Range of 4X fixed power scope

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bricz75

New member
What is the general range for a fixed 4X power scope in terms of yards to yards? Another way to ask is with two questions: One, under what distance should a person get a scope with less power? Two, over what distance should a person get a scope with more power?

The scope would be used for large game hunting and informal target shooting.
 
For big game like deer or larger, 4X works fine from about 25 yds. up to at least 400 yds. Might want a bit more magnification for antelope at long distances. 4X is too much power desired for dangerous game. For target shooting, I find it difficult to shoot small groups with only 4X magnification.
 
If I was going to buy a fixed power scope (here in the southeast) it would be either a 4X or 6X. Where I hunt 100 yards is the norm so less magnification is better.
 
Short answer, a fixed 4X works very well virtually all of the time at typical hunting ranges. But offers no real advantage over a more versatile variable scope either. If a fixed 4X is what I had I'd use it, but I'd not choose one over a modern variable.

There was a time when fixed power scopes were a LOT more rugged and reliable than variable power scopes. Today they still are in theory, but in practice a "quality" variable scope will almost never give problems. The greater versatility of a variable far outweighs the possibility of more reliability for me.

Inside of 50 yards 4X can certainly be used, but I think they start to be a disadvantage especially if game animals are on the move. I'm not talking about running shots necessarily, but walking through brush where they are visible for a moment, then not visible. I like a greater FOV than you can get from 4X for spotting game. Lower magnifications make it a lot easier to shoot with both eyes open too which is a big plus.

On big game hits out to 400 yards is possible, maybe a bit farther in good light. But on smaller deer I like more magnification past 300 yards. For hitting smaller targets you need more magnification, and more magnification also helps tremendously in poor light.

I keep my 3-9X scopes on 3X virtually all the time and have made shots out to 200 yards on 3X. Most of my shots will be under 100 and as close as 10 yards. Where I do most of my shooting I feel a fixed 4X is a disadvantage because of too much magnification.

A 2-7X scope used to be my go-to scope. But I found that 2X just wasn't that much better up close than 3X. A 1-4X scope is now my choice when I am expecting close shots. On 1X the difference up close inside of 30 yards is dramatically better than even 2X. Especially on moving targets. And the ability to go up to 4X will work for 98% of all big game hunting. A 1-4X isn't a good choice where precision shooting at smaller game like varmints is needed.
 
jmr40 said:
Short answer, a fixed 4X works very well virtually all of the time at typical hunting ranges. But offers no real advantage over a more versatile variable scope either. If a fixed 4X is what I had I'd use it, but I'd not choose one over a modern variable.

There was a time when fixed power scopes were a LOT more rugged and reliable than variable power scopes. Today they still are in theory, but in practice a "quality" variable scope will almost never give problems. The greater versatility of a variable far outweighs the possibility of more reliability for me.

Inside of 50 yards 4X can certainly be used, but I think they start to be a disadvantage especially if game animals are on the move. I'm not talking about running shots necessarily, but walking through brush where they are visible for a moment, then not visible. I like a greater FOV than you can get from 4X for spotting game. Lower magnifications make it a lot easier to shoot with both eyes open too which is a big plus.

On big game hits out to 400 yards is possible, maybe a bit farther in good light. But on smaller deer I like more magnification past 300 yards. For hitting smaller targets you need more magnification, and more magnification also helps tremendously in poor light.

I keep my 3-9X scopes on 3X virtually all the time and have made shots out to 200 yards on 3X. Most of my shots will be under 100 and as close as 10 yards. Where I do most of my shooting I feel a fixed 4X is a disadvantage because of too much magnification.

A 2-7X scope used to be my go-to scope. But I found that 2X just wasn't that much better up close than 3X. A 1-4X scope is now my choice when I am expecting close shots. On 1X the difference up close inside of 30 yards is dramatically better than even 2X. Especially on moving targets. And the ability to go up to 4X will work for 98% of all big game hunting. A 1-4X isn't a good choice where precision shooting at smaller game like varmints is needed.
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Thanks for the post.

I guess the quality of modern variable scopes make fixed ones not as worth it due to the smaller discrepancy in durability and reliability.

4X seems to powerful for dense woods like in the northeast.

Something important about 2-7X scopes: A given one may not be 2X. I've seen some where the actual lowest power is 2.5X. I'm wondering if that is the reason 2X didn't seem much better than 3X up close.

