've hunted with about anything under the sun except the large ultra magnums.  I've always found that the more magnification the better I could see the target.  I have several low power scopes in the 1-4x power range, and I just can't see targets anymore that are over 150 yards very well.  I find that a closer sight picture of the target helps me to place the shot where I need to.  I have a 2-7x multishot on several of my 30-30s and I find that is not enough for me.  I have several 2-10x and one that goes up to 14x.  I find myself taking the 14x more, just so I can see the shot.  What is the advantage of low power scopes when you have failing eyes?  I know the lower magnification scopes have a greater field of view, but isn't that what binos are for?

[charles p]

That 1X4 of your turned down can be mighty sweet on close up running shots.  With both eyes open and a view of the gun barrel in the scope picture, it's like swinging a shotgun on running game.

[spruce]

Guess it all depends on what you're hunting and how/where you're hunting it.

A lot of the places I choose to hunt whitetails it is real thick and you can't see more than 50 yds (or less).
For me a low power scope is just right.

Think of it this way - a deer 50 yds away viewed thru a 10X scope appears 5 yds away if he happens to step into view at 25 yds it appears 2 1/2 yds away!  Same scenario using a 2.5X scope the deer at 50 yds actual appears to be 20 yds and if he is 25 yds actual he appears to be 12.5 yds away.

If I was hunting where most of my shots would be say 150 yds plus then I would choose a higher magnification scope.

[woodchukhntr]

I've got to agree with Charles P and spruce. It would depend on where you are hunting and how you hunt.  It used to be that a 3-9X was enough, but now the move is towards higher magnification.  If you are shooting woodchucks or prarie dogs then higher magnification may be necessary, but deer?  Even plains rifles were scoped with 6X scopes before good variables were available, and that was enough!  I have seen high power scopes used where 50 yard shots are the norm and 100 yard shots are rare.  Just wait until you leave the scope at 14x and a close shot presents itself and you will see where lower power scopes are advantageous.

[30-30man]

I can see your points.  I missed a big doe last Thursday that was in a full sprint across my largest field which is about 300 acres and about 1/4 mile long.  The deer was about 75 yards and my rifle was cranked up to 14x.  I shot clearly over it.  I try not to shoot at running deer as I almost always miss, but I have four doe tags I am a little too anxious to fill.

[ihookem]

Bear hunting when the leaves are green and the woods is thick and dark. 1x4 leopold.

[Oldshooter]

I like a low power scope with a duplex reticle just to have a clear picture and a crosshair that i can see with
against an animals body. I rarely have taken a shot over 150 yards!

[yorketransport]

For me, it's all about size of the scope being matched to the gun. On long range guns that already weigh 12+ pounds, a big scope with lots of magnification is right at home. If I plan to be shooting past 300yds on a regular basis, I'll take all the mabnification I can get. But on a slim little Contender carbine, a 6-24x scope just ruins the balance for me. I had a 223 that I kept a 6x scope on just to keep the rifle as compact as possible.

For my "walk about" rifles that I carry while walking in the woods, no necesarily hunting big game, I like fixed 4x or 6x scopes. They help keep the gun nice and light and easy to hand carry without a sling. On a big game rifle, I'm moving to 2-7x or 2.5-8x range scopes on my rifles. I've found that 7-8x is enough for me to make reliable hits out to 300yds from field positions, on an 8" gong. That's good enough for me. If I plan on taking shots beyond 300yds, I'll take one of the heavier rifles with a bit more magnification on there.

More than anything I think it has a lot to do with where you live, like others have said. I spend a lot of time in thick cover where high magnification will cost you an animal.

Andrew

[PartsMan]

What is the advantage of low power scopes when you have failing eyes?  I know the lower magnification scopes have a greater field of view, but isn't that what binos are for?

You can't expect clean kills on bigger game with binoculars alone.

Yes field of view is worth it. Also lower weight, near lack of parallax and they are brighter.
I use the same excuses to explain my love for fixed power scopes.

[Freezer]

    My eyes are bad!  I use a scope because I can't line up the iron sights and the animal any more.  That said I like low power for brush and high for the long shots.  I have a Savage 99f chambered in 308 with a leupold 2x7 and a Rem 700 chambered in 280 Rem with a 4x12 leupold for the longer shots.  There was one time this year when two power was almost too much.  These two rifle scope combinations will handle almost any situation I hunt.

[watkibe]

I have mostly used a 1.5X4.5-32 scope on my 308 for hunting whitetails in NE Washington. I keep it on 1.5X. If I see a deer far enough away to need more magnification, there's usually time to turn it up. If I see a deer close enough that I want less magnification, there won't be time to turn it down ! At 1.5X I can shoot with both eyes open on moving targets if I have to.
I have 3X9 scopes on other rifles, a 223 and a 338 Win Mag, since both of those are likely to get used at longer distances. I have a 2X7 on my 22 mag. since it just seems to fit the scale of the rifle, and to be in balance with it. I keep all of them on the lowest power until I need more.
I'm closing in on 60 years old, and have to wear reading glasses. Open sights are getting harder and harder to use. (Actually, I did put Firesights on my lever guns, and they are easier to see than the originals.)
If I wanted to shoot 0.25" benchrest groups, I would probably go to a 6X18-50 or something like that. That's the only reason I can think of for needing more than 9X.

