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3-9 or 4-12x40mm for Hunting?

aksavanaman

aksavanaman

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"Philanthropist"
Hypothetically speaking ;) ... If I were to have a .30-06 huntin' rifle (occasional bench), would you suggest a 3-9x40 or a 4-12x40 in the same model? Weight of the scope would be the same... price difference is about $50. Hunting terrain would be mountainous with small brush, cross valley shots of 300-500 yds could be encountered but obviously not preferred.
 
Well, I use a 3x9 on both hunting rifles. I hunt in Midwest and eastern woodlands where the longest shoot would be around 125-150 yards. Usually I have it set on 3 or 4...maybe 5 for a more open shot in very little cover...anything higher I lose too much FOV and can lose the animal i n the brush and be searching for it.. Now if I were hunting out west where the terrain is more open and shots would be longer, I would opt for the higher power scope. My binos are 10x42 but at the distances I'm shooting even that is too much as I lose a lot of FOV in the hardwoods. So I have a lower power set to use as ell. Hope this makes some sense.
 
Pretty much the consensus of most of the other forums I've gone through....My only other thought on a higher power scope is that I could use it to glass the terrain ahead. I'm really just getting into hunting, since I didn't grow up doing it, and not many of my friends here actually get up off their behinds to take me. I'm pretty sure hunting for deer, moose and goats will be a world of difference from taking the 10/22 snowshoe hare hunting in the winter.... :D
 
I've seen the argument that you should get the highest power you may need and adjust it down. I can see the logic but one thing you also need to take into consideration is any POI change when adjusting from minimum to maximum setting. My 2 scopes are close but off a bit when shooting 3x and shooting 9x. I forget how much since its been since Oct when I last shot them.

If you are pushing 300+ yds I'd opt for the 4x12. At 9x even a 200 yd shot makes the target like a bit small. I need to use a spotting scope to see my hits. Another important thing to look at is light transmission. May not be real noticeable in the store but it will make a difference in low light conditions of a hunt.

Since my Remington 7400 .30-06 decided to stop ejecting shells, I'm looking at a 700 to replace it.
 
Go with the lowest power you can and still adequately see the target.

I have a 3-9's on my rifles but rarely ever use anything higher than 4x unless using it to check for holes in the target at the range.

While the higher magnifications bring the image in close, it also magnifies any and all movement at your end.
 
The way I look at it is....

Some guys who shoot 1000yds use a Fixed 10x magnified scope. If they can shoot 5x further then I, consistently better as well, with only 1x more of magnification... I don't need the extra 3x out to 12x.... I had a 4-12x on my .308 while it lasted, and as MikeD has said, it also magnifies your movement which can be very aggravating. What style of reticle are you looking at? That can make a huge difference as well.

3-9 is my vote.
 
Well I'm pretty set on those Redfield scopes... but I'm thinking about going with a plain 4 plex for hunting... I like the AccuShot reticle on the 2-7 I have, but I'm not convinced yet. You guys make a pretty convincing case for the 3-9..which is what I was leaning toward anyways :D
 
If I didn't just get a free scope in the mail (friendly guy over at GrayBeard Outdoors), I was going to get a 2-7 with a similar reticle and it was going to be put on a 30-06 Handi-rifle... If I couldn't find it in-stock, straight 4x was my next choice.

Making sure your scope fits your application is just as important as making sure it is a good scope. There are VERY FEW places I would or even could make a shot over 200 yards and I only hunt there 1 or 2 times out of the season. Most other times the farthest shot is 50 - 75 yards... what do I need 12x for in that situation? lol I don't know your personal skill level, or if you are secretly a Navy Seal Recon Sniper from Hell :lol:... but for the average hunter or even the more experienced hunter... 9x Max Magnification is going to be plenty, IMHO.
 
Itsricmo said:
lol I don't know your personal skill level, or if you are secretly a Navy Seal Recon Sniper from Hell :lol:... but for the average hunter or even the more experienced hunter... 9x Max Magnification is going to be plenty, IMHO.
Click to expand...

Certainly not a Navy Seal Recon Sniper...lol, far from it :lol: The only thing I've hunted are bunnies... I'm just ready to graduate to the real stuff ;)
 
Ahh, Gotch-ya! :lol:

Start with a 3-9x and if you get good enough and confident enough making some ever farther shots, you can upgrade to the 4-12x scopes. But something tells me that you will get attached to a 3-9x after some dropped game.
 
I really like the 4-12 redfield scopes. If/when I get a new deer rifle that's the route ill go. I don't like a 3-9 for anything longer than a 150 yard shot. Granted the only thing I ever shoot that far away is ground hogs, I can't hit a ground hog any farther with a 9x scope. Deer may be bigger but still, aim small miss small they say. The redfields are nice because they go up to 12x without an adjustable paralex which makes it an ideal scope for quick shots.
 
rjpoog1989 said:
I really like the 4-12 redfield scopes. If/when I get a new deer rifle that's the route ill go. I don't like a 3-9 for anything longer than a 150 yard shot. Granted the only thing I ever shoot that far away is ground hogs, I can't hit a ground hog any farther with a 9x scope. Deer may be bigger but still, aim small miss small they say. The redfields are nice because they go up to 12x without an adjustable paralex which makes it an ideal scope for quick shots.
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I secretly want the 4-12, just because I might need to snipe a deer at 1500yds :lol: Don't tell Ric though..shh :?
 
YOU ARE A SNIPER!!! I KNEW IT!!!


Ryan, with that freaking .338 you got, you should be looking at a fixed 10x50mm haha
What more "Deer Rifle" do you want? :lol:
 
Don't know about your terrain, but 3-9 is plenty for my area.

I usually don't get more than a hundred yard shot on anything.

And to be more to the point, I like 1-6 power scopes or a 2-7 like you mentioned, but the 3x setting works pretty good, even at close distances if you have the gun dialed in to the "+"

But I insist on the eyepiece to be at least a minimum of 40mm, and preferably 42 or 50mm. Anything smaller than 40 slows my acquisition time down too badly, and I can never get a good cheekweld using a 32mm scope and I always have to squeench around until I can find the crosshair in those little scopes.

Plus the larger eyepiece helps gather more light in low light and simply put can extend your hunting time at dusk or daybreak.
 
Itsricmo said:
YOU ARE A SNIPER!!! I KNEW IT!!!


Ryan, with that freaking .338 you got, you should be looking at a fixed 10x50mm haha
What more "Deer Rifle" do you want? :lol:
Click to expand...


Now you know :shock: I'm acutally part of the Coast Guards EDES... Elite Douchbag Elimination Squad :cool: I've achieved expert level on all tactics and procedures :lol:
 
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