SWFA 6x42 vs 10x42

[Mtaylor]

Hey guys, my son got his first deer last year with my .243! Since then we have been shooting the savage .22lr practicing running the bolt and acquiring targets ect. Wanted to get him a scope so he can start dialing and practicing with that kind of system. I would like an in expensive scope so the SWFA fits that bill, I have been looking at the 6x, 10x, and the variable 3-9. I really like the price of the fixed powers, would I be leaving anything on the table if I went with the fixed 6x? We’re not hunting long range but it would be fun for him to hit stuff 300-800 yards away.
If you guys were going to go with either of those 3 scopes for your kid on a 22 and then switching it to .223 or .243 what would you recommend?

 

[ResearchinStuff]

Swfa 6x is a fantastic kids scope if you can find one.

 

[JFK]

6x. The 3-9 would work as well.

 

[TaperPin]

Hey guys, my son got his first deer last year with my .243! Since then we have been shooting the savage .22lr practicing running the bolt and acquiring targets ect. Wanted to get him a scope so he can start dialing and practicing with that kind of system. I would like an in expensive scope so the SWFA fits that bill, I have been looking at the 6x, 10x, and the variable 3-9. I really like the price of the fixed powers, would I be leaving anything on the table if I went with the fixed 6x? We’re not hunting long range but it would be fun for him to hit stuff 300-800 yards away.
If you guys were going to go with either of those 3 scopes for your kid on a 22 and then switching it to .223 or .243 what would you recommend?

A new hunter in the family will need his own hunting rifle later this year and I’m also deciding between 6x and 10x - will probably go with 10x.

The 10x is a much better scope for an accurate .22 beyond 50 yards because many targets are quite small, and for a training big game rifle, especially beyond 500 yards. 6x has piled up game to 500 yards and would be fine for close range 22 use - it would get my vote as a pure dedicated big game hunting scope, but that’s less than 5% of what most rifles get used for. Growing up, a “proper” coyote gun or accurate 22 wore a fixed 12x and getting used to it taught the importance of watching the target as the rifle is brought up as much in alignment as possible to prevent having to search. To this day 12x is my favorite plinking scope, but 10x would also be good.

As purely a big game scope I don’t think anyone in the history of hunting has ever starved to death with a 10x. When a nephew was questioning if 12x could even see anything other than a patch of elk hair in the timber up close, there’s a collection of wine barrels in the yard about 20 yards away - pulling the rifle up quick I asked how easily he could sort out which was the middle one and figure out where to shoot - not ideal, but pretty easy unless the barrels started running.

The nice thing is you can’t go wrong either way.

 

[Mtaylor]

Ya I’m probably over thinking it!

 

[sndmn11]

The 10x reticle is different than the other two.

 

[Mike Islander]

I have several of each. 10X is not great in sun-backed low light. 6X is a fantastic everything scope, as is the 3x9. But all three are great in decent light.

 

[xsn10s]

I have two 10X, one 6X, and sold off one 12X. Personally I get a 3-9 or a 6X in that order. 10X's are okay but low light and glare is not great.

 

[doc holiday13]

3-9x would probably be best. Fixed 10x is a little hard to start off with especially on the close shots. 6x would work at 800 but targets might get a little small at that range

If these were x56mm or x50 then the 10x might be a choice option over the 6x

 

[Thinkingman]

You're giving up way too much field of view with the 10X.
No way I would have a hunting scope with a fixed 10.
I would definitely go with the 3-9 and always make sure he'd on low power in the field.
Animals appear out of nowhere and quick acquisition is pretty important.

 

[ElPollo]

The 6x SWFA is my most used scope. I’ve shot deer with it in low light conditions at less than 30 yards and have banged steel out past 600. It’s not sexy, but works all the time, pretty much regardless of what I do to it. Best $300 I even spent on gun stuff. I would also have no concerns using a 10x as my primary western scope or for stand hunting.