How far would you shoot with 10x mag?

[Nick87]

I could have hunted my entire life with my old VX1 3x9. Still like cranking up my VX3i to 12-14x sometimes though.

I agree however the biggest benefit I found to the higher power scopes 12, 14, 15x etc. Was on a wyoming mule deer hunt. Snuck in on several bucks to get closer and left the spotter at the truck. This unit had a four point restriction. Those 10x42 binos just didnt cut it for verifying if a 4th point was long enough quite like that scope did.

 

[Don Fischer]

At 10x I wouldn't shoot any farther at game than I would with my favorite scope, a 2 3/4x fixed!

 

[roberte65]

The idea that high power magnification is needed to shoot a given distance, is just not true. Never has been, but it has been preached by the industry and media for so long, it has become an alternative fact.

Exactly why I wanted to gather some real world experience. Like I said in the original post, i see a lot of folk say "oh yea you could hunt anything at ethical distance with a 3-9x if you wanted to" I wanted to see what people felt comfortable/ confident with!

 

[Don Fischer]

Exactly why I wanted to gather some real world experience. Like I said in the original post, i see a lot of folk say "oh yea you could hunt anything at ethical distance with a 3-9x if you wanted to" I wanted to see what people felt comfortable/ confident with!

There's that word again; ethical! Had a long conversation on another site about a year ago and best I could figure out, ethical was anything you said it was so long as it was legal!

 

[ImBillT]

Just for hits, you should be able shoot all the way to your max range with a 6X. For seeing antler well enough to judge a deer at 500yds, I’d say that something with a top end of 16X-24X would be preferable.

To answer the question, if I knew for a fact that the animal was the one that I wanted to take, I’d be comfortable with 10X out to the limit of my comfortable range shooting a target that size with the firearm in question.

Turn you scope to the lowest magnification and shoot some groups at 200-500yds. You’ll probably find that your group sizes don’t even change.

 

[ImBillT]

There's that word again; ethical! Had a long conversation on another site about a year ago and best I could figure out, ethical was anything you said it was so long as it was legal!

That’s about what it is. In the context of hunting it means something different to everyone, and it isn’t until the only barrier remaining is the law that most hunters start to agree.

 

[Gunner46]

For Cardboard Commies, I'll take a shot shot as far as I can see 'em. For Game, as far as I know I can make an ethical shot.....and that depends on the shooting conditions at that single moment !

 

[VikingsGuy]

I like extra magnification at the range on bags/bipods, but tend to dial back in the field when I have a less stable platform. It reduces the perceived reticle movement for my sight picture (I know it doesn't remove actual movement) which helps me shoot better. I typically have 14-18xish scopes but tend to dial back to 9-10x in the field. May seem weird to dial back on "paid for" magnification, but I don't necessarily purposely buy higher magnification on hunting scopes, but sometimes the models with other qualities/features I want come with. So, from my view 7-10x is great for big game hunting within 400y and probably further.

 

[Mallardsx2]

Deer sized game I would say 300 yards. Past that its not holding on the animal that worries me its seeing the "Phantom branch" that will deflect a bullet and wound an animal that I am concerned with....

 

[Nick87]

Va

Deer sized game I would say 300 yards. Past that its not holding on the animal that worries me its seeing the "Phantom branch" that will deflect a bullet and wound an animal that I am concerned with....

Valid point.

 

[thusby]

400 yards is easily accomplished with a 10x. 500 should be relatively easy as well.

 

[ol_spark]

750 yds

 

[Pahoundsman]

Everyone has different limitations and that includes the ethics of the shot. I regularly shoot steel out to 600 yards because that’s what our range. My longest shot was 360 on a bull with my scope on 10x

 

[Pups]

I read somewhere once that a good baseline rule of thumb is 1x per 100 yards with decent glass. Much less than that makes it tough unless you have very high quality glass or amazing vision

I was just about to write that the rule of thumb I was familiar with was 3x per every 100 yards for hunting. As told by my friend, a competition bench rest shooter. I suppose it's more personal preference than anything.

 

[midwesthunter]

1000 yards all year long.

 

[hank4elk]

Good glass & mechanics. If you know your weapon you can do alot if you know what your doing.
I have shot out to 1000 & who knows. With my rifle out to 600 and have it pretty dialed in.Zeiss Z5 system I like and am comfortable with in most any situation.
Anything within 200 yards is doable ez,3-400 I'm watching the wind looking for clear perfect setup and usually on a rest.
I passed on a 427 yrd shot on a bull 2 yrs ago due to a nervous cow nearby. Perfect shot setup,but I was not comfortable with the possible nervous herd situation. The cows farthest away spooked a minute later and poof the perfect pastoral situation was gone.
I only take the shot if I can make the shot comfortably. On game. 405 yards is farthest so far.

 

[jejack26]

Shoot steel out to 800 preferring 6x to do so. Goal on animals is one shot kills which r typically 350 and under depending on conditions

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I'm running a vortex 2.5-10x44 and I'm shooting sub 3 inch groups at 400.




I was much more proud of that before I read this thread.

 

[1100RemingtonMan]

Me I would feel comfortable with a 3x9 to 500 yards.
With a 3x9 on my Remington 700 BDL 6mm Rem I have shot 3shot group at 300 yards 7/8 inch twice, but with handloads of both 85gr HPBT Sierra & 100gr BTSP Hornady. Both loads average under 2.25 inch groups at 300 yards for three , three shot groups in a row.
My longest shot on Big Game Antelope just over 500 yards with a .264 Win Mag.
I am not a fan of shooting long range because of the wind and time of flight.
My scopes today
6mm Rem just put on a 2.5x8
.264 Win Mag 4.5x14 40mm CDS
300 H&H Mag 3.5x10 40mm CDS
It truth I could be happy with 2.5x8 For all of my rifles if Leupold made them CDS with Windplex for all my big game hunting.

 

[T Bone]

I find magnification has no bearing on long range accuracy when you close your eyes and spank the trigger.

I've never shot further than 800 yards, but have done so successfully on paper with 6x, 7x, 9x, and 10x.