Hunting with fixed power scopes -- Opinions please!

I'm a fan of the 2.5-8x36 Leupold on the Featherweight. Maybe I'm nuts, but I think they're made for each other. Nice set of low rings, leave it set to 4x and turn it down if your walking through the brush, crank it up for when you're in a stand. I can do about 300 yards comfortably with 8x, which is longer than all but one of my shots on big game.

If I had to pick a fixed power scope, good old 4x would be my pick. I tend to leave most of my scopes in that range to begin with, and they work fine in close situations.
 
If you're going to use fixed power, I'd go 4 power max. Until fairly recently, variable power scopes were mistrusted, most serious hunters used fixed power, in the 2.5 to 4 X range.
 
No question of what I would do. I preach to anyone who will listen, that big, high power variable scopes are not needed for big game hunting and are a complete pain in the rear end for carrying. In my mind they simply ruin a hunting rifle.
I hunted for twenty some years, including a great deal of mountain hunting, with a light weight 30-06 with a good aperature Lyman 48 rear sight and nearly perfect front blade. I can remember missing only one animal and that was because I held for a guessed 300 yards, but it turned out to be much further away and I hit the snow under him. A scope would not have helped a bit.
When I finally went with the crowd and put a 2x7 variable Redfield on it I actually realized how much better it handled with iron sights.
I would not choose over 4 power. In a fixed power I would be torn between a 2.5/-3 power and a four power.
Currently on my rifles I have one 1.5 to 4.5, a Texas Weaver K3, a 60s model 4x Bushnell Scope Chief and on my Brno Hornet I have a Texas Weaver, steel K6. If you are used to big variables, you owe it to yourself to see how nice a low fixed power feels, when you throw it to your shoulder.
 
my uncle has a 4x on his 303brit I asked him why a 4x and not a 3-9 he told me if he couldn't see it good on 4x it was to far to shoot
 
Deer #1 was shot on the run with the scope on 6X at literally between 10 and 15 feet. I practically stepped on him and was just out in the evening to get some meat for the freezer. The shot angled from behind the shoulder up through his neck and he skidded further than he ran.

Deer #2 was taken at just under 400 yds with a 6X Leupold. I've shot lots in between with 6X scopes and a Ram at over 400 yds with one.

Fixed power scopes just plain work and the VX II 6X36 is my favorite.

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I don't know if it's still true today that variables are less reliable than fixed scopes. Any decent quality scope nowadays is so good that problems are rare. Fixed scopes are much less common than variables, and it's much easier to find a good sale price on a variable, so the price advantage is pretty much gone as well. But fixed scopes have a simple charm about them...for me, simplicity is very desirable. I like fixed 6x42AO Leupolds for use on chucks, foxes and coyotes, and I'm very fond of Leupold 4x and especially the 2.5x scopes for big game. I have a bunch of 2-7x and 3-9x scopes as well, but I find that just about the only use for the high power setting is for range work. Not very often I take a shot long enough to need more than 3x or 4x. When an animal is more than about 300 or 350 yards away, I think that you need to put a little bit of thought into how, or if, you should take the shot. Having a sight picture that doesn't let you forget how far away that critter is might be a good thing.

On a side note, I can't believe there are still people who think a riflescope can safely replace a binocular for hunting. Hope they haven't got Remington triggers.
 
mikeyb said:
I'm a fan of the 2.5-8x36 Leupold on the Featherweight. Maybe I'm nuts, but I think they're made for each other. Nice set of low rings, leave it set to 4x and turn it down if your walking through the brush, crank it up for when you're in a stand. I can do about 300 yards comfortably with 8x, which is longer than all but one of my shots on big game.
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x2 on the 2.5 x 8 x 36 Leupolds. Great scopes that don't overwhelm a rifle.
 
Practically all my big game rifles wear that excellent 6x42 Leupold. I have shot game from 15 yards to 600 yards with 6x fixed power scopes. Although I do have 3 or 4 variables on hunting rifles, they are specialized rigs, designed to take advantage of a bit more power at times. The fixed 4x or 6x will do all you ever need. Eagleye.
 
Ive done quite a bit of hunting with a Leupold 6x42. One of my favorite optics

works at 20 yards in the timber for blacktails

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and 350 yards for yoties

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My Situation

I have found that I prefer to scope the rifle based on it's/my capabilites. My Ruger is not spectacular at 300 yards, so I outfit it with a 4x scope, as most of my hunting/bushwork for varmints and such with that rifle is on average within 200 yards.

