Any know what "5x power range" means on a variable power scope?

zebra

Member
Sep 29, 2015
1,779
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New York
I keep going to click "buy it now" on this scope:

http://www.clearidgeoptics.com/product-p/3910.htm

but the fact that I don't understand what this 5x feature means is holding me back. I think I should understand what I am buying. 

The scope is vairable power. The one I am looking at is the mil dot 4.5-22x50. If it was a fixed power scope, 5x would obviously mean it was fixed at 5x but what does it mean on this scope?

I tried asking uncle Google but found nothing relavent. I couldn't find any other scopes with a similar advertised benefit. 

If I try and apply my version of logic, the only thing I came up with was that 4.5 x 5 was not too far from the max power of 22x. They say it makes the scope suitable for both tactical and long range so could they be referring to the broader magnification range than you find on most other scopes? 
 
"Nueces"I couldn't live with that reticle.
What's the problem with it? It's just a regular mil dot reticle. I have the same one on my other Clearidge scope. Most people like mil dot reticles for air rifles. I have heard people express preferences for other types of reticle but I can't recall ever hearing anyone say they couldn't live with a mil dot scope. I'm not sure I could live without one.
 
"zebra"
"Nueces"I couldn't live with that reticle.
What's the problem with it? It's just a regular mil dot reticle. I have the same one on my other Clearidge scope. Most people like mil dot reticles for air rifles. I have heard people express preferences for other types of reticle but I can't recall ever hearing anyone say they couldn't live with a mil dot scope. I'm not sure I could live without one.
Just don't like all those big black dots. Even a common BDC Nikon scope has light circles just outlined. I have come to prefer fine lined 'Christmas tree' type reticles and I don't need that big a tree. Never shoot beyond 75 yds.
 
"Nueces"
"zebra"
"Nueces"I couldn't live with that reticle.
What's the problem with it? It's just a regular mil dot reticle. I have the same one on my other Clearidge scope. Most people like mil dot reticles for air rifles. I have heard people express preferences for other types of reticle but I can't recall ever hearing anyone say they couldn't live with a mil dot scope. I'm not sure I could live without one.
Just don't like all those big black dots. Even a common BDC Nikon scope has light circles just outlined. I have come to prefer fine lined 'Christmas tree' type reticles and I don't need that big a tree. Never shoot beyond 75 yds.
The dots really aren't very big in person. The size is exaggerated for the website image. The reticle on my Clearidge RM (which is the same) is the thinnest it could be for me before it would become difficult to see.

I've never really understood the view that the thinnest lines provide the most shooting precision. The difference is usually fractions of a mm and none of my air rifles are capable of precision down to fractions of a mm.

Either way, precision doesn't come from the scope. The cross hairs and mil dots are there as a guide so I think it is most important for them to be clearly visible and accurate for whatever adjustments they are written in. 

This becomes most clear to me on my FFP scope where the reticle is tiny on 4x and largest on 14x. Precision shot placement becomes noticeably easier for me when the reticle size increases.