Old Redfield 4X12 AO made in Denver

[Rol Page]

Recently picked up the Old Redfield 4x12 AO made in Denver at a local gun shop and mounted it on my Contender .223 rifle with a bull barrel.  This is the most magnification that I have tried in a scope and do not want to invest in a new higher magnification scope if I am the limiting factor in obtaining sub MOA groups from my Encore 260 Remington rifle which I hope to use for woodchucks come summer. At 12X I could see my movement with each heartbeat.
 
From a makeshift rest after sighting in with Hornady 40gr VX factory loads the Redfield set at 12X allowed me to shoot a 1" group @ 100yds.  Reducing the magnification to 4x produced a larger group at the same general point of impact.
 
Looking through the Redfield and my Leupold VariX III (mounted on the 260 Rem.) both set @ 8x I can perceive no difference in quality in full daylight. 
 
What are your opinions of the old Redfield Scopes and what might I gain if I were to invest in a new higher magnification, such as a 3x15 or 4x14?
 
Thanks in Advance,  Rol

[eye shot]

The best woodchuck shot I ever saw was 700yds. with a 220 Swift topped with a 20X 3200 Redfield.

[Freezer]

I have a few older Redfields mounted on my NEF barrels. I can se the difference between those and my Leupolds but they're not bad scopes. Redfield used to be Leupolds closest competitor before going out of business. They are build like tanks and will last. They work just fine on the barrels they are on and I can't afford Leupolds on wvweything I own.

[Ladobe]

Way back when, the old Redfield scopes I had were built like a tank and gave very acceptable service.   Didn't care for their Widefield model, but a favorite model was their 12X fine crosshair side focus (I just sold my last one last year). 
 
What will you gain?  To hit small consistently you have to aim small consistently.   Why rifle scopes have been offered that mimic spotting scope magnifications (up to 60X).   
 
Personally, even as a stricken long range varmint and predator hunter all my life, I've never found the need for more than 36X though, even for very small diggers at very long ranges.   Far more often I use variable scopes that have 14X to 20X mag on the high end for long range hunting.    Favorite models have been the Leupold 4.5-14X40 for compact offhand hunting, and Leupold 6.5-20X50 Long Range Target, Nikon UCC Monarch 5.5-16X44 Target and Weaver V-16X42 Target mostly for portable bench hunting.   With proper technique off a bench you don't have to worry about your heartbeat much, just how much coffee you drink.