Jack O'Conner once said if you can't see well enough to shoot it with a 4 x scope it's too far to shoot at. What do you think ? I'm thinking of putting one on the old Bar I bought. I found one that is only 10 oz and 11" long or should I go with a 6 x ? I've found that most of my game shooting in the last 40 yrs, when I looked at the scope it was set on 3x even in low light conditions or longer ranges. But I can't find a good K 3 or leaupold K3. I've had a lot of trouble with the variable powers(except leupold) I shoot a lot of game close up on the run but sometimes at a standing or walkng animal around 250 yds. Your suggestions appreciated.

Hello:
I kind of agree. Until a couple of years ago, I had nothing but 4x, except a 6x on my varmint rifle. Then, as I got older, I decided just a little more magnification would be better. Unfortuneately, good fixed power scopes seem to ever fewer, the norm nowadays being 3x to 9x or more.
Grizz

I like the 6x, I use the 6x38 weaver on two of my rifles and will probably use those from now on. seem to be reliable, hold their setting without trouble, and good price too. sometimes they are on sale from midway for under 125.

I do have a couple of older 4x weavers in use too, but only one variable on all my rifles.

Red

I agree,most of my rifles wear a 4xweaver or a 6x leuphold.If you can't see the critter with a fixed power he's to far, Oconner was right.If he's to far stock closer, a dying art with all these 500yd rifles come people who think they are 500yd shootersA4x scope will never let you down,out to 250-300yds it's fine.

Jack and whoever can keep there 4x's and be happy but for me I like a plain ole 3x9 variable. I keep mine on 3 power most times but even though I rarely take a shot at over 250 I like being able to crank the scope up and see the creases and lines on an animal if I'm going to take a shot at it. The higher magnification seems to realy help on dreary days and for spotting sapplings, small branches, or any thing else that could be between the end of my barrel and the animal.

A fixed 4x is a fine hunting scope, but putting a 40mm objective on it is a waste of glass, bulk, and weight. The pupil of your eye can expand to only about 6mm, or possibly 7mm if you are still young and have never smoked or done other bad things to your eyes. At 4x magnification, a 40mm scope produces a 10mm exit pupil -- at least 3mm more than your eye can use. A more sensible 32 or even 28 mm objective still gives you 7 to 8mm of exit pupil. More exit pupil won't make up for poor glass or coatings. A too-big objective with poor optics just gives you a bigger spot of dim light.

At any rate, if your smallest game is something the size of whitetails, you'll never miss one simply because your scope was "only" a 4 power (on the other hand, there's a lot to be said for variables other than just having more power available, but that's another subject).