I'm not surprised reading about the comment that a scope going up to 4X will work for 98% of all big game. I always thought hunters frequently used scopes that had too much power.

Sometimes too many choices make some people confused as a result of thinking too much about what power to use on a variable in a given situation. Some may feel more comfortable with a fixed power model.
 
Almost fifty years ago I watch a man shoot a woodchuck at very close to six hundred yards using a 4x scope, and he hit it with his first shot. Now, I'm not even suggesting that a 4x is a suitable scope for that distance or purpose. What I am suggesting is that way too many shooters equate more power with more accuracy in almost a linear way. It approaches what some call "Hubble Envy". I spend a lot of time deer hunting here in the NorthEast and many places I hunt are heavily wooded and some are pretty open. For all around hunting I've pretty much ended up using 4-12x scopes on all my guns. In fact, I just purchased my fourth one to go on a .357max TC Encore. I have never found 4x to be actually too much scope in all my years of hunting (and that's a LOT of years....and an awful lot of deer also). I've never shot a deer using anything above six or seven power. I use the upper end to sometimes look at the deers head, or in place of binoculars which I don't like to carry with all my other gear. I'd say that in all probability you can get by quite nicely with either a 2-7 or 4-12 for all your big game needs and probably all your varmint needs as well. I think anything higher is better used for dedicated target shooting. Just my two cents.
 
I've only shot one big game animal with the scope set at 9X, a cow elk at 530 yards laser measured. That was with a .300 Win. mag.

Most of my elk hunting has been on a private ranch and mostly with my .35 Whelen. Scope is a Burris FF 3x9X and every elk I've shot at with that set up, the scope has been set at 3X. Shots have been from 100 yards to 350 yards and eX has been more than sufficient. Probably would have switched to a higher power but the elk were nervous and moving out. (Cull hunts of a heavily hunted ranch during the regular season.)
Paul B.
 
One significant advantage of a fixed power scope is that there are no sudden surprises when making a quick shot. Like jumping a deer up close and seeing nothing but a blur of 9X hair at 20 yards. (Oops, forgot to turn the power down). My big game rifles wear low power variables, usually set on 2 or 3X and don't change during a hunt.
 
Back in the days when variable scopes were both expensive and unreliable, I used a 4x exclusively. My eyes were better than but there was no limit to the range.
My primary deer rifle is equipped with a 6X 40 fixed power scope and is used from distances of a few feet to 400+ yards.
It's not so much the magnification of the scope but learning to mount the rifle porperly and having the scope adjusted so there' no "head bobbing" required to get a sight picture.
 
BBarn, I did the same thing with a 2-7 with it set on 7. :)

OTOH, I hit right where I aimed on a 350-yard buck with the 3-9 set on 3.

I've mostly seen it as a billfold thing: A good used 4X will take care of almost all coyote and deer hunting needs. Repeat, needs.

But a 3-9 offers options. 4-14 helps on out-yonder prairie dogs. Or even more for way-out-yonder. :)
 
Years ago I read a comment by Jack OConner. If you can't see it on 4 power, you shouldn't be shooting at it.
I've always preferred a 1-4 varible scope. All of my game shooting has been well inside 300yds on Deer and Elk. The lower power allows close range in tight country.
 
bricz75 said:
Something important about 2-7X scopes: A given one may not be 2X. I've seen some where the actual lowest power is 2.5X. I'm wondering if that is the reason 2X didn't seem much better than 3X up close.
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As I noted, I've seen one or more 2-7X scopes where the lowest power is actually 2.5X. Does anyone know what the true lowest power of a 2-7X scope usually is?

Mobuck said:
Back in the days when variable scopes were both expensive and unreliable, I used a 4x exclusively.
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Something learned from this thread for me is fixed scopes are not as necessary due to variable ones being more reliable and cheaper now.
 
Does anyone know what the true lowest power of a 2-7X scope usually is?
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Logically speaking, one would expect that if a scope is rated as 2X that the power is in the range of 1.5x to 2.4x since that's what would result if the manufacturer followed the normal mathematical rules for rounding.

Is that what really happens? Who knows.
 
Scopes don't shoot.
Men shoot.
Scopes only help you see.

In WW2 US and German snipers used 3X and 4X scopes and some made kills over 1000 yards away. The old shooters using vernier sights in the late 1800s shot to over 1000 yards.
 