For my M14, 243, 30-06 I have gone pretty much with 3 x 9 scopes. I also prefer the Weaver and Burris for the ballistic reticle. My rifles rifles are deadly accurate at 350 - 400 yards, so those scopes work well for me and not too burdonsome with weight or imposing size.
 
It is undeniable that a fixed power scope is a simpler, lighter opticaly superior scope when compared to a variable of similar quality. I own two weaver K3 scopes, one for about 12 years now, I don't know how old either is, but I would guess at least 40 years. I consistantly shoot sub MOA on paper with these and 4x scopes, and have made all the long shots on game succesfully that I have tried over the years. Most in the 150-250 yd range, but about 6 or so at 300-425. On my last hunt this fall, I took a Saskatchewan whitetail at 350 yds with my K3 weaver and a 7x57. (As I get older I am much less tempted to take these longer shots!)

I love to carry a light rifle with a compact scope, or aperature sights, as my favorite type of hunting is multi day trips in the mountains hunting Dall sheep. I am also a believer that a hunter that becomes accustomed to one rifle/sight picture will generaly be able to shoot quicker and with more confidence, and for myself, using lower power scopes gives me a better feel for the range when holding on a target....

All my rifles carry fixed power scopes or iron sights now, and I find myself tending more and more towards aperature sights.... they make for a very trim carry-able rifle, and can be very accurate. A few years ago I won a 400yd deliberate class with my enfield .303 - all 8 shots in a 4"x8" bull.

I think we should all carry what tickles our fancy realy, there is not a big practical difference between say a scoped 30-06 or an iron sighted 30-30. What is important is knowing the rifle well, knowing our limitations, and enjoying our sport whether it be hunting or shooting!

I've posted this picture before, but I felt confident carrying this iron-sight 30-30 on a once in a lifetime sheep hunt.....


Richardson ram by lledwod, on Flickr

Happy hunting!
 
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lledwod said:
It is undeniable that a fixed power scope is a simpler, lighter opticaly superior scope when compared to a variable of similar quality. I own two weaver K3 scopes, one for about 12 years now, I don't know how old either is, but I would guess at least 40 years. I consistantly shoot sub MOA on paper with these and 4x scopes, and have made all the long shots on game succesfully that I have tried over the years. Most in the 150-250 yd range, but about 6 or so at 300-425. On my last hunt this fall, I took a Saskatchewan whitetail at 350 yds with my K3 weaver and a 7x57. (As I get older I am much less tempted to take these longer shots!)

I love to carry a light rifle with a compact scope, or aperature sights, as my favorite type of hunting is multi day trips in the mountains hunting Dall sheep. I am also a believer that a hunter that becomes accustomed to one rifle/sight picture will generaly be able to shoot quicker and with more confidence, and for myself, using lower power scopes gives me a better feel for the range when holding on a target....

All my rifles carry fixed power scopes or iron sights now, and I find myself tending more and more towards aperature sights.... they make for a very trim carry-able rifle, and can be very accurate. A few years ago I won a 400yd deliberate class with my enfield .303 - all 8 shots in a 4"x8" bull.

I think we should all carry what tickles our fancy realy, there is not a big practical difference between say a scoped 30-06 or an iron sighted 30-30. What is important is knowing the rifle well, knowing our limitations, and enjoying our sport whether it be hunting or shooting!

I've posted this picture before, but I felt confident carrying this iron-sight 30-30 on a once in a lifetime sheep hunt.....


Richardson ram by lledwod, on Flickr

Happy hunting!
Click to expand...

not asking for the zone but that s definetly a nice ram and a nice country.
greetings from the south.
 
I have used variable, fixed and open/iron sights. Comes down to personal preference and what you can perform best with in a given situation. Obviously you won't use a 36X target scope in a tree stand in the bush. Variable gives more flexibility if you are using just one rifle for everything, fixed is simple, no more or less reliable than a variable IMO, I have never had an issue with either.

A fixed 4x or 6x I think would do for any hunting situation as would a variable of modest magnification range.

Again, to me it is what YOU can perform best with.
 
lledwod said:
It is undeniable that a fixed power scope is a simpler, lighter opticaly superior scope when compared to a variable of similar quality. I own two weaver K3 scopes, one for about 12 years now, I don't know how old either is, but I would guess at least 40 years. I consistantly shoot sub MOA on paper with these and 4x scopes, and have made all the long shots on game succesfully that I have tried over the years. Most in the 150-250 yd range, but about 6 or so at 300-425. On my last hunt this fall, I took a Saskatchewan whitetail at 350 yds with my K3 weaver and a 7x57. (As I get older I am much less tempted to take these longer shots!)

