Go with vortex. great class for the price, and they have the best warrenty you can buy.
Go with vortex. great class for the price, and they have the best warrenty you can buy.
The magnifications I am seeing you guys talk about is 3-9, 3.5-10 or less. Why not a 4-14 or something else larger?
I own a Ultra light arms in .284 and it is topped with a leupold VXIII 4.5-14 x 42 mm w/ 30 mm tube. I think that is a great scope for that kind of high country hunt you are talking about. Smaller scopes will work and bigger scopes will work. I had a 3.5 x 10 that I could have put on it but I wanted a little more.Quote:
Originally Posted by Work2hunt
I think in a general sense people over-magnify their scopes. Some people get along fine with higher magnification scopes, but here are the issues:
High magnification scopes have one advantage:
1. They make things look closer.
Lower magnification scopes have more advantages:
1. They have wider fields of view.
2. They have larger exit pupils and correspondingly brighter images.
3. They make small "wobbles" in the reticle harder to see, so the shooter doesn't over-aim.
4. They typically have more internal adjustment.
5. They resist mirage better.
6. You get more optical quality for your money.
7. Typically smaller, shorter, and lighter.
Now a 4-14 or 4-16 type scope is a good compromise because you can dial it down to 4.5 and gain some of the latter advantages. However, a scope like the mentioned 4.5-14 Leupold actually "tunnels" from 4.5 to around 8 power, so the FOV doesn't actually get wider under around 8 power, but the exit pupil still increases, so you get those brightness advantages.
On how much magnification you need:
Take 500 yards for example. A 20 power scope makes the object look like it is 25 yards away (naked eye equivalent).
A 10 power scope makes it look 50 yards away (naked eye equivalent).
That is plenty for me.
That is a good point about the magnification and I didn't think of it that way. In my neck of the woods I don't mind taking a 300 to 400 yd shot but even 500 would be pushing it here. So I think a 10x at most is all that is needed.Quote:
Originally Posted by Bitterroot Bulls
I've hunted with a Leopold 3x9 since high school and to be honest I've never shot it while hunting on low power but zoomed in after aquireing the target. I don't shoot at more than a few hundred yards but I've always wanted more zoom even at the 100-300 yange. The field of view gets less when zooming so aquiring targets quickly that move or are moving it gets harder on high power. I bought a new rifle now and added a Swarovski Z5 5-25X52. I'm hoping the FOV won't bite me in keeping on target.
I also have a 6.5 x 20 on another rig and to be honest it might be a little too much scope about 75% of the time but when you need the magnification , it is there. Just because your truck has a V8, you don't have to drive it with the pedal to the floor but it is nice to have a little more power when you want it!Quote:
Originally Posted by Kevin Root
I like the extra magnification. The way I look at it is with my 4.5 x 14, I also have a 10x, when I crank the scope down to 10X.
BKC is right. I also have a Leupold VXIII 6.5 x 20, while a good scope, not the best (IMHO) for hunting. I put it on my Ruger M77 25-06 and reasoned I could use it in place of binos. WRONG....! Once left it on 20x and spent precious extra time trying to find a buck antelope. I eventually put it on my .220 Ackley Swift that I shoot prairie dogs with. Great glass for that. Put a 4.5 x 14 on the .25 and love it.
Guys,
I am not trying to get down on you! Like I said, it works for a lot of guys.
I used to run a 6.5-20 Mark 4 on one of my favorite rifles, and it worked OK, but the limited FOV was a bugger. I got rid of it, and don't see myself getting another. I don't miss the magnification at all.
Kevin,
I am sure you will like the scope. It is an awesome one. That FOV at the low end is awesome! The extra magnification will be really nice when you are at the range, and you can always dial it down when you need to, like BKC mentioned. One issue you may run into hunting is that tiny 2mm exit pupil at 25x, especially if you got a ballistic or windage reticle that is subtended at the max magnification, which would restrict you to that magnification. You will have to keep us updated on how you like it in the field.
FWIW, my main hunting rifles wear a 2-7X32, a 3-9X42, a 4-12X50, and a 4-16X50. I would be happy hunting with any of them, but like that little 2-7X32 best for high country backpack stuff.
My favorite scope at the range is definitely the 4-16. Pretty hard to have too much magnification from the bench!