No More than 10 Power?

My question: Which fixed 6X did the USAMU recommend?
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From the USAMU Counter Sniper Guide:

The list few scopes, mounts and rifles giving the order of preference.

Scope: Redfield 6X with 4 post cross hairs
Mounts: Redfield single piece
Rifle: Remington 700 Varmit Special

Understand this was written in the mid 70s but it worked then and it will work now.

Range to the target could easily be miscalculated if the scope were a zoom scope and not set at the proper magnification for ranging.
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This is true if your scope is calibrated at the second focus plain. It's then valid at the highest magnification. But if the scope is calibrated at the first focal plain, its valid through out the range.

Meaning your mil dot on the second focal plain works only at the highest magnification where as the mil dots will work at any setting when the scope is calibrated at the first focal plain.
 
For those who use more than 10 power scopes, do you feel they give you an advantage?
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Yes , the scope which works for the sniper is not the same thing that will be used by a target benchrest shooter or varminter. The sniper is shooting at a far larger target than a prairie dog hunter. I doubt you will see any 10X scopes used in setting world records in target benchrest.

For deer hunting I would say the vast majority of hunters are not taking shots over 100 yards and the 10 power or higher is not needed and deer are massive targets in compairison to varmints.
 
I think alot of the fixed power metality in the military comes from reliability not in being user freindly. Im sure if given a choise on a 1000 yard target most would prefer something with more power the a 6x. Alot of that mentality came from back in the VN area when reliable variable power scopes werent made. todays variables are alot more reliable and if im not mistake even the military uses them today and even did field some 3x9 redfields back in the day. I know if i were in a combat situation and my only arm was my sniper rifle id sure want to be able to crank the scope down lower the 6 or 10x.
 
In the military all we had were fixed 10Xs with mil-dots or mil-rads or similar variation to the theme.

You are instructed to take shoots from 100-1000 yards hence a fixed 10X with mil-dots does the trick. Adjustable power is a no-no in combat because the mil-dots calculations vary with different magnification plus it's much better to learn to shoot accurately using a fixed scope and use the mil dots to adjust for bullet drop. It was never a case of durability as I believe quality variable power scopes can be just as sturdy as fixed one.

The objective of a sniper is to kill zombies with one shot any any distance not to nail groups of 1" at 1000 yards. Past 500 yards we were instructed to take body shots not head shots. Said that, I've seen 1-3" groupings using 10X @ 1000 yards! However, if you ONLY shoot at 1000 yards, then you'd be better served by higher magnification like a 16X or 20X.

A 16X would do the trick from 500-1000, a 20X 700-1000, but a fixed 10X is where it's at in terms of sheer adaptability and that's the whole point of being a soldier: Adapt and Survive!

So yes, for 99% of shooting and hunting situations, a fixed 10X is all you'll ever need.
 
At one time variable scopes were less then ideal in the reliability department now however they have improved greatly, personally that is all I buy because of the type shooting I do, mostly 5-20x44 fit my needs, and a couple 8-32x44 target dots for super fine target shooting. I fully understand for military usage the fixed power makes sense but for sportsman the variable is a much better pick IMO.
 
I hunt in the woods where the longest shot is probably 100-150 yards. I've always used a 3-9 set on 6 power. I've got many deer with that setup at under 50-75 yards. I had a 4-16X50 on it but the scope was too heavy.

I don't believe in needing the "wide field of view" thing since I don't put the gun up until I have a shot. But I also buy decent scopes (Nikon).

I went to Wyoming many years ago and that 3-9 came in mighty handy for my 250-300 yard shot!
 
I just tonight put a 3X9 Ziess on my 25-06, pulled off a 4X16 Sightron which was good for working up loads but put the 3X9 on for work.
1st Ziess I have owned it sure was clear and bright copmared to the other 3 I was looking at.
 
My experience when shooting prairie dogs and other longer range, small target, situations, is that I can't hold more than about 7x off shooting sticks or other field positions. The reticle appears to move all about on the target which I find much more distracting than a lower magnification scope in that situation.

If from prone, 10x is just fine, but use a barrel band to diffuse the mirage from the heat from the barrel.
 
Not a sniper.

When I was stationed at Fort Polk in 1975 I had a relationship with the 5th ID MTU. They developed a Divisional sniper school. The purpose was to establish a cadre of Unit marksmen down to the Company level. The program was designed along the old designated rifleman program used in WW II. It was not a "scout sniper" school.

The weapon selected was an M-14 with a 3 x 9 scope. The scope had a cam system which elevated/depressed the scope as the magnification was changed.

Inexperienced shooters were able to get first round hits at 800 yards (the manufacture calibrated the scope for yards rather than meters) their first time out.
 
The weapon selected was an M-14 with a 3 x 9 scope. The scope had a cam system which elevated/depressed the scope as the magnification was changed.
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I think you are referring to the ART (Automatic Ranging Telescope) used on the M21.

