Fixed power scopes...SWFA ATHLON etc. 10x vs 12x

[Southernfried]

I searched, but I just saw where Athlon has a 10x fixed and with the new SWFA 10x and 12x have just came out, besides "2" what is the difference between a 10x fix and a 12x fix? I looked at the specs and could not really see (no pun intended) an advantage of one over the other ? Besides the SWFA 10x having a little more eye relief than the 12x? Now I can see the attraction of a fixed 6x or 8x, but what is the advantage either way between a 10x and 12x. Excuse my ignorance and thanks in advance.

 

[TaperPin]

Before variables took over way back in the 70’s, 12x on a 22-250 was a very popular choice for varmint guns - you could shoot prairie dogs on the flats mid morning, drive up the mountain smoke a few rock chucks, and hit a few coyotes coming down the mountain in the evening. A great combination and I still use 12x on my 22 creed and 22-250. Not many big game hunters would starve with a 12x, but without practice and a well fitting rifle many are frustrated searching in the scope. If there’s little chance of close shots, like antelope hunting, I wouldn’t hesitate to use 12x.

The 10x had a great reputation with the military because it worked at mid to long range, back when it was rarely seen on big game rifles. It was somewhat stuck in the middle - not enough magnification for varmints and too much for general purpose big game. As distances have stretched out thanks to range finders it makes more sense today than ever on an open country gun. Before the Ukraine war and resulting scope shortages, a growing number of mountain rifles have been using 10x because it’s lighter than any of the modern variables and with fewer moving parts is quite reliable. It might be a coincidence, but I keep seeing sheep and mule deer rifles with them.

I’m shooting an 8x on rifles to 600 yards, and I don’t find it much different from a 6x or 10x accuracy wise on big targets.

Somewhere there’s an accuracy comparison of different magnifications and above 6x there was essentially no difference if the target was large enough to see.

I’m a fan of one of each magnification

 

[Bert01]

Field of view is the first thing that comes to mind. It may not be enough to worry about between the 10x and 12x though.

 

[Southernfried]

Field of view is the first thing that comes to mind. It may not be enough to worry about between the 10x and 12x though.

Thanks guys, yea the swfa 10x fov is 11.8 ft at 100, the 12x fov is 9.6 the Athlon 10x fov at 100 is 11.5 ft., the Athlon and SWFA 10x have remarkably similar specs from their web pages. Thanks again and Taper that makes sense.