Hand Skills
Well-Known Member
These days I've become more interested in FOV numbers than magnification. I've found preference for 30ft @ 100yd or better. This is not essential, but when shooting movers at less than 100yd I've found a wide FOV to be an asset.
I like the simplicity of fixed power scopes, but don't find myself using them much. Fixed 10x is great for longer range, but inside 200yd doesnt leave room for as much 'situational awareness' as a 6x. 6x is great, but I begin to struggle on smaller targets like coyotes past 500yd.
2-10x is great for simplicity, especially if someone doesn't want to worry about parallax. Works great in SFP because a guy will pretty much always be at max magnification for the longer shots.
For me a 3-12x covers all the bases. After 10x (really more like 8x) parallax can become a thing. (Would you buy a binocular without a focus control?) FFP starts to make sense, as a guy might want to turn down from max magnification a bit and still use the reticle.
3-15x is really strong. Easily enough mag for small targets at long range, and usually enough to read mirage. Definitely need a parallax control. FFP starts to really shine, but some reticles start to get lost at low magnification.
Personally I can't imagine ever needing more than 3-18 or 4-20, but watch out because with these high erector ratios, sometimes FOV can suffer. Generally good scopes in this category are heavy and expensive.
For a lot of guys, portability is a factor as well, so there are trade-offs and compromises to be made on the way to 'best'
I like the simplicity of fixed power scopes, but don't find myself using them much. Fixed 10x is great for longer range, but inside 200yd doesnt leave room for as much 'situational awareness' as a 6x. 6x is great, but I begin to struggle on smaller targets like coyotes past 500yd.
2-10x is great for simplicity, especially if someone doesn't want to worry about parallax. Works great in SFP because a guy will pretty much always be at max magnification for the longer shots.
For me a 3-12x covers all the bases. After 10x (really more like 8x) parallax can become a thing. (Would you buy a binocular without a focus control?) FFP starts to make sense, as a guy might want to turn down from max magnification a bit and still use the reticle.
3-15x is really strong. Easily enough mag for small targets at long range, and usually enough to read mirage. Definitely need a parallax control. FFP starts to really shine, but some reticles start to get lost at low magnification.
Personally I can't imagine ever needing more than 3-18 or 4-20, but watch out because with these high erector ratios, sometimes FOV can suffer. Generally good scopes in this category are heavy and expensive.
For a lot of guys, portability is a factor as well, so there are trade-offs and compromises to be made on the way to 'best'