Using a fixed power scope for hunting? SWFA

[Formidilosus]

I’ve read through the above comments several times and still not sure what we’re getting at. When you get behind a scope, I thought eye relief was the factor to scope usability


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No.


Think of a 3”x3” box behind the scope. Anywhere in that box that your eye is, you can see a full picture. Now, imagine a scope with a 1”x1” box. Which one is “easier” to use?

 

[TimberHunter]

No.


Think of a 3”x3” box behind the scope. Anywhere in that box that your eye is, you can see a full picture. Now, imagine a scope with a 1”x1” box. Which one is “easier” to use?

Thanks that makes sense! Is there a general rule of thumb for hunting for what expire you want? Are manufactures numbers accurate?


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[Formidilosus]

Thanks that makes sense! Is there a general rule of thumb for hunting for what expire you want? Are manufactures numbers accurate?

Guessing you mean eye relief? If so, no, not really. Anything more than 3” is fine for me. Sometimes less than that is ok. Eyebox/ease of use behind the scope is scope design dependent for the most part.

 

[Kimber7man]

I’ve only ever used variable power scopes like 3-9, 4-12,4-16. Very rarely have I ever turned down the dial from the max magnification because second focal plan scopes BDC only work at full magnification. My typical shots have been around 300-500 yards. Hopping to extend that range further with a long range hunting setup

I’m potentially doing a long range hunting setup with a browning max long range or Christensen arms Mesa long range and when researching rokslide for scopes there seemed to be a lot of push for a SWFA scope, especially their fixed power scopes.


Who out there hunts with a fixed 10x, 12x scope? Any regrets for not getting a variable?

Scope I’m looking at is: https://www.swfa.com/swfa-ss-12x42-tactical-30mm-riflescope-3.html?___SID=U



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My rifle wears a S&B 10x42 fixed power scope. with a P3 mildot reticle. Works great I had no problem dialing up 3.1 mils and hitting a 8” rock at 720 yards on first shot.

 

[ediggity]

Great topic and responses. I’m shopping for a scope for my new Tikka T3X Laminated Stainless in 6.5 creedmoor. I’ll be using it to hunt and would like to take shots in the 200-400 yard range. I had settled on a Leupold VX-R 3-9x40... then after more research on a Leupold with CDS which from what I understand Leupold will match the scope to your ammo resulting in exceptional tracking.... I’ve read some people say they don’t have to adjust between 100 and 600 yard shots.

I don’t mean to hijack, but I though it was relevant And after reading this thread I’m reconsidering the need for a magnified scope at all. I never expected a decision like this to require so many hours and days of research!

So if a scope can track properly between 100 and 500 yards, without adjustment, then why is adjustment even needed??? Wouldn’t a fixed magnification be the answer here???

Ot maybe I’m misunderstanding this whole topic.

 

[TimberHunter]

Great topic and responses. I’m shopping for a scope for my new Tikka T3X Laminated Stainless in 6.5 creedmoor. I’ll be using it to hunt and would like to take shots in the 200-400 yard range. I had settled on a Leupold VX-R 3-9x40... then after more research on a Leupold with CDS which from what I understand Leupold will match the scope to your ammo resulting in exceptional tracking.... I’ve read some people say they don’t have to adjust between 100 and 600 yard shots.

I don’t mean to hijack, but I though it was relevant And after reading this thread I’m reconsidering the need for a magnified scope at all. I never expected a decision like this to require so many hours and days of research!

So if a scope can track properly between 100 and 500 yards, without adjustment, then why is adjustment even needed??? Wouldn’t a fixed magnification be the answer here???

Ot maybe I’m misunderstanding this whole topic.

I’m not fully following you there... but if someone said they don’t need to adjust for shots between 100 and 600 they are either using a hold over BDC reticle in the scope or they are lying. Even the fastest of rifles will fall at least 60” at 600 yards with a 200 yard zero. Kind of like saying I use one stationary pin for archery from 20-80 yards....

While the SWFA scopes get great reviews and are built like tanks and the turret/scope tracks correctly, I elected to go with a 3-15x42 ZEISS HD5 because I believe it fits all my needs and is not overly large or heavy. But a SWFA may work for you.


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[ediggity]

Gotcha... I‘m learning here and misunderstood. The Leupold scope with CDS is adjusted quickly, supposedly without having to do any math or use charts. That’s what I misunderstood.... I thought they were saying it made the adjustment automatically somehow. My bad... but that you for the response.

 

[TimberHunter]

Gotcha... I‘m learning here and misunderstood. The Leupold scope with CDS is adjusted quickly, supposedly without having to do any math or use charts. That’s what I misunderstood.... I thought they were saying it made the adjustment automatically somehow. My bad... but that you for the response.