The scope had two stadium lines that measured 30 inches, the average distance between the top of the head and the belt buckle.

This was the set up that made the M21, or a NM M14 matched up with the ART Leatherwood scope.

It worked quite well. You sighted the rifle in at 300 yards with the 3X9 scope set on 3X. Then as you range in on the target, getting it between the stadium lines, using the power adjusting knobs.

Lets say you fit the target it the stadium lines and 400 yards, the scope was set on 4X, it worked the same all the way to 900 yards.

It worked quite well in Vietnam. I used this set up, in the USAMU sniper school and taught sniper schools with it after we switched from the M1C/Ds to the M21.

Pretty easy to get hits on a e-silhouette target to 900 yards. It also had stadium lines on the horizontal cross hair that were 30 inches apart to assist with wind hold over.
 
Has anyone tired the new Leatherwood ART scopes? The M-1000 is 2.5-10x44. The reviews on OpticsPlanet seem favorable and it is decently priced. Seems like it might fit the 10-power only (sort of) bill.
 
Back in the days of old Redfield,there were not so many choices.For most folks "scope" on a hunting rifle meant a steel tube K-4 Weaver.Optics have evolved,but that was a reasonably priced,rugged servicable scope.

Most everybody I knew was happy with 4x.

While Weaver was the standard,Redfield was the step up .It was the classy scope to have.They also pioneered Accu-Range,using stadia for range estimation.Leatherwood took it another step with the ballistic cam mount,plus the custom reticle.

Redfield made pretty scopes,nicely finished,that looked good on a fine rifle.

Back to the OP's question on power,note the ART scope was used at modest powers,and functioned at about 1 x per 100 meters.

Lets not forget some pretty fine shooting gets done with iron sights.

And,for the OP,study up on exit pupil,objective sizes,etc before you buy.

Nutshell,your eye pupil varies with light.Approx 7 mm in darkness,5mm low light,down to 2,maybe 2.5 in bright light.If the exit pupil of your scope is smaller than your eye pupil in the given light,image quality degrades.

Divide power into objective lense for exit pupil size.My 6x by 42 mm Leupold has a 7mm exit pupil and gives excellent low light performance,better that the naked eye.

A 10x by 42 mm scope will work well during daylight hunting hours,but will begin to degrade dawn/dusk,maybe.It will have a 4.2 mm exit pupil.

A 24 x scope with a 50 mm objective will have approx a 2 mm exit pupil,adequate for good light,but it will be darker than the naked eye in any marginal light condition.

Big objective lenses are required to get good performance out of high magnification.Big lenses of quality cost a lot.Glass is heavy.Obne of the more imortant problemd is large objectives require tall rings,high mounting.This can cause you to have to hold your head up off the stock to see.

IMO,larger than you need to get the job done is a liability.

On the modern Leatherwood question,old Redfield is gone.They made the scopes in Denver.There is a new Leupold Redfield,but neither have anything to do with the Leatherwood name.

Leatherwood has a line of scopes.I do not know them,I have stayed away.I have heard their Malcom type repro antique scopes seve well,though the mounts are somewhat crude.I think the repro 1903-A4 snper scope offered by Gibbs/OWS is a Leatherwood.It may be that for the $300+ Leatherwood can build a repro,low tech scope of decent quality to suit these rifle,built to spec.

I have no experience with the Leatherwood.

In today's scopes,a lot has evolved.An example is the Leupold CDS system.It is 15 MOA of short,target grade turret with a custom graduated knob to your specs.Its not horribly expensive.The higher end European scopes offer sophisticated turrets.Kenton industries makes custom target knobs to your ballistics,and there are Christmas tree reticles,etc.

There are other choices besides the ART mount
 
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You never mentioned why you are asking the question about magnification. Then again, you may be just curious what people say.

I have a 3-9x on my Remington M700 270 win which I use for deer hunting. I shoot it at 9x when I am sighting it in, but it seldom goes above 4x in the field while I'm hunting. Haven't used it in a couple years since I have been hunting with a revolver with 2x Leupold. Didn't mount a scope to see better. Rather I mounted a scope so that the target and my eye are in the same plane.

For target shooting, I like to see my target and have gravitated from 4x scopes on my 22's to 3-9x and higher power for punching paper. But for general shooting, my 2.5-7x Weaver or 4x is hard to beat day in and day out.
 
Nutshell,your eye pupil varies with light.Approx 7 mm in darkness,5mm low light,down to 2,maybe 2.5 in bright light.If the exit pupil of your scope is smaller than your eye pupil in the given light,image quality degrades.

Divide power into objective lense for exit pupil size.My 6x by 42 mm Leupold has a 7mm exit pupil and gives excellent low light performance,better that the naked eye.

A 10x by 42 mm scope will work well during daylight hunting hours,but will begin to degrade dawn/dusk,maybe.It will have a 4.2 mm exit pupil.

