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Fixed magnification scopes? |
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jlb021983
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/03/2011 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Posted: December/03/2011 at 13:46 |
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Looking for feedback on fixed magnification scopes. never used one, so im looking for a little information. thanks
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helo18
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: December/02/2006 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 5620 |
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What is your intended use? Price range? Any brands you are currently looking at?
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jlb021983
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/03/2011 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Hunting white tail. A friend of mine mentioned something about using a fixed scope for the reliability, but i know nothing about them. I am in the process of trying to find a scope for my remington model 700 7mm mag. price range is about $600.00.
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Dogger
Optics Jedi Master Joined: January/02/2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Online Points: 8903 |
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To add to helo's questions, would need to know your typical hunting scenario. Open bean fields, power lines, heavy bush, mixture of both. Will help you determine the best trade off on magnification.
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jjrgr21
Optics Journeyman Joined: January/10/2011 Status: Offline Points: 368 |
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budget?
like SWFA SS 6X-$300 (maybe less) or ACOG 4X-$1k neither are ideal for hunting. most seem to favor the FXIII 6X |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - December/03/2011 at 17:13 |
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Ones with target knobs or illumiantion; while there are others these should give you some idea what is out there. I do think the fixed power scopes are really tough and the 6x42 is as bright as it gets in low light and with a 42mm objective the higher the power over 6x the less the brightness in low light.
Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - December/03/2011 at 17:26 |
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jonoMT
Optics Master Extraordinaire Joined: November/13/2008 Location: Montana Status: Offline Points: 4853 |
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I'm only relaying what I read, so this is second-hand info: A review of the SS 6X on the 'Hide talked about the remarkable field of view. The only complaint was about size and weight. Before expanding my shooting requirements, I used to hunt quite well with a Leupy FX-II 4X out to 200-300 yards. It is a fairly light, compact scope and with the Alumina RainCote lens covers I added later made for a pretty maintenance-free scope. All I've ever done is clean the Aluminas. That scope sits on a target .22 now but was worth keeping.
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Reaction time is a factor...
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powderburn
Optics Journeyman Joined: April/09/2010 Status: Offline Points: 345 |
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For general hunting use on game the size of whitetails and larger there is nothing at all wrong with a good fixed power scope. Unless you are use to especially harsh conditions or you use especially hard kicking rifles then I doubt you will need the extra margin of reliability they offer over todays variables. Never the less I have used fixed power scopes for much of my hunting life and have never felt lacking as I rarely turn my variables past their lower settings when hunting whitetails. Unfortunately today many of the scope manufacturers have abandoned the fixed power so selection is somewhat limited. The aforementioned 4x and 6x leupolds are very popular. The weaver line is popular and if you can find a used 4.75x40 grandslam they are nice scopes as are the little K4 and K6 for their price. Nikon use to make a 4x buckmaster that was a decent scope and you can find them for around the $100 mark on the used market. I tend to hang onto my fixed power scopes as the choices are disappearing.
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jlb021983
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/03/2011 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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Thanks for all the input fellas.
My shooting houses are in a variety of terrain, from food plots to power lines and cut overs. Is the 6x42 fixed comparable to the 3x9x40. if i remember i rarely used 9 power on my old scope.
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Actually I am convinced that the 6x42 FX3 with long range duplex is far superior to similar 3-9 models until you get to ones with target knobs. For one thing it has less lenses inside and less moving parts so less to go wrong. The fixed 6x is never on the wrong power. Many a deer or elk has been missed because someone was on too high of a power to get onto the animal. A balistic reticle in a fixed power can not be out of adjustment what the lines represent always remains the same with the same ammo. For example if a guy has a gun like a .243 and he shoots two different loads on a 100 gr bullet and he zeroes the center at 200 next dot below is 300 next dot is 400 and where the line goes thin to thick is 500 then he buys a box of super fast very light bullets like a 58 gr horniday VMAX the lighter faster bullet may be zeroed at 200 and the next dot down bay be 350 or 400 but once you know what you are getting with a particular load you can make notes and tape them to the stock. It does take some time on the range but you can have a very effective system to accurately target game this way.
Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - December/03/2011 at 23:58 |
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Stevey Ducks
Optics Apprentice Joined: December/03/2011 Status: Offline Points: 266 |
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For many years I have preferred fixed power scopes. I just don't like to mess around with power changing rings and often like to use range estimating reticles or reticles with multiple aiming points and don't like to be concerned with changes or distances between features on the reticle that change with power changes - ie 1st focal plane vs 2nd focal plane is of no concern with a fixed power.
