Optimum magnification range on scope for elk rifle?

[buffybr]

I really value all my old low power scopes. 2.5,3,4 and even my 6x. All are weavers and most have been restored by "Iron Sight"
That said while my stalking skill usually permits closet shots, since I hunt both open and closed country not having a variable is a huge disadvantage.

So my rules with variable scopes are as follows.

Only low mounts and that is with a scope cap on the front. Most 3-9's work. Next and this tricky. I must be able to get sharp crosshairs W/O my glasses. I am now 75 and my eyes are aging.

Lastly my scoped rifle must go in and out of my custom saddle scabbard with ease and not be tight on the scope.

2-7 and 2.5-8 work best.

Not really off topic because we need sharp vision whether we are shooting iron sights or a scope.

A few years ago I thought that I needed another Win 94 .30-30, so I found one on the internet and bought it. The first time I shouldered it my 70+ year old eyes just saw a blur where the front sight was.

Also for the past 10 or more years I have been wearing low magnification reading glasses to be able to focus on the front sights of my pistols.

Fast forward to this time last year when I had cataract surgery with the lenses in both eyes replaced. Now, at 77, I have 20-20 distant vision, my pistol front sights and the front sight of my iron sighted rifles are clear, The cross hairs of my scoped rifles are sharp at any power, and my computer screen is sharp and clear without wearing any type of glasses.

 

[DFS]

3.5-18 is perfect for me for just about everything. But I don’t really care what anybody else prefers.

 

[Wind Gypsy]

3-9, 3-12, 2.5-10, etc is plenty. To generalize, most scopes above that power are either not as robust as I prefer, don't have a low end magnification i prefer, or weigh more than is ideal in a rifle I want to carry a lot. 9 or 10x is more than enough to make any shot i should ethically take (not much more than 500 yards these days). SWFA 3-9 HD, Nightforce NXS 2.5-10x42 are the two that I feel good about for lighter rifles and I use bushnell elite tactical LRTS or LRHS 3-12 or 4.5-18 scopes on less weight conscious rifles.

 

[Don Fischer]

I really value all my old low power scopes. 2.5,3,4 and even my 6x. All are weavers and most have been restored by "Iron Sight"
That said while my stalking skill usually permits closet shots, since I hunt both open and closed country not having a variable is a huge disadvantage.

So my rules with variable scopes are as follows.

Only low mounts and that is with a scope cap on the front. Most 3-9's work. Next and this tricky. I must be able to get sharp crosshairs W/O my glasses. I am now 75 and my eyes are aging.

Lastly my scoped rifle must go in and out of my custom saddle scabbard with ease and not be tight on the scope.

2-7 and 2.5-8 work best.

At 77 yrs the eye's are taking a dump on me. Remember in the military I had 20-10 vision and could see pretty much anyting. Then about 20 yrs ago they tell me I had a stroke and my eyes aren't levelanymore. So now don't have even 20-20 anymore but see double to boot. Low power scope still work for me just hard to find them and 2-7x is taking over around here with the thing's sighted in on 6x and carried on 2x. Have to try thay adusting the cross wires without my glasses on. Just tried the open sight's on my Win 62A with my computer glass's on and could see the front site. First time in a long time!

 

[Pucky Freak]

As many others have noted, you’re far more likely to run into trouble with too much magnification vs too little. I have a VX-2 3-9x40 and I keep it on 3x. I have a habit of cranking it up to 9 before I take longer shots. Totally unnecessary though. My preferred shooting range is 150-300 yards. I’ve found that even shooting out to 400 7x is more than adequate. I’m on the fence of swapping out for a 2-7, because one of these days zooming in too far is going to cost me a shot.

 

[SFC B]

Nice setup Sarge!

Thanks, I can't wait!!! It should get it's first shot at action come 2nd season here in CO

 

[geetar]

I've been really eyeing up the Athlon Ares 2.5-15x50. Seems like the optimal zoom for a hunting rifle out to as far as you'd want to shoot.

Top Rifle Scopes | Ares BTR 2.5-15×50 APLR4 FFP IR MOA

The Areas BTR top rifle scopes offer HD Glass and advanced fully multicoated optics deliver crisp bright images for taking long range shots.

athlonoptics.com

I’ve often admired the light gathering of a 50 but didn’t want the extra bulk. If you get one let us know how you like it.

 

[rjthehunter]

I’ve often admired the light gathering of a 50 but didn’t want the extra bulk. If you get one let us know how you like it.

I actually have it. It's a hell of a scope so far. Going to hopefully get out this coming weekend to do some shooting with it.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

What follows is a small part of a hunting story I wrote years ago about desert sheep, my hunt for a desert ram and about my preference for scopes and the shooting skills i practiced for many decades on the Mojave Desert. Here is the quote;

"All are important inclusions to a serious rifleman's repertoire of shooting skills.