A 24 x scope with a 50 mm objective will have approx a 2 mm exit pupil,adequate for good light,but it will be darker than the naked eye in any marginal light condition

HiBc- Very intresting reading there. What is the deal with a 32 power and 56 obj?. Im intrested in this. I shoot at first light ( Actually not even light yet ). I have a Sightron 8-32x56 and as soon as my eyes can see , i find i can see better using my scope. I get to the range before light. ( Brass Rat ). I still use my headlights when unloading and getting set up. As soon as i can see mt target at 300 yards i start shooting. There has been once or twice i have had a issue,but that was early morning fog, I think.
 
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It's always been entertaining to first take a high dollar super zoom scope, mount it on a rifle, put a collimator in the muzzle then zero the scope's reticule on the reference. Then change power back and forth between low and high; moving the zoom ring makes the reticule move in a figure 8 pattern about the reference. Some more than others. I've seen as much as 2 MOA error; maximum displacement of the scope's reticule off the collimator reference. Sloppy fit of the two lens barrels moving two lenses back and forth by spiral camming action to change the magnification. And recoil will also cause those two lenses to settle in different places. Some scopes are pretty good, others. . . . .

This must be the reason benchresters don't use zoom scopes.
 
fourrunnerman:

May I suggest that in poor light you are not using your scope at 32x?

At 8x,56 divided by 8 gives you the 7mm exit pupil,max dilation for most human eyes.I would bet ,lense coatings being equal,your scope at 8x gives as good of low light performance as my 6x by 42 mm.

I believe your scope designer planned it that way.

Same works with binoculars.The 7x35 is a classic for most light conditions with a 5mm exit pupil,but "marine" binoculars might be 7x50s with a 7mm exit pupil.

I have never looked through your scope,I bet it works fine at 32x ,with just under a 2mm exit pupil,in very good light.I will boldly guess your image quality does not typically improve much above 24x,but,I have never looked through your scope.
I have never used a rifle scope with that high of power.I know my spotting scope,with a 77 mm ED flourite crystal lense,will see bullet holes just fine at 300 yds.I do not go downrange to check targets at 300 yd zeroing,but even in good light,at something around 40 x,image quality does not get better at higher power.

The highest power rifle scope I own is one of the Leupold 30mm tube Tactical Long Range.It is a 4.5-14 by 50 mm.I have it on a Win M-70 Laredo 7mm Rem.

There is a spot on a ranch I have lasered at 1090 yds.I can see the diamonds on a standard orange diamond sight in target at that range just fine.

I cannot re-post a pic here,but if you search something like AR-10 with Kreiger barrel can shoot under my HiBC handle,you will see a 600 yd group where,apparently.my younger brother could see just fine with a 3.5 to 10 x Leupold .

Whatever trips your trigger,enjoy.Set them up how you like them,I was giving my best to the OP.

On the right day,with the right light,I have resolved bullet holes in a black bull at 500 yds with that spotting scope.Kowa Proimar 77ED with a 20-60 zoom.
 
Thanks for the reply HiBc. I only ask because i started F-Class open this year and found i sometimes have eye relief issues in the prone position. I have been working on it at home and think i might have solved that issue now. Was thinking maybe some kind of connection here.
I do leave my scope on 32 power at all times. I see no reason not to.
 
I in no way will ever claim to be a sniper, I didn't sleep at holiday inn express last night either. But for field work, most shooters are way over scoped. Too big an objective lens, too much magnification, too many bells and whistles like adjustable objectives. IMO, The same reasons that make these monster scopes bad for a hunter of game make them bad for a hunter of man. You do not need and in most parts want them. Some (most) of the issues have been discussed. Mirage, parallax, weight, bulk, field of view, etc etc all play a part. No one thing can be accredited to the why's and how come's. But rest assured that when you see someone on the net recommending a scope any bigger than 4-16x he isn't a big game hunter. Even that's on the big side and un-needed. My favorite is 2-7x but I also use 3-9x, 4x and 1.5-4x. And each of those is more scope than my ability will allow me to take advantage of. If you feel the need to spend money on magnification and bells and whistles instead spend that money on quality. Still not necessarily needed (super duper quality that is) but at least it's not unwanted, un-needed BS.
 
Kilkenny, I can't argue much with anything you said. I admit to having more scope than I need on most rifles, but it isn't always about need. I have the magnification and quality that I want and I was willing to pay for it. My selection and purchases of scopes has been an evolutionary process over many years, in that I tried this and that and then switched around a couple more times till I settled on what I want (not what I actually and really really need). And my gear now fits my specific and personal hunting and target shooting territory and pursuits, none of which includes climbing mountains or even big hills. I'm overscoped and quite happy with being so.
 
Yes. Target shooting and Hunting definetly require 2 different scopes. Low power for hunting and the other for target shooting. As i said before-You buy what you are going to use it for. It's not rocket science here.
 
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