[Empty Quiver]

Greater field of view, generally better eye relief, better at low light. I couple this with the calibre rifle and its intended use. 1.5x5 on the 1895, that 45/70 starts petering out about the time 5x starts seeming too low powered. 3x9 same story on a .300 WM 9x seems short on power about the time the bullet gets that way. I sorta use the point blank range of the cartridge as well as the size of game involved to make the choice. Varmints needing more magnification than big game at similar ranges if for no other reason than reticle obscuring the target.

You may find that the resolution in a premium scope may well make up for lower magnification. My cheap spotting scope is no better at seeing .22 holes in paper than the better quality binos I carry, and worse than that 3x9. The 1.5x5 is my go to on bear hunts when low light and dark target coupled with close action are expected, it just fits.

[mauser98us]

Most folks dont. Alow power varible or a lower power fixed scope is getting hard to come by,. Most folks want ten power and larger.As for me I,m a dinosaur,six power fixed is max for me,with a 4 power about perfect.

[mrbigtexan]

i would crank it up to the max. but i live in a barren wasteland also.

[wganz]

Increased magnification decreases the field of view. For close up quick shots, anything > 4x will slow you down in gathering target acquisition. In the north Louisiana thickets where a lot of shots are < 100 meters, that often means that you won't get a good shot since they're already gone. At that range, a good AimPoint is the better optic.

[JimFromTN]

I used to not hunt with scopes at all with the exception of a 300 win mag with a 2.5-10x scope that I have which I rarely use becuase I hunt thick woods where anything over 50 yds is pretty rare.  The deer I have killed with it, it was set on 2.5x and they were shot at less than 30 yds which is why I rarely hunt with it.  In the last few years, I have scoped my muzzleloader and my slug gun because I get more time hunting with good optics than I do with iron sights.  I have found that with iron sights, I can't really hunt the first 20 to 30 minutes or the last 20 to 30 of minutes of legal shooting light because I can't see my sights.  I have put good light gathering 1.5-6x scopes on both of those guns and now I can hunt every second of legal shooting light and again every deer I have killed was with them set to 1.5x and the ranges were anywhere from about 10 feet to 40 yds.

[Savage .250]

  When the eye sight is off a tad, a low power magnification scope at 1x, adjusted clear as a bell isn`t going to help any unless your   "what ever" is standing right in front of you. OK, close.      IMHO.   


     My eye sight isn`t like it once was so all my scopes are of the variable type.  Dial a power of your liking for the existing conditions and  when ready, Bang...   Like I said, it works for me.      
 

[woodchukhntr]

  When the eye sight is off a tad, a low power scope isn`t going to help any unless your
    "what ever" is standing right in front of you. OK, close.      IMHO.

   My eye sight isn`t like it once was so all my scopes are of the variable type.  Dial a power of your liking and  when ready, Bang...   Like I said, it works for me.    
 

I don't understand what you mean.  I focus my scopes so the image is sharp.  If you can't see the image at low power, how can you see that there is something for you to shoot?  Are you legally blind?  How do you initially find your target? 

[Savage .250]

    
 

   
  "Are you legally blind?".......... Nope.    
 

I don't understand what you mean.  I focus my scopes so the image is sharp.  If you can't see the image at low power, how can you see that there is something for you to shoot?  Are you legally blind?  How do you initially find your target? 

[Dave in WV]

 Lower power scopes quite often have more eye relief. I can shoot off hand better with less magnification.

[anweis]

Lower power scopes quite often have more eye relief. I can shoot off hand better with less magnification.

and they have wider field of view, and are brighter and sharper (all else being equal).

[Noreaster]

Magnification also magnifies your faults, (shaking, breathing, unsteady...) Low power is easier to shoot IMO. But I live in the North East and haven't hunted many open areas. I have one spot right now with an open marsh out to 132 yards, biggest area I've ever hunted.

[dpastordan]

A scope is a tool just like the rifle.  I like to match 'em to what and where I am hunting.  If I am in a stand or hunting where shots tend to be long...I will have a rifle set up with a variable (3x9 or 4x12) for that purpose.  If I am on the ground stalking or it is thick, I will use a fixed or variable (2 1/2 X; 4X; 1-3X).  My longest shot was with a .243 with a 3x9 set at 3X - 70 yards.  I also have a couple rifles with iron sights (receiver and standard).  I have more one shot kills with iron sights on big game than with a scope...and my eyes are not what they used to be...but then I take my time and pick my shots.  My longest shot with iron sights was with a Winchester 94 with a peep sight - 50 yards on a running hog.  (As a kid I was on a rifle team withe local rod and gun club and peep sights were my first sights to use).  I also did a lot of skeet and trap ... so the hog was like a big clay pigeon. 

