Scope adjustments

A

ARshooter

New member
Many people (myself included) buy variable power scopes for varmint hunting instead of the fixed power scopes. However, once in the field they just dial in the scope to it's max power and leave it there, never using the lower power available.

My question:
How many of you varmint hunters actually use the lower powers of your scopes? Or do you leave it on max power?
 
I will use the low mags for target aquisition, but always turn it up to full power to shoot. Remeber that your zero will be slightly different at different mags. So if you zeroed at 20x and then fired at 10x, you'll be slightly off target. The ammount of difference is dependant on the scope design and quality.

Chuck
 
Getting a bit off from pure varmint hunting: I've used a 3X9 Leupold for some 30 years. I don't get different point of impact from 3 on up to 9, and I've checked it.

I'll use some higher magnification when sitting, depending on terrain, etc. When I get up and go walking, I go down to 3X. If something jumps and runs, I just sorta lead the center of mass by what looks about right.

FWIW, lead a running deer, 90 degrees crossing, about four feet per hundred yards. Or call it two feet in front of his nose per hundred yards, figuring a 30mph deer. Double the lead for antelope or mountain lion. It gets worse as the bullet slows down, of course, which is why God invented Kentucky windage and guesswork. And Budweiser and Wild Turkey and campfires so you can sit around and lie a lot and make excuses...

Later, Art
 
Use a 4x16 and find that I use about 14 most of the time, may back off to 10 or 12 if I'm using the scope to find dogs instead of the binoculars, fwiw, this is a Pentax and it will stay on target no matter what the magnifcation I use.
 
I do not do much varmit shooting, but I do a lot of deer hunting. On the one rifle that has a variable scope on it, always leave on the lowest power almost all the time. I will go to a higher power only to really get a good look at something.

I know its off the subject, but my favorite rifle, Ruger M77 .308 WIN, has a fixed 4 power. Makes for light package to carry around these Tennessee hills.
 
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