What magnification do you feel is necessary at various distances?

My eyes are getting worse by the day so when shooting targets with my tx200 Im always maxed out at 12 power. When I'm in the woods hunting with my PCP Im usually at 9 power. Sorry Im not as organized as you. But I keep it simple or I forget what I was going to do in the first place. LOL Im always amazed at how good you guys set up and shoot. I wish I could be that disciplined.

For me and I almost always lean toward less magnification.
20Y- 40Y / 10XT / 6XH
40Y-75Y / 12XT / 8XH
75 Y and Up/ 20XT / 10XH
A big part of the reason I normally use less magnification is just ease on my eye . Really high magnification on a scope with lesser glass does nothing but frustrate with the distortions , and hazy image . Spend a few days on a Prairie dog town looking thru a scope for literally Hours at a time and that 200$ 8-40 power scope you liked when you bought it will feel like its been driven thru your skull from the eyestrain. The longest shot I ever made was 1248yards ( measured by laser ) and I did that with a 16X SWFA and didn't feel I needed more . Just don't ask me how many shots it took till I hit him

I'm pretty much right with Michael on this one, back in my younger days (better eye sight) I was always 9X.

i'm approaching the big 5.0 and this what i'm shooting at now and target shoot and pest at the same magnification: SWFA fix scope 16 x (duh), MTC 6-24 @ 16x, Hawk 4-14 @ 12x. 

A few years ago I had a serious problem with rats around the barn. 
I went with the IOR Valdada 4x24 over the UTG SWAT 4-16x44. The glass really is that much better on the IOR.
Closest shot was 11yrds, most were in the 20s and the furthest was 33yrds. Only one was not DRT.
For target, used to use the UTG. Last year got a SWFA SS 20x42M. What a difference! I figured I do most of my shooting at max power on the UTG anyways, why not just go fixed power and save some weight?

I used to have good eyes
should have listened to my mother...

"Joeb631"I used to have good eyes
should have listened to my mother...

Click to expand...

LOL

Michael,

You should be able to see the bullet holes in the target if you are shooting on a range. You should be able to see the eyes of the critter if you are hunting.

I like 16 for over 100 yrds.any less 12 power.alex

20y/15xt/10xh 5-30x 4.5-30x 4-16x 5-15x 3-15x 2.5-16x
40y/20xt/15xh 5-30x 4.5-30x 5-20x 6.5-20x
60y/24xt/20xh 5-30x 4.5-30x 6-24x 6.5-20x
80y/30xt/25xh 5-30x 4.5-30x 8-32x 10-40x 10-50x
100y/40xt/30xh 5-30x 4.5-30x 8-32x 10-40x 10-50x


NOTE a MARCH 5-50x would do it all which borders on insanity being that it does not have a lifetime warranty.

10y/8xt/6xh
20y/14xt/6xh
40y/20xt/10xh
60y/24xt/10xh

I stopped mine at 60 yds., because nothing I currently hunt would be shot further than that. Indeed, I do most of my hunting (pesting, actually) at 10-35 yards.

I don't like much magnification for hunting, because I'm often trying to find the animal in a tree or bushes and more magnification often makes it harder.

I shoot hunter class field target which has a 12x max limit for competition so my scopes are 3-12 or 4-12 variables which are set at 12x. I used to turn the scope power to 6x when squirrel hunting but for the last few years I've even left the scope set at 12x for hunting.