Originally Posted by
super_hunt54
It would also be dependent on the reticle size as well on that 6 power. At 300 yards, MOST reticles will cover a serious amount, if not ALL of your target area. Personally, I wouldn't hunt out west without a minimum of 9x variability. All of my big game "out west" rifles wear anything from 3-9x to 4-16x and I don't take shots past 400 yards...
I was born and have lived most of my life "out west". I agree with many of the other posters here in favor of a 3-9x variable scope. I have also been lucky enough to have successfully hunted all of Montana's big game animals (except wolf), and most with rifles with variable scope. Most of my hunting rifles wear variable scopes.
That said, for over 35 years my deer and antelope rifle (that I also used for one of my best 6x6 bull elk, several bighorn rams, and a Dall ram) is my .257 Ackley topped with a 6x Leopold. I have never felt that I needed any other scope on that rifle.
Like hunt54, all of my shots have been well under 400 yards.