Rifle Scopes What magnification scope to 1 mile?
- Thread starter garandman
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What magnification scope to 1 mile?
What you need for distance is elevation adjustment, not magnification.
That you are asking about magnification makes me wonder whether you know it depends on conditions and target size, not range.
What you need for distance is elevation adjustment, not magnification.
That you are asking about magnification makes me wonder whether you know it depends on conditions and target size, not range.
I'm basically asking "Is it stupid to get an 18x for a mile?"
I've already done my ballistic drops calcs, and I've got sufficient elevation adjustment for 300gr Berger OTM's (100 MoA internal, with 40 MoA base.) I am also aware mirage often REQUIRES dropping magnification. I'm also understanding the MK6 is pretty clear glass.
Intended target is no smaller than 12" round steel plate.
I'm just asking if I'm missing anything.
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The only thing you are going to be missing ALOT is the target....12 inch plate at a mile?? You better have a backstop that will show the impacts of your bullits very visible....otherwise it is going to be a lot of wasted rounds.
This wil mean you and your rifle setup will have to hold .6-.7 moa at a mile. .6 moa at 100y is easy to do wuth the right equipment... .6 moa at a mile is a whole different game.
Other than that...18x will be sufficient. The only reason you need enough magnification is ti be sure your target is not obstructed by the reticle. With other words, that you are able to see your target. Just borrow a similar scope and put a 12 inch target at a mile, dont need to be a rifle range, cause you do not have to shoot to check this.
You will see that you still can see the target quite sufficient, even with a 12x....just as long as your reticle isnt too thick. The smaller the target....well, you give a whole new meaning to "aim small, miss small".....
This wil mean you and your rifle setup will have to hold .6-.7 moa at a mile. .6 moa at 100y is easy to do wuth the right equipment... .6 moa at a mile is a whole different game.
Other than that...18x will be sufficient. The only reason you need enough magnification is ti be sure your target is not obstructed by the reticle. With other words, that you are able to see your target. Just borrow a similar scope and put a 12 inch target at a mile, dont need to be a rifle range, cause you do not have to shoot to check this.
You will see that you still can see the target quite sufficient, even with a 12x....just as long as your reticle isnt too thick. The smaller the target....well, you give a whole new meaning to "aim small, miss small".....
Lowlight or Rob,
If you knew that all you would ever shoot a particular ELR rifle was from a bench, what would you think of a variable 5-30 SN-9 with a 80mm Objective? It would be used for nothing but seeing how far you could hit a target. No military or sporting applications. Just hitting a target like Bruce Artus did back in the 1990's. His exploits were chronicled by Precision Shooting. I'll have to find the article, but I think he went out just at sunrise, before the sun started heating things up, and dinged a ground hog at a mile. The bases he made looked like two steel pillars; the back one 5" tall and the front one 3" tall. He did all that with a .308 and a Leupold scope.
If you knew that all you would ever shoot a particular ELR rifle was from a bench, what would you think of a variable 5-30 SN-9 with a 80mm Objective? It would be used for nothing but seeing how far you could hit a target. No military or sporting applications. Just hitting a target like Bruce Artus did back in the 1990's. His exploits were chronicled by Precision Shooting. I'll have to find the article, but I think he went out just at sunrise, before the sun started heating things up, and dinged a ground hog at a mile. The bases he made looked like two steel pillars; the back one 5" tall and the front one 3" tall. He did all that with a .308 and a Leupold scope.
Cause the guy can't go out and buy a Beast Today like you can an ATACR...
I would use a BEAST, but it's not on the street yet for the average guy.
I would use a BEAST, but it's not on the street yet for the average guy.
Deals are non-transferrable.
Just an explanation of why I'm not looking at other scopes. As such, I'm not looking for this thread to be a "Buy Brand X" thread. I asked about magnification. Not brand.
YOur profanity is unnecessary. And unappreciated.
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I was always amazed when I looked at his rifle and what he was able to accomplish with it. If I remember correctly the Leupold scope he was using had some upper end magnification around 20X. Well, this gives me something to do this evening - see if I can find that article. I never discarded Precision Shooting magazines, but they are probably still bundled in the box they were packed in when we moved here from Texas.
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Those articles are also shown in the book "Precision shooting at a 1000yards" by Dave Brennan. Very nice setup indeed, with micormeter elevation knobs on top of those mega high scope bases. However, in the book he is using 308w ackley improved, if i remember correctly.
For mile stuff I would look for 20-25X on the max side. Myself I would go with a NF 5.5-22 or the new ATACR. Both are fine. Lupy stuff if you got Mill discount is worth a look for the price. Be advised that if you go up in mag you might run out of adjustment.
Good luck sir!
Good luck sir!
I'm old, and to me there's no such thing as too much magnification. You can choose what you are most comfortable with. Before I had my cataracts taken out, I needed all the help I could get, and got a Swaro 6-24x and a Nightforce 12x42. I've never regretted either one even now that I don't even need glasses. just my 2cents.
I'm also a believer in more is better.
I've just purchased a March 8-80x56. You can always dial it back to your fav power. 60moa elev travel and a tapered rail will get you to a mile. It also saves me buying a spotting scope.
I've just purchased a March 8-80x56. You can always dial it back to your fav power. 60moa elev travel and a tapered rail will get you to a mile. It also saves me buying a spotting scope.
From my humble experience...
One thing you have to consider with magnification is whether you will have a spotter - and if you need to see your own bullet strike (you will always be doing corrections at that distance).
Although I've got heaps of magnification on most of my LD scopes, I find myself setting them down (to where depends on rifle recoil, rest mechanism and range, but let's say 12x).
This is because if the recoil of the rifle causes the target to move out of the sight picture, then you will struggle to regain visual on the target before the bullet strikes.
But if you can manage the keep the target within the sight picture of the scope during recoil, your eye will naturally follow the target and not lose it.
That way, you automatically keep the target in focus and more easily observe the bullet strike.
Setting the power down increases the field of view to make this easier.
Seeing the target in micro-detail "close up" is not the most important contribution to making first/second shot hits at long range. (yes, I have old eyes as well)
One thing you have to consider with magnification is whether you will have a spotter - and if you need to see your own bullet strike (you will always be doing corrections at that distance).
Although I've got heaps of magnification on most of my LD scopes, I find myself setting them down (to where depends on rifle recoil, rest mechanism and range, but let's say 12x).
This is because if the recoil of the rifle causes the target to move out of the sight picture, then you will struggle to regain visual on the target before the bullet strikes.
But if you can manage the keep the target within the sight picture of the scope during recoil, your eye will naturally follow the target and not lose it.
That way, you automatically keep the target in focus and more easily observe the bullet strike.
Setting the power down increases the field of view to make this easier.
Seeing the target in micro-detail "close up" is not the most important contribution to making first/second shot hits at long range. (yes, I have old eyes as well)
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