Anyone running fixed power scopes?

USADPT

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Louisiana
Anyone here running fixed power scopes?…specifically western hunters

I have a S&B 8x56 in my safe just hanging out. Can’t figure out what to put it on. It’s fairly large and heavy, but super clear and incredible in low light.

I’m looking for a Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor for southern whitetail and western elk/muledeer/antelope. Thinking 20” with my 5” TBAC can. I have a very lightweight Vortex Razor 3-15x42 with G4 reticle I’ll likely run on it. Should I consider the heavy 8x56?

If not, what type setup would you run the 8x56 with? It’s a great optic, and I hate to not be using it for something.
 
SWFA 10x on a RARE 22 ARC, like it a lot. I think a fixed 8x would be a sweet spot for hunting. Thinking about picking up fixed SWFAs and swapping out some of my other rifles.
 
Old school 6x Leupold compacts on my Sako L579 243 and Remington 280 Mtn Rifle. Not nearly as useful as they were when I was younger. But, using the 243 on my antelope hunt in Nevada this year.
 
Running two Swfa 6x on a 223 and 22 creed. Fixed scopes just plain work. Not super exciting or anything worthy of salesmanship but still great
 
S&B 8X is a better scope than anything Vortex makes.
It is a fantastic scope!

If I were to lean that direction, should I be looking into a flatter shooting caliber than the 6.5 Creedmoor?

I’m not a fan of recoil, but a somewhat heavier rifle would be needed to feel balanced with the heavy glass, and that would help tame it…although it’d be heavier to pack, but more stable.

Not meaning to derail the thread with caliber recommendations, but that does coincide with single power scopes. I’m assuming most folks are using a flatter shooting caliber since they aren’t dialing.
 
I have some old 4x leupolds i have shot heaps of deer with, and a 6x meopta that I really like now...
I have come mostly full circle from being interested in dialing and 'all that', to back where I was, having fun hunting 30 years ago. I still like them all though! I have never really felt limited with a 6x in my use (which is certainly not as 'intense' as others probably).

Use what makes you happy - that is good glass that should find its way onto something!
 
Anyone here running fixed power scopes?…specifically western hunters

I have a S&B 8x56 in my safe just hanging out. Can’t figure out what to put it on. It’s fairly large and heavy, but super clear and incredible in low light.

I’m looking for a Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor for southern whitetail and western elk/muledeer/antelope. Thinking 20” with my 5” TBAC can. I have a very lightweight Vortex Razor 3-15x42 with G4 reticle I’ll likely run on it. Should I consider the heavy 8x56?

If not, what type setup would you run the 8x56 with? It’s a great optic, and I hate to not be using it for something.
I started hunting with a 4x on a 270, then another on a 308. I always felt they were a little limiting for open country use, so moved up to 6x on a custom 7 mag and my group of shooting friends used to get a laugh at how accurate and free of fliers it was. Most 200 yard 5 shot groups were 3/8 MOA, and when a pocket full of groups were stacked on each other it was still a 1/2 MOA gun until the barrel was shot out. A couple of my friends shot their person best groups with that 6x and I sold a handful of guys on that cartridge/scope combination.

Would more scope have made the rifle more accurate? Yes and no. I run a fixed 12x for coyotes, antelope, and off season plinking. I’m sure it would have squeezed a little more accuracy, but it honestly wouldn’t have made it a better big game rifle - 1/2 MOA is more than enough for any long range hunting. The limiting factor will always be wind drift and estimation error, not an additional 1/16 MOA.

This year I thought it would be fun to try to stretch my personal limit out to 600 yards and picked up a fixed Leupold 8x with an aftermarket elevation turret. If it is more accurate than 6x it’s because my eyes are not what they used to be. So far this looks like it will be my primary mule deer scope.

I like 8x so much I’ll be picking up a European scope like yours when they get back into the supply chain.

One of the shooting magazines did an accuracy test with an accurate varmint gun, shooting 10 shot groups every 1x and after 5x or 6x the groups didn’t shrink any, which parallels my experiences.

