Scope power setting ??

[HeavyAssault]

When going to the range to shoot/check your rifle's 100yd zero, what scope power setting do you use?? Do you set it to the minimum needed ?? Do you use full power to help settle on a pinpoint on the target ??

I realize as the target distance increases people will increase the power, I’m just asking about the 100yd target scope setting.
I just want to read how others are training themselves or what they hare learned about their equipment.

 

[DeathBeforeDismount]

Situation dictates. Do what works for you.

 

[beetroot]

For paper targets I'll use the max magnification possible.
Mirage or low light being the only real reasons to power down.

 

[Alabusa]

Max shooting paper at 100. 12 to 14 power out to a mile shooting steel. 10 power on critters to 800.

 

[Gunfighter14e2]

I normally use the lowest setting, but enlarge the target to the point where it would appear the same on the highest setting. All my scopes have a max of 10X as I've found they work best for me. The 2.5 or 3.5 setting mostly negates any parallax or light issues. I've been of the mind set for a long time if I can quarter the target with the ret I've more than enough to tag it. Less is more for me.

 

[HeavyAssault]

Sounds like I can go a little higher compared to using just 8x. What I was thinking was use a lower power to gain better control (train myself) when settling on the target. Meaning my shooting technique fundamentals : breathing, trigger control, shouldering weapon, body position, etc etc etc…all that “before the shot” stuff people do.
Since I’m mainly working on factory ammunition selection, it’s been a learning experience to try to get a .05 MIL center dot inside a .5 MIL box to hold on a 3/4” dot on a main target. It’s not easy for me. The .5 MIL box isn’t boxing the target dot either. Sometimes I can get some good repeated shots holding a tight group, then pull one/two due to poor fundamentals. Using 8x power makes it quite a challenge for me.
I’m not a 1 shot every 5 minutes range guy. I tend to try to use more “real world” of sorts : Start with loaded mags (3-4 rounds per mag), load mag into rifle, get set, fire weapon, again until that mag is empty, drop mag, load second mag, fire until done. Since my target down range has multiple targets I just grab the next box of ammunition, load the mags (3-5 round each, two mags) and do it all over again say 3 times (3 different brands/boxes of ammunition). Just more to see what happens with (insert brand/grain ammunition), what am I doing (fundamentals), what’s happening to the rifle. At one point at the end of my range day the bipod cam loose, I caught that before it fell off the front rail (rookie move LOL). I can see the barrel heat mirage in some strings of fire. For me mirage seems to add say 25-50% distortion to the view on the center of the reticle. I can still see the target dot, just very wavy and almost out of focus to my eyes.
Yesterday was a “non-typical” day for me as it was very overcast, cooler temps, high humidity, wet weather coming into the area. Given my lack of maintaining my fundamentals I was happy with the rifle and factory ammunition results. Nothing to brag about with 1.6” MOA average group, a Mean Radius average 0.5” MOA with 5-10 rounds in a group depending on the ammunition. I use the numbers from the app calculating the group sizing.
During this range visit I decided to start cataloging the cold bore shot on a smaller different target offset to the main target. I figured that would be easier for after-action-review recording.
Always learning, just got to do better. Wish I had access to 300-500 yards, it would be nice to see what I can do.

 

[GoingTheDistance]

For paper targets I'll use the max magnification possible.
Mirage or low light being the only real reasons to power down.

This ^

 

[Superjet]

Usually 15-20 depending on conditions. Also you may be surprised that you shoot better groups on a lower power (20x vs 35x).

 

[Nik H]

At 100 yards, I shoot at a red square that is 1"x1". I use 12-15X depending on available light. More magnification usually is detrimental to my groups.

 

[jthor]

I sight in at max power and shoot competitions at 15 power lol. Even with my hunting rifles I sight in at max power an in the mountains hunt/shoot at 12 power 99% of the time unless walking throught the timber.

 

[Savageman2506]

For my scopes (all 20x or under max magnification) I use max power. I'd imagine that if you go much higher than 25 power, it's difficult to be steady for good group shooting without either a heavy rifle or leadsled.

 

[Ikeman83]

Shoot prone, bipod/bag in the front, bag in the back. Use max power on your scope.

The reason most shooters are using the medium power band of their scopes when doing positional/field shooting is to be able to have enough field of view in the scope to spot their own shots in the scope. When shooting a zero on paper at 100 yds this is unnecessary, so maximum mag is appropriate.