Rifle Scopes Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

[Balzac72]

Solve one of the debates a friend and I have been having. We've been arguing about what is a smart power range on your optic for engagements up to 400 yards. With my eyes, I always like higher magnification, he thinks 10x is sufficient for any job.

I just threw a 3.5-15x50 Nightforce on a 16" barreled recon AR15 build and he says it's overscoped and unecessary. But when I get my next rifle, I'll probably take it off and use the NF on the bolt gun.

What do you guys think?

 

[rijndael]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

What are you doing? Trying to shoot tiny groups? Hunting?

If you're shooting small groups, I prefer more magnification. 15X would be just fine with me.

For hunting, a 3-9x would be about perfect.

 

[Triggerhappy]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

I would have to agree. I use both a10x and 16x shooting steel @ 500 yds the 16x is great but the field of view suffers a bit. The 10x is the least that i would go with.

 

[Dogtown]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

Yeah, I'd say a 3.5-15x would be too much magnification for an AR at that range. A 1-4x or a fixed 4x would be my suggestion. If you were going a bit farther then a 2.5-10x is a good fit on an AR (particularly an SPR build).

 

[younggun22]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

i tend to like less magnification, i shot sunday all the way out to 600 yards on sunday and didnt go above 8x

 

[MontanaMarine]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

My small scope is a Leupold Vari-X III 1.5-5x20. Max power is actually only 4.5X, but it does pretty good out to 600 yards on 15x25" steel.

 

[doc76251]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

Take a look at the 1.8 - 10 TPAL. It's compact in design and provides good low end for go fast and 10X for precision. The side focus doesn't hurt either but it can be had in a fixed paralax platform. I don't think 10X is over scoped especialy in a variable.

For an even smaller profile the 1.5 - 6 is hard to beat.

Cheers,

Doc

 

[1911.it]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

3.5-15x is just right up to 400 yards. You can always dial it down but you can only dial it up so much. I use 4-16x out to 1000 yds.

 

[cavscout1983]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

I think the key phrase was when you said "with your eyes"...a happy medium between application and whatever makes you happy/effective with it will be fine. Whether it be a Red dot site or a USO SN-9 10-42x

For an AR, thats not an SPR...I'm happy with an ACOG for 400...But I know a guy that shoots em with irons at 600 better than I can at 200 with optics.

Over scoped, under scoped- what helps you stay effective?

 

[Maggot]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?



For an AR, thats not an SPR...I'm happy with an ACOG for 400...But I know a guy that shoots em with irons at 600 better than I can at 200 with optics.

Over scoped, under scoped- what helps you stay effective? [/quote]

Well said. I tried several red dots, EO, aimpoint, and a couple of scopes and settled on a 4X ACOG for my 6920. Dead on out of the box, just mounted it and started shooting. Once its zeroed you dont have to twist any knobs, and it was good out to 400 easy, even with these eyes

 

[Bronco]

Re: Up to 400 yards - what power scope?

For an even smaller profile the 1.5 - 6 is hard to beat.

Doc hit it, even if it was his second choice. For an AR this is plenty of power to even 600.