What magnification are we all using for deer and why?

[maximus otter]

Further to my response above, instead of a £50 custom metal zoom throw lever I use a cheap plastic fishing coaster. I fitted it to the Schmidt’s zoom ring so that it points straight up at 12 o’clock when the magnification is set to 6X.

It’s a simple visual check pre-stalk.

maximus otter

 

[NullMac]

Enough to frame the target and no more.

This. I like a bit of space around it so i can see the next likely target/watch the shot impact/see the reaction. No point looking down a bog roll tube at its shoulder. In practice that seems to be 5x in the woods (low as it can go) and 10x -12x up the hill. Only time it is high teens or 25x is to look at its heid just to make sure.

 

[hunta]

All my scopes are variable in the 3 - 12/4 - 16 range with 50/56mm objectives. Set on 8x when stalking and wind up or down if necessary.

 

[mat83]

don't use a scope on my catapult

 

[Tazz]

General woodland Fallow keep it on 6-8 power, longer range field out to 250+ wind it up to 18 (Z8)

 

[Jon P]

Meopta ZD Tactic 3-12 x50 on 8 most of the time, nice to have the choice of magnification if either very close or a bit further away and you want to check if it a cast buck or a doe .

 

[John Gryphon]

Variables all day and any day, nothing compares to foot stalking with a variable...to simply put it we have variable shot offerings is why.

 

[Heym SR20]

6x42

 

[roaring_stag]

Wound my ZEISS all the way to 25 this evening to pick off a buck on a restock site…. It’s always handy to have that extra detail in the higher zooms. That said, the scope isn’t usually cranked up beyond 12x mag.

RS

 

[ejg]

I have scopes ranging from 1-4x20 up to 3-27x56, several in-between. Our hunting terrain varies from dense cover to open hills with gorse patches. The rifle and scope should be able to handle a close 10yd shot just as well as a 400m deer in high grass. Weather on the west coast of Ireland is mostly wet, windy with dense clouds. Optics need to be good and higher magnification as well as parallax is a bonus. My favourite scopes on the lower end 3-12x50 FD Zenith and higher end the 5-25x56 PMII. Just about perfect for me are the 4-16x50 PMII and 3-20x50 Ultra short PMII, compared to say a 8x56 they are better in just about every respect. Had a few 8x56 and 6x42 but sold them.
Recon the average stalker would be well equipped with scopes in the 2-12, 2-15, 3-12 range.
edi

 

[stubear]

I leave my scopes on 10x so they’re the same as my binos

 

[viking90]

4x24 as they're the only 2 scopes I own at the minute. They come with they're own accessory kits with spare illumination bulbs and switch covers, rubber eye cup, amber clip on lense to reduce eye fatigue on bright days and a remote battery holder so you can keep the battery inside your jacket during extreme cold.
They also have telescoping sunshades built in, will use either LEDs or incandescent bulbs, will use either 2 LR44 batteries or 1 AA battery, quick release rifle mounts built in, BDC elevation turret, BDC and range finding reticle, one of them has a built in IR detector but that was for back in the day when it was in service.

 

[Marrajack1]

I have my scope set on 7x50. Use higher mag for zero etc. I have not shot anything here or abroad that my old 6-42 would not have managed. The dot on paper at 100 m just got a bit far away though

 

[hybridfiat]

8x56 S&B
Used a 3-9 Zeiss but it didn't have the light gathering or FOV when I needed it.
So it was back to a fixed power for me.

 

[redrbr]

Hi all

Just a curious question for you all. What scope magnification do you prefer?

Personally I use a sightron siii SFP in 6-24x50.

Most of my woodland shots are around 12x mag or less if there is a lack of light but in the park on fallow (all late morning) I’ll crank higher when taking shots out past 150yds+ most of which will need to be head/neck and for which I appreciate the extra zoom.

Shooting a fast flat 243 load so never have to give a great deal of thought to bullet drop and I’ll hold over for shots inside 300yds instead of dialling.

I used to use a Zeiss conquest 2-8x44, it was a fantastic scope but shoot far more (and further) with the sightron due to the added mag although I’ll admit I miss the light transmission of the zeiss!

S&B 8x56 on my .308; Swarovski Z4i 3-12x50 on my .223; and Leupold VX-5HD 3-15x56 on my 6.5 Creedmoor.
I don't really have a preference; they'll all great scopes. The variables tend to stay around 8x - 10x mag, I suppose.
There is one thing, though - they're all plex reticles with illuminated centre dots. The Z4i was my first illuminated scope and I found it really helpful - so much is that I switched a plain S&B 8x56 for my current one. I'd always go for illumination now.

 

[Taff]

Aim point on the 30-30, Leupold vx3 4.5-14x40 on the 270 usually on 8.

 

[Ranger22]

I use a 3-12x50 on my 270, it’s predominantly used on 12. On my foxing rifle it’s left on 6.5

 

[Limpo]

I get that - was shooting flintlock muzzle loaders saturday, real treat with iron sights and with the black powder pistols

Brings back memories, a very old mate of mine, long dead now was an old spitfire pilot who used to ride a douglas 1921 belt drive motorcycle. He was also into muzzleloaders, back in the early '80's we used to go pigeon decoying with the old ML takes some getting used to and is great for your follow through, pull trigger, hammer falls, pooof goes the powder by the flint then about three seconds later it goes off. When the smoke cleas you can look to see if you hit the pigeon.
Back on topic 4 to 16 x 50 nearly always set on about 8 find it has bad parallax at full mag. Only a cheap centrepoint scope but shoots as straight as my mates Zeiss.

 

[Bowland blades]

Shot most of my deer between 6x - 10x over the 16x is too great a magnification unless your looking to shoot muntjac at 300 yards but heck they will be tough to draw a bead on and calculate where the 'lil scallywag was going to be when the bullet arrived LOL
First thing i did when i left competitive shooting was sell all my Big mag scopes , you only need to know you are on the right area with your cross hair !
A 300 yard deer with a 10x is directly equal to a 30 yard deer with a very good open sight , 600 yards is a 60 yard deer with opens
If anything as range increases we should discount small kill zone shots and just wait for a broadside