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I've got too much time on my hands and had a brain fart. I like to keep things simple, all my rifles are mod 70s, 2.75# trigger pulls, scopes with 42mm objectives and fine crosshairs. My travel rifles (only) are synthetic stocked. My 270 traveler and my everyday 270 both have 3-9x42, my traveler 300 win a 5-15x42. All shoot same trajectory (140TSX, 130TSX, 180TSX respectively) like I said, keeps things simple. I planned it that way, thinking the 270s would be exactly the same. However, since the game shot with the 270 is smaller (and potentially longer shots), would I not be better off swapping the two traveler scopes, and put the 5-15x42 on the 270 and the 3-9x42 on the 300? After all, an elk at 300 yards is a bigger target than a mule deer at 300 yards. Or should I take another scope off my STW (buy a 6-24 for it) and make both the travelers 5-15s? Like I said, way too much time on my hands (I spend 1 1/2 to 2hrs a day smoking cigars outside with my laptop). $ does not come into the discussion. There are two types of people in the world: those that get things done and those who make excuses. There are no others. | ||
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I've never felt like I needed more than 9X in a hunting situation. Paper and long range varmints maybe, but for big game 9X is plenty. My main deer/elk 30-06 wears a fixed 6X | |||
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I can't argue with your reason that the bigger magnification is better for smaller targets... But I got to go with Walker here...given field conditons and that you might be slighty out of breadth and the excitement...I have never even gone above 8x and that was only cause I was prone over a pack and i could hold rock solid...I find anything over six power off a field rest is to "shaky". Mike Never under estimate the internet community's ability to reply to your post with their personal rant about their tangentially related, single occurrence issue.  What I have learned on AR, since 2001: 1. The proper answer to: Where is the best place in town to get a steak dinner? is…You should go to Mel's Diner and get the fried chicken. 2. Big game animals can tell the difference between .015 of an inch in diameter, 15 grains of bullet weight, and 150 fps. 3. There is a difference in the performance of two identical projectiles launched at the same velocity if they came from different cartridges. 4. While a double rifle is the perfect DGR, every 375HH bolt gun needs to be modified to carry at least 5 down. 5. While a floor plate and detachable box magazine both use a mechanical latch, only the floor plate latch is reliable. Disregard the fact that every modern military rifle uses a detachable box magazine. 6. The Remington 700 is unreliable regardless of the fact it is the basis of the USMC M40 sniper rifle for 40+ years with no changes to the receiver or extractor and is the choice of more military and law enforcement sniper units than any other rifle. 7. PF actions are not suitable for a DGR and it is irrelevant that the M1, M14, M16, & AK47 which were designed for hunting men that can shoot back are all PF actions. 8. 95 deg F in Africa is different than 95 deg F in TX or CA and that is why you must worry about ammunition temperature in Africa (even though most safaris take place in winter) but not in TX or in CA. 9. The size of a ding in a gun's finish doesn't matter, what matters is whether it’s a safe ding or not. 10. 1 in a row is a trend, 2 in a row is statistically significant, and 3 in a row is an irrefutable fact. 11. Never buy a WSM or RCM cartridge for a safari rifle or your go to rifle in the USA because if they lose your ammo you can't find replacement ammo but don't worry 280 Rem, 338-06, 35 Whelen, and all Weatherby cartridges abound in Africa and back country stores. 12. A well hit animal can run 75 yds. in the open and suddenly drop with no initial blood trail, but the one I shot from 200 yds. away that ran 10 yds. and disappeared into a thicket and was not found was lost because the bullet penciled thru. I am 100% certain of this even though I have no physical evidence. 13. A 300 Win Mag is a 500 yard elk cartridge but a 308 Win is not a 300 yard elk cartridge even though the same bullet is travelling at the same velocity at those respective distances. | |||
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I've never hunted with anything other than 3-9s. I just picked up a pair of 5-15s and put them on the 300 win and 7STW. Just wondering of my choice where I put em. There are two types of people in the world: those that get things done and those who make excuses. There are no others. | |||
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Walker's got the right idea. You don't need, or really want a varmint glass on a big game gun. First, you don't need the power. Second, they don't gather the light as well as one less than 9x. Even with a 3-9x IF you check it out when light is failing, or dim. You'll discover there's more light (brighter picture) at lower power than there is with the same glass turned up high. You can watch it dim while looking thru the scope and turning the power dial. Try it sometime. We used to all have 4x's on our elk guns. Then older eye's started bothering some, so went to 6x which is a lot better. Then mfg's started making exceptionally good variables, so most of us have gone to 3-9's, or 4-10x which is more power than almost anyone would ever need, or wish for while hunting big game. IF money's no object, get the best glass you can find and don't look back. There's an old saying: "A hundred dollar saddle's more comfortable on a ten dollar horse than a ten dollar saddle on a hundred dollar horse." I'd rather have a fine scope on a junky gun, than a junky scope on a fine gun. But, IF you've got the money, get both a fine gun and a fine scope. Then practice with the rest of your money. George "Gun Control is NOT about Guns' "It's about Control!!" Join the NRA today!" LM: NRA, DAV, George L. Dwight | |||
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Hey FMC, The original concept to keep things simple", gives the appearance of being the way to go - until as you have done - actually thought about the way "you" hunt. Once a person begins actually shooting at longer distances and uses a higher magnification scope while doing so, they soon realize the smaller scopes are a handicap to precision bullet placement. Yes indeed it is. And if you intend to take relatively close shots, there is nothing at all wrong with the smaller power scopes. Plus they typically weigh a bit less which is nice when being carried. That makes good sense to me. Having an STW with a scope which will provide an even better benefit on the "longer distance" shots you would typically take with it seems a logical approach. This is one of the very best benefits provided with the higher power scopes. As Mike said, it will show you how "steady" you are on what you are aiming at much, MUCH better than the smaller power scopes. Due to that, it lets you know if you are in control of the firearm to the point that you should actually take the shot, or wait until you can get the rifle under control. I do believe there is a place for both lower power and higher power scopes. It is nice to have the choice to use what we want, for a specific situation and style of hunting. And since you mentioned the scope you are considering getting for the STW is a 6-24x, you could alays crank it down if need be. Surely no one would argue that 6x is "too much" scope, even for woods/swamp hunting. --- But there is this other thing to consider that pretty much eliminates any serious long distance shooting - That being the situation, a 2x scope is way more than needed for the distances they are accurate.  | |||
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