Upon using a fixed power scope many users quickly adjust to a scope that does not have a wide field of view, increase the distance beyond 100 yds and the wide field of view becomes less important. Increase the magnification and focus becomes more important. My fixed power scopes range in magnification from 6x to 16X. I find the 6X does not have enough magnification to spot .22 cal holes at 200 yds (for me, an old guy) and the 16X field of view is too small (even for me a long term fixed scope user). My favorite scopes are a new Weaver T10 (since discontinued) and 12X M8 & FXIII Leupolds. 10X and 12X are good enough for small varmints 600 yds and more. My selection criteria for a fixed power would be 8X minimum, 12X maximum, top quality lens coatings, and parallax or focus adjustment down to 50 yds. For years I toted around a fixed 10X often in really bad conditions but not like sport hunting whitetails in heavy brush. Other thoughts are that any added feature to any instrument increases the probablility of failure and I have had power change failures like stuck power change rings and pins and various power change parts rattling around inside the scope |
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jlb021983
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/03/2011 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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This has been really helpful info, so ideally i should be looking for a 6-8 power fixed with parallax adj. if i can?
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Stevey Ducks
Optics Apprentice Joined: December/03/2011 Status: Offline Points: 266 |
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Parallax adjust on a 6X is a marginal advantage unless used for bench rest shooting or something like that. These parallax adjust scopes commonly have very fine reticles that are not the best for hunting but great for placing shots one on top of another in bench rest comp.
Considerations are the field of view at a fixed range, say 100 yds. Some general values, give or take 2 feet or so, are: 4X - 30ft, 6X - 20ft, 8X - 15ft, 10X - 8ft, 12X - 6ft and so on. I don't know exactly but the stats are available before buying. A 12X fixed power scope would be a liability on a white tail hunt in brush. But would be great for shots at long range, greater than 300 yds. Short range use with the 12X would require refocusing. I do almost all of my deer hunting in open country either with an old 6X Burris Signature 6X40 or 12X Leupold 12X40 FXIII. If I had a relatively small compact 8X or 10X with parallax adjust and target adjustments I would use that. I like the extra magnification for use on the range, spotting bullet holes, and the occasional small target at extended ranges and would not feel at a real disadvantage should I have an opportunity to take a shot at a standing or slowly moving deer at 30 yds or so. That's the only kind I shoot at. |
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supertool73
Optics God Superstool Joined: January/03/2008 Status: Offline Points: 11814 |
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I think a fixed 6x is way to much magnification. I struggle using my fixed 4x scopes for hunting. What happens if you have a really close moving shot? It suddenly becomes much more difficult than having a scope with 2 or 3x on the bottom end. Sometimes all you get is a blur of hair, or a big brown spot. You will have more difficulty getting on the target as fast as with a low power.
I see no point in using a fixed power scope these days. I have a couple, but I much prefer to use a variable. I would be looking for a 3-9x or a 2-7x or a 1.5-6x. I just see no point in handicapping yourself with a fixed power. As that is all you are doing is limiting one factor of your setup. I had to choose a fixed scope with would be a 2.5x or a 1x. I use a 1x shotgun scope on my muzzle loader and I actually really like it. My Leupold 4x has cost me a couple shots on elk in the brush. |
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Dogger
Optics Jedi Master Joined: January/02/2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Online Points: 8903 |
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My hunting is heavy hardwoods. I use a 1.75-4X and I can't remember the last time I took it off 1.75. If the occasion rose however, the 4X would be handy shooting across beaver swamps or down a logging trail. Don't think 200yds would be much of an issue at 4X on deer.
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jlb021983
Optics GrassHopper Joined: December/03/2011 Status: Offline Points: 10 |
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that is a good point supertool73.
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EAGLE
Optics Journeyman Joined: August/08/2011 Status: Offline Points: 346 |
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As mentioned, Fixed are great for certain applications like stands, open country, bench, etc. If you stalk hunt and walk all over, you just don’t know where you might need to take a shot. I hunt woods where 25- 100 yds shots may be needed, brush 20-30 yds, pipelines 59-400yds, etc all in the same trip so a variable works best for me. I’m also a big fan of the 4200 3-9x40 with the HD Raingaurd coatings and the glass is not to bad (great for the $), for me, just the best all around good package deal (features) for a hunter. PS: The 3-9x40 is perfect for where I hunt, great magnification range and weighs a lot less which make a big difference on how tired I am at the end of the hunt (packing my equipment). Eagle Edited by EAGLE - December/04/2011 at 12:45 |
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