Fixed power scopes

[FlatTop45LC]

I don't own any fixed power scopes but all my variables are used as fixed power for the hunt. Depending on where I am they may be at 2x or 12x though. But once set I don't fool with them in the woods.

[opos]

Being an old guy (77) I grew up with fixed power scopes and still like them..I have a Sears 1917 Enfield (Winchester) '06 with a Ted Williams fixed 4 power scope that is just like the old days...love it .... don't hunt any more and just enjoy rifles for occasional plinking and target shooting...I have a Interarms Mark X in 7mm Mauser that needed a scope...Cabelas had a Nikon Buckmaster 3x9 for $129 including freight and that's about half off so I got one...I've had Nikon optics before and really like them and that price is terrific..so we'll see.

[paul s]

I agree with 99 % of the comments here. But it never fails, I always see a nice '
Marlin 44 or 30-30 with a 4x16 power scope with a 50mm obj. At hunting camp. They all look at me like some fool because my 30-30 is wearing an old Lyman All American 2.5!

[GoodOlBoy]

I love old fixed power scopes. I have never had a problem with their clarity. After all I ain't stargazing or trying to read the fine print. Long as it is clear enough for me to see where to put the round then I am good to go. If you had asked me six month to a year ago I woulda told you I wasn't a scope fan at all. But then I realized how bad my eyes are getting.

Wish some company would step up and make a reasonably priced steel bodied fixed power scope these days. I don't want to spend as much or more on the scope than I do the gun. But that's just me.


GoodOlBoy

[Lloyd Smale]

id probably buy a few myself but about the only one making them anymore is leupold and they want as much or more then a vx2 for there fixed power ones.

[Petrol & Powder]

Simple is a good thing!

[Lloyd Smale]

someone needs to make a good multicoated 2 or 3x scope for around 200 bucks. Id be in for a few of them. My eyes are about getting to old for aperture sights on my lever guns. Right now im thinking of a couple vx1 1x4 leupolds but on a lever gun id be fine with a low powered fixed scope IF IT had good optics

[DRSLYR]

I love the 4X fixed power scopes. Every time I use a variable power scope, it seems they are set on the wrong power for what I need!

DRSLYR

[nekshot]

I bought some of those simmons 4x for 19.00 mullas and are they nice and clear and lite weight. They aren't for everyone but they work for me!

[Don Fischer]

My go to rifle. I bought it while I was stationed in Southern CA too many years ago. My son will inherit it.
Leupold fixed 4 and chambered in 06. It has the cleanest 2.5 lb trigger you could ever wish for.

Beautiful rifle. Mod 70 Feather weight. I have the same rifle but inn 6.5x55 and it has a new Leupold/Redfield on it. 2-7x. My favorite's are an old Denver Redfield 2 1/2X that's on my 30-06. Have a mod 788 Rem in 308 with an old Denver 1-4x on it. Got both of them brand new many years ago. Have an old Weaver K4 I need another rifle to put in on. I think most people tend to over do it with scope's. seem's a lot of people think they can't live without a set up that they can shoot to 500 yds with, weather they has the ability or not. I do have a few higher power scope's. 6.5x06 has a 4 1/2-14x Nikon. Just shoot target's at long range with it but not a lot any more. 3-9x Bushnell banner over 20 yr old. On my 25-06, an open country rifle and my 243 has a 3-9 Nikon on it, just for varmints and predators. Most used rifle I've had was an old Rem 660 with a 2 3/4x Redfield on it. Those low power scope's are lighting fast, even in low light.

One thing that has occurred to me over the years, i have seldom used any variable on more than 4x unless at the range crank it up to check the target then down again to shoot.

[trebor44]

Fixed power scopes are light, easy to use and cheap. The market abounds with them in pawn shops, thrift stores, garage sales if you don't have to have new. I would look for the ones made in the USA (early production) or Japan. I have a Redfield 2.5x post, TV screen that is probably 40-50 years old and is still a tack driver. My 4x Universal (Japan) will rival the clarity and light gathering of any high dollar scope. If you do buy used, check the focus and clarity. Any of the Major Brands are usually good to go but don't ignore the lesser know ones. Anyone want to buy a Realist?

