One of the considerations that you are going to want to make when choosing a scope for your rifle is the magnification range of the scope. A scope that is in the 3 to 9 magnification range for a gun intended for whitetail deer is definitely pretty standard. In the western states when it comes to antelope or mule deer, you may want to go for a 4 to 12 range or a 4.5 to 14 range, and these are not too much. This is especially true when your average spot as so many times as long as it would generally be when hunting in the eastern woods for whitetail.
On the plains or when you are hunting in the open country, you can go with a scope that offers higher power. You will often be able to see all the way around you, with very little chance of something sneaking up an surprising you. Some animals do have occasion to sneak up anyway, however. You may have to shoot from one hilltop to another or from one mountain to another in some cases as well.
When you are shooting prairie dogs or shooting over a long distance for target shooting, you may find that you do not get much power out of a 6 to 20X or an 8 to 25X variable scope. You should be keeping in mind that on hotter days, heat waves and mirage can render a high power scope nearly impossible to use.
Some people do prefer to use fixed power scopes, primarily because of their simplicity and the fact that they have fewer necessary moving parts. On certain rifles, people are happy using nothing more than simply a fixed 4X scope. Squirrel rifles as well as many 22 files tend to be well equipped using this level of magnification. There are also some target shooters that utilize fixed power scopes with a high level of magnification such as 24 power, 36 power or 40 power.
The most common magnified scope for a handgun is a 2X scope. The higher the level of magnification that you have, the harder it is going to be for you to find your target and sight picture, and the closer and more critical your eye relief is going to become. When you shoot a handgun using a scope, you will find that the process requires a great deal of practice, especially when you are dealing with anything that is above 2X. Stronger or more powerful variable scopes are typically only best for experienced shooters and they are used near exclusively from a resting position.
Muzzle loaders and shotgun scopes often have lower powered scopes to handle hunting of deer on the short range with slugs as well as for hunting for turkey. A 2X fixed scope is typically standard here, but there is also a trend for variable power scopes in the 2 to 7 range and the 3 to 9 range as well.
Photo Credits: AMagill
Originally posted 2009-10-12 03:25:08. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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