The magnification of a rifle scope is one of the most important factors to consider before buying one. When choosing the best magnification for a rifle scope, think about the scenarios you use most often. Here are some common scenarios:
What is the best magnification for hunting scope?
Most hunting rifles are effective at distances of up to 200-300 yards for medium-sized game such as deer, while larger game such as elk or moose may require closer shots. So if you want to buy a riflescope for hunting, you need to make sure that it performs well at distances between 50 and 300 yards. A rifle scope with a magnification range of 3-9x or 2-7x will suffice. This will give you a wide field of view and quick target acquisition at close range, while still providing enough magnification for longer shots.
What magnification for long-range shooting?
For long-range shooting, a higher magnification range of 10-20x or more may be required to accurately identify and engage targets at extended distances.
Some shooters may prefer scopes with even higher magnification ranges, such as 25-50x or more, so that they can shoot at extreme long distance like 1000 yards. However, as a rifle scope manufacturer, VictOptics doesn’t recommended this because higher magnification ranges like that can make it more difficult to acquire and track moving targets, and can also make the image appear darker and less clear in low light conditions. That’s why most riflescope brands only offer a few scopes above 25x.
What magnification for tactical applications
For tactical applications, a rifle scope with a lower magnification range of 1-6x or 1-8x is often preferred as it allows for quick target acquisition and engagement in close quarters combat situations. These low magnification riflescopes are often referred to as LPVO riflescopes and are often used by military and law enforcement personnel for tactical CQB operations.
See how the VictOptics S6 1-6×24 LPVO scope performs at 100 yards.
If you are still not sure which magnification range to choose, you can visit your local gun shop, practice with several scopes at different magnifications and choose the one that is most comfortable for you.