[jaysouth]

Tasco used to make a 4X40 in Japan. It was a great scope but age has taken its toll and they can't be repaired. The Tasco Bantham 2.5 was just phased out. They were selling for $19.99 and worth many times that much. I have two old steel tube K-4 and a new one made in Japan. The new one has far better crosshairs.

My latest purchase was a Nikon P-223 in 3x32. It is a really good scope and will be on the .30-30 I hunt with this fall. It is the same price as a new K-4 but looks brighter and has very good definition at 200 yards.

[farmbif]

I have that same tasco 4x on an old savage side button mag release 243 and with 100 grain spire points hits within the x ring at 100 yrds each and every shot and zero has not changed in 20 or so years. I was going to replace it with a monarch or leupold but it just shoots perfect every time the way it is

[olafhardt]

There are still fixed power cross bow scopes. They often have stuff in the reticles that may or may not be useful. Some have low yardage paralax. I bought a used Tenpoint 3×32 and put it on a 10-22. I think is is going to work ok.

[54bore]

Most of my guns are older than I and are hunters not what one would really call long range guns. Is there anymore around that likes just plain fixed power scopes.
The 4 power or less with a post reticle seems to be my favorite personally.

Hard to beat a fixed 4X leupold, I personally prefer a high magnification variable for targets, but i rarely go over 6 power in the field hunting

[olafhardt]

There are still fixed power cross bow scopes. They often have stuff in the reticles that may or may not be useful. Some have low yardage paralax. I bought a used Tenpoint 3×32 and put it on a 10-22. I think is is going to work ok.

I have shot this rifle some now and find it an excellent combination. I could live without the extra cross hairs but the long eye relief and close parallax really shine in a close range scope.

[starnbar]

I have a Redfield 4x that was purchased around 71 it has been on a number of my rifles dropped a few times and has not given me one bit of troubles.

[Hickok]

I love fixed power scopes. Wished they made more of them. After many years of shooting and hunting, I suddenly realized I mainly used the highest power variable setting for zeroing-in and working up loads for grouping on target. When hunting, the variable was set down to low power.

These are just my findings and thoughts, and I still have variable power scopes, but I now tend to buy fixed power when I can.

Also, buying fancy, high power variables seemed to be a "boutique" thing, my friends and I liked to show-off and discuss our latest, newest high-power variable with all the knobs, cool reticles, parallax adj, camo-matte finish, etc.


But as I grew wiser, (Less stupid, less boastful, not trying to keep up with the latest and greatest) reality started to hit me on the head.
These high powered variables were beginning to cost more than the rifles I was mounting them on. They were big, heavy, and at times presented mounting problems due to there size, they had less windage and elevation adj. and I didn't need the high magnification for hunting. I never could make a deer's horn get more points by cranking up the power on a scope, no matter how many times I tried! Spikes were still spikes, 4 pts were still 4 pts, etc!

Now I have and buy a lot of variables Weavers, Leupolds, and older Burris fixed powers when I can find them. I own 3x, 4x, and 6x scopes and they will still drop deer at any range if I do my part.

[jaysouth]

My "go to" scopes are now the current Weaver K-4 and the Nikon P-223 3x32. I also have a couple of the Tasco Bantam 2.5X scopes that I paid $19.95 each on closeout at Natchez. Wish I had bought a dozen.

I also have a Weaver V-3 on a 308 pump, permanently set at 3 power. While more pricey, it is not as good a scope as the Nikon 3x32.

Sure wish Weaver made the K-8 again.

[Greg G.]

Hickok- "These high powered variables were beginning to cost more than the rifles I was mounting them on."
I know what you are saying. The glass is as much or more then the the gun, guess everyone whats to be a sniper.
The last deer that I shot was about 425 yards across a Utah mountain canyon with a 4x Redfield on a custom built .270.





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