Fixed power versus Variable power

filmjunkie4ever

filmjunkie4ever

Handloader
May 4, 2011
2,228
2,160
What’s everyone using these days on top of “Ole Betsy” aka your favorite hunting rifle?

Why?


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Ole Betsy for me is a .308 Savage 99 and it carries a Leica ERi 2.5-10x42. In the mornings I may be looking at elk in the deep, dark timber right before daylight trying to discern what is what, and in the afternoons I may be shooting at coyotes across the fields of the Palouse at 400 yds. That particular Leica in that mag range excels at both, and at 19 oz, isn't a pain to carry around all day.
 
Most of my rifles have variables but a couple do have fixed power scopes. My favorite is a custom m700 338 RUM with a Leupold VX-6HD 3-18X50mm scope.

JD338
 
Only fixed power scope I have today is a Leupold fixed 2.5 power scope with the heavy duplex. Was mounted on my Marlin 375 Win for many years, but is atop my Marlin 41 Rem Mag today.
Once upon a time, I had Leupold 6x42 on my 6.5x55, but changed it out for a Vari-X III 3.5-10x40 as I hunted a mix of bush and open country with that rifle.
I also spent a lot of time on the range shooting that rifle out to 400 yards and found the higher power to be beneficial for seeing my groups on the further targets as I did not own a spotting scope back then.
 
Almost all of my hunting rifles have a 6x Leupold on them.

Leupold has earned some negative feedback lately (poor tracking when dialing, loss of zero, etc), but the Leupold 6xs I use have given me good service. Note that I don’t dial at all with them, I prefer holdover reticles.


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joelkdouglas":qsrhvcli said:
Almost all of my hunting rifles have a 6x Leupold on them.

Leupold has earned some negative feedback lately (poor tracking when dialing, loss of zero, etc), but the Leupold 6xs I use have given me good service. Note that I don’t dial at all with them, I prefer holdover reticles.


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Click to expand...
All of my personal rifles have fixed power scopes on them except for my 280 AI build which has a VXIII 4.5-14-40mm B&C reticle (prefer hold over reticles)
.22 LR has a 2-7 Leupold rimfire scope (forgot that one)

4x Leupold - 30-06
6x-42mm Leupold 6mm Remington
6x-36mm Leupold. 25-06 Remington. (sold this rifle & scope)
.22 LR 4x Weaver
.22 LR 4x Weaver

Sons:
4x Weaver K4 6mm Remington Model 600
4.5-14x40mm Leupold B&C reticle Ruger MKII 6mm Remington
3.5-10x44mm Zeiss. Winchester Model 70. 300 WSM
 
Use only variables. Haven't had a fixed power for several years and then it was on a 22. Even on my 35 Rem I use a 2.5x8 Dan.
 
My MRC 26 Nosler wears a Steiner GS3 3-15x50 S1
The 6.5 Grendel upper has a Weaver 2-10x42 MilDot TTs
The 300 BLK upper has a Trijicon US army issued 4x ACOG(my buddy broght it back from Afghanistan)
Several of my TC barrels wear 2x burris fixed
 
I guess my favourite piece of glass would be the Leuy VX6 but I do have 3 others that are very close, my Leica, my Diavari & B&L Elite.

Blessings,
Dan
 
Variable's on all. I got rid of the fixed power scopes back in the 70's. I now have primarily Zeiss and Leupold. The reason is clarity and long distance advantage. When I am hiking and hunting my scope is usually set on five, if in the dark timber, as low as it would go. Trying to pick a spike bull in a herd of 10, cross canyon, in the timber at 400 yards is a tough assignment. For my 4.5 X 14's the extra depth and clarity makes it more workable. The fixed powers are running short at long distances.
 
I have two fixed powers right now and some variables. A leupold fix 6x on my ruger african 275 rigby, and a weaver k4 on an interarms mark x 30/06.

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fixed powers are harder to find in my price range- BUT - strictly for hunting a fixed power would be my choice if I had the cash. I set all my variables to 4x or 6x when hunting and leave them anyway. Don't seem to have enough time to turn up and down when the right shot presents itself. But then I cant hit much beyond 300 yds any way :) CL
 
cloverleaf":1vkq97pj said:
fixed powers are harder to find in my price range- BUT - strictly for hunting a fixed power would be my choice if I had the cash. I set all my variables to 4x or 6x when hunting and leave them anyway. Don't seem to have enough time to turn up and down when the right shot presents itself. But then I cant hit much beyond 300 yds any way :) CL
Click to expand...

cloverleaf I set all my variables on 5x when hunting and if Leupold or Burris made a 5x35mm scope I would be buying it.
 
All of my serious rifles have fixed 6X's or 4X's on top of them. So far I haven't had an issue with them and they are always set on the right power :mrgreen:
 
For me it really depends on where and what I'm hunting. I mainly hunt coyotes, but do it a lot in various states.

For my combo guns(rifle/shotgun) 12ga/5.6x50R Mag and 12ga/22 Sav. Highpower(5.6x52R the Leupold 1-4x20mm for the ability to mount them low and the huge FOV for close in moving game, but on 4x they are still 300 yard coyote killers

On most of my pelt hunting rifles, mainly bolt action I have 1.5-6x4?mm scopes(one with a 2-7) again large FOV for called coyotes and a couple more X's to make them a little more precise.

I do have a couple of 22-250's that are for open country and have 2.5-10's on them but have a 2-12x42mm on the brown truck as I write this.

My last fixed scope on a rifle is a Weaver k-1.5 on a drilling 16ga/16ga/7x57R for hunting deer in northern WI, occasionally I go back and hunt deer with my family.

I do have a couple of Weaver k-3's that I take a long pre-sighted for back ups when going on extended predator hunts.
 
All I have mounted today is Variable powered on my rifles. Funny thing is I carry them most of the time on 5x and always felt if someone made a fixed power at 5x I would buy one. I always felt when I had a fixed 4x power on my rifle it was not enough and 6x would be to much in the timber.
I run mostly Leupold today buy my last purchase was a Weaver Grand Soam just to try something different, I have yet to mount it on my 6mm Rem.
 
SJB358":6vhqnbth said:
All of my serious rifles have fixed 6X's or 4X's on top of them. So far I haven't had an issue with them and they are always set on the right power :mrgreen:
Click to expand...
I'm like you and Joel in that I love my fixed power scopes. Every time you pull it up everything looks the same each and every time. When hunting with my 280AI and the 4.5-14x40mm Leupold the scope is always set on 6x when I carry it around. I've NEVER felt handicapped with close distance shots with any rifle using a 4 or 6x scope.
 
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