do we tend to "scope too much"?

[yellowtail3]

I think 50mm objectives in the woods where I hunt is a bit much.


My CVA has a 1.5x4, and the Marlin a 2-7X33. A fixed 4x would be just fine for my purposes.

[azmike]

I agree. My hunting is heavy timber with looked out areas interspersed.  Shooting will be anywhere from 20-200 yards, and quick.  My go to is a Marlin 336 .35 Rem with a Bushnell Banner Shotgun scope. Tops out at 5x, and is a decent little scope for not much money.  Used to have an old Weaver K2.5 mounted, but a buddy was coveting it, so I did a little horse trading.


I find high power glass useful at the range, but otherwise, I have little use for greater than 7x. If I were still chasing mulies out in the wheat fields of central WA, I would be singing a different tune. 

[chickenlittle]

For where I hunt deer, I prefer a compact low power variable, 1-4X, 1.5-6x or something similar. But 3-9x are most widely available and cheapest so I have a few of those too.

My favorite is a Sightron SIII in 1.5-6x50 that I got a great deal on. Hardly compact with the 30mm tube and it is actually hard to mount on some of my rifles due to its short length. Looks a little funny on a Marlin 336. Right now it is on a CZ452 .22LR.

[Modoc]

Again, it depends on the rifle/cartridge/hunting.  My heavy 22-250 has a Leupold 6x18 while the light 22-250 has a Leupold 4x12.  Both are mid-range varminters but built for different purposes.  1x6 on the 223 and 3x9 on the 7mm 08 and 221.  Almost all of them live at the low power unless the shot can benefit from the greater magnification.

[FPH]

I always seem to scope a large game hunting rifle with a good 3x9 or 4x12 scope.  I just leave it adjusted to 6x the majority of the time.  The scopes I mentioned are usually easy and economical to come by.

[Lloyd Smale]

heres the way i see it. Alot of hunters never shoot a deer past 200 yards and probably couldnt even hit one at 300. there happy with a 4x or 2x7 and it works just fine for them. There the same guys that will jump in and bash anyone using anything heavier then a 06 to hunt deer. They cant handle the recoil so your a mahco idiot if you can Same metality goes for shooting deer at long range. People think that if i cant do it you sure cant. Scopes the same. If i dont need a 14x scope then nobody does and if you do (censored).  I have MANY rifles in my safe. Alot of them wear 4x, 1x4s, and 2x7s. these are rifles i use for normal deer season where i couldnt find a shot past 300 yards unless i rented a bulldozer and made one. When i do crop damage shooting a 200 yard shot is a close one and rare. Most shots are between 3-400 and many past that. For that shooting i use mostly mag rifles and the lowest power scope i use is a 3x9 that are left on 9x and most are 4x12s. Is there an advantage to a 14x scope over a 9x scope at 500 yards. You bet cha!! If you argue that youve just not shot deer at those ranges. Point of all of this is that theres just to many hunting situations to say that a certain setup is the best going. I wouldnt want to be in the swamp with a scope set on 14x but i wouldnt want to be in a field with one set on 2x either. I used to be a big fan of 2x7s but have come to believe the best comprise in a scope for ALL hunting is the good old 3x9. Probably why they sell more 3x9s then all the others COMBINED. It may not be perfect for everything but its not a mistake for anything.

[charles p]

If you hunt in the woods, a 50mm is not needed.  A low variable with a 40mm opening should accomodate every need that comes your way.  Over large fields, more scope is an asset.  People who do not feel comfortable with scopes need lower power models to begin with.

[SHOOTALL]

  I recently bought a new Ruger American in .308 Win.  I got it specifically for deer/black bear season..  In my hunting area it is hilly to mountainous, mostly wooded or brushy and the fields are not large.  300 yard shots are very rare and most of mine have been collected at under 100 yards.
  I plan on scoping this rifle with a low-power, fixed scope  from 2.5X to 4X, since I like the KISS idea (keep it simple) and I have enough predator & varmint rifles.. this rifle will be dedicated to big game.
  Which comes to the question..under these eastern woodlands conditions, I think we are too inclined to "over-scope" our rifles.
  What are your thoughts on that?

I agree 100% . There are two thoughts like you a fixed power is one. I would go 3X and carry some bio's to ID deer that might be in line with brush making seeing head gear hard. In the woods even in the middle of the day it can be hard to see racks or more important rack quality. The second is a variable scope I like 2-7 and leave set on 2 . No need for Bio's just crank up the scope. ( note not for looking at people , never point a gun at people)
An option I'm trying this year maybe call it option 3 is a EO TEC. it is fast on target great field of view easy to use but will require bio's if ID is called for .

