Hunting with fixed power scopes -- Opinions please!

Republic of Alberta said:
If i had to pick between my fixed 4 powers or 6 powers I would definitely take the 6 powers. My 2 favorites are the 6x42 and 6x36 Leupolds. Very fine hunting scopes in my opinion.


The 6x42 is pretty much the same size as a variable though.

If you want a small variable the 2x7x33 Leupold is the way to go.
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I think it all depends on where you hunt. With a scope, for hunting, I'd opt for the lowest power that will do the job. Several years ago, I missed a shot at a moose (a fairly nice bull) because of too much scope on a gun. I was hunting a cut with a 300 Win., had a 3X12 scope on it. Given that I figured any shot would be long, I had it dialed up all the way to 12X. Behind me, I heard a crack, and there, about 25 yds. away, was a nice bull, trotting through the bush. I could not see him in the scope. All I saw was black. had I had the scope on 4X, which would have been enough even for a long shot on a moose, I'm certain I would have had a shot. As it was, by the time I dialed the scope down, he was gone.

Now, for hunting, I use the lowest power I can get. It is always sufficient. For paper, it's the opposite.
 
Papaclaude said:
I think it all depends on where you hunt. With a scope, for hunting, I'd opt for the lowest power that will do the job. Several years ago, I missed a shot at a moose (a fairly nice bull) because of too much scope on a gun. I was hunting a cut with a 300 Win., had a 3X12 scope on it. Given that I figured any shot would be long, I had it dialed up all the way to 12X. Behind me, I heard a crack, and there, about 25 yds. away, was a nice bull, trotting through the bush. I could not see him in the scope. All I saw was black. had I had the scope on 4X, which would have been enough even for a long shot on a moose, I'm certain I would have had a shot. As it was, by the time I dialed the scope down, he was gone.

Now, for hunting, I use the lowest power I can get. It is always sufficient. For paper, it's the opposite.
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That wasn't too much scope, but the wrong setting. You don't need more than 4x for moose, even at 300yds. Just leave it on the lowest setting.
 
If I had a dime for every time somebody missed a good shot opportunity because their variable scope was turned up too high I'd be able to buy a very nice rifle with a good fixed power scope.
I have both fixed and variable scopes and the variables are always turned down to a lower power when I'm hunting. If a long shot presents itself, there's usually time to dial it up. When the encounter is close, you don't want to be fiddling with the scope trying to find the target.
Jerry
 
I wonder sometimes sometimes if the people who leave their variables on the highest power also forget their safeties on, and lock their keys in their trucks?:p

Don't get me wrong, I've done those things myself, but my response was to learn how to work with the equipment not to never use it again.

I can list the advantages of fixed powers, then grab one of my variables and go shooting without batting an eye. On balance the advantages of the variables make up for it, at least for me.
 
My loaner 308 has a fixed power scope on it for the single reason it can't be set on the wrong power. A few inexperienced people have successfully collected their deer and bear with it.

If a rookie can screw up he will find a way. That rifle has a 3 position safety, the kind where the safety can be left in the "safe" position and the bolt cycled. It is time to load the rifle and shoot a white tail buck but guess which position the safety has been left in?
 
Personally I don't feel anything more than 4x is required for big game hunting. If it's to far away to shoot at with a 4x scope, it's too far away. Fixed power scopes of lower power are lighter, shorter and less prone to problems than variables of equal quality. Larger exit pupil size gives better low light performance(divide the magnification into the objective lens diameter for exit pupil). The human pupil dilates to a maximum of 7mm in absolute darkness, any exit pupil of less than 7mm is not transmitting all of the light to the eye that is possible. A 4x32 scope has an exit pupil of 8mm, a 3x9x40 has less than a 4.5mm exit pupil at 9x. I see a lot of .30/30 carbines carried by guys with 3-9x scopes on them, just a bad choice in my opinion.
 
Perhaps a lower power variable would fit the bill. A Leupold VX-II 1-4x20 is one of the most compact scopes on the market. Even a 2-7x32 would be substantially more compact than a 3-9x40 scope. To my mind, the principle advantage of a variable for big game rifles is the ability to turn it down for close in shots; anything more than 4-6x magnification is overkill.
 
I've done all my hunting with FXII 6x36 and a Kahles 6X42. Never felt the need to dial higher. Though hunting in heavier bush here on the coast has made me think of a fixed 4 instead. Question is - who makes premium fixed 4 power scopes these days? Schmidt and Bender among others still makes 6x but nobody seems to make a 4x.
 
I've done well with fixed 4x and 6x scopes.

Honestly I'm not a fan of low (less than 4x scopes). If I don't want at least 4x then what I want is a nice aperture sight.

Honestly though, I've also shot game at pretty close range with fairly high magnifications. I've shot moose under 100 yards at 9x a few times and black bears at about 30 yards at 9x as well. Did I need the magnification - no. Was it a problem - no.

Lots of it has to do with familiarity with your rifle.

When I was just a kid and learning to shoot on a pellet gun my dad told me that I should be able to look at a target, close my eyes and bring up my rifle to shoulder and open my eyes and I should basically be on target. If not, I either needed more practice or to adjust my rifle to suit me. I think those are words to live by.

If you're looking around through your scope and can't find your animal, don't blame the scope, blame yourself.
 
Dogleg said:
I shoot 25 power scopes with both eyes open.
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I leave both eyes open for everything I shoot. But that wasn't the point.
If you want a sight for rappidly getting onto a target , at closer range and in bush or scrub, you don't use a 25 power, you (should) use something with none or very little magnification.
 
H4831 said:
I leave both eyes open for everything I shoot. But that wasn't the point.
If you want a sight for rappidly getting onto a target , at closer range and in bush or scrub, you don't use a 25 power, you (should) use something with none or very little magnification.
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I'm not looking for 25 x in that application either, but still have little use for any power under 3X. In the unlikely event of needing to defend myself at 5 feet, I'd take opens, sure. That situation never seems to come up so I'll probably just keep limping through with my midrange variables.
 
I've hunted with several fixed scopes (Leupold of course) in 2.5, 4, and 6X42 and never felt like I couldn't get the job done with any of them.
I have also carried my buddies 6X Swavorski...A crystal clear rifle scope...Very nice!

The 2.5X Leupold is a little dim for my tastes, but that said I've done some of my best offhand shooting with it.

These days I prefer the versatility of a 40mm 3.5-10 or 4.5-14.
14 power is great for working up loads and 4.5 power is fine to hunt in all but the thickest terrain.
 
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