RE: Difference in scope powers
Scope powers above 12 power are getting into the area of becoming useless on a big game rifle or st least should only be used on very specialized long range big game rifles.
Above 12 power you are in the varmint and target magnification range where you need the extra magnification to precicely place bullets on very small targets.
Points to consider when purchasing a scope for a rifle................
What is its intended purpose? General big game hunting, varmint, bench rest, loooong range target, etc...
What distances do you expect to be shooting? As the power increases the field of view decreases. So, closer ranges need less magnification so if you expect shots at 25 yards then you need a variable power scope of 3 power or less on its lowest setting. A scope that only gets down to 6 power will noly make it more dificult to find your target as the target gets closer to you.
Do you anticipate any shots needing to be taken quickly. A high power scope will almost certainly cause you to miss an oportunity.
How heavy do I want my scope to be? Remember that the larger the lenses and the higher the magnification the heavier the scope will be.
WHat kind of rifle will you be mounting it on? You don't want a huge scope on a light weight compact rifle just like you son't want a small compact scope on a "beanfield" rifle.
Consider if you will be useing it in low light conditions.............. If so, a high magnification will transmit less light to your eye than will a lower power scope. This is because as the power of the scope increases the exit pupil of the scope gets smaller and smaller. An exit pupil is the diameter of the "circle of light" a scope transmits when it reaches your eye and is in focus. The smaller the exit pupil the less light is transmitted to your eye. To find the exit pupil divide the objective lense diameter by the power number. Example.... 9 power and a 40mm objective will give you an exit pupil size of 4.4mm.. The optimal thing you want to happen is to have an exit pupil the same size or slightly larger than the maximum eye pupil of your own eye. Of course this is impossible to achieve on a variable power scope but there is no sense in purposely making it worse than it has to be. Most adults have an eye pupil size of about 6mm in very low light. So having a scope such as a 6-18X50 set on 18 power will only give you an exit pupil size of 2.7mm. This means that about 60% of your eyes ability to see brighter will not be used.
The quality of glass. The higher quality the glass the clearer, sharper and brighter the image will be when it reaches your eye.
The type and quality of coatings. Same thing applies here as it does the glass quality.
I hope this helps you choose a scope that will fit your needs and not what someone else thinks you need.
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