When talking about hunting and shooting activities, your distance from the target plays a significant role. Hence, for this reason, one of the main aspects while considering a scope is to know and choose the right magnification to have. Which would, in turn, help to get the desired clarity for your image or shot.
Magnification levels is a significant factor to remember while choosing a field of vision for hunting. Yet, budget, precision, weight, optical consistency, and reliability will be critical, as they will set the standards and help you win a game.
Many people compromise and end up choosing a magnification below 8 x for several reasons. But the fact of it needs to be understood that to hit the target at long-distance, inevitably, you might require more than just the minimum range.
Higher vs lower magnification range
On the flip side, if you go for a higher magnification scope, you might have to adjust with dimmer images. Since the number of glasses increases in your scope, the light transmitted reduces, making the vision dimmer than what you would get at lower magnification.
Along with this, you also tend to get a larger horizon in lower magnification, as compared to the high range.
Ascertaining the right magnification for your scope can overwhelming. Your lens’ magnification strength helps you see objects more closely and increase your accuracy for having the classic shot.
For the most part, it is quite drenched with scopes featuring all kinds of zoom-in range; eg. 3x to 30x and at times even beyond that. We will help you decide the best magnification to have on your rifle.
Some key pointers to look for:
Firstly, you need to find a scope that is best used for a 1000 yards distance. According to most experienced shooters, a 10x magnification scope should get you the target. But what about the amateur, who is just starting as a hunter? We would suggest you go for a scope offering a max zoom-in of 15 to 16x. We will cover why so later in the article as we move forward.
Whatever the case, it must be noted that the other features of the riflescope and lens need to be intact and in good condition to get a clear target or image with the 10x magnification scope.
Make sure your glass is of high quality
Another primary requirement is the glass; It would be best to make sure that the glass is of optimum quality, especially for long-distance shooting. This might be a little expensive for the pockets, but cheaper scopes may not have the best glasses, and hence your image or target will not have the desired clarity.
Know your equipment well before heading out
One of the significant factors that play a role here is knowing your instrument well. Various individuals might have different requirements to take a 1000-yard shot.
Some may opt for a fixed magnification, while others may prefer a dynamic scope. Hence, you need a good and sound knowledge of the instrument and its working to choose the best scope for your desired range.
Consider the movement of your target
If your target is still, you might not require a broad range scope. Hence, in such situations, a high magnification scope will work the best for you instead of lower magnification scope, which provides more comprehensive options.
Higher magnification also helps to aim better at your target and enables you to get a bull’s eyeshot. Hence, for a 1000 yard shot with a still target/goal, higher-level magnification scopes are usually better.
In-deed a lot of focus, dedication and preparation is essential for shooting at 1000 yard targets. But equally what’s important is your types of equipment apart from just the scope magnification.
Start low and go high
If you are an amateur, it would be well advised if you start with a low magnification and then slowly move to higher zoom-ins.
Shooting at short ranges is comparatively easier than shooting at a target at 1000 yards. Snipers go through rigorous practice and training for becoming perfect in this range, but still, quite a lot of them miss-out on hitting the target.
Hence, it’s safe to say that, you can get the maximum magnification there is in the market, but if you don’t know how to use your equipment, you might as well not buy a scope.
The scopes used for far-off shooting with high magnification are a tad bit more expensive and even heavier to carry. And they too have their own set of drawbacks.
Another thing, which is important to put into perspective from early on is that you might get cheaper scopes with very high magnification. B more or less, they will end up having a bad glass quality, which is never good when you are aiming at a 1000 yard target.
When opting for a scope to cover a shot above 500 yards, you will have to consider the grade of the cartridge, scope and optics.
Issues with keeping a higher magnification:
The high zoom-in ability has a range of complications, which you cannot continue to neglect. Higher power destroys the flexibility to take precise shots. For example, when targeting goals within 100 yards, high magnification capacity will not let you concentrate accurately.
Hence, when considering magnification power, you need to know the distances you will be shooting at most often. Therefore, before you plan to invest in them, it is essential to look at them closely.
Higher Costs
While price does not often sum up as a highlight, extreme magnification ranges are always offered at a hefty price and would therefore prove to be a little heavier on your pockets.
To give you a better idea of pricing; f you are planning to buy a riflescope with magnification somewhere between 7 to 14x, you should start getting scopes at the price range of $200 to 800.
Whereas if you are planning on getting yourself a riflescope with magnification more than 20x, you are looking at prices starting from $1500.
Higher the cost doesn’t mean higher will be the quality of the scope since it depends on one manufacturer to another. We would suggest you always take a look at the specifications mentioned, and go through a few of our previously written reviews on particular scopes for better clarity on things.
Weak aim
As we mentioned earlier, by hook or crook, the use of high magnification limits the volume of brightness transmitted. This will end up creating a constant problem for you, particularly in faraway range. Hence, if you have a higher magnification sight, you need to make sure that it is equipped with a broader lens.
Another thing you need to keep at the back of your mind is to be highly cautious while triggering it off. Even if your hands move ever slow slightly, it will cause a big difference over this kind of range hunting.
Heavy Scope
The ratio between the magnification and the size of the lens enlarges simultaneously. And the bigger the magnification, larger your lens will be, and the bulkier the riflescope gets. Making it difficult to manoeuvre around the scope in quest of your mark.
Also, when the riflescope is hefty, even positioning it at the right place seems like an ordeal. The weight would also determine the strategy you will adopt to place it on top of your rifle.
Conclusion
It is never a straight forward answer and crystal clear while answering these sort of questions. There is too much to be discussed before a thorough decision is made. Apart from assessing the entryway, it would be beneficial to consider the use of the rifle.
Take for instance, when you are on the move, carrying your rifle in your hands, the magnification will be different from when you are at a single place, taking a shot. Because on the latter part, the rifle is on a steady surface.
Nevertheless, in any case, a magnification scale of 3 to 9x can be handy. You will need to make certain, you get a range of other flexible settings to give you freedom while hunting.
It is also important to note that high zoom-in doesn’t always guarantee that you will achieve the highest output. So, when you’re shopping, look out for the different brands and opt for the one, which will create your hunting experience an eventful one with extreme and desired execution.