Are high powered scopes really necessary for hunting?

[Remmy700]

I'm in Albuquerque, but the Jemez is my playground

I am in Rio Rancho stationed at Kirtland.

 

[keithcandler]

While deer hunting in Kansas, I learned a very good lesson. Deer fight, and in good population densities, they fight a lot. So, with my out of state fees, land owner fees, I had $3500 plus living expenses tied up in the hunt. Third day, a darn big bucks walks out with a great what looked like a 12 point rack, body weight estimated high 200's. I took him at 560 yards. Walked out, one brow tine was broken off.

That was an expensive lesson to learn on low power scope, this was a 4x12. I don't buy the BS that clarity at 12x is better than a little bit of fuzz at 24x. I can always turn the scope down. I don't need to take pictures through the scope to post on you tube, I just need to place the shot.

The next year, went with the 4-16, MONSTER buck walking a fence line at 700, could not tell the condition of his rack, he went over 300 lbs...I let him walk.

Some of us want to count points and brow tines before we pull the trigger. More often than not, you do not have the opportunity to use a spotting scope, must less steady up a spotting scope sitting in a 15' ladder stand.

People fall into two camps, minimalists and maximum usable power(turn it down if you don't need it). It is like trying to talk a democrat into becoming a republican from either end.

 

[Saracen]

The highest power scope I own is an ATACR 4-16x 44mm on my .300win, but for 44 years I carried a rem. 700 in .270 caliber. My only optic during that 44 year time frame was a 4x Leatherwood ARTII, also 44mm, or maybe 42mm-don't recall offhand. In that time frame I've taken truckloads of deer and elk, but I never had any trouble being able to see to shoot and kill what I was hunting in any light condition. The optics are so good on that scope that I've never needed or wanted more power, or bigger objective. My question to those of you with the big 56-60mm objectives, at say 6-25X or more is why do you think you need that much power? Ok, a little background, I worked at a facility for years as an Optical Parts Inspector. We made optics for all branches of the US military, and I carried the appropriate D.O.D. clearance to do this work. My job was to measure all properties associated with any optic, including prisms and infrared/other optics, and coating chart analysis, and to insure it met the required specs. Later, I moved into an area where I was involved with final/non-destructive test of laser range and FLIR systems. My point is that I know a little bit about optics, but the question was actually spawned by the fact that of all of the world's leading military snipers, I can find no higher power used than 15-16x, in calibers up to and including 50 cal. Granted, special teams may have higher power scopes, but am saying this is apparently the general rule, with most countries at 10x or under.
I will add that what the world's military snipers use had no bearing on my latest 3-15x44 purchase, however. I bought it because it's all I believe I need. Anyways, I have no desire to change anyone's mind, and you won't change mine either. Just curious what you scope you guys hunt with and why? This question is directed at long range and ELR hunting applications, not paper punching-thanks in advance for your thoughts.

No, they aren't necessary.

 

[bigngreen]

I think when given the choice guys end up where they are most comfortable for their style.
I personally run low power optics, my ling range rifle wears a 3-20 SHV and I'll shoot it more than a little ways out.
I feel more comfortable with more feild of view than with higher power. I am more picky about the cross hair and I want it to have a fine center aim point and also bars, I naturally bracket a target as well as hold an aim point and at high power my brain starts just holding a point and I start fighting my aim.
With my bench gun it wears a 10-60 Sightron different gig!

 

[Saracen]

I don't think the ATACR is offered in 3-15x44. You might have a 4-16x ATACR or an NXS in 3-15x. But that's beside the point. To answer you question I don't think higher magnification is needed on your .300 Win Mag when engaging targets with, say, a 10" target area. I've read stories of snipers in the past using a fixed power 10x scope. It seems I read recently the higher power military sniper rifles in .338 will have up to 25x magnification.

Many use up to 25x Schmidt & Bender scopes.

 

[Saracen]

JemezDave,

What a silly question! We need high powered guns and high powered trucks to get us to the range and to the hunting spot. Of course we need high powered scopes! My scope is a Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50. Before I moved up from a Swarovski z5 5-25X52 I used 25X once to verify I wanted to fire at a deer. There's no way I could have done that with less magnification and less quality glass.

