Optics power setting rule of thumb

[mlivingstone]

Hi Guys,

I have been thinking lately about scopes for minimum ethical hunting and deciding what magnification settings are required. I was mainly thinking maximum but I suppose for min it would be similar. What I am thinking is the setting x 50. e.g. 3-9x40 would be approx 150m to 450m. Probably close enough to substitute for yards too.

What do you think? Hopefully I haven't reinvented something already known

Cheers,

MarkL

 

[eddybo]

Under that scenerio a 20x scope would only be good for 1000yards and a 14 power scope would be good for 700 yards if I get what your saying. I dont think that theory works. 14x is capable of taking big game animals past 700 with ease, Just MHO

 

[CAM]

mlivingstone
So what your saying is open sites could only be "ethical" to 50 meters!!
I agree with eddybo, your theory needs work.
You need to go back to the drawing board and start over!
"Ethical" to some may not even seem possible to others!!
I've seen people with beep sights out shoot people with 10 power scopes, alot more to it than what power scope you have. just because you can afford the best scope money can buy don't mean your qualified to shoot long range at game.

CAM

 

[uncleB]

Hi Guys,

I have been thinking lately about scopes for minimum ethical hunting and deciding what magnification settings are required. I was mainly thinking maximum but I suppose for min it would be similar. What I am thinking is the setting x 50. e.g. 3-9x40 would be approx 150m to 450m. Probably close enough to substitute for yards too.

What do you think? Hopefully I haven't reinvented something already known

Cheers,

MarkL

I am not trying to be critical but after reading your post there is one phrase that makes me just a little uneasy "minimum ethical hunting" .
Is this Lawyer jargon ???? or some type of treehugger propaganda ????
You might get a better answer to your question if you made it easier to answer for a shooter or hunter rather than a politician.
UB

 

[mlivingstone]

Hi UncleB,

I am not trying to be critical but after reading your post there is one phrase that makes me just a little uneasy "minimum ethical hunting" .
Is this Lawyer jargon ???? or some type of treehugger propaganda ????
You might get a better answer to your question if you made it easier to answer for a shooter or hunter rather than a politician.
UB

Thanks to you and the others for your thoughtful replies. I'm definitely not lawyer / tree hugger material ;-)

I also was thinking from my glasses assisted POV.

What started my thought stream was I intend in the near future to purchase a .22-250 and a .308 for hunting purposes. Now, when I look at scope prices, prices generally go up with scope power. Now, I tend to try to purchase from companies with good reputation / products e.g. Leupold and that can often attract a price premium too. So, I was wondering of there was a way to judge the required scope power based on distance. I realise it will not be totally accurate but at least a starting point.

Thanks

MarkL

 

[7mmAI]

power

I have read someone post that for "general" hunting purposes that 1x/100 yards is probably enough. I think they were referring to big game hunting. Dean

 

[mlivingstone]

Hi Guys,

Well, I found a good counter article to my original post.

I was reading one of my SSAA Australian Shooter manuals and in the results section, there was some sort of air rifle 10 meter comp.

The Grand Master was using peep sights and one of the Bronze winners was using an 18X

Cheers,

MarkL

 

[Roll-Yur-Own]

Mlivingstone, also keep in mind that some scope have more field of view than others at the same power setting. That is going to be your biggest problem at closer ranges.

 

[jwp475]

If you can't get it done out to 1K or so with a 10X scope then you've issues that more power can't fix.

 

[edge]

IMO, it depends on your rest, and how big your target is!

A year or so ago a hunter on another board was looking at a 7x scope and wanted to know if it was OK out to 300 yards, here was my reply:

I had a chance to test my scope at 7x yesterday.

From where I sat I could see a power-line tower that according to Google Earth was 408 yards away from my position. There is a Danger No Trespassing sign that measures approximately 18h x 24w inches.

I sat with my back to a tree and had a tall bi-pod attached for hunting.

First, I left the scope on 3x. I could not read the writing, younger eyes may have been able to
With no particular spot to aim, I found that the crosshairs danced around but stayed easily in the kill zone.

Second, I adjusted the scope to 7x. The writing was clear, even for me. I decided that the "D" in Danger looked to be a nice size target, and at 7x I could keep the crosshairs on the "D" without too much trouble.

When I left for the morning I went over to the tower to see the sign. The letter "D" looked to be about 4 inches high and about 3 inches wide.

IMO a 7X scope, assuming a good rest is certainly more than enough scope for hunting.....and if any "letters" get in your way...they are toast

edge.

IMO, if I could dope the wind, that a woodchuck would be in serious trouble at that 400 yards distance, and if the grass were shorter and you could get prone it would be that much better.

edge.