Re: Best magnification for 1000 yard F-class
Like USSR, I run a 6-24X, and typically use magnifications at around 18X-20X for midday Summer-ish 1000yd shooting. Mirage tends to make the higher mags less attractive at the greater distances. But the higher mags become more useable at shorter distances, where mirage can often be less disruptive, so I do get to use the top-end mags quite a bit anyway. Nowadays, my shooting is mostly done at 200yd, and the 24X magnification makes a big difference. I had initially swapped out the 6-24X for a Weaver V-16 (4X-16X) based on the asssumption that more was not needed at that distance, and found that swapping back improved my overall performance after all.
The moral of this story, if there is one, is that current needs are often overshadowed by events, and adaptability is desirable, even if the need does not appear so great at the time one makes one's money decisions. Let your capacities be more flexible, rather than less so.
Greg