IMG_0736.jpeg
 
Anyone here running fixed power scopes?…specifically western hunters

I have a S&B 8x56 in my safe just hanging out. Can’t figure out what to put it on. It’s fairly large and heavy, but super clear and incredible in low light.

I’m looking for a Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor for southern whitetail and western elk/muledeer/antelope. Thinking 20” with my 5” TBAC can. I have a very lightweight Vortex Razor 3-15x42 with G4 reticle I’ll likely run on it. Should I consider the heavy 8x56?

If not, what type setup would you run the 8x56 with? It’s a great optic, and I hate to not be using it for something.

Sounds like a great scope for hunting. If I had that scope, it would probably be on my favorite rifle.

I hunted with a 2.5-8x-40 for years, which always stayed on 8x. It was good for whitetails from 25-350 yards.

I still use a 6x SWFA on my Tikka .223 and 6.5 CM.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”
 
I have 2 fixed power Leupold with duplex reticles. Ones a 6 and ones an 8. One has a thick crosshair and the other is finer. Both work fine out west but hold overs aren’t their strong point. I wouldn’t buy them again today but I’m also not itching to replace. I wouldn’t buy have no drama with a fixed 6 SWFA
 
It is a fantastic scope!

If I were to lean that direction, should I be looking into a flatter shooting caliber than the 6.5 Creedmoor?

I’m not a fan of recoil, but a somewhat heavier rifle would be needed to feel balanced with the heavy glass, and that would help tame it…although it’d be heavier to pack, but more stable.

Not meaning to derail the thread with caliber recommendations, but that does coincide with single power scopes. I’m assuming most folks are using a flatter shooting caliber since they aren’t dialing.
I recently sent an 8x56 klassik in to S&B to have the BDC turret put on it, cost $275. Only downside is you only get 3.2 mils of travel, but really not a concern for me with that scope.
 
It is a fantastic scope!

If I were to lean that direction, should I be looking into a flatter shooting caliber than the 6.5 Creedmoor?

I’m not a fan of recoil, but a somewhat heavier rifle would be needed to feel balanced with the heavy glass, and that would help tame it…although it’d be heavier to pack, but more stable.

Not meaning to derail the thread with caliber recommendations, but that does coincide with single power scopes. I’m assuming most folks are using a flatter shooting caliber since they aren’t dialing.
What’s your expected engagement distance? 6.5 creed is easy, plentiful and in stock form. 6 creed or 22 creed are great - but not readily available in a tikka without the extra steps.

For southern white tail I’m using a 223. Out west I’m using a 22 creed.
 
No measurements - 6.5 CM is going to need some dialing at longer ranges. Run the numbers for your altitude and temp using 100-120 FPS less than the box velocity on your ammo and see what your MPBR looks like.
 
I recently sent an 8x56 klassik in to S&B to have the BDC turret put on it, cost $275. Only downside is you only get 3.2 mils of travel, but really not a concern for me with that scope.
I have considered that, and may go that route if I can pick a go-to rifle for it to live on.

$275 isn’t bad at all.

The bsc works well? Dialing is accurate?
 
Y
Anyone here running fixed power scopes?…specifically western hunters

I have a S&B 8x56 in my safe just hanging out. Can’t figure out what to put it on. It’s fairly large and heavy, but super clear and incredible in low light.

I’m looking for a Tikka 6.5 Creedmoor for southern whitetail and western elk/muledeer/antelope. Thinking 20” with my 5” TBAC can. I have a very lightweight Vortex Razor 3-15x42 with G4 reticle I’ll likely run on it. Should I consider the heavy 8x56?

If not, what type setup would you run the 8x56 with? It’s a great optic, and I hate to not be using it for something.
You should always get rid of a Vortex scope. Doesn't matter why.
 
I have considered that, and may go that route if I can pick a go-to rifle for it to live on.

$275 isn’t bad at all.

The bsc works well? Dialing is accurate?
The dialing has been accurate in my experience but I haven't tested it on a tall target test or anything like that. With 3.2 mils it'd be more like a small target test anyways. I have the A7 reticle as well. I asked S&B for the cost of swapping it to the p3 reticle and was quoted $700 :oops:
 
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