Too many scopes!!

[Muskett]

Bushnell Legend Ultra HD 4.5-14 x 44 which I have in milldot but would like as much if not prefer in a plex. Leupold rings. Its on a featherweight .223 and adds little weight. I have my drop for out to 300m which is a far as I'm likely to shoot this combination. It takes the WDV800 and with top ir can do the 250m required at x14; I just don't need further at night. FOV is on the narrow side. Its a stalking combo featherweight.
This scope would work well on a .17HMR for practical ranges' 120m. Though my .17HMR I have set up for day use with a Zeiss HD5 3-15x42 and locking low profile target turrets so I can take this round to its maximum effective range 200m; has to be a still day though. SFP old fashioned click adjust once beyond point blank practical range.
I use .22LR subsonics for rabbits at night and have a Sidewinder for that on my Sig 522 Rabbit Harvester. Its really a vehicle lamping/NV combo. (Must put together a lighter combo for rabbit stalking, but rabbits weigh a ton in numbers. Where I am big bags are the norm.)

On the Zeiss Conquest HD5's I found the smaller 5 3-15x42 better optically balanced than the larger 5-25x50. These are 1" tubed scopes and medium compact in scale. Generally in 1" tubed scopes trying for the higher magnification without going long seems to be optically more challenged. If you want high mag 25 plus in a medium length package then go at least with a 30mm tube. I have one x25 mag scope with 1" tube that does it to perfection but its nearly two foot long!

The trend for high mag and FFP is the new approach for long range shooting. That with graph type reticules to read wind and drop compensations. However, for point black shooting then a SFP plex with either target turrets or a couple of drop points can be fast, can deliver, and there is no issue when using the lower magnification for the wider FOV.

Again its all about what you are trying to achieve and what is demanded from the scope. For UK deer then its all about the glass, dusk/dawn. For Fox then NV is possible. For everything else then what works and suits.

I've had plenty of WTC over the years. They are showing their age. Glass has moved on and few older scopes can't compete with the newer stuff coming forward. Design and optical know how is required to make a good scope. There are quite a few designs struggling with what is being demanded of them. Especially true of high mag being demanded, and the need for short range parallax.
A lot of competition and each year someone does a better mousetrap, but a whole lot is good but not great. Failure rates seems to be expected and built into the business plan. But then the market and the market's pockets keep growing.

The real questions are: "How far am I carrying the combo?" "How tiny is the target?" "Day, dusk, or NV?" "FFP or SFP?" Lastly: "Ranges required to reach, point blank or extended dropping like a rock?"