Over-scoping your "Big Game" rifle

Rifle scopes, iron sights and optics. Spotting scopes and target acquisition devices.

Over-scoping your "Big Game" rifle

Post by Wapiti » 01 Nov 2026, 5:23 pm

There's some pretty experienced hunters on this forum, real ones. Some blokes here even use rifles for making their income, or just hunt on foot whenever they can afford it.
We all know how we just hamstring ourselves with scopes too high in magnification, so we don't do it. It makes us slow, or even ineffective, and for the bloke who has spent half a lifetime breeding animals to a point of perfection, that is a terrible mistake. For the every-few-months hunter, who pains to get the right gear, gets time off, spends big $$$$ just getting into the bush, that's a no-go too.

I was sorting out some old Sporting Shooter magazines, this one from 2022, and I saw this ridiculous advertisement for Vortex scopes.
What a way to put a new shooter on the wrong track and take his money, and make everything after that diffcult.
I mean, it does say, a "hunting scope' for BIG GAME.
And, some caricature of a supposed knows-everything suave bloke with the movie-star moustashe called "Bluey", telling you this is the go.
VortexConartist.jpg
VortexConartist.jpg (699.36 KiB) Viewed 46 times

No wonder we see new hunters struggling to find game through hugely oversized scopes like these ones.
Not to mention the dull image from the high magnification range system internally.

What do you blokes reckon is the ideal magnification range for a "hunting" scope?
Not long range shooting, or heaven forbid, the perversion of long range sniping at animals. Walkabout hunting.
Variable? Fixed power?
Not important so much is the brand, because that's a hot topic, but ideal magnification, taking into account useable field-of-view, objective lens size (which if too big, stops a scope being mounted super-low which slows the shot down... like 50 or 56mm?).
Or do some people just buy a huge scope, and force themselves to adapt to the issues this causes?
"The only way to avoid criticism is to do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing."
Aristotle.
Regards G,
AKA Dr. Doolittle
Wapiti
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Re: Over-scoping your "Big Game" rifle

Post by bigrich » 01 Nov 2026, 6:05 pm

true hunting medium game with 308, 30-06 , ect , i've never been wanting with a 2-7x36 leupold . i'm swapping out that scope on my 338-06 for a 1.5-5 x20 leupold . i've made some shots out to 200 on 2.5 magnification as i didn't have time when a target presented itself . one shot , one dead pig . done that more than once and they're not exactly a small target. in close, or for when game is on the run, a wide field of vision is definitely a advantage . my 223 had a 3-9x40 on it for ages, no problem hitting hoppers in the heart at 200 . more isn't better IMHO when it comes to scopes. decent glass and a understanding of the ballistic drop of your rifle is . my range comp rifles have 4-14x40 scopes for use out to 200 . and i can see my bullet holes at 200 which helps me allow for wind drift . bit of a stiff breeze and a 50gn out of a 222 will drift a little at that distance .

the add you posted above is so misleading for a new hunter . be a alright scope for long range target or culling though .
you gunna put one on your 25-06 wapiti ? ;)

only thing that interests me in that add is the 3MOA reflex red dot . it'd go good on a lever scrub gun , or maybe one of those new ruger 16" barreled M77's in 358win . now we're talking :D
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Re: Over-scoping your "Big Game" rifle

Post by bigpete » 01 Nov 2026, 7:12 pm

2-7×33 or 3-9×40. Or just iron sights
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Re: Over-scoping your "Big Game" rifle

Post by No1_49er » 01 Nov 2026, 7:23 pm

I use a couple. 1 - 4x and a 1.5 - 5x. Absolutely ideal, IMHO.
Am also a competitive target rifle shooter. Taught my (very) junior son to thrash the rest of the contestants with his Sako 222Rem and scope set at x1. He enjoyed that :)
Proud member of "the powerful gun lobby" of Australia :)
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Re: Over-scoping your "Big Game" rifle

Post by Wapiti » 01 Nov 2026, 8:06 pm

bigrich wrote:the add you posted above is so misleading for a new hunter . be a alright scope for long range target or culling though .
you gunna put one on your 25-06 wapiti ? ;)

only thing that interests me in that add is the 3MOA reflex red dot . it'd go good on a lever scrub gun , or maybe one of those new ruger 16" barreled M77's in 358win . now we're talking :D


Oh man, I cannot imagine what a mess culling would be with that scope.
What a cluster(f)uck.
You would want the best glass, field of view and NOTHING over 10x and that would be for the furthest smallest critters... if that.
Remember that culling, you are on a rest out of a buggy or vehicle, things take off after the first shot, and a human being cannot hold steady enough to max out 10x EVER.
I'd say a nice variable of the 3.5-10x40. Start on 6x and you will find after the first shot, 10x is NOT what you want after that.
Actually, I respectfully disagree with myself, my 1-8x24 is the best scope I have ever used for hunting, culling, critters on the run and anything for that matter.

On that reflex sight, that price is a punch in the face, especially in 2022, let alone now. Zerotech Chinese reflex sights are 2/3rds of that price NOW, if you want Chinese.
"The only way to avoid criticism is to do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing."
Aristotle.
Regards G,
AKA Dr. Doolittle
Wapiti
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Queensland

Re: Over-scoping your "Big Game" rifle

Post by Wapiti » 01 Nov 2026, 8:11 pm

bigrich wrote:the add you posted above is so misleading for a new hunter . be a alright scope for long range target or culling though .
you gunna put one on your 25-06 wapiti ? ;)


Yes I am thinking about a new rifle, but it's not a 25-06 yet...
I'm in love with that Sako 90 Walnut Hunter blued in 6.5 x 55... Why I cannot explain apart from it's gorgeous and the other 6.5's have nothing I want.
If the 300 SAUM works out as a varmint rifle, eh. No 25-06 mate... as of yet. Still not convinced it will give me any benefit?
"The only way to avoid criticism is to do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing."
Aristotle.
Regards G,
AKA Dr. Doolittle
Wapiti
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Posts: 3189
Queensland

Re: Over-scoping your "Big Game" rifle

Post by Wapiti » 01 Nov 2026, 8:16 pm

No1_49er wrote:I use a couple. 1 - 4x and a 1.5 - 5x. Absolutely ideal, IMHO.
Am also a competitive target rifle shooter. Taught my (very) junior son to thrash the rest of the contestants with his Sako 222Rem and scope set at x1. He enjoyed that :)

That's pretty conservative mate, I'm imagining that and you would not be disadvantaged, hunting wise.

bigpete wrote:2-7×33 or 3-9×40. Or just iron sights

Yeah Pete I use both those scopes too, and there isn't any disadvantage when running around the farm as allrounders whatsoever.
"The only way to avoid criticism is to do nothing, say nothing, and be nothing."
Aristotle.
Regards G,
AKA Dr. Doolittle
Wapiti
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Posts: 3189
Queensland


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