It's not so much the magnification of the scope but learning to mount the rifle porperly and having the scope adjusted so there' no "head bobbing" required to get a sight picture.
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This is far more important than a larger image. Consistent position it a good thing.


Years ago I read a comment by Jack OConner. If you can't see it on 4 power, you shouldn't be shooting at it.
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Still true.
 
An old rule of thumb is about 1 x per hundred yards on big game. But there is leeway and preference.
And we all have preferences.IMO,our shooting irons are one place in life where we get to have our preferences.No need to agree.
If I start with the pupil of my eyeball,it dilates to about 5 mm in lower light,7mm in dark.So,I don't lose much performance with a scope with a 5mm exit pupil,but 7mm is great.
A 6x by 42mm scope gives me a 7mm exit pupil. So does a 4x by 28. A 6X by 30 or a 4x by 24 are fine in any normal shooting light.
But as power goes up,objective lense size goes up. A 10X scope needs a 50 mm objective to provide a 5mm exit pupil. A 14X scope with a 50mm objective only has a 3.5 mm (approx.) exit pupil. In lower light,that is a bottleneck.
The tradeoff for higher power is ,among other things,bigger objectives,and therefore,taller rings.

When you bring your rifle to your cheek with your eyes closed,get comfortable,and open your eyes,you really need to be looking at a bright,clear,full scope field of view.

In MY opinion,nothing else is acceptable.

And,of course,those who have 56 mm scopes in tall rings prefer a 2X lower power because its easier to find the 2x field with your face up 1/2 inch off the stock.

For myself,on a rifle I built and stocked to fit me,I look at the target and mount the rifle and the crosshairs are on the target. No looking for anything.
That's with the 6X by 42mm Leupold that's been on my .257 for over 20 years.
If the 257 was an over and under with a shotgun barrel,I'm sure I could shoot pheasants with that 6X.

That scope is better than the naked eye in poor light.

I'm afraid Leupold may have discontinued exactly that scope,I think you can get a "wide Duplex"still,but the old standard duplex is ,to me,very useful for ranging and Kentucky holdover.
Variables are useful,and they make good ones.But ,for myself,my ballistics,my reticle,my ranging,is always exactly the same,every time I look through the scope.. Top hanging duplex post,dead on at 100 yds. Center,300 yds. Lower post,430 yds. Antelope fits duplex,200 yds. 1/2 duplex,400yds.

All instant,always the same.


I have a Boone and Crockett 3.5 to 10 X Leupold on a 308 AR. Almost missed my hillside with it when I first put it on the rifle.I used the reticle holdover at a lower power.I nearly overshot my backstop.

That requires a lot of extra thinking.That scope is somewhat chaotic if I use the variable.I always have to start with "Where am I at?"

A fixed X is like irons,You just shoot.

For myself,not anybody else,a 3.5 to 10X by 40 mm is the biggest scope I'd put on any big game hunting rifle,and I'd probably go 2.5 to 8X.

The last time I went antelope hunting,I used my replica 1903A4 with an old Lyman 2.5X.It did just fine.

Start with the rifle,scope,rings,etc fitting YOU in shooting position
I also like my rifles light,trim,easy to carry.

And get some decent binoculars. Using your rifle to glass the unknown is rude and unsafe.
 
I used a 4 power scope for a few years, back when I was young. Longest shot was just under 300 yards. Went from there to a 6 power, and longest shot was 365 yards. Both worked fine, but these days I use 4-16's and 4.5-14's, and do most shooting at 8 power when hunting the fields. Up in the woods I crank the scopes to 4 or 5 power.

I've shot a few coyotes with scopes set on 20 power, so there is some use from time to time with higher magnification, but it's rare for me.

Anyway, a fellow can do fine with a 4 power, but these days there's no real reason to limit yourself to a fixed 4. My fixed power scopes are boxed up and gathering dust.
 
The range will depend on the quality of the glass. For instance, I have a Swarovski 4x12x50. It is on my elk .300 win mag. At 12 Power that scope is easier to shoot and see at 600 Yards than my leupold Mark AR's that go up to 18 power but only 44mm objective. Why? Because the glass clarity is superior and the objective is bigger.

That said, I once used my grandfather's 1903 .30-06 and Weaver fixed 4 power scope to hit a mule deer at about 325 yards.
 
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