Thread: Hunting Scope Magnification

I’m a sucker for a bit more magnification these days. Both my scopes are Swaro Z5 3.5-18 and for most longer shots i’m on 15 - 18x. Bloody handy when doing range work trying to be pinpoint accurate with load development too. If i’m sneaking through the bush then it’s down on 3.5 and if i’m just walking along in more open country it tends to sit on about 6x.

fixed 3x fixed 4x or a 3x9 suits me down to the ground...I dont shoot past 300 yards more than once in a blue moon...and a red hind is still easily doable with fixed 3x at that range...for sure its a centre shoulder aim but thats where I normally shoot for any way. the smaller size of the wee fixed powers is a huge mind thing too...less to cart around,less to get hooked up, end of scope closer to rings so less chance of knocking out of whack/zero....easier to keep dryish on a wet day.

2.5-8x36 on main rifles, one changed from a 2-7x33 recently, the other wore a 2.5x20 for several decades.
1-4x20, usually set on 2 to 2.5
3-9x40, but thinking I want a higher top end on that one as it’s a more open country and varminting rifle

2.5-10x42 and 3-15x44.

my zeiss is 3-15 and its perfect for everything i want to shoot.

I've got:
2-10 on my 308 which I love(love the vx5s).
2-12 on my bushpig- Burris SixX which is a neat wee scope.
3-18 on my 284- vx6 which is lovely.

Of the 3 I find that they generally all sit of 4 power most of the time and the 2-10 for a general all rounder optic is my pic.

I'm another for the Swaro 3-10, have two and they are optimum for general NZ hunting ranges (also have a Z6 1.75-10 as well but thats another price bracket). My eyes aren't the best these days but x10 is plenty for out in the field for me, target or gong is another story and more mag is needed there.

When/if I can be bothered to put together my "one rifle to rule them all", it'll wear a 2-10x42 scope.

Ive got a bit of everything but now Im older tend towards a minimum top end of 12x. Most are 14-18x top end.
If you haven't noticed, a lot of hunters are actually full of shit. They spend a fortune on bush pigs and put small low power 'scopes on them but actually never bush hunt and their average ranges are more like 200 yds than 20 yds. A top end of 12x is probably ideal for these hunters.

I'm with @stagstalker. The Z5 3-18 is about ideal. Good top end for precision and a lower end if you ever venture into the spooky trees.

Originally Posted by Tahr

Ive got a bit of everything but now Im older tend towards a minimum top end of 12x. Most are 14-18x top end.
If you haven't noticed, a lot of hunters are actually full of shit. They spend a fortune on bush pigs and put small low power 'scopes on them but actually never bush hunt and their average ranges are more like 200 yds than 20 yds. A top end of 12x is probably ideal for these hunters.

I'm with @stagstalker. The Z5 3-18 is about ideal. Good top end for precision and a lower end if you ever venture into the spooky trees.

Love it

Originally Posted by Tahr

Ive got a bit of everything but now Im older tend towards a minimum top end of 12x. Most are 14-18x top end.
If you haven't noticed, a lot of hunters are actually full of shit. They spend a fortune on bush pigs and put small low power 'scopes on them but actually never bush hunt and their average ranges are more like 200 yds than 20 yds. A top end of 12x is probably ideal for these hunters.

I don't have a big budget (3 sons to feed and wife who 'invests' in handbags), and I found that big magnification or a big range of magnification on mid range or cheaper scopes tends to get shitty optics. And my main rifle is a 300BLK, so the 200 yard average is about right. I have a Monarch 2-8x32, think it cost me $300, so its a nice balance of good price, good optics, light weight, no to over the top on zoom.

my last animal was a porker at about 80 yards...she was about 80lb...the 3x was just enough scope to allow a neck shot in poor light (I actually had to move as sunlight had hit spot I was on and pig was in darkness towards sun) I wasnt in the dark bush on that occasion as was on a "harvesting mission" on private land.... the 2 wallabies shot couple of weeks ago were at less than 15 yards,the 4.5x bottom end on scope was too much,the 2nd wobbly was barrel shot at about 5 yards as couldnt see shit through scope LOL.

Horses for courses really and its a good thing we're not all the same
I use a 3 -18 on my 6.5 which comfortably knocks things over at 450ish on about 15x. Really only use 18x when 200 yard sighting in, but 3x is real handy when you're sneakin through the scrub.
Got a real old mid 90's Swaro 3-9 on my .222 which seems to be all it needs

I don't think you miss higher end magnifications (12x and over) until you have got used to using them. It has been fairly recently (the last 6 or 7 years) that I have had scopes with more than 10x but now I don't think I would go back.

I have always used a swovoski 3-9 until my eyes got a bit older and i went to a 3-18: and like others have said once you have that higher mag range it's hard to go back.
Although i really struggled with the z5, it didn't suit my eyes as i found it had limited eye relief.
I now have a Z8 3.5-18 x56 its a bit bigger than i would have liked but man i love that 18x and the 56 is bloody good.
So for me a 3-18 covers most situations.

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