No problem, not need to apologize. Everyone is always learning. If you get one of the upper tier Leupold and give Leupold good ballistics data and you stick with one bullet and one velocity it is a good system! I bought a cheaper Leupold and not sure it tracks 100%


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[wind gypsy]

I still appreciate lower bottom end for most hunting situations and prefer the 3-9 SWFA. A couple recent examples I can think of with a bull elk a little over 200 yards and a dall sheep around 300 yards I turned the power down from 8-10x to around 5x so I could see others animals in the peripheral and make sure I was on the right one as everything was moving around.

 

[amassi]

I walk around on 6x shot my last 8-10 big game animals on 6x. Thinking if I ever go truly lightweight a fixed 6x would be just gravy

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[Dobermann]

Haha sorry! To me it’s obvious, get behind that 2.5-20x50 and move your head around. Then do the same with a 3-9x50. Yeah, we should all have perfect cheek welds. But when you are lifting your rifle to your shoulder for a shot on a running hog or coyote or deer at close range, it definitely matters and helps to have a bigger exit pupil. I also find it helps me guide myself to a perfect sight picture must faster when shooting from awkward shooting positions. Youre much more likely to have an adequate sight picture immediately than with a scope that has a 7.1 mm exit pupil at minimum mag. It’s like throwing up a scope with the magnification turned up. Just my experience and why I’ve moved on from 6x+ erectors for hunting. I know a lot of people love them, and I wish I did because the allure of the mag range is great.

Edit: And a note, March doesn’t publish eye pupil specs with their 10x erectors and they are noted for having finicky eye boxes...wonder why?

Apologies for the slight threadromancy, but just wanted to keep this discussion together ... @ChrisAU: what ratio have you settled on, and why?

I was interested in Frank's podcast with Jeff Huber a few months back, where Jeff spoke about the compromises that are made when moving to 8x ratios. He didn't directly reference the new NXS line in this discussion, and I know a little of his history with Nightforce, but I got the impression that he was raising this to not 'sledge' NF, but as a genuine assessment of the issues.

I'm not sure if exit pupil was a part of this (from memory, it was more about internals), but it's interesting to see that ZCO have gone with 5x.

Do you have a link to your Hide thread with Ilya?

@Formidilosus: I'm also interested to hear where you got to on this rabbit hole ...

 

[Formidilosus]

@Formidilosus: I'm also interested to hear where you got to on this rabbit hole ...

In general I am not a fan of high zoom ratios. Everything becomes more critical, and more failures tend to happen. A solid 4-16x with huge eyebox and good FOV would suit me for everything.

 

[Dobermann]

In general I am not a fan of high zoom ratios. Everything becomes more critical, and more failures tend to happen. A solid 4-16x with huge eyebox and good FOV would suit me for everything.

Anything that currently fits that definition for you (with reliability being a given requirement, denoted by your 'solid')?

I'm guessing the ATACR in F1, possibly the SHV F1, and the LRHS/LRTS with the recent caveats you've offered?

 

[Formidilosus]

Anything that currently fits that definition for you (with reliability being a given requirement, denoted by your 'solid')?

I'm guessing the ATACR in F1, possibly the SHV F1, and the LRHS/LRTS with the recent caveats you've offered?

There is no scope that is “the” answer to me. The 4-16x42mm ATACR is the closest, but is hampered by not having a true hunting mil based reticle, and it is heavier than needed. I would also be happy with the 4-14x F1 SHV if it has a good reticle. The LRTS line suffers a bit from FOV, and reticle again, but is close as well. S&B are probably closest with some of their actual scope designs, but again- reticle.

A simple 3-12, 4-12, 4-16, 3-15x, etc, 30mm, THLR reticle or similar, huge eyebox, good FOV, locking elevation (or simple ZS), capped windage, and 20-24’ish ounces. No bells and whistles, no super shorts, no complicated turrets- just simple.

 

[ChrisAU]

Apologies for the slight threadromancy, but just wanted to keep this discussion together ... @ChrisAU: what ratio have you settled on, and why?

I was interested in Frank's podcast with Jeff Huber a few months back, where Jeff spoke about the compromises that are made when moving to 8x ratios. He didn't directly reference the new NXS line in this discussion, and I know a little of his history with Nightforce, but I got the impression that he was raising this to not 'sledge' NF, but as a genuine assessment of the issues.

I'm not sure if exit pupil was a part of this (from memory, it was more about internals), but it's interesting to see that ZCO have gone with 5x.

Do you have a link to your Hide thread with Ilya?

@Formidilosus: I'm also interested to hear where you got to on this rabbit hole ...

4x or 5x. I won’t touch a 6x+ for hunting.

 

[Mike Islander]

I always hunted squirrels at 4x, but this year switched to 6X on everything (big and small game rifles). Love it so far.