You have some good points and for most folks yea maybe a 2x7 would be fine but I have found the higher powers really are nice for seeing at longer distances and the target knob set up so you do not have to hold over is very nice. It also depends on your use a lot of Silhouette shooters use higher power scopes on their rifles.Mine is a 10x40 which is a lot of scope I probably could have gotten by with a 6x24 but I wanted one with a target dot and this scope had it for a reasonable price. Offhand it is taking some getting used to but at the bench it is great. For shooting longer distances with a 22 shooting a higher power scope really helps. This the first HIGH POWER scope I have ever owned before that the highest one was a 3x9. There is no comparison using the higher powers at a longer distance.