# Question about a new scope



## INhunter85 (Apr 20, 2013)

I have a Nikon prostaff on my gun...Its good for deer....for the distance I shoot at but I put it on my 22-250 and I need a little more zoom I think...like I said it good for 100 yds or so but maybe im wrong I have not shot a yote with it yet...Just wanting to know of some scopes that r affordable that would be better on zoom.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

What power range do you have now ? 3-9 is fairly common and 4-12 or 4-14 is also a good option. You don't want your lesser power to be to high as it also gives you a smaller field of view. You'll appreciate a wider field of view when they are in close.


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## INhunter85 (Apr 20, 2013)

its 3-9. I was shootin at some shootin sees at bout 120yds...it might be me but shootin a coyote might be different then a target with a half dollar bullseye....just wish i could see a little closer.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

You'll always want more zoom when they're standing there looking at you, but when they are moving you'll kick yourself for having to much. I ALWAYS sit with my scope on it's lowest setting. If they are way out, I'll have time to dial it up,but when one pops up close you can't dial it down without getting busted usually. I run a straight 4x on my one AR and it does fine well past 100 yds..


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## INhunter85 (Apr 20, 2013)

Thanx for the advice....ill be out more next year so i can try it out.


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## prairiewolf (Feb 19, 2012)

+1 on what Don said .


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## LeadHead (Feb 11, 2012)

I had a Sightron SII 3-9x40 on my 22-250 for quite some time before upgrading to a bigger one. Although most of my coyote shots are 150 yards or less, the two at 300 yards (lasered) at which I shot were both knocked down--1 was DRT, the other made it about 30 yards. Would it have been nice to have a higher-powered scope at the time? Yes, but a 3-9 is quite capable for most average hunting conditions IMO.

Gotta say, though, that I'm with Youngdon regarding both of his comments; a 4.5-14 is a great power range for hunting, and always stay dialed down until you have a long shot. I can tell you with personal experience that it's very difficult to get a coyote in your crosshairs at 9-power, particularly when he's 5 yards from you.

True story, happened this winter.


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## 4Cody4 (Dec 24, 2012)

I'm a 3x9 guy myself. I have never felt underpowered in a coyote hunting situation. If I hunted prairie dogs or something in addition to yotes I may consider bigger glass.


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## INhunter85 (Apr 20, 2013)

Well thanx for the info...this is why I joined PT...I really dont have yote hunters around me other then the occasional farmer who pops off a 30-06 round at one...so the advice is much appreciated.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

I'm looking at maybe a 2x7 to replace the 6x18 on the 250, though this year the yotes seem farther away ( late elk season ) the 6 power is ample for all distances. Doesn't cut it when they are in your lap, I think only 1 big game animal was ever shot on any of my 3x9 scopes set at a bigger power, if you know where the bullet is going on 3x power at a 100, should be able to take the animal at 300 on 3x power also.


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## 4Cody4 (Dec 24, 2012)

To add to hassels point, I'd MUCH rather have nice lower powered glass than cheaper high magnification. A nice fixed 4 power would get the nod from me over a cheap 4-14 any day. In the end it's all personal preference. Get a scope that fits your budget and will fit your needs. Ultimately if you will have more confidence with a larger scope you should consider getting one.


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

4.5 X 14 power here. Seems to work just fine for me that is.


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## Rick Howard (Feb 25, 2012)

I used a 3x9 for years and it worked fine. I don't think yah need more than 9x. That said I did get a 4.5x14 this year lol. I really like it. I wanted the extra power for woodchucks. I keep it set at 4.5 for predator hunting. It works good out to 300 yards. I would focus on getting them closer over shooting them farther.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

itzDirty said:


> I used a 3x9 for years and it worked fine. I don't think yah need more than 9x. That said I did get a 4.5x14 this year lol. I really like it. I wanted the extra power for woodchucks. I keep it set at 4.5 for predator hunting. It works good out to 300 yards. I would focus on getting them closer over shooting them farther.


 Your last sentence says it all, hunting at its best.


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## fr3db3ar (Aug 6, 2011)

I'm running 4.5 - 14 in both the Buckmaster and Coyote special. I like the higher power for target shooting (I shoot out to 400 yards with this) and I keep it @ 4.5 for hunting unless I have time to crank it up because their further out. ( I haven't had to shoot at one in 2 years :frown2: )


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## Ruger (Jan 22, 2011)

4-16 for me, very happy with it.


