Zoom scopes....are we being sold a kipper?

[Muskett]

Just shot my modest air rifle collection with their various scopes.
At 25m, on a white card I try to hit the last pellet hole.

The 4x40 Optima on a 127 FWB Sport clusters on and around the mark.
The 6x40 Tasco on a tuned HW95 clusters tight on and in the mark.
The 3-9x45 Moonlighter on a 124 FWB Sport does the same.
The 3-9x40 Tasco on an Original 45 does the same.
The 4-12x40 AO B&L on both a Park 91 and 93 do one enlarged hole.
The 6-24x40 AO B&L on a Venom HW77 does a smal hole.
The last two Park and Venom are able to do one .177 hole, just; so its the refinement of massive magnification that can get that much precision. On rifle combinations that can't do one calibre hole then massive magnification won't fix that.

Unless I throw one.

What high mag variable can give is a tighter group if the rifle is able and the marksmanship and firing set up does its part. Shows the full potential to the combination, but also the limitations of the combo. Very High mag requires a stable platform, gives less FOV, and shows up every wobble to the point that over compensating the wobble adds to the wobble. So much sight picture movement and "lust" for precision generally means that the shot takes far longer to release. Letting your body relax fully takes an age anyhow. In the field thats not much use as at normal ranges all thats required is a solid central hit done fairly swiftly. Swiftly, not fast, as one well aimed and executed shot can't be rushed.

Anyhow, the truth is its all to do with what your intension is. High mag can only be utilised from a solid platform, without that its more of a hinderance. Choose a scope to suit the application and match the rifle, and the KISS the better.

[flyingfish]

I have moved to fixed power 10x on 2 of my rifles. Found that I kept my adjustable power scopes around that anyway

Pete

[Craig-P]

Biggest selling scope spec of all time, for all purposes and all calibers, is the humble 3-9x40. And it has been since the late sixties.
That said, you wouldn't get very far with one on a modern FT course, regardless of glass quality.

[rhyslightnin]

Now I love my 4x & 6x meopta's they serve the rifles they are mounted on beautifully, Ballance, weight, eye alignment & reticle perfect for there uses. The 6 is on my theoben evo, great all-round scope for 10-75yrds lots of fun no frills no over complex thought process just point & squeeze. The 4 is on my r10, again similar strategy here but shorter ranges... It's ideal for 5-30 yards (around the farm), nice simple 4a Ret easy acquisition, great fov & clarity & surprisingly accurate as it has a very fine cross hair in between quite heavy no4 posts.
Now., I was totally sold on the fixed mag and I still kinda am but I took my huntsman out the other day (open fields) and I stalked onto 3 rabbit at different spacings & distances.. 25, 28, 38 yards. I had good cover & plenty of time to sit, range, select magnification and do a "shot plan"! Because of the way they were facing I took the 28 & then 25 first on 7mag (my STD go to setting on this scope) & then up to 12mag with a bit of hold over for the 38yarder. (My scope being 2nd focal means the hash markers are true at 12x and I can clearly see the rabbits head & target area). It all came together beautifully with 3 wabbits in the bag with 3 shots in maybe 4mins of faffing & 1-2mins of shooting.On this same day I had a squirrel park itself on a fence post 10yrd away.. first thing I did was wind the mag down to 4x and raised the rifle.., pfft! & He was down. Now I'd calculated all of those shots (apart from the squirrel which I took using my go to farm gun mag of 4x) & decided on the plan which I think the zoom scope played an integral part of as I'm not sure I'd have been so confident in perfect shot placement with a fixed 6.
So my conclusion to it is you don't need mega mag or a zoom scope but sometimes it can really pay off if you know what your doing with it. The problem I've experienced with zoom is fiddling too much, but if given the right circumstances I think it can really help, it takes just a bit of learning and being honest about where the best mag spots are, mine being 4,7&12
Atb
Rhys

[clarky]

Im gonna sound a touch nuts to a few on here but best hunting scope i ever used was a simple 2.75 x 40 Tasco with a simple duel x....bit of an unusual mag i know.
It produced masses of light and clarity missing on many scopes which zoom above 6X and limted the shake in sight picture to a minimum.....wonderful field of view too.
Ive tried many higher mag models since but never really done much better...
....maybe being fitted to a Venom 77 at that time helped me remember it with rose tinted specs but give a low fixed scope a try one time

[angrybear]

Like most shooting related questions the answer depends on how/what you use it for, in the field variable mag allows you to scan a field for movement on lowish mag then zero in on a potential target for a shot at higher mag.

