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Will SS 3-9 be enough?

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bridgta View Drop Down
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    Posted: November/08/2009 at 07:50
I have finally decided to go with a FFP scope after months of deliberation, not a very good decision maker.  My question is will the SS variable be enough magnification for the 600-800 yard range or should I go with more magnification like on the IOR?  FYI- This scope will be going on a Savage 10FP-LE2 with 26" barrell with either TPS or EGW base and rings at 0 moa or 20moa, have not decided.  Thanks for any help you can provide.
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Mike McDonald View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Mike McDonald Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/08/2009 at 08:40
Mine works fine at 1200 yards.
Most folks confuse magnification with image clarity and buy a sub-standard scope with high magnification to attempt overcoming the crappy lens/coatings.
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Dale Clifford View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/08/2009 at 08:59

with the money you save, get a good laser rangefinder -- all you'll ever need. (at least until conspicuous consumption sets in).

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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/08/2009 at 17:57
Dont you have a 3-9 scope you can take to the range you will be using and see for yourself  how large the target appears.   Six to eight hundred is a long way but what works at that distance is all relative because guys use open sights to shoot farther than than all the time.  There are advantages to having more magnification but that doesnt mean that the 3-9 wouldnt work.  If shooting those ranges I would select the Super Sniper 10x HD rather than the 3-9 because it has adjustable parallax.  If I could afford a Premier or a Heinsoldt in a higher magnification I'd rather go that route.

"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
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SkaerE View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote SkaerE Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2009 at 15:52
FWIW in the reviews on the 3-9 by Frank he and the shooter couldnt see any parallax problems out to 800M.  I hope so cause i just ordered one myself.  should be here any day now.  :)
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jonoMT Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2009 at 16:28
I think you'll be very happy with it. There's a huge price gap in the market between the SS 3-9 and other FFP mil/mil scopes that I recently considered. I just wasn't comfortable with IOR (which has some scopes in between price-wise). I think it says a lot about the SS 3-9 that you have to spend 3-4X as much to get a scope that surpasses it. And even then, there are some trade-offs, like doubling the weight. 
Reaction time is a factor...
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338LAPUASLAP View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 338LAPUASLAP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/20/2009 at 19:39

If given a choice a higher magnification is better for most shooters due to the fact that the target is getting "bigger" as the FOV decreases you do not bounce around as much at 600yrds a breath can be the difference of 1-2ft yet look close to being on the mark or bull especially if the reticle or dot is covering more than half the target at that distance.

My wife does better with higher magnification I believe simply because of the principle she has less to look at. 
 
I think the quote is from the "Patriot" "AIM SMALL MISS SMALL". I have seen this prove itself.
 
I do agree higher magnification does not mean better picture or clarity but it does mean you can tweak or tune or tighten up your hold and start sqeezing when you are not moving as much take what magnification you have point it at something and hold on it as long as you can in one breath then take and see how well you do on the low and how well you do on the high. 
 
If you are like any of us you will bounce more on the high than on the low but on the high you most likely can "hold" on the target even though you may seem to bounce more you are now aiming small and missing small.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/22/2009 at 10:11
Originally posted by 338LAPUASLAP 338LAPUASLAP wrote:

If given a choice a higher magnification is better for most shooters due to the fact that the target is getting "bigger" as the FOV decreases you do not bounce around as much at 600yrds a breath can be the difference of 1-2ft yet look close to being on the mark or bull especially if the reticle or dot is covering more than half the target at that distance.

My wife does better with higher magnification I believe simply because of the principle she has less to look at. 
 
I think the quote is from the "Patriot" "AIM SMALL MISS SMALL". I have seen this prove itself.
 
I do agree higher magnification does not mean better picture or clarity but it does mean you can tweak or tune or tighten up your hold and start sqeezing when you are not moving as much take what magnification you have point it at something and hold on it as long as you can in one breath then take and see how well you do on the low and how well you do on the high. 
 
If you are like any of us you will bounce more on the high than on the low but on the high you most likely can "hold" on the target even though you may seem to bounce more you are now aiming small and missing small.

I did some experiments on that: shooting from field positions with different magnifications and noting the accuracy/consistency.

I learned that for man size targets, higher magnification does not really get me better accuracy beyond certain limits.  At 100 yards (once again from field positions) I shoot about as well with a good 3x/4x scope than I do with higher magnification.  As the range increases, I need a little more magnification, but it is not very linear.  Ultimately, too much magnification seems to effect my concentration, since I see too much shaking through the scope.  For me 6x, give me about as much accuracy and consistency out to 400yards as I can achieve.  10x seems to be right around my sweetspot out to 600-700 yards.

Shooting off the bench, extra magnification does help a little bit at longer ranges, but also not as much as I would have thought: I reach at plateau somewhere around 8x-14x range.