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## 220swift (Mar 2, 2011)

8X32X50 for me, but I like to shoot p-dogs out to 600yds.........


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## glenway (Mar 27, 2011)

Hunting scopes and target scopes can be vastly different. It's not necessarily the power factor but the crosshairs. A target scope will have thinner crosshairs, while hunting scopes are usually thicker. A target scpoe will work better for targets and a hunting scope will work better for hunting. The heaver, hunting crosshairs are designed to be seen easier when in a hurry and in low light. Target crosshairs can get lost when conditions are not perfect.

Depending on distance, a 3x9 is a good compromise and may surprise you how well it works on game that's bigger than a half dollar.


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## A10hunter (Jan 30, 2013)

Just saw this as I was browsing, so I will chime in with what I have. I also have a Nikon Prostaff on my AR15, but it is the 4-12x40 BDC, and I have only cranked it up to 12 power on the range because I have seen the coyotes clearly at the 4-6 power because that is what the range I keep it in. And having coyote fever and just trying to get on target without shaking with excitement, I completely forgot about dialing up the scope any higher, lol. Plus, the yotes I have called in were under 150 yds. I like the 4-16 range, but practice on coyote size targets with the 3-9 that you have and it will help. Draw a full size out-line on cardboard, or Caldwell makes one; or a big stuffed animal (I have one for that because my kids never liked it).


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

Her is a big stuffed animal for you guys, the camera work is not the best.


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## A10hunter (Jan 30, 2013)

that's sweet, and that will help you hit the target


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## JTKillough (May 4, 2010)

I like a 4-12 and run it on the 5 power setting at all times.......But then again, I'm blind. Thank you, dwtrees, for shooting that SOB. I never really had a problem with Big, he just gave me the creeps.


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## dwtrees (Mar 5, 2012)

It wasn't me shooting Big Bird. That was a friend of mine from the oilfield here in ND. I worked on his crane quite a bit (oilfield roads just tear them up). He told me about the video they made and I thought I would put the link here after A10 mentioned about the stuffed animals. If I had a big bird, I would have shot him too.


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## jimmy shutt (Jun 2, 2013)

just put a FX3 Leupold "fixed 6" with the target dot... the lines are vrey thin with tiny dot. I can see it not being that pronounced in lower light. Wanted to try for whisle pigs, and Coyotes mostly day time for the .243.

good luck...jimmy shutt


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## Rediculous (Oct 16, 2013)

I have found little value in variable zoom scopes. I have a .308 rig for shooting out at ranges to 1000 yrds and for deer/hogs/yotes, It sports a fixed 10x mil dot scope. My coyote special, is an AR-15 and I have ran the 3-9's and what not, but now am using a simple 1x red dot. I can keep both eyes open and see the dot so my view is un obstructed, I range my hunting area via range finder as soon as I set-up and get points mapped out in my mind for ranges. I am very confident with the RD sight out to 300 yards where I have to hold about a foot high. If I change from this set-up, it will only be to a fixed 3x or 4x scope with illuminated ret. I find most people are like a ronco on variable zooms, they set it and forget it. Also, unless your spending seriouse $$$$ and buying first focal plane scopes then you will run into parallax issues which can ruin a shot. Just my 2 cents


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

I shot at a wolf at long range while it was running and missed, I could not believe it ran faster after that. I was using a fixed 4 power scope.


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## Scotty D. (Feb 23, 2012)

Everybody has their own preference. Get the scope that u can afford.

For years, 9X was the highest power offered in hunting scopes & those scopes killed a lot of critters.

I shoot long range, so I tend to use higher magnification scopes -- 14X & up.. 

Sent from my SCH-S738C using Tapatalk


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## LeadHead (Feb 11, 2012)

One reason I do like a higher power (14x or so, in my case) is when I'm night shooting. It's legal to do so here in the winter and the higher magnification makes target identification more certain, which is even more important when hunting in a farming area.


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## Rediculous (Oct 16, 2013)

LeadHead said:


> One reason I do like a higher power (14x or so, in my case) is when I'm night shooting. It's legal to do so here in the winter and the higher magnification makes target identification more certain, which is even more important when hunting in a farming area.


Best not to shoot the old farmers horse lol...


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