If you shoot fixed range at a static paper/tin target then you may as well have fixed mag.

[Shed tuner]

3-9x40 perfect for me.

Leave it at 9x 95% of the time, wind it back to 3x for close up squizers/rats. KISS.

On target guns, fixed 10x is hard to beat (obviously not FT).

I do have a fixed 6x on my sirocco, and that's great, but I'd not push it past 35 yards; to be fair, that's generally far enough for 12 FP "field" gun anyways.

[Norfolkngood]

My favourite scope is an old Tasco AG 2-7X32 probably dating from the 1970s. For most hunting situations you don't need more. Lovely piece of glass with a larger than normal eyepiece, definitely a keeper.

[32:1]

My favourite scope is an old Tasco AG 2-7X32 probably dating from the 1970s. For most hunting situations you don't need more. Lovely piece of glass with a larger than normal eyepiece, definitely a keeper.

I have an old varmint at 2.5mag is my perfect ratting/barn tool, that sits on my .22 rapid set at 9ftlb, its taken countless rats over the years

[32:1]

Like most shooting related questions the answer depends on how/what you use it for, in the field variable mag allows you to scan a field for movement on lowish mag then zero in on a potential target for a shot at higher mag.

If you shoot fixed range at a static paper/tin target then you may as well have fixed mag.

Funny old game this I agree as I find the exact opposite, hunting is fixed for me and no more than 6mag duplex, benefits for me is the excellent FOV and quick target acquisition and I can almost rangefind through scope as Im familiar with target size in view and the thin/thick ret lines framing object and no faffing about focussing. Shooting paper and pellet testing I do find I use my variable mag as I can see group at say 50yds

Chris

[PhatMan]

Harvey_s,

I usually buy fixed mag. scopes - as they are less complex (fewer lenses, fewer moving parts), you get (or should !!) a better built scope for a given price. compared to a 'zoom' scope.

I have mainly used 4x, 6x, 10x, & 20x fixed powers (4x for hunting (mostly rabbits), 6x (mostly pigeons), and 10x for HFT, 20x for F Class full-bore target rifle).

I have used one (1) variable power scope extensively, and that was the Simmons Whitetail Classic 1.5 --> 5 x20.

For me, this is a superb scope, and was the scope I most used for hunting - it was however, used almost exclusively at 3x.

So, for me, fixed power scopes are where its at

Have fun & a good Sunday

Best regards

Russ

[jumbuck]

Everyone have their own ideas and preferences. I personally only do vermin and occasional powder session at Bisley.
For Air rifle I like 3-9X50AO for LR 4-12x50AO and 4-16x50SF for CF and happy with Dup-Plex or simple mildot but my preference doesn't reflect reality
My air rifles range from 3-9x40AO to 4-16x42SF on the R7 FAC and powder 4.5-14x50AO up!!!!!!!
My excuse is and no disrespect for those who do, as I said personal preference but personally am not keen on Chinese glass. My glass is older Japanese, Korean and Philippines hence mishaps mash

[Shed tuner]

Im gonna sound a touch nuts to a few on here but best hunting scope i ever used was a simple 2.75 x 40 Tasco with a simple duel x....bit of an unusual mag i know.

I have one of these - it is a very good scope, albeit a bit low mag for me for anything other than ratting...

[clarky]

I have one of these - it is a very good scope, albeit a bit low mag for me for anything other than ratting...

gotta disagree bud...it actually appears barely different between it and a 4x which ive used many times out to 35yds but its field of view and brightness easily edges the 4x ...
Ive taken all sorts with it and a whole raft of ranges.....wonderfully bright and steady on aim .....
Simply couldnt get on with anything 6x in the field.....too much reduced field of view and prefer the brightness of the lower mag...

[Gunfun]

I find if you can use a variable mag scope at multiple magnifications it can make a rifle and scope combo truly multipurpose.
This way you can go from close range hunting/plinking at x2.5 mag, to medium range supported/unsupported shots at x5-10 mag, and on to long range bench rested/bipod target/static hunting shooting at x15 or 20 mag, all with the same combo.