ILya
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Dale Clifford View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Dale Clifford Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/22/2009 at 10:39
of course each shooter is different, but it also depends a lot on training-- for instance long range metallic silhoutte 600 yd, off hand no sling, is better done with 20x than lower mags. It has to do with the concept of target. After working with the wobble area, (small bore NRA pistol is a good start), it is not possible to hold off hand with either rifle or pistol, the idea is to use the higher mag to just get a piece of the target when the shot is pushed off. scoot and shoot (multiple gun matches) usually uses a lower mag. because of fov problems from either movement of the target or the shooter, but when compared in relation the magnification is still on the higher side. Because of the ability of the scope to place the target and the reticle in the same plane, the higher side of magnification will almost always trump the lower side. In solid platform shooting, (bench,prone) and additional problem occurs- if you shoot with one eye closed and are not directly behind the shot the eyes will be crossed as most shooters tend to "hunch" over the gun, the problem is less of course if both eyes are open which "pushes" the shooter away and behind the optical axis, (1 of the reasons why cheek weld is not necessay in this type of shooting).
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote 338LAPUASLAP Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/22/2009 at 14:35
Mean Computer


Edited by 338LAPUASLAP - November/22/2009 at 17:23
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Urimaginaryfrnd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/22/2009 at 17:08
Leupold 4.5-14x40 Mark 4 LR/T 30mm Riflescope Duplex Leupold 4.5-14x40 Mark 4 LR/T 30mm Riflescope
Stock # - LEU56140
  • Matte
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  • Long Range
  • Side Focus
  • Target Knobs
$724.95 
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This gives you more power for not much more money and I like the scope many here dont but I still consider this a good value.  You do however loose the FFP the 1/10 mil clicks the mildot reticle and better glass. You gain turrets with covers which may or may not be helpful depending on how you use it and quarter moa clicks, there is a mildot version for more money.  I've always been a little shy of IOR due to warranty service possible issues.  the next step up to me seems to be a Sightron S3 which would be well worth considering even though it is not commonly thought of as tactical like the Leu Mk4 is.  
Sightron 6-24x50 SIII 30mm Riflescope Mil-Dot Sightron 6-24x50 SIII 30mm Riflescope
Stock # - SIIISS624X50LRMD
  • Matte
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Another scope that would be high on my list if I could live with only 50 moa of internal adjustment would be the  Trijicon and for police tactical work this would seem to be a fine choice as distances are seldom over 200 yds and even to get to 600 a  plus 20 moa base would give you room to spare:
Trijicon 5-20x50 Accu-Point 30mm Rifle Scope Mil-Dot Crosshair w/ Amber Dot Trijicon 5-20x50 Accu-Point 30mm Rifle Scope
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$1,019.95 
Add Trijicon 5-20x50 Accu-Point 30mm Rifle Scope to Cart 

"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
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mike650 View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote mike650 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/22/2009 at 20:26
I haven't played with the SS variable yet but from what I've read from those on this web site who have, I would tend to agree it's "one hell of a scope"!!! Thunbs Up

As for higher magnification... what I like about it (hunting)..  is not shooting the target (game) at a higher power as much as being able to identify it at long range. Sometimes my bino's don't have the the power needed to finalize my decision to take the shot (the back ground maybe dark, wooded, etc.) so a quality scope with a wide power range, let's say 3-18x(x), fits "my" hunting needs perfectly. I want to add that it could be considered a specialized tool and probably not for someone who, let's say, sits in a stand all day looking for game in a heavily wooded area.

“A hunt based only on trophies taken falls far short of what the ultimate goal should be.” – Fred Bear
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/23/2009 at 17:37
Mike I really understand the concept of having higher power to view the game which is why the Bushnell 4200  4-16x40 scope is one of my favorite hunting scopes and I think a guy could live with even a 5 or 6x on the low end but I really find that once we get past 6x it is really hard to rapidly get on target under 100 yds.

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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/23/2009 at 17:52
Originally posted by Urimaginaryfrnd Urimaginaryfrnd wrote:

Mike I really understand the concept of having higher power to view the game which is why the Bushnell 4200  4-16x40 scope is one of my favorite hunting scopes and I think a guy could live with even a 5 or 6x on the low end but I really find that once we get past 6x it is really hard to rapidly get on target under 100 yds.

You must like Elite 6500 2.5-16x42 then.

ILya
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/23/2009 at 23:18
Actually I have never seen a 6500 most of the rare cool stuff thats not in the local stores,  I have to buy to see.    I'm sure I would like it as well as the Sightron SIII scopes. 

Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - November/23/2009 at 23:20

"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
Bobby Paul Doherty
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