I recently returned from a bushveld hunt. In an attempt to be period appropriate I had fitted a Tasco 4X32or 4x36 (I'd need to check) to the rifle, although even that was probably three or more decades too new, the rifle being from the 40's. I think it is a "World Class" as it has the little silver pronghorn on the side.

Despite some colour aberration it was a wonderful scope for the conditions which were mostly inside of 100m and certainly always inside of 150m. The eye box was so incredibly foregiving and the depth of field is of course superb. My hunting partner arrived with a very bright V4 6-24 which we had him leave on 6X with parallax set at 50m.

There is a very common trend to "overscope rifles". Partly I think it stems from wanting to shoot tiny groups at the range, which I do understand, but even for good groups with hunting rifles huge magnifications seems unnecessary.

So... and I recall it being asked before, who is still making a good fixed 4X scope? I have only found Hawke in recent years.

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There is a very common trend to "overscope rifles". Partly I think it stems from wanting to shoot tiny groups at the range

No, I think it has to do with lack of confidence in one's sexual adequacy more so than with group size. Maybe a big scope can make up for things that nature made smaller beyond a person's control.

There are a plethora of advantages in hunting game to a scope of modest fixed power -- size, weight, eye relief, large eye "box", better light transmission, less complicated, more waterproof, less expensive, etc., etc. -- and it's never set to the wrong power.

Leupold's bean counters and ad copy writers have killed their once-proud line of fixed power hunting scopes. Now there's nothing left but a 4X rimfire scope and an ultra-small 2.5X according to their website. What a shame.

That said, there are a lot of good fixed 4x's on the used market, and being simple most of them perform quite adequately, even the "leader-priced" scopes from Asian manufacturers.

Hear hear!

The scope world has gone nuts. I was given an old Burris 'Fullfield' 1.75-5x and checked the FoVs. Though the 55 feet I measured at 1.75x is passable perhaps, the 27.5 feet at 4x looks a bit sad compared with many old reticle-movement scopes.

In those days 30 feet was expected of any serious 4x and 35 feet was claimed for some in Stroebel. That said, he listed the image-movement Burris 4x Fullfield from 1975 as having 37 feet with an eye relief of 3.25 inches. I haven't seen that one but wonder where the focus is set when some companies' measurements are made. He also lists the FoV of my 1976-on 1.75-5x variable as 70 feet at 1.75x and 27 feet at 5x, so that has left me head-scratching as well.

What I do know is that an old fixed 4x scope with minimal field stop gives adequate power for most big-game hunting and FoV comparable with many modern variables on 3x, expected to work in bush hunting, too.

Funny you mention fixed power scopes. Not long ago I bought a Leupold FX2 4X. Now I can’t figure out which rifle deserves it most. For my purposes it just makes too much sense. I think I need to look for a few more.

When I was young a fixed 4X was the first scope I ever owned. I can’t remember it ever not being adequate for what I was hunting.

IMO it's pretty hard to beat a quality fixed six.

Yes Sir! When my father's generation got older and iron sights just would not work. A Weaver 4X to the rescue! I think a lot of Comp shooters try to buy 10s with higher priced, higher power scopes and those scopes bleed over to the hunting world! Really $3500 for a scope on a $500 rifle?

I am a fan of fixed power scopes. Schmidt still offer their 6x42, but on request only.

Karl Kaps offer a 4x36, 6x42 and 8x56

https://www.kaps-optik.de/en/s...es/classic-line.html

And leupold still offer their FX range. I think their 2.5x20 may possibly be the perfect double rifle scope.

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Originally posted by Live Oak:
Yes Sir! When my father's generation got older and iron sights just would not work. A Weaver 4X to the rescue! I think a lot of Comp shooters try to buy 10s with higher priced, higher power scopes and those scopes bleed over to the hunting world! Really $3500 for a scope on a $500 rifle?

When I was young back in the '60s, common advice was that the quality of the scope was more important than that of the rifle. That was given, perhaps unconscious of the underlying mechanicals, because the cheaper scopes were by then mostly image-movement while the more expensive Pecar, Kahles, Zeiss and Nickel scopes stuck to the old reticle-movement design.

These days, since almost every brand has thrown in the towel, it doesn't matter much - they're all junk.

I have one 3x9 Leupold on my 222.. an old 2x7x28. onmy 300 H&H, same size as a 4X..the rest are 3X and 4X Leupolds for big game hunting. and my lovely 2.5X Leupold Alaskan on my .308 mod 99 fwt SAvage or my 7x57, off and on...Im definately a fixed power user, never had a situation wherein I needed more. even at long range the 4Xs are fine on deer,elk and shep etc and all African game.

Over scoped is a generation of newbies many of whom can't even sight in there rifles it seems. based on the first day in camp and sight in..then the guy that shows up in camp with a sleek little neat rifle and a 16x45 telephone post of a scope that wont fit in a saddle scabbard, then the fun begins as he fumbles on and off his horse to shoot the elk that just passed the Montana state line from southern Idaho! but not to fear, he just strangled on his slang!!