1-4x24 or 2-7x32 scope on a 20" barrelled .308

[MalleeFarmer]

Ok so a while ago I toyed with the idea of setting up my horrendously inaccurate M70 .22-250 featherweight as a scrub gun by rebarreling. But thinking now that my MkX .308 can maintain that role pretty well and get my model 70 rebarreled in a slightly heavier contour and better quality barrel but still in .22-250 for a spotlighting rifle out of the ute and use the 3-9x40 Bushy off the .308 on it. I'm thinking of going to a 1-4 or 2-7 power scope on the .308 or should I just stick with a 3-9x40 and enjoy the extra versatility at the cost of a really low low power and get a new slightly higher powered scope for my .22-250. I want to can the 5-15x40 bushy I have as I think the reticle is to thick and can obscure small targets especially at night it's also got a slightly squashed tube thanks to some over tensioning of the talley mounts on my part.

What say Ye all?

[Oldbloke]

1-4x24 will be crap early morning and evening.

IMO the objective lens needs to be 40mm to be reasonable in low light.

[Gwion]

Hat sort of range are you expecting? I know you say a scrub gun but do you want it to have a bit of cross purpose capability?

If it true close range with quick target acquisition a priority, maybe a red dot sight or the like is a better idea. If a cross purpose role, I'd stick with the 3-9 and get a new scope for the ute varminter.

[MalleeFarmer]

Yea I would probably like a bit of "cross purpose capability" as you say. I would probably lean the way of a 2-7x32 if i went to a lower powered scope. I have no experience with anything less than a 3-9 and realistically most of the places I hunt anything less would probably be silly but I sometimes think of the maybes.... maybe I will go hunt deer in the more rugged areas of Vic or boar in FNQ but honestly goats in mallee scrub and open farmland is more realistic but I can dream. I guess I was wondering if a 2-7x32 would be almost as good as the 3-9x40 in open country but slightly better in more closed scrubby country but I guess I never though of light transmission when I considered the alternatives.

[Oldbloke]

Yep, 2-7 is better for shorter ranges. But the 32mm lens will be a compromise.

[Oldbloke]

Yep, 2-7 is better for shorter ranges. But the 32mm lens will be a compromise.