Hunting is made easier than you might imagine by having the ideal rifle scope. Every hunt is a struggle having the correct equipment will increase your chances of succeeding.
But before going hunting, you could ask yourself, “What power should I sight my scope in on?”
It is generally recommended to use 1x magnification more for every 100 yards traveled. What type of hunting you’ll be performing should be the primary factor in your decision on a hunting scope. Your unique eyesight, the range at which you’ll be hunting, and of course the scope’s magnification power. A little extra magnification is always beneficial.
Now that you have a rough notion, let’s look at the amount of magnification you would need for a specific distance and what other elements affect it.
What Power Should I Sight My Scope In On?
The majority of rifle scopes have variable power. This means that they have a range of magnifications that can be adjusted. This tuning range is 1-10x, 3-18x, 5-25x, etc.
Although there are no strict guidelines, the LPVOs or low Power Variable Optic refers to variable-power rifle scopes with a top-end maximum magnification of under 10x. So, the LPVo range is from 1 up to 8x magnification. MPVOs often focus on magnification levels under 20x while HPVOs magnify over 20x.
Hunting rifles are often classified as LPVO or MPVO, with HPVOs reserved for elderly eyes and incredibly long hunting. Let’s look at how the power scope will be for different yard differences.
Required Scope Power For 100 Yards:
For 100 yards your power scoping should be at the LPVO level. The lower part of the scope power is 1x and for maximum, you should be more than fine with the 8x range.
Required Scope Power For 200 Yards:
The 200 yards can be perfectly covered by the 4x-12x range power. The least scope power required at 200 yards is 4x, and the range between 12 and 14x should be adequate for the maximum scope power.
Required Scope Power For 500 Yards:
A scope power of at least 5x is required at 500 yards, and you may want to increase it to 18x. This is the scope of power for the MPVO or Mid Power Variable Optic. Depending on what you plan to shoot, this range will change.
You’ll need a higher scope power to locate small targets. This is when the 5x scope power will really come in handy. Furthermore, you can increase your scope’s power up to 18x and still get a clear image.
Required Scope Power For 600 Yards:
This one requires high-power variable optic range power scoping, or HPVO. This power scope ranges anywhere above 20x. So seeing your targets clearly at 600 yards is no problem.
You can employ the 30x scope power for this and any target within 600 yards will feel as though it is only 50 yards away.
What Factors Determine the Power of Scoping You Require?
Before buying any particular scope and strapping your rifle to a backpack for hunting you need to take the following factors into consideration. Each of them plays a significant role in your rifle scoping.
Targets Distance:
This goes without saying that target distance is the crucial part. Whether you shoot at 100 yards or 500 yards will affect your magnification range.
Although more magnification power is preferred by everyone, excess magnification power scope is just a waste when you are just a beginner. And it will cost you a lot of money too.
Your Eye Power:
Now, people with good sight will obviously be in a better position at this. In most cases, we have seen that people with eyesight problems need to cope with more magnification at the same distance.
But it can be different for you depending on your particular eyesight. But we ask you to consult with a professional for a recommendation on this part.
Scope’s Magnification:
It’s the process of increasing the relative size of a target. It influences how much closer you can make a target look as opposed to what the naked eye.
The object you are viewing will appear three times larger and closer if the scope has a 3x magnification. On any given day, having more magnification is preferable.
Scope Magnification Distance Guide
The type of hunting you plan to conduct will help you choose the appropriate magnification range. A magnification range, such as 4-12 or 3-18, for example, gives good versatility for medium and long distances in fully open spaces.
When hunting in deep woods the lower part of the magnification range is more important. So selecting a scope that can go 1, 2, or 3 power down is preferable.
The zoom ratio is the next most significant consideration. How wide your magnification range is depended on your zoom ratio. You can accomplish more with a single scope if the zoom ratio is higher.
Leupold’s VX-Freedom and VX-3HD lines are designed with a 3:1 zoom ratio. Accordingly, the top-end magnification will always be three times greater than the bottom-end magnification. The zoom ratio can go up to a much higher power than this.
Let’s take a look at the necessary magnification for each specific yard of shooting-
Scope Magnification For 100 Yards:
The standard recommendation is 1x magnification for every 100 yards of distance. By that criteria, an 8x rifle scope would be sufficient for a shot at 800 yards. So, for 100 yards, a magnification of roughly 1-4x is more than adequate. You can try the Vortex Optics Crossfire II for this level of magnification.
Contrarily, you’ll quickly understand that having higher magnification is beneficial to have. Because the more magnification you get, the clearer the picture gets if you’ve ever peered through an 8x scope.
Scope Magnification For 200 Yards:
You can use a scope range between 4x and 12x for 200 yards. This range encompasses the majority of the region visible at 200 yards.
The minimum magnification required at 200 yards is 4x. However, you can go higher. However, the range of 4x to 14x will work just fine at 200 yards as well.
Scope Magnification For 500 Yards:
You’ll need a magnification of at least 5-10x at 500 yards. Your intended shooting subject will have some effect on this. Higher magnification will be necessary to help you locate small targets.
For long-range shots at 500 yards, you can increase the magnification up to 8-32 times. 500-yard competition targets and small game are both hittable with this range of magnification.
Scope Magnification for 1000 yards:
You will need a really good scope to cover a huge magnification because 1000 yards is a long distance to cover. At this distance, people usually hunt mountain lions without dogs. If you’re shooting from 1,000 yards, you need to have at least 10x magnification.
The target at 1,000 yards will appear to be 100 yards away with a 10x scope.
Furthermore, a 20x scope will make a 1,000-yard target appear to be only 50 yards distant. You can also go as high as 32x depending on your capability to handle that power of magnification.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
What kind of magnification is required for deer hunting?
The most common scope that hunters purchase for deer hunting is the 3-9x variable. There’s a valid explanation behind this. The 9x provides enough magnification for shooting deer at 300 yards, and the 3x setting provides a respectably wide field of view for close and running shots.
Which Vortex scope works well at 500 yards?
The Vortex Crossfire II is a great scope for shooting at 500 yards. The magnification ranges from 6 to 18x in the scope. For shooting at a target at a distance of 500 yards, the greater magnification of 18x is adequate. This makes it a fantastic long-range shooting sight.
What is the appropriate scope magnification for 600 yards?
With a 30x magnification, your targets are clearly visible at 600 yards. The 30x magnification scope comes with FFP and it’s more favorable because of that. It enables you to gaze through the gadget and increase the reticle size in a precise proportion to the target.
End Words
That was our discussion on what power should I sign my scope in on. Hopefully, you are clear about the differences in magnification and how to use each of them.
Don’t hesitate to ask questions in the comments down below if you are still confused. We would love to hear from you.
Until next time, happy hunting!