I prefer fix power scopes over variables.  Over the years that I have used the variables, they always sat on the lowest power...and I shot game that way.  The key for me is light transmission and clarity.   

[93marlin]

Low power scopes are for hunters. The BIG high power scopes are for shooters. Just see what the guys that depend on their rifles to either live or keep them alive use. Maybe the highest power will be a 3-9. I have one 4 power scope that sets in the safe, not even on a rifle. Three 1-4's that all get used. Even my bear rifle, a 300 short magnum, wears a 1 to 4. Just what works for me.

[federali]

I too am a fan of the low end variables. Perhaps their biggest advantage that I don't think anyone mentioned is that at low power, you may easily find moving game with both eyes open. The greater the power, the more difficult it is to use both eyes. It never occurred to me that closing one eye cuts out half my vision. By closing the left eye to sight through the scope, you have no vision of a deer moving left to right until he enters the scope. Likewise, a deer moving right to left must be found in the scope. With both eyes open, you can see the deer before he enters your scope  and your crosshairs will be more correctly aligned with where they have to be for the shot.

[woodchukhntr]

I picked up a gun at a local shop today and saw the most mismatched gun/scope combination that I have ever seen.  Another guy bought a used Winchester 94 and put a 6 - 24X target scope with target knobs on it for deer hunting!  The dealer told me he told the guy a 2 - 7X would be a much better choice, but the guy insisted on the target scope!

[epanzella]

A running deer 15 yds away in thick brush is not gonna get dead with a high power scope. Even if you're lucky or good enough to find the deer in time with a high power scope you can't see far enough ahead to time your shot between the trees. As far as binocs go, at under 100 yds it's a bad idea to look at your next meal with anything that doesn't go bang. Lots of deer have been lost while switching from binocs to gun. When scanning for deer you haven't spotted yet or picking a far away trophy out of a crowd, binocs are great, but here in New England, where many trophy opportunities are over in under 5 seconds, you'd better to be ready shoot at a moments notice. The Leopold 1x4 is just perfect for around here. Fast enough to shoot skeet and still puts meat in the pot out to 300 and beyond. It's only shortcoming is rack evaluation at long range. That's when you break out the binocs.    

[woodchukhntr]

A running deer 15 yds away in thick brush is not gonna get dead with a high power scope. Even if you're lucky or good enough to find the deer in time with a high power scope you can't see far enough ahead to time your shot between the trees. As far as binocs go, at under 100 yds it's a bad idea to look at your next meal with anything that doesn't go bang. Lots of deer have been lost while switching from binocs to gun. When scanning for deer you haven't spotted yet or picking a far away trophy out of a crowd, binocs are great, but here in New England, where many trophy opportunities are over in under 5 seconds, you'd better to be ready shoot at a moments notice. The Leopold 1x4 is just perfect for around here. Fast enough to shoot skeet and still puts meat in the pot out to 300 and beyond. It's only shortcoming is rack evaluation at long range. That's when you break out the binocs.    

I can't think of any good reason to look at anything that isn't already positively identified as a deer with your rifle scope.  You can't accidently shoot anyone if you aren't pointing a gun at them, that is Safety 101!

[jcn59]

I'm a bit off topic so I'll keep it brief.  Some have mentioned multiple doe tags to fill.  Here in northern WI we have had unlimited doe tags for over 15 years. Last 8 years deer sightings decreased every year.  Last year deer kills were down 30-40 percent in the north.  Those of us who will continue to hunt probably won't shoot many (or any) does this year.  The wolves take their toll too.

[epanzella]

A running deer 15 yds away in thick brush is not gonna get dead with a high power scope. Even if you're lucky or good enough to find the deer in time with a high power scope you can't see far enough ahead to time your shot between the trees. As far as binocs go, at under 100 yds it's a bad idea to look at your next meal with anything that doesn't go bang. Lots of deer have been lost while switching from binocs to gun. When scanning for deer you haven't spotted yet or picking a far away trophy out of a crowd, binocs are great, but here in New England, where many trophy opportunities are over in under 5 seconds, you'd better to be ready shoot at a moments notice. The Leopold 1x4 is just perfect for around here. Fast enough to shoot skeet and still puts meat in the pot out to 300 and beyond. It's only shortcoming is rack evaluation at long range. That's when you break out the binocs.    

I can't think of any good reason to look at anything that isn't already positively identified as a deer with your rifle scope.  You can't accidently shoot anyone if you aren't pointing a gun at them, that is Safety 101!

You don't think that I said that, or reccommend that, do you?