What a stupid reply! I've shot figure 11 targets at over 1000 yards with ease using a 10x. Even arguing that an animal isn't a paper target is ridiculous as you can identify deer to well over 1200 yards with well under 16x

 

[.300H&H]

The more I shoot long range the less mag I seem to be using. Usually running solo and with no spotter to help call hits I need the larger field of view to spot myself, especially on game. 10x is sufficient out as far as I'm comfortable at taking game, and 14x I find maximum for efficient self spotting of hits. Anything higher can be handy for field judging antlers or horns, but a spotting scope is usually right beside me.

 

[4 coyotes]

3.5-15 or 4-16 IMO are Ideal. Confidence inside 100 and out to 500.
Unless you are willing to spend a fortune, the minimum magnification on High Power scopes are too high
For shots inside 100.

 

[Lefty7mmstw]

I'm usually using a 6-24x set on 16x. I like to have some commonality between rifles and 16x works whether you have a 4-16x, 6-24x, or 8-32x on top of your rifle. The only times I'm not at 16x hunting are if I'm expecting rather short range shots (ie. pushing a draw and the guy in the bottom) or if I'm on a rifle with a lower magnification scope. I brained my buck at 300 yards this year with my 7stw at 300 yards and saw the buck fall just fine in the scope.

 

[Toolhand]

I run a 5-25 Swarovski X5i on my hunting rifle and a 4.5-27 on my target rig. I like the 56 mm for light gathering and I'm ok with a little extra weight bc I like shooting a little heavier rifle than most anyway. When sitting in a stand hunting the rut I don't have time to use a spotting scope as the bucks don't hang around long. I manage my property and only want to take mature bucks so the extra power helps me to identify shooters without having to go back and forth to a spotter. So no I don't need over 12 power to shoot long range but I certainly do to identify exactly what I'm shooting at. To each their own. If someone wants to shoot with a freakin telescope so be it; whatever makes them happy.

 

[Greyfox]

While the bulk of my LRH are made at half this distance, my set up and capability is for 1000-1200 yards depending on the game hunted. My preference is for a variable with +50mm objective and power range to at least 20X, and could very likely get by with a 15x on the top end. My scope spends +80% of the time set at 10x, largely for field of view and acquisition requirements in the areas I hunt. Well over half my game is shot between 10 and 15x in the mid range. At the longer ranges I will very frequently use the 20-25X power setting on my scopes for assessing the quality off the game, observing interfering brush/saplings, and checking for other game partially hidden in the foreground/background. Additionally, one of the claimed drawbacks of high power, "mirage", can actually be a very useful tool when determining wind, using the power setting to clearly dial the mirage in. I have encountered all these circumstances enough times over the past several years to easily justify the higher power and the added expense. Scopes have come long way. Superb optical and mechanical performance, quality, and reliability, without trade offs in size and weight are now attainable at the higher powers. Other then cost, I see little/no downside to using a higher power scope.

 

[cynicrit]

The most useful scopes I've ever had were a 2-7x32 and a 3-9x40. Unless you're hunting at genuine long ranges or in specialized situations, huge objectives, and huge magnifications, and bells and whistles are like picking up groceries in a Lamborghini. That being said, there is a real need for high end scopes, just not for every situation. And you should come as close as you can to spending as much on the scope as the rifle.

 

[Old Rooster]

One cold morning I set out to find elk and bring home meat.
I was after meat and not antlers as I can't cook them no matter how hard I try.
A small but legal elk would be just fine.
I spotted an elk lying under a tree but he was a long way off so I dialed my Leupold 6-20 scope up enough until I found where the branches ended and antlers began.
I would not take a shot like that as too much was at stake.4 hours later he stood up and I had elk down.
My point is I would have never known he was legal unless I saw antlers and could count those tines and my older Leupold 3-9x40 could have never told me that.
That's why I have a few scopes that I can dial up to see far off.

 

[TheLongRanger83702]

I hunt Whitetail west of Orifino, Idaho on the Palouse. My weapon is a Remington 700 .300 WinMag custom build with .30 MOA. The closest shot ever presented harvesting these magnificent animals was 432 yards. The furthest to date was 1147 yards. My scope is a Nighforce ATACR1 5X25X56. I like the "cushion" of the 25X magnification myself. My "other" weapon is a Wilson Combat Super Sniper .308 Winchester. I put the same scope on it and like it just fine too