Are high powered scopes really necessary for hunting?

[xsn10s]

Only my target/ varmint rifles have higher magnification on them. My woods rifle has either a fixed 2.5X or 1.8-5.5X. My general purpose 30-06 hunting rifle has a VariXIII 2.5-8X. Clarity, brightness, and accurate color is more important to me than magnification. I do most of my scanning with binos or spotting scopes.

 

[30calyooper]

For the actual shooting of game animals I have to agree that 14-16 is about all I can say I've ever been comfortable with. But there are a couple of instances where just a bit more could be useful: 1st for varminting, prairie dogs, where you're on a bipod all the time and those small targets are way out there, but this does not truly apply to big game hunting. 2nd when antler restrictions apply and you have to be sure you have the correct target lined up. Hunted a unit where bulls needed 4 on a side...passed up a shot when I could not get a clear look at any of 3 raghorns mixed in with a group of cows. Terrain, brush, angles and shadows were just enough to deny that confirming view. No big deal, that's life and I cannot be certain that 20x or higher would have worked any better than the 14x I had...but a couple times I swore I could see the 4th point but just wasn't sure. To be honest the biggest question there was the clarity of my optics! So that's my final answer - get the best quality scope you can afford, and you'll probably do just fine.

 

[LoneStarTexian]

I've shot high power rifle at Whittington several times with apature front and rear, using magnification to confirm spotter disks for shot placement. As an amateur, I couldn't even match the groups that the better marksmen were shooting at up to 1000 yards with the same sights. As long as your sight picture is clear, 10 power can be just as good or better than 25x if your wind is steady, hold, trigger pull and follow-thru is good.

10X is superior to 25-30X in almost every long range condition. Light level, sun angle, mirage and parallax adjustment only complicate getting accurate hits.
I wouldn't trade my SWFA 10X42 for any zoom optic.

 

[Stokesrjsr]

I've shot high power rifle at Whittington several times with aperture front and rear, using magnification to confirm spotter disks for shot placement. As an amateur, I couldn't even match the groups that the better marksmen were shooting at up to 1000 yards with the same sights. As long as your sight picture is clear, 10 power can be just as good or better than 25x if your wind is steady, hold, trigger pull and follow-thru is good.

I can shoot exactly the same size groups with aperture sights as I can with a 36X benchrest scope on the same rifle a Tubb 2000 6.5 Creedmoor with Werner aperture sights. But I can only do this if the target is high contrast. I can't do that if it for example it is a hunting situation with a brown deer on a brown background.

 

[edward hogan]

In context of LRH, which is this forum's theme; yes.
There was a guy from Palmer AK on this forum in the early days, and the discussion was about taking Moose at over 1,000yds with rifle shot off a tripod mount base. Then came the .338 Edge days and talk was about Elk being shot across Western canyons from portable shooting bench setups.

Gonna reliably take game at 1000+ yds? Best have some optical gain to help dope the wind and all the clarity you can get. Same w/shooting for tiny groups at a mile plus... But for general hunting? Unless you're doing beanfield shoots from your apt-like stand with it's solar powered conveniences, then the weight and mass of the Great Glass Scopes for LR is a negative.

All depends on your terrain. Deep woods and arctic jungle (Southcentral AK) and you'd best have a 0-1x for fast response. The 1-6x Zeiss Dialyt is pretty good, but an older design which can be difficult to mount effectively. An illuminated reticle makes up for some short-comings, hashtag reticle enables hold-offs and over/under holds. The Leupold mk4 4.5-14x 50mm is great in all respects aside from it's big objective, but great clarity in shadows and lightweight at only 22oz.

Tactical design scopes bring a Lot to the hunter. Custom elevation dials to track your trajectory are a real benefit. Paint 'em if you wish; Krylon comes off easy. Weight and size are major considerations for the hunter on foot. In context of LRH, most rifles are pushing 12lbs with a heavy varmint barrel 26" or longer, with 17lbs being realistic for built LR guns. Add a 40oz scope and 1/2lb rail and rings to this and you're up to 15 or 20 lbs w/o ammo, slling, bipod, stock pack

Problem with using a traditional design hunting scope is lack of elevation unless used w/30moa gain base. Yeah, the 1-4x leupy has tons of movement, but nobody dials a 1-4x. The older traditional leupys might have 50moa, but once zeroed, maybe only still have 20moa usable, or even less. Same goes for the traditional scopes from other makers.

Then there's the hunting rifle itself and its options for scope mounting. Win 70, Rem 700, & Savage have the most options. The Win 70 was The Standard platform for Palma and other NRA longrange events back in the day. Steyr and Sako/Tikka are somewhat hindered by their integral mount designs. Near Mfg has the most options for variety of rifle platforms.

For versatility and proven effectiveness, pretty hard to beat the mk4 gear, esp/w their custom shop turret availability.

 

[sendero72]

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.

 

[FURMAN]

Are rifles necessary for hunting?

I prefer 24x or 25x.

 

[sendero72]

I shoot the bean fields and cut corn fields in the South. I use the Nightforce 8-32x56 Moar. Fields out to 1200 yds. I shoot all my shots at 22x to 28x regardless of range. The closest was 80 yds, longest 1100 yds. Shots are early morning and late afternoon. Don't need a spotting scope, so it's one less piece of equipment to pull up in a two-man ladder stand. Aim small, hit small. Different parts of the country require equipment. Don't understand why people bring the military into deer hunting. Two different scenarios.

 

[tuscan]

In response to the OP, why does a dog lick his privates? Because he can. We don't need high powered scopes, but my 22oz 3-24 is convenient to have and provides options for many more situations than my original 20oz 3-9 from 40 years ago did. Do i feel i need it? Nope, but it sure is fun to have. Like my dog, it gives me great pleasure. In the land of the free, why question that? Who cares what others choose, even the world's budget constrained military snipers (whose choice was made for them by a bureaucratic purchasing process) ?

 

[lancetkenyon]

I am an admitted optics snob. I would take a high quality 3-15×50 over a cheap 6-24×50 any day.

For most big game hunting, 15x on the top end is plenty for the smaller medium game at any hunting distance. But a 3x minimum is about max for still hunting where shots can be 20-50 yards on sudden appearing game.

A few of the best magnification options for a hunting scope (in my opinion):
3-15×50
3-18×50
3-20×50
3-24×52

 

[etisll40]

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.

Was the deer out over a mile! lol There are some guys shooting open sights at a 1000!

 

[4 coyotes]

Iron sights @ 1000? 282" drop. (My gun anyways) not to mention, I'm too old to see a brown deer in the woods at over half a mile

 

[shinbone]

Boatloads of deer have been taken with iron sights. Maybe the OP should go back to those?

 

[scottyboy]

I recently ordered a 4.5-27, do I need 27 power? No. Do I want 27 power? Yes.

Lots of great advice on this thread, but get what you want as ultimately you need to be happy with it.