what gun and scope

[luckyjohn 0]

i;v taken on board everone comments and decided which gun and scope to get the scope is a

8-32 x 56 Precision Benchrest and rile is a Remington 700 VLS and mod is a wildcat thanks to you all

[FJager 0]

Lads I am wondering why everyone goes for these high magnification scopes, an 8-32 x 56 scope is a f#cking monster, in a hunting situation I cannot honestly see why someone would need this scope, basically the higher the magnification the more movement you will get from the reticule. As is said in the post it is a 'precision benchrest' job, great when you are shooting of a bench.

An honest question lads, would love an honest answer. In Australia we have a lot of wide open spaces and yet a 6 x 40 is more than adequate. Just because you are buying a scope with a massive magnification will not make hitting your target easier, it will most definitely make it harder.

 

My honest answer, as I am sure anyone that knows their stuff will agree, forget these high magnification scopes and go for a hunting scope ie 3-9x40 or 4x40 or the like, the rifle is great but forget about TARGET scopes, as that is what they are, for shooting targets on a range. Try and hold a 8x scope on your quarry from the shoulder, basically it is making the job harder.

[FJager 0]

Come on please lads, someone must be able to help me out?

[Ratman2 2]

Come on please lads, someone must be able to help me out?

 

I can't help you with your quest but I do agree with you. On my rimfire I have a Simmons 3-9 x 50 and I’ve yet to use anything higher than 3x, I just can’t hold the gun steady enough for any higher magnification, I’m shooting at distances of up to 100yds and rarely miss.

[James@Scarborough 0]

I use a 3-9x40 on my .22lr. It is set on 9x all the time. I can usually hold plenty steady enough, but there is often a fence, gate or wall to lean on near by. My best shot (not furthest) was a head shot on a woody at 89yds. I doubt I could pull off precision shots like that on 3x mag.

[Ratman2 2]

I use a 3-9x40 on my .22lr. It is set on 9x all the time. I can usually hold plenty steady enough, but there is often a fence, gate or wall to lean on near by. My best shot (not furthest) was a head shot on a woody at 89yds. I doubt I could pull off precision shots like that on 3x mag.

 

That's one hell of a shot mate, well done I generally use the airgun or shotgun on pigeons, my quarry with the rimfire is rabbits and crows.

[James@Scarborough 0]

That's one hell of a shot mate, well done I generally use the airgun or shotgun on pigeons, my quarry with the rimfire is rabbits and crows.

 

Thanks. Rabbits and crows are my usual quarry too, but I saw the shot and took it .

[Mr_Logic 5]

Hmmm... An interesting debate. I can see both sides to it. I have a 7x50 Meopta which was on my old Hornet, and is now on a rimfire. At night, 7 power does to about 100 yards on bunnies for me. Thereafter, something with a finer reticle (the Meopta is an illuminated dot) and/or more mag is good.

 

I have a 6-24 MTC on the 243 (used on foxes, at least it will be...) and I stayed on 6 last night. The scope seems to white out quite a lot, but the greater mag would have been very useful for longer 200-yards + shots. Up to that point, the fine reticle would make 6 power OK. For me, a 4-12 is enough for hunting, I got the 6-24 as it has a bigger front lens, and I will be using it for target bashing occasionally too.

 

The point is that I like the bigger magnification for occasional use - not very often, but when you need it, you NEED it. Rifles are used off bipods and rests in the field, and then a big mag is usable and a bonus.

 

If I'm shooting offhand (I try not to because I'm rubbish!) then I don't want too much mag, but sitting or prone 10x is fine. I'm happy on 8x for the evening, so by that token, why not have 8-32? The 32 might be useful That said, better optics and lower mag, to a point, IMHO is the way to go.

[SNAP SHOT 194]

just to add to the debate, when it's called for it's there, i use a 6.5-20 mag i its always at 6.5 mag for staking occassionaly up to 10 stalking, and for foxy at anything over 300 yards you will need to be up to 16 to 20 in mag, So hence every different shooter will need different mag settings, depending on his limits, on the .17 hmr i have 40mag power scope and shoot to 200, 225 yards, i know it's a bit to much mag but it's there if i need it.

 

but i do agree that people don't think about there needs when shooting and just plonk on the biggest mag scope they can find.

[James@Scarborough 0]

It's all about precision. My mate took a rabbit at 312yds with a 9x mag. He had to wait until it turned side-on so that the cross hairs didn't "blank it out". It would have been so much easier with a 16 or 20x.

[FJager 0]

Lads I wasn't knocking anyones choice, just something that you never see over here, the most you will generally find on a hunting setup is a 4-12 x 40 or 44.

3-9 x 40 the usual. I prefer a fixed 6 x 40 as opposed to a vari power, simply because I once had a vari on 9 x once when spotlighting and couldn't see a hare that was fairly close because of the mag. Just found the 6 x fills the gap nicely for myself.

[SNAP SHOT 194]

As said FJ, needs must, if 6x suits your needs why change . If its not let you down then thats all you need. personal choice is always going to be different to everyone else's. good topic this

[Mr_Logic 5]

Lads I wasn't knocking anyones choice, just something that you never see over here, the most you will generally find on a hunting setup is a 4-12 x 40 or 44.

3-9 x 40 the usual. I prefer a fixed 6 x 40 as opposed to a vari power, simply because I once had a vari on 9 x once when spotlighting and couldn't see a hare that was fairly close because of the mag. Just found the 6 x fills the gap nicely for myself.

I totally understand where you're coming from! You see guys with air rifles, for hunting, and they have 16x scopes on - it's silly. You could do air rifle shooting with a red dot x 1 site, only 35 yards after all.

 

I think we all push the boundaries of our weapons sometimes. E.g. rabbits with a 22LR at 100 yards are a bit far, with a lot of drop, but with the right optics you can do it. Perhaps we should use another calibre, but if that's what's there, then it's natural to desire that extra bit of precision. My Hornet can do 200 yards, but there is a lot of drop, so I would ideally like mildot or similar on there, for the same reason. Then you think, "Well, I need a bit more mag so I can get holdover right" and away you go. And then you end up buying huge scopes for the 1 in 50 shot on a long rabbit/fox, when actually you could get closer etc.

 

Maybe we demand too much from our tools? It's a debate that will run and run, but I think for me, I will stick with (max mag) 7-10 on a rimfire, 10-12 on Hornet, 12-16 on any other field rifle and the 24 for target work. But I'll doubtless change when the next cool scope comes out

[njc110381 0]

I use 3-9x40s on my rimfires and will use a 5-15x50 on the .223

 

I don't see the point in stupidly high mag, although it can be good for spotting

[Deker 3,478]

We have been around this area on several occasions and the bottom line is; it's what suits you (Sir)!

 

I tend to use 6X on my air rifle, rimmy AND centrefire out in the field right up to about 200 yards, suits me and I took the heart clean out of a bunny at 179 yards a couple of months back, 02.00 in the morning, in the mist, lamping at 6X!!

 

On the range the mag will usually go up a bit!

 

If you like it, and you get the results, then whatever mag you are using is right for you!

 

Edited March 23, 2008 by Deker