I love to carry a light rifle with a compact scope, or aperature sights, as my favorite type of hunting is multi day trips in the mountains hunting Dall sheep. I am also a believer that a hunter that becomes accustomed to one rifle/sight picture will generaly be able to shoot quicker and with more confidence, and for myself, using lower power scopes gives me a better feel for the range when holding on a target....

All my rifles carry fixed power scopes or iron sights now, and I find myself tending more and more towards aperature sights.... they make for a very trim carry-able rifle, and can be very accurate. A few years ago I won a 400yd deliberate class with my enfield .303 - all 8 shots in a 4"x8" bull.

I think we should all carry what tickles our fancy realy, there is not a big practical difference between say a scoped 30-06 or an iron sighted 30-30. What is important is knowing the rifle well, knowing our limitations, and enjoying our sport whether it be hunting or shooting!

I've posted this picture before, but I felt confident carrying this iron-sight 30-30 on a once in a lifetime sheep hunt.....


Richardson ram by lledwod, on Flickr

Happy hunting!
Click to expand...

Neat picture.
 
I'd say first off that it's a matter of what your used to, and comfortable with. I for one, think that most of the scopes available nowdays are to big, too bulky, and too complicated. The scope is the sights of the rifle, and that's how it should be thought of. If your using a scope to do binocular, or spotting scope duties, your misusing it, and doing something morally, and ethicly wrong.
Put things in perspective; a 4 power scope will show you an image at 400 yards as though it's 100 yards away. If one cn't hit a deer-sized animal at 100 yards with no magnification, they really need to learn to read in brail. The U.S. military uses a lot of scopes on their sniper rifles, but the vast majority of them are all fixed power 10X. The Russians in world war 2 created absolute havoc with 3X scopes on their Mossan Nagants...........this begs the question; how much do you really need?
All but one of my scopes are 2-7X, on the small side; I have one 3-9X Leupould Ultralight on my 223, only because I knew that I'd be using it for smaller targets like coyote, and gophers. I do most of my hunting in the timber (I still hunt), and I shoot with both eyes open. I use all of my scopes as though they are only equiped with 2 power settings, lowest, and highest. If the shot is long, and I have the opportunity to, I will put the scope on high power to make the shot a little clearer. I have found that if my scope is on a power that's too high, it looses me more opportunities than if my scope is on a power that's too low. That's the way I do it, and I'm comfortable with it.
Fixed power scopes are generall clearer, all things being equal. Also, there are less parts, so there is less to go wrong, and regardles of popular beliefs, things can and do go wrong with scopes, regardless of the manufacturer.
Mike
 
I have variables and fixed, both have their own purpose. My 4x Leupold is one of my favorite scopes.
 
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.
 
mike shickele said:
All but one of my scopes are 2-7X, on the small side; I have one 3-9X Leupould Ultralight on my 223, only because I knew that I'd be using it for smaller targets like coyote, and gophers. I do most of my hunting in the timber (I still hunt), and I shoot with both eyes open. I use all of my scopes as though they are only equiped with 2 power settings, lowest, and highest. If the shot is long, and I have the opportunity to, I will put the scope on high power to make the shot a little clearer. I have found that if my scope is on a power that's too high, it looses me more opportunities than if my scope is on a power that's too low. That's the way I do it, and I'm comfortable with it.
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x2! ...... The VXII is one of the best hunting scopes in the Leupold line-up for the reasons you mention.

Also ...... it's small, light, good glass, reliable, reasonably priced, click adjustments. The low 2x setting is perfect for hunting and 7x at the range.

.
 
SuperCub said:
x2! ...... The VXII is one of the best hunting scopes in the Leupold line-up for the reasons you mention.

Also ...... it's small, light, good glass, reliable, reasonably priced, click adjustments. The low 2x setting is perfect for hunting and 7x at the range.

.
Click to expand...

The kicker is that if I was to do it over, I'd have bought a 2-7 ultralight instead of a 3-9 ultralight for my 223 as well. It would have fit the gun nicer, and I don't think that having 7X vs 9X would make any difference in hitting the distant targets.
Mike
 
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