Another marksman’s skill offered by the Mohave Desert was shooting at the occasional passing shadows of ravens flying over those steep sand dunes as the ravens checked me out.

This was a rifleman’s opportunity of a lifetime to practice shootings at moving objects. Incoming, outgoing, raven shadows moving at all angles, fast, slower, almost still on a stall, and of course turning after my firing.

It was like they were appearing on a huge drive in movie screen.

Hitting the shadows seemed impossible at first, but then I could see my bullets strikes get closer and closer until there would be that instant image of the bullet hitting the shadow of the Raven flying overhead.

The first rifle I began doing this with was a 722 Remington in 257 Roberts. I got my timing down after a couple years of practice with that sweet rifle. It had a fast 3x fixed weaver scope on it. That rifle was my first Shadow Shooter.

There were many other rifles during the half century when I moved around and lived in California, Arizona and Wyoming and was seasonally driving back and forth through the Mohave Desert.


In addition to the Roberts, I also used a .243, a 250 Savage, a 260, a .270, two 7x57’s, a 280.and even a Springfield M1-A NM in 308. I never made that first shot count as well with it as I did with my bolt action rifles.

My 6.5x55 Swede in a Model 70 Stainless Featherweight and my Sako Finn lite in 308 were my last desert Shadow Shooters.

Critical factors for such shooting are keeping scope power low with a wide field of view and when possible getting “extra low mounts ” . Only Sako made them

For my other rifles with just normal low mounts, which I often find a tad too high, I made a custom cheek piece with harness grade leather. 3/16ths of an inch can make all the difference for this type of fast shooting when sight acquisition must be ideal and instant

The rewards of such practice,,,,, I have killed deer and antelope on the move aplenty and even a few elk after these decades of shooting lessons in the Mojave.

During my desert adventures, I have observed Desert Big Horn sheep in four states; California, Nevada, Utah and Arizona."

MR

 

[Black Elk]

I run the Leupold Mark 5 3.8-18 on my elk rifle. I find it to be exactly what I need at close and further distances.

 

[BuzzH]

If I could flash back in time, every scope I ever purchased would be a 4-12, minimum.

For years I shot straight 4's and 3-9's...as I get older I appreciate the 12 power a lot more. Can still shoot the straight 4's just don't like to anymore.

My vision up close is total chit these days, but still have 20-20 past about 2.5-3 feet.

 

[WildWill]

I r

I’ve often admired the light gathering of a 50 but didn’t want the extra bulk. If you get one let us know how you like it.

My two main hunting rifles I use are 50mm scopes and I'll never go back. The extra light gathering, clarity, and a larger field of view making target acquisition in the field easier are worth the little extra bulk and weight IMO.

 

[Gut Shot]

Mine wears a Leupold VX3 2.5-8x. I can't think of a single big game hunt where a top end of 4 or 5x wouldn't have worked just fine for me.

 

[huntin24/7]

I really like the 4.5-14 with my leupold and next one will be a vx5 3-15. I always have it set to the lowest setting while hiking and will crank it up to shoot. I like having high power for zooming in on small targets when developing loads.

 

[6mm Remington]

6x42mm Leupold hard to beat for close and far.
3.5-10x40mm Leupold
4.5-14x40mm Leupold same thing hard to beat.

 

[Bill Zent]

2x7 seems to be ideal for those who hunt all types of country from thick timber to wide open spaces. I have put many clients on game under 50 yards and they cannot find the animal in their scope. Why? Because they left it on a high power. You usually have time to turn it up on distant game but seldom time to turn it down on close ones.

 

[Mustangs Rule]

2x7 seems to be ideal for those who hunt all types of country from thick timber to wide open spaces. I have put many clients on game under 50 yards and they cannot find the animal in their scope. Why? Because they left it on a high power. You usually have time to turn it up on distant game but seldom time to turn it down on close ones.

I could not agree with you more. I used to be a guide, mainly for huge black Russian wild boar, (up tp 400 plus pounds) hunting them in thousands of acres of barley. Even when I warned them too may clients came up with a big rifle with a bipod then a huge scope,,,,when we had 2 or 3 feet of standing barely. They were lost.

I bird hunt after big game season with an active elk hunting guide in his mid 40's ( i am 75)

We both agree that we breathe a sigh of relief when a client comes up with shooting sticks. a Whelen sling and can be ready to take a 200 yards or even way less shot in 3-5 seconds.

 

[MS 9x56]

Received my Athlon ares 2.5-15x50 recently. Great glass and definitely a great zoom range. I can just see the tip of my barrel on 2.5 and will have no problem shooting steel at 1k yards.

Unless you have shot 1000 yards do not profess having no problem. Many talk of long range shooting fewer actually do. The mark of a hunter is getting as close as he can to ensure a killing shot.

 

[CowboyLeroy]

I'm a big 2.5-10 guy.

 

[Huntin' Fool]

2 - 7 guy