Magnification range for hunting out to 400 yards (2024)

FAQs

Magnification range for hunting out to 400 yards? ›

For most people who hunt between 50 and 500 yards, a 3-15 magnification range will be more than enough. Whether you need a large field of view for hunting dangerous game, or powerful zoom when you're making long-range shots, a variable scope like our 3-15 VX-5HD will give you the versatility you need to land more hits.

Most all-round hunting to 400 yards or so can be handled with a 3-9X or 4-12X, but you might like something up to 18X or 20X. More magnification than that can become a hindrance at close range and a rare-use specialty for long range.

Yes, 6x magnification can be sufficient for 300-yard shots, especially if the shooter is experienced and the target size is reasonable.

If you plan on hitting targets reliably at 500 yards, you are definitely going to need a bit of magnification. I typically follow the rule of 3x magnification for every 100 yards you shoot, and that would mean you want at least 15x magnification to reliably shoot targets at 500 yards.

The 3-9x40 has long been considered the best scope magnification for deer hunting. Its low power magnification (at 3x) provides a wide field of view (FOV), especially important for the hardwoods during the rut when deer are constantly moving.

For most people who hunt between 50 and 500 yards, a 3-15 magnification range will be more than enough. Whether you need a large field of view for hunting dangerous game, or powerful zoom when you're making long-range shots, a variable scope like our 3-15 VX-5HD will give you the versatility you need to land more hits.

You don't need much magnification to hit steel at 300 yards effectively, so give yourself the flexibility of being able to go anywhere from 1x to 6x, or even 8x should the time come. (For more on LPVOs on tactical carbines, check out our blog on the subject.)

20-60x65 and 20-60x80 are perfect options for elk hunting.

The NIGHTFORCE NXS Scope 5.5-22x56mm is a top pick for anyone who loves long-range shooting. Its 56mm objective lens delivers clear, sharp images, making it easier to hit targets far away. This scope is perfect for shooting at distances up to 500 yards, thanks to its broad magnification range.

Coyotes and other predators are wary creatures and it is imperative to spot them from a distance. Larger magnification and objective lenses allow plenty of light and detail to be seen from a greater distance. 10x42, 12x50 or for long range hunts the 15x56 are perfect options.

How accurate is a 308 at 500 yards? ›

308 will shoot MOA or better, but most rifles so-chambered have behaved well on the range for me. Even with a gun that shoots 1.5 MOA, we're still talking 7.5 inches at the 500-yard mark where we cross below our velocity threshold - that's plenty of accuracy to get the job done on most big game animals.

For many years now, the 3-9x variable has been the most popular scope hunters buy. There's good reason for this. The 3x setting offers a reasonably large field of view for close, running shots, while 9x is plenty of magnification for shooting deer or elk at 300 yards.

Depending on the type of cartridge, what type of game you are hunting and the terrain, you may be satisfied with the rifle zeroed at 100 yards. Many times hunters will sight their rifle in an inch or two high at 100 yards so that it will be centered at 200 yards.

The answer is really simple: a 3-9X riflescope provides an additional level of magnification for every 100 feet, all the way out to 300 yards (900 feet). For many years, 300 yards was about the limit of what most big-game hunters considered to be an ethical shooting distance.

If you're engaged in western hunting, the most popular and probably the best magnification binoculars for hunting are 10x. These powerful binoculars are designed to bring you closer to action and are great for big-game hunters and long-range observations.

As a general rule, 1x magnification per 100 yards of distance has been the prescription for some time. By that standard, one could adequately take an 800 yard shot with an 8x rifle scope. On the contrary, if you've looked through a scope at 8x, you'll soon realize that more magnification is nice to have.

A 3-9x40 scope is a mid-range scope 300 to 800 yards or get to 1000 yards with good turrets and incredible optical quality.

This means you should look for a scope that can zoom in enough so you can see your target clearly at 500 yards. For example, scopes with a magnification range starting around 5x to 10x are a good choice for this distance.

A rough rule of thumb is that you need 1x for each hundred yards. Based upon this formula, a 4x scope is appropriate out to 400 yards.