[RaySendero]

Re: do we tend to "scope too much"?
 
Yes I agree - I do think "we", as a whole, put too much magnification on a rifle.
 
Now having said that I'm all over the place on my rifles.
 
3 are iron sights
2 are fixed at 2.5 and 4X
3 are high at 4x14, 6x24 and 8x32

[Modoc]

I also forgot to mention that it is nice to have the extra magnification and not use it than not have it and need it.  Sorta like having the rifle/cartridge/load/proficiency to shoot farther than your expected hunting distance.


One thing that I will never be caught without in the field is a good pair of binoculars.

[curteric]

Shootall: I used a Vortec Razor 3min dot, (won from Cameraland) on a 16" 357 Max Contender Barrel that I got from a member on this site. I used it as a carbine. I finished off 2 deer (both were head shots) that other members of our party shot and had to find. What a great combination for hunting in the swamp and close jump shooting. Still looking for my deer. I have another 9 days.

[tomtomz]

I over-scope everything!

I just buy a scope that looks good to me, then I find a rifle to put under it.
Sometimes I even transfer scopes between rifles, just to get
practice in sighting them in.

Sort of like Buck Fever, but more like SCOPE FEVER.

I've wore glasses since  was 4, so I'm used to optics on everything, including me.

[Lloyd Smale]

im about the same. Ive got new scopes in the box waiting for rifles. 6 pairs of binoculars at last count, 3 rangefinders ect.

[Buckskin]

I don't scope too much. I scope what the rifle calls for. Some have 4-14 some have 2-6 one will have 6-24 as soon as it's delivered. And some have open sights. Generally I either hunt wooded areas where my slug gun or 94 go without optics, or I hunt open space where a shot under 75 yards is unlikely (and 400+ possible) and if it does develope I have no problem finding a deer with a 4x.  Usually in hunting situations if I'm scoped I will be on 7+ power anyway.  Then when shooting paper or steel I am able to go high end...

[cwlongshot]

I can tell you YES with difinity!

Working for almost thirty years behind counters full and part time I mount and sell 10x 3-9 scopes over the rest! Next in popularity are the 4-12 & 6-18. Then they MUST be 50MM or bigger!!! Like it makes a difference, if they only knew better optics in 32/33mm size will transmit MOrE light than a cheap or many mid quality scopes can form 50+ MM objectives.
 GONE are the days when people bought a 4x and called it good. Actually fixed power in general are very slow sellers.
I do my best to show the attributes of a quality 1-4 & 2-7 scope, most feel they need more. 

Personally I own more 2-7 scopes than any other. Of those 99% are VXII 2-7-33  with 3-4 1-4-20 Leupys. I do have three 3-9 because my beloved Mauser's need a longer tube or offsets and offsets make for a higher mount...
I have to admit, I do have two 4-12's, and one 6-18 variable. The 4-12's are on rimfires and the 6-18 on my 17 Hornet Varmint rifles. Needed, nope but its better to show the red mist.

Like BigEasy prefer 2-7 scopes on my hunting guns. They offer clear brite optics with plenty of power and light weight for the ranges I "should be" shooting at. I keep them on 3X 99% of the time.

CW

Two things to add after reading a couple excellent posts a d needing a "new" scope for my 22Mah H&R.

Like everyone, my preference in a scope comes from how and where I hunt. Also, I imeadiately answered in terms of hunting. On my Rimfires I have almost always WAY over scoped! I do so on purpose.  Never having had many opertunities for truly long range hunting shoots. I sufficed the tendencies by pushing the limits of my Rimfires. So big powered (cheapie) scopes are on almost all of them!!!

So a "over scoped rifle to me IS 3x9 or bigger. But to a guy who hunts say Montana, Wyoming or Alaska like our friend Roger. A 3x9 is probably bare minimum! Like say a 1 or 2x might be for me!

So to make this so what of a better laid out question. I will say I think scopes of 3x9 and smaller are all a shooter needs to hunt big game out to 300 yards adaquitely.  Move that max yardage to say 700 yards and one could easily see the advantage of say 12x.

Another issue with these big powered scopes is like big powered binoculars. Too much of a good thing is or can be less useful. It's hard to hold a 10x or larger binocular. Big powered scope can have a lot of mirage on warmer days. Just a couple other points to consider.

