Scope magnification question

[Rangerscott]

What magnification would I need so that a 100 yrd target is basically in my face? I'm not going to go buy something like this but I was just wonder what magnification it would take to do this. I have an 4-16x scope and it just doesn't do it for me.

 

[Charlie]

Not sure what you mean by "basically in my face?" A 2x scope would make a 100 yd. target look like it was 50 yds. away. A 4x scope would make it look like it was 25 yds. from you, and so on and so on.

 

[Mikewood]

In your face? The human eye has a built in zoom lens so if something is clear you can see minute details. With poor vision or a fuzzy sight picture magnification alone won't help. It's like looking thru dirty sunglasses at something 10 yds away.
Now with a quality clear optic and thin reticule you should be able to shoot 1MOA at 1x so a 4" group at 4 power is possible. You can also easily see a 1/4MOA hole.

Having said this 25-50x should be where you want. A good nightforce scope will run you about $2500.

 

[Rangerscott]

Well I'm not spec-ops or shoot to make money so $2500 is way out of question. I just want to see the bullets hit the paper and not have to wait until I go walk to the target and guess which shot was which at what time. I know I could get a spotting scope, but I'd rather just have one.

 

[Texas1911]

In your face? The human eye has a built in zoom lens so if something is clear you can see minute details. With poor vision or a fuzzy sight picture magnification alone won't help. It's like looking thru dirty sunglasses at something 10 yds away.
Now with a quality clear optic and thin reticule you should be able to shoot 1MOA at 1x so a 4" group at 4 power is possible. You can also easily see a 1/4MOA hole.

Having said this 25-50x should be where you want. A good nightforce scope will run you about $2500.

Nightforce is significantly cheaper than that ... my 5.5x22 was $1900 out the door with all the bells and whistles.

Honestly, magnification has it's downsides and upsides.

The upsides are obvious; larger image, easier to place a shot, etc. The downsides are significantly reduced light, incredibly narrow field of view, 2 - 3mm of eye relief, and increased mirage sensitivity. Also, the higher in magnification you go the importance of quality glass increases. You also start to see your heart rate in magnifications above 20x and that can bug some people.

I find 20 - 25x to be more than sufficient out to 1000 yards and beyond. I run a Schmidt & Bender 5-25x56 PMII and a Nightforce 5.5-22x50mm NXS, both are great optics. The Nightforce is the better buy in my opinion, but the glass quality is unrivaled in an S&B.

At 100 yards a 12x optic can make out .22 caliber holes, so I'm not sure why your 16x isn't doing the job. Have you adjusted the parallax and/or focus?

 

[Rum Runner]

I find 24x to be plenty at 100 yards.

 

[Acera]

You might check out a Bushnell Banner in 6-24x. They <$300, and might be good enough for what you want.

 

[Rangerscott]

It's perfect at 50 yards and for such a cheap scope it has a clear view, but yes I know it's a cheap scope. I'm in no hurry to buy another scope since I only go out shooting about 1-2 times a month. Probably $300 is gonna be the most I'll spend unless I get a gift card or something. Yea, a quad digit scope would be cool but $1000 is a LOT of money to me.

 

[cfell]

I walked in to the local "academy"... they have multiple "choices" to pick up and look through. Walk off the distance across the store then pick up each one and 'see' which one fits your personal choice. Going thru them you will be able to look at the specs and do a little 'educational recon' of your own.. Jut sayin....

 

[Younggun]

At 100 yards a 12x optic can make out .22 caliber holes, so I'm not sure why your 16x isn't doing the job. Have you adjusted the parallax and/or focus?

+1

I have a bushnell 4-12X40 on a savage 110 that i use for a spotting scope, can see .223 fine at 100 yrds, can even pick out touching bullet holes. It does have an adjustable focus.

 

[LS1Nut]

I figured Id throw my 2 cents in on this one.. I was a sniper once, in a previous life (previous assignment actually) and have done long range for some time.. a scope is one thing in this world where you DO get what you pay for. I agree with most above in general terms, but there is a reason Nightforce costs 1900$ (best scope for the money in my opinion too, and this coming from a guy who owed a Schmidt & Bender PM2)... Ive owned and used everything from 200$ "super sniper" scopes to the $3500 S&B Mentioned above, and the number one lesson I learned.. A cheap scope... is a CHEAP scope. In your case of wanting to "see" holes at 100/200 yds, I agree, 300$ glass will definately get you there... but if you ever want to actually "shoot" at distances further than that... gonna have to sell some of the collection and buy some quality glass... you will see what I mean when you throw that 300$ job on 20X magnification and it goes so blurry its worthless.. Hope this helped.. ooo... and if anyones looking, I have a Burris XTR 6-24X50 Im selling right now ------ now that thing will let you see some holes at 100!

 

[cfell]

I figured Id throw my 2 cents in on this one.. ..... Hope this helped.. ooo... and if anyones looking, I have a Burris XTR 6-24X50 Im selling right now ------ now that thing will let you see some holes at 100!

What are you asking for your scope? Picatinny mounts included? Why are you selling?

 

[TheDan]

I'm not a fan of high magnification. The highest magnification scope I use goes up to 16x. At 16x I can see .30 cal holes pretty clearly at 100yards, but I keep it cranked down to around 6x. It's a cheap scope, too... I don't really feel like 100-200yds requires the use of high end optics. For your upper limit of $300 you can get a Leupold or Nikon, and I bet you'd be pretty happy with it.

You can get a cheap spotting scope for about $50, tho. I wouldn't want to look through one for an extended period of time (like real spotting), but for just glancing through it to see where you're hitting the paper they are fine.

 

[Rangerscott]

It was just a general question. I wasnt saying I wanted to go cheap and expect greatness.

 

[Charlie]

Burris makes a quality scope a little less expensive than Leupold (but equal or better in quality in my opinion) but of course not the quality of the Schmidt & Bender or Nightforce. Burris also has an excellent customer service department and guarantee with a full "no bullshit" lifetime warranty.

Edit to add: And.............Burris scopes are made in Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.!!

 

[Vaquero]

I have a Simmons 6.5x18 variable that cost me around 80 bucks a decade or so ago. It works well for target spotting to 100 yds and sights in and holds zero very well.
I'd put it in the cheap greatness category.

 

[LS1Nut]

What are you asking for your scope? Picatinny mounts included? Why are you selling?

$800... selling because I got another nightforce

 

[UtopiaTx]

I use a 1x4 scope on my AR and at 50 yards can easily see .223 holes in paper targets.
Your 4x16 at 100 yards should make the holes look like you were shooting at the target
with golf balls! Is your scope out of focus?