How far does 12x get you?

[Lone Tree]

For hunting, I’m good to 300y but want to get deadly out to 450-500y. Do I need more magnification than 12?
What are your thoughts/experiences?

 

[PathFinder]

12x will get you out beyond 1k. It's more than enough for 450-500. 9x is plenty for that max range.

 

[Chase16]

Absolutely not. My shooting partner does quite a bit with his fixed 12 SWFA out to 1600. I shood on about 16 at those ranges just because my reticle is busier than his and need to distinguish the different stadia, but I agree with above you do not need a lot of magnification at all. Specifically hunting, I would be dialed out as far as I could be, I care a lot about seeing impacts.

 

[Q_Sertorius]

I’ve shot well at 500 with a 4x scope.


____________________
“Keep on keepin’ on…”

 

[AndrewMT34]

12x will take you 1000+ easy.

 

[TaperPin]

For hunting, I’m good to 300y but want to get deadly out to 450-500y. Do I need more magnification than 12?
What are your thoughts/experiences?

There’s a test floating around online of a gun writer that used a quite accurate 223 or 22-250 and used a few scopes and shot from 1.5x all the way up to 12x or 14x if I’m remembering right. As magnification went up groups shrank until 5x or 6x then essentially didn’t decrease more after that. However, any varmint or coyote hunter will say you have to be able to see them to hit ‘em and 6x isn’t enough for small targets. 6x is a great magnification for 95% of all big game shots out west I’ve ever seen out to 500 yards. Not everyone sees the same, and as we get older many don’t see in the shadows as well or the animal is behind something and it’s more important to have magnification available if needed.

The old 3x9 or 4x12 is plenty for big game, everything else is marketing. I hunt big game at 8x in the open, 4x in the timber, 12x for coyotes and 20x for small varmints.

One of the joys of being in wide places in the off season is shooting little targets way out there, so a top end of 18x, 20x, or 24x will get used when that one big prairie dog is waaaay out there taunting you, or your buddies have a bet who can hit a little rock at 800 yards. 12x runs out of steam well short of 500 yards for that use.

 

[wind gypsy]

3-9 is plenty for shots most of us should be taking but I certainly enjoy more mag for paper punching and steel shooting.

 

[atmat]

For hunting, I’m good to 300y but want to get deadly out to 450-500y. Do I need more magnification than 12?
What are your thoughts/experiences?

What are you hunting?

Big game, you’d be fine with a 4-6x at that distance.

Prairie dogs? You’re gonna need more than 4x

 

[doc holiday13]

12x will take you 1000+ easy.

12x will get you out beyond 1k. It's more than enough for 450-500. 9x is plenty for that max range.

This.. Generally when shooting NRL if you have a lot of wind at 800+ yards you'll need to stay dialed at 12 so you can spot your miss. The places I've shot NRL had targets smaller than elk at those distances

 

[pender1]

12x is roughly double what you need at that range.