Variable vs fixed power scopes ?

Shrek

WKR
Joined
Jul 17, 2012
Messages
7,063
Location
Hilliard Florida
There was another thread here the other day and scope recommendations came up. The op stated that he had several fixed power scopes and was asking for some recommendations for different scopes. It got me thinking and I just can't find any good reasons for a fixed power scope these days. Modern mid to high end scopes rarely fail by fogging up due to bad seals and a variable power scope offers a lot more flexibility. Turn it down low for close quarters or near dark and then crank it up for long range work. A fixed power strands you in no man's land. Often marginal for many situations and no way to adjust. Maybe a fixie is a hair lighter and more compact but not tremendously so.
What's the attraction of a fixed power scope ? I just don't get it.
 
You're right that modern scopes are so good they rarely fail. Fewer lens elements generally produce a brighter scope, although again in modern scopes the differences aren't as pronounced as in years past.

That said- I'm just a big fan of fixed powers. Even on my single variable, it rarely ever leaves 6x for anything and I've shot critters at 80' and at 350yds with it without any real difficulty. It just never occurred to me to turn it up or down for either and the results would be the same either way- dead critter.

For a guy who hunts a lot of variable country the variable scope probably has more appeal, but I'm just typically hunting high mountain tundra and I like the uniform appearance of the animal in the crosshair... ie. once a critter appears too small- it's too far to shoot...sort of a poor man's range finder that's not possible with a variable. I'd disagree with "no man's land" since a 4 or 6x does fine well beyond the limits I'm comfortable shooting at and once an animal is so large it fills the scope he's likely at bayonet range- I don't hunt timber but I can see the appeal of a low power setting if you did.
 
I like my 4x. There are arguments for and against it, and the later probably outweigh the former. In the end, I like simple things, and fixed scopes have an ideological appeal.
 
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