QTompkins2005

most shotgun/blackpowder scopes only go up to 4 or 5 power, what would you say the effective range of these powers is?

cayugad

That would depend on your abilities. I know a person that all he ever hunted with was a straight 4X scope. He took 200 yard shots with it and never seemed to bother him.

I personally like a more powerful scope but I did only put a 1.5 X 4.5 Bushnell Banner Dusk to Dawn on mine. There are times I wish it had more power, like at the range, but for hunting it seems to work just fine.

A real important thing is the eye relief. I like a 4" eye releif. Your eye and eye brow will thank you for that.

MLKeith

I agree that four power is usually enough. I have a 1.5-5 power scope on my Omega and since I usually shoot less than 100 yards for hunting it is plenty. It sort of depends on what you hunt and where you hunt. My area for elk is usually less than 100 yards for a shot. If I was shooting small deer at 150 yards I might want more but I doubt it.

BobD

I prefer a traditional 3-9x riflescope with a 40mm objective lens for light gathering purposes. Granted, the higher power is seldom needed in hunting situations, but it's there if you need it and it's real handy at the range.

PAPRIG

I have a cheap Cabelas Pine Ridge 2-7 X 32 on my Omega but I'm looking at the 3-9 Nikon Prostaff and Bushnell Elite 3200 lines because I have trouble seeing the target consistently at 100 yards. The ability to dial up 9 power will be a real asset to these eyes. Most hunting situations will only require 3 or 4 power.

Tree climber

i like a 3x9 ,but usually only use it on4 or 5 for hunting.I have several different ones,on 3x9x50 on my 243 and really love it.on my 45 B/P a 3x9x32 and it seems to work fine.

I guess it all depends on what you like.I will turn mine up to 9 to take a look at something but shoot at 5 power.?????????????????[&:]

BDHUNTR

Tree, I'm like you. I have a Leupold 3x9x40 Vari-X II on my Remington 700 MLS, but I consistently leave it on 4X (woods hunting) or maybe 5X-6X if I'm hunting a field. 9X is for the range. Better to leave it on 4X than 9X. A buck at 35 yards is a gimme at 4X, but all you'll see is a scope full of brown at 9X!

Brian

skeeter 7MM

I also like the 3x9 for my Ml. I like the ability to power up or down as the situation requires. No doubt higher power is really handy when on the range, especially when wanting to see how you bullet behaves at distances longer than 100 yards. It also has proved useful in my case when hunting for shots that were a bit further than the norm. Using a rifle scope on ML hasn't caused me any problems with regards to eye relief or to much power.

Good Luck

newguy23

I would not get the prostaff - not fully multicoated = poor light transimission
I would not get the Elite 3200 - only 3 inches of eye releif ( I like that scope actually but the eye releif is too small for a muzzleloading scope.

In the same price range I would go with a Simmons Aetec 2.8x10-44...
It is fully multicoated and has 5 inches of eye relief, not to mention the widest field of view at 100 yards of the three.

For significantly more you might want to look at the Leupold VX-II, avoid the VX-1's and rifleman's, they are WAY overpriced for an inferior scope!

skeeter 7MM

I had 4000 B&L Elite mounted on a 300 wby with no eye relief problems and it certainly has a lot more recoil than any ML! Up until this fall I was using the 4200 Elite on my 700MLS with no ill effects. I am not sure if I am the exception here but I don't see an ML being a concern with regards to eye relief/recoil unless your shooting max 150 gr loads all the time, which few do.