scope power when sighting in

[robertstevens]

When you guys sight in your rifle at 100 yards, what do you have the power of your scope on? I got a 3-9x40, do you leave it on 3 or 4, or nomally have it higher?

Thanks.
How to Sight in a Scope

[Winger Ed.]

It shouldn't matter,
but if I have any doubts of its repeatability, or the zero possibly changing when adjusting the power ring:

I sight one in at the magnification I would hunt or target shoot with, and leave it there.

If its a trustworthy, high end scope, I sight it in at a high power so I can see the shot holes,
and don't have to move over to look through a spotting scope.

Then cycle it up & down a few times and shoot it at different magnifications to be sure the zero doesn't move.

[Lloyd Smale]

i usually sight in at the highest power the scope goes too. If nothing else when you use 9-14x you can usually see holes so you dont need your spotting scope. When im done with load development i check my zero at the power i am going to mostly use that particular scope at. For the most part normal deer hunting is down at the lowest power and crop damage shooting usually has me on 6x. Some cheap scopes will change poa with a change in power. Enough to cause a miss? unlikely. But most decent scopes shoot the same and in my case if they dont i ditch them and buy a different scope. these days you usually see it in sub 100 dollar scopes and i dont waste my money on that junk

[Larry Gibson]

Given a quality scope where the POI does not wander as the power is changed zero at the highest power simply because that is probably the power you will use for a longer range shot or when a more precise shot is required given the time to change power. Then when shooting at closer range when time doesn't allow leave the scope set on the lowest power as that will be sufficient.

For years I hunted with a Redfield 3x9 Accu-Trac on my 30-06. I killed many animals from rabbits to elk/caribou with it. On big game [deer, antelope, Big Horn sheep, elk and caribou], with the exception of 5 animals, the scope was always set on 3X since most of those were taken at less than 150 yards (most under 100 yards truth be told) with no time to change the scope power nor any need to. The 5 animals taken at longer range [248 - 600 yards] I had plenty of time to get into a solid prone supported position, estimate or measured the range [using the scope range finding or a laser range finder], increase the scope power to 9X and set the elevation, hold off for wind and make the shot. The precision of being zeroed at 9X made that possible.

[dverna]

The only time I lower the power of a scope is if tracking a deer. My shots are from blinds and normally over 100 yards. Shooting down shooting lanes, over food plots, in fields or down power lines. Our hunt club requires 8pt or better and I cannot determine that at lower power settings. For closer shots, even if the POI is a bit off, it will not matter so I have never checked it but should. My least expensive hunting scopes are $300+ so hopefully are not too affected by power setting.

[marlinman93]

On the few rifles I have with scopes, I always prefer the highest power magnification when sighting in.

[Mk42gunner]

Normally I set the power to where I can clearly see my aiming point. A quality scope shouldn't shift POI with power changes, but some do. The place to find this out is the range, not on an animal.

I have had more rifle scopes than I can remember, and the only one that shifted POI that I can recall was one of the old rail mounted Bushnell .22 scopes (a 3-8X IIRC something odd anyway)on a Remington Model 581. It still shot bughole groups, you just didn't know where they would appear. I left it on about 5X and lived with it.

Robert

[slim1836]

On the few rifles I have with scopes, I always prefer the highest power magnification when sighting in.

I hate watching my heartbeat in the scope, I suck is saying it mildly. I need more confidence so I lower the magnification.

Slim

[Chris S]

As high as it will go without getting fuzzy. I'm a big believer in maximum magnification. I have target rifles with 36X scopes (I know some of you have even greater mags) that I use at 100 yards. This, of course, assumes a bench setting. I could never hold that magnification free hand.

Chris

[Teddy (punchie)]

I hate watching my heartbeat in the scope, I suck is saying it mildly. I need more confidence so I lower the magnification.

Slim

Yea all in the mood and how I feel. Type of target.

[farmerjim]

None of my scopes change Point of aim with magnification change. None of my scopes are high $.
I always do the 100 yd sight in at max magnification.

[farmbif]

I'm no expert but I think if the point of impact changes as you change the magnification of scope, you might need a better quality scope.
there is a reason why the bass pro shop clearance center has watermelon pallet crates full of cheap Chinese scopes

[marlinman93]

I have a 6x24 target scope on my .22-250 target rifle and once sighted in I can set it for 6x or 24x and no change in POI.

[atr]

I use the same power I generally use when hunting. With rare exceptions it is 4 power.

[atr]

I use the same power I generally use when hunting. With rare exceptions it is 4 power for large game. For varmints it is 6 power

[Lloyd Smale]

I'm no expert but I think if the point of impact changes as you change the magnification of scope, you might need a better quality scope.
there is a reason why the bass pro shop clearance center has watermelon pallet crates full of cheap Chinese scopes

you no doubt right but i still check every one of them.

[marlinman93]

I hate watching my heartbeat in the scope, I suck is saying it mildly. I need more confidence so I lower the magnification.

Slim

That is an issue of very high power scopes, and especially when combined with non set triggers. With a very high power scope, and good target type rest, and a set trigger, there's not much issue with me seeing my heartbeat, or moving the gun.
But I agree that if I have an average gun, average trigger, and just sand bags on the bench, a lower power scope works better, or at least wont show me all my movement.

[marlinman93]

I use the same power I generally use when hunting. With rare exceptions it is 4 power for large game. For varmints it is 6 power

I couldn't even see small varmints with my .22-250 at the distances I try to shoot them if I didn't have my 6x-24x target scope. We like to start at 200 yds. and work our way out to 400 yds.
A 4x-6x would be fine if it was larger varmints like coyotes.