What is your preferred scope magnifcation for 600 - 1000 yards?

[SDVIC25]

If this is for hunting Deer size animals and larger, 14-16power is waaayyy more than enough.IMHO. A average size mule deer should be around 1.5 MOA at a 1000yards..clear optics like a Vortex Viper or even the some of the Nikon optics should be sufficient. smaller animals or smaller targets probably better to go with 20-25.

 

[1denogean]

Okay guys im really new to this so im sorry if this is a dumb question. but if i sight in my deer rifle at 16 power, because thats what i would shoot it at long range, then moved it to say 10 or 12 just in case a close shot would present itself or be right at almost dark. that change my zero? all input is appreciated thank you guys

 

[D.ID]

It SHOULD NOT change your zero, It has bean known to happen with "junk" scopes so it is one of those things you should double check at the range with any scope. Any scope worth having will not have a problem.

 

[HAMMERHAND]

For general hunting applications I agree the 3/ 4.5 to 14's or 16's is enough for many people. If you are a long range plains hunter or LR elk hunter I believe a scope with 20 power capability is not going to hurt you. I notice with my 4.5-14 power Zeiss that the reticle (rapid Z-800) washes out nearly an entire antelope vital at around 600 yards at 14 power with a serious loss of precision....varmints....NO WAY, they would wash completely. I made 669 and 505 yard kills with it this weekend, HOWEVER this was at the max of my comfort zone with ZERO wind and a rock solid rest. With a finer reticle I would push it maybe 100 yards farther. With deer sized targets I feel exactly the same as with antelope. Elk I have taken comfortably at nearly 800, however I would have loved an extra 5-8 power for that shot. I think its important when you go to higher magnification to pay for scopes that offer you proper eye relief. Another poster didn't like higher power I bet that is the reason.

 

[shooter7]

for me a 4-12x40 leupold did the job out to 1k. however the new 4-16x50 vortex viper pst i got a couple months ago allowed me to shoot prairie dogs at 1100yds just fine out of my 6.5 284. its all based on preference. i just got what worked for me

 

[WildRose]

Okay guys im really new to this so im sorry if this is a dumb question. but if i sight in my deer rifle at 16 power, because thats what i would shoot it at long range, then moved it to say 10 or 12 just in case a close shot would present itself or be right at almost dark. that change my zero? all input is appreciated thank you guys

What scope and what range are you sighting in?

At 100yds that bull's eye is going to be huge and if it's a lower end scope with questionable parallax adjustment it might not work out too well.

Zeroing at 100yds I generally find 10x or less to be more than adequate.

 

[emn83]

What scope and what range are you sighting in?

At 100yds that bull's eye is going to be huge and if it's a lower end scope with questionable parallax adjustment it might not work out too well.

Zeroing at 100yds I generally find 10x or less to be more than adequate.

agreed. I've even gone down to 5x at 100 yards, when shooting at 1 inch diamond targets

 

[WildRose]

agreed. I've even gone down to 5x at 100 yards, when shooting at 1 inch diamond targets

Yep I hate getting too much magnification, I'll shoot far worse with too much than not enough.

 

[Shootin4fun]

Yep I hate getting too much magnification, I'll shoot far worse with too much than not enough.

Well, I ended up with a 5-20x44 Monarch. After I mount it and send some 7s down range I'll offer my opinion. I have noticed already though that the eye relief is less at 20 than at 5. Nikon claims a constant eye relief regardless of mag.

 

[WildRose]

Well, I ended up with a 5-20x44 Monarch. After I mount it and send some 7s down range I'll offer my opinion. I have noticed already though that the eye relief is less at 20 than at 5. Nikon claims a constant eye relief regardless of mag.

At long range it's hard to have "too much magnification" although I generally think 16x is more than plenty. I've taken prairie dogs at 600+ with 10x and 14x scopes with no problem.

Up close though, you can find you have way too much real fast.

 

[emn83]

At long range it's hard to have "too much magnification" although I generally think 16x is more than plenty. I've taken prairie dogs at 600+ with 10x and 14x scopes with no problem.

Up close though, you can find you have way too much real fast.

That is the reason I debate with myself between a 5.5-22 and a 3.5-15 Nightforce, I'd like the extra power, but when the shots get down to 50 yards or less, that min power becomes an issue

 

[1denogean]

What scope and what range are you sighting in?

At 100yds that bull's eye is going to be huge and if it's a lower end scope with questionable parallax adjustment it might not work out too well.

Zeroing at 100yds I generally find 10x or less to be more than adequate.

Im sighting in a viper 6.5-20X44, yeah thats my point i would like to sight in at a lower power but would it effect me (zero) when i got out to say 500-700 and turn the power up to say 16 or so? thanks for the help guys sorry if they are dumb questions

 

[liltank]

Im sighting in a viper 6.5-20X44, yeah thats my point i would like to sight in at a lower power but would it effect me (zero) when i got out to say 500-700 and turn the power up to say 16 or so? thanks for the help guys sorry if they are dumb questions

I can tell you from experience, the scope won't lose zero when dialing through the power range. I use to have one. It went a rifle I sold.

 

[Shootin4fun]

I need to mount a Monarch scope on a Savage 114 as back as far as possible so I don't have to crane forward very much to get a good sight picture. The front bell of the scope is the limiting factor. With Leupold 2 piece or even 1 piece, the scope ends up a few inches forward of where I'd like it to be.

Would a picatinny rail or something like that help mount it father back?

Is there another solution to make this work the way I want?