CW

[Wyo. Coyote Hunter]

  When I was looking at buying my first scope almost 50 years ago, my cousin had a 2.5-8 B & L..on a 99 .300 Savage..He told me he never turned the scope down from 8 power..I bought one just like it and put it on an 06..seldom did I drop it below 8x..In those days we mostly hunted woodlands..Over the years I have used scopes from 2-7x to 6.5-20x. In almost all cases, I seldom drop below max power..I have a few straight power scopes..They mostly are lying in the gun room, or a couple 6x Leupolds are on .22 rifles..I like higher power scopes, 3-9 or 4-12 or 4.5-14 for all my hunting..even in brush, I can pick a hole through brush to make a clean shot that is not possible with irons or a low power scope..but then almost everyday I handle my rifles .. That is something not all folks get to do..

[scootrd]

On a side note, I have noticed that here in PA, a lot of the guys I have talked with who used to use iron sights have gone to scopes since the implementation of minimum antler size (most of the state is 3 points on one side, some areas 4) as an aid to antler point verification.
 
Except for varmint and long range specialty rifles, most of my hunting rifles wear 1x5, 2x7, and a few 3x9 scopes, all usually set to 3x or so while hunting.
 
Larry

My father was a huge proponent of a fixed 4x scope here in NE. That is what he used so that is what he taught me to use. Recently
I found myself needing a new scope. This time round I ended up purchasing a 2-7x32. The 2-7 compact works well and was a good compromise for me. I don't feel under-scoped nor over-scoped, it feels just about the right size companion for my mod seven and for the NE terrain where I hunt. And though I may not have needed it a few years ago , I must admit the little extra magnification has also helped these older eyes.   

[helotaxi]

My answer to this dilemma here in New Mexico where, for example, I found myself this last weekend stalking in the pinons where visibility was only 30 or so yards and later that day having to take the only shot I was presented around 300yds through a 3ft gap in the vegetation in fading light (which I missed thanks to an unsteady rest and an awkward stance) is the newer generation of wide zoom range high quality scopes.  My elk rifle wears a Bushnell Elite 6500 2.5-16x44.  It provides the best of all worlds excepting a target turret on the elevation adjustment.  On 2.5x it's a great stalking scope with a really wide FOV.  On 16x it's enough for the farthest shot I need to be taking.  The high quality glass and coatings allow for a smallish objective lens without the scope getting really dim and backing off the magnification at last light solves the rest.  If I had a mint to spend, I'd get one of the Swarovski Z6 series scopes for my hunting rifles mostly to save some weight over the Bushnell and to add the ballistic turret.

[tuck2]

 I had a 4 X scope mounted on my 22 RF rifle in 1950 and a 4X scope put on my then new 270 Win in 1953. I shot pronghorn, mule deer, elk, and some unwonted critters  with the 4 X scope.  When Redfeild come out with the 3-9 X scope in the 60s I put it on the 270 Win rifle and Its still on the rifle.  I turned it up to 9 x and it has ben on 3 X very few times.  I put Leupold 6.5-20 X  AO scopes on a 220 Swift and 243 Win varmint rifles  but because the limited field of view at 20 x its set at 18 x most of the time.  So when I got  223 Rem  rifles I put a 6-18 X AO  scopes on them.  Except for elk, most all of my hunting is in the wide open pasture country .  When elk hunting  with the  308 Norma Mag or 340 Weatherby Mag  the scopes are set at their  lowest  power  when in the woods and set at their higest  power in open areas.  After using scope  sited rifles for some 60 years I can get by with scopes which some my think is to much . I like the AO scopes on my 17, 20, and 22 pellet rifles set at 12 X for shots  even within 35 yards.

[painted horse]

Pretty much the norm here also. I'm pretty sure all my scoped rifles are carrying 3x9s. ( even a couple 22 RF, thats kinda silly) And probably like "most" they're generally always set on 4 and rarely get moved....I can tell you all my Dad ever used was a Weaver K3, (1952 or so) but he also only owned one rifle, a "sporterized" model 95 Mauser in 7x57..all he ever needed. But while we're talking mult-power scopes it brings up my "pet peeve". I'm sure none of you are guilty of this, but I've seen way to many "hunters" crank up their scope power to "glass" with.  So maybe some buy them for "spotting scopes"....

[tomtomz]

With a   mildot reticle, you can use your variable power ring to estimate distance.

