I know I can not see as well as I use too, I'm 48. I started out hunting (years ago) with a 4X weaver and thought I could see for miles. Then moved to 3X9's and thought, what else would you want. Now it seems I have a leaning to the 6x 24/25 scopes. In fairness to the discussion, I am shooting at longer distances and its nice to zoom into the 200 and 300 targets and good to see clearer at the 600 plus targets.

Hunting in South Texas I can really zoom in and pick my spots at 300 and 400 yards at the 24/25 power. Most of the guns with the higher powered scopes are on guns you wouldn't want to carry all day. My pack arounds' still sport 3X9 or 4X12/16 scopes. Do I really need the 6X24/25 scopes for long distance, I guess I have thought I needed them since I bought them, but what have I gained? What have I lost?

Am I just bored?

Yes, you need them. You gained "detail" in the sight picture. You've lost nothing.

Nope, not bored. Still exploring which is a good thing.

I can understand the 20-25 part on my varmint and target scopes. What I don't understand is the low power end. I'm never going to use the bottom half. I wonder if better optical quality could be had with a 12-24, or a 10-20?

High magnification is pretty addictive stuff. Once you have tried it, it is hard to break the habit.

Yes, you did loose something: FOV at lower magnification. But whether that matters depends on your style of hunting.

- mike

I'm with dogleg on this. I never use the lower powers on my varmint scopes, but do use the upper range powers in load development. The 10x-40x would seem to be ideal for my kind of shooting out here in Colorado.

Saying that, for hunting big game, I've gone up in powers, but lately (even though 62) I've dropped from the larger powers to the 2.5-8x scopes for most of my larger game. My antelope rifle does have a Leupold 4.5-14 on it, but that may be replaced some day.

If you say that you never use the lower power scope setting on your varmint rig, then you never have called in a coyote that is coming in at about 40mph and stops about 10 yards in front of you, stays for 1/2 sec and then takes off.

Try picking him up at 14 power, or even 9 power.

Or had a boar hog or deer walk from behind a tree at 20 yds and throw up to only see hair. Then you have to figure out how to twist the power down in that same 1/2 second without spooking it.

I like big magnification for paper and for detail at distance but when I'm actually hunting I am hardly ever higher than 4x on a 3-9 or 6x on a 4-12. If an animal is so far away that I need more magnification to judge it, then (a) it is probably too far for me to shoot or (b) it's far enough that I have time to twist 'er up without spooking the game.

Even though I am leaning to the higher power variable scopes, that's why they are variable. It amazes me when we are back at the skinning rack and other hunters complain that they couldn't find the animal in their scopes at 40 yards? I reminded them that the 3X9 had an adjustment ring to turn the power down from 9 to 3. I always get the DUH look from them when they get reminded. Same thing at first and last light, I tell my new hunters to turn their power settings down until it gets lighter and then they can move the settings up if they need to.

Some people just forget about the simple things sometimes?

Fixed 3x, 4x and 6x scopes work.
No need trying to remember to turn down the power ring on the scope when some animal is about to trample you...

Yea but 24 power and its out there 400 yards is nice too. I am not going dangerous game hunting with a 6 X 24.

i like high magnification & use it a great deal. one of the nicest things about the 6-24 type is that when the heat of the day sets in and mirage is a problem, you can just turn down the scope.

I am a fan of higher power scopes. Unfortunately (for now) my highest power scope is 3.5 x 15. I plan to buy a 5 x 20 or 6 x 24 power at some point in the future. Your rationale for wanting the higher power makes perfect sense to me. Besides, you don't have one. More toys is a good thing if you can afford them. Good luck.

quote:

Originally posted by mgoodrich:
If you say that you never use the lower power scope setting on your varmint rig, then you never have called in a coyote that is coming in at about 40mph and stops about 10 yards in front of you, stays for 1/2 sec and then takes off.

Try picking him up at 14 power, or even 9 power.

No true'r words have ever been spoken!!!!!!!