[Freezer]

For the OP's situation I feel the 1.5x5 or 2x7 is the best fit. I have a Savage 99f in 308 that wears a 2x7. It's my carry gun. The terrain I hunt is similar. I seldom go above 2x but I do on ocassion. I'm capible of 350 yards shots with this rifle. If I'm going to sit and don't expect shots shorter tham 100yards I carry a Rem 700 in 280 Rem. It wears a 4x12 Leupold. I'd consider this rig out to 500 yards. I have a distance rifle 6.5-06 it wears a 4.5x16 Leupold. This gun is too heavy to hump all day so it's my sit down distance rifle.
I wouldn't play golf with one club or a set of identical clubs

[painted horse]

For the OP's situation I feel the 1.5x5 or 2x7 is the best fit. I have a Savage 99f in 308 that wears a 2x7. It's my carry gun. The terrain I hunt is similar. I seldom go above 2x but I do on ocassion. I'm capible of 350 yards shots with this rifle. If I'm going to sit and don't expect shots shorter tham 100yards I carry a Rem 700 in 280 Rem. It wears a 4x12 Leupold. I'd consider this rig out to 500 yards. I have a distance rifle 6.5-06 it wears a 4.5x16 Leupold. This gun is too heavy to hump all day so it's my sit down distance rifle.
I wouldn't play golf with one club or a set of identical clubs

I would if I had a club that would do it all.....

[JustaShooter]

With a   mildot reticle, you can use your variable power ring to estimate distance.

I'm familiar with using the mil dot at a fixed power to estimate range, how do you use the power ring on a variable power mil dot scope to estimate range?

Just a Shooter

[Buckskin]

With a   mildot reticle, you can use your variable power ring to estimate distance.

I'm familiar with using the mil dot at a fixed power to estimate range, how do you use the power ring on a variable power mil dot scope to estimate range?

Just a Shooter

You buy a first focal plane scope, then you can range at any power. Or on a SFP scope the manual should tell you at what power you can estimate range correctly.

[Savage .250]

That might well be the case for some folks but it`s more of a personal choice for them.
  Clarity  on shots in brush is most critical as there are strange things in the way of those types of shots.  Some time not always.  Not all shots presented is the "perfect" one either so seeing clearly allows you to pick another location. If it`s there of course.
  Smaller cal rifles don`t like brush. That being said, a wider range of powers from your scope is ideal. Getting a "clear shot" is paramount.  On the others ,like a 35 Rem a lower powered scope will do nicely as the 35 loves the brush.  JMO.

[scootrd]

For the OP's situation I feel the 1.5x5 or 2x7 is the best fit. I have a Savage 99f in 308 that wears a 2x7. It's my carry gun. The terrain I hunt is similar. I seldom go above 2x but I do on ocassion. I'm capible of 350 yards shots with this rifle. If I'm going to sit and don't expect shots shorter tham 100yards I carry a Rem 700 in 280 Rem. It wears a 4x12 Leupold. I'd consider this rig out to 500 yards. I have a distance rifle 6.5-06 it wears a 4.5x16 Leupold. This gun is too heavy to hump all day so it's my sit down distance rifle.

I wouldn't play golf with one club or a set of identical clubs

It can be fun to see what you can accomplish with Just a 5 or a simple 6 iron.
goes for hunting as well selecting an "all a-rounder" jack of all trades , master of none.

[JustaShooter]

With a   mildot reticle, you can use your variable power ring to estimate distance.

I'm familiar with using the mil dot at a fixed power to estimate range, how do you use the power ring on a variable power mil dot scope to estimate range?

Just a Shooter

You buy a first focal plane scope, then you can range at any power. Or on a SFP scope the manual should tell you at what power you can estimate range correctly.

Buckskin, I'm familiar with how to use a mil dot to estimate range with either a FFP scope or at the power that the mil dot is set for on a variable.  What I don't know how to do is what tomtomz mentioned, which is using the power ring on a mil dot to estimate range.

Just a Shooter

[Lloyd Smale]

I guess i look at it a bit differnt then most. I dont ever recall an instance where i shot a deer and thought to myself i had to much scope on the gun. As long as a variable will drop down to at least 4x there plenty fast and you only have to turn them up as far as what fits your exact hunting condition. I drove corvettes for years. Never once thought, boy this thing has to much power. It was there when i wanted it but came equipted with something called a gas peddle. I have though a couple times in my life (not many) been in hunting situations with staight 4x or even 2x7s that i thought to myself a little more magnification would be ideal.

[Buckskin]

With a   mildot reticle, you can use your variable power ring to estimate distance.

I'm familiar with using the mil dot at a fixed power to estimate range, how do you use the power ring on a variable power mil dot scope to estimate range?

Just a Shooter

You buy a first focal plane scope, then you can range at any power. Or on a SFP scope the manual should tell you at what power you can estimate range correctly.

Buckskin, I'm familiar with how to use a mil dot to estimate range with either a FFP scope or at the power that the mil dot is set for on a variable.  What I don't know how to do is what tomtomz mentioned, which is using the power ring on a mil dot to estimate range.

Just a Shooter

Well, the only way to do it would be to use a FFP scope or figure out the calculations to adjust to the power level change in a SFP scope which would be a little tedious in the field...