Im starting to get into long range shooting and building up my Savage PC 10. Im looking at getting a Vortex PST FFP either in the 16x or 24x. I can get the 16x for about $150 cheaper, so Im wondering if the extra magnification is worth it? Thanks.
Rifle Scopes 16x versus 24x
- Thread starter bh10
- Start date
16x is going to be a better all around usable scope. I don't know all the details of your rifle but for a 308 I would rather have a 10x or 12x. Research field of view. Usually the higher the magnification the less FOV.
6x is too high for hunting. FYI. I had some trouble even with a pretty wide field, when the deer came within 25-50 yards I wished for less. But I reeeeaaaalllly like 24x for target. I never take it off 24 for target shooting. So I'm probably going to add a diagonal mount for a Fast-fire before next hunting season. Or just spring for the new 2.5-10x32 FFP for fun and hunting LOL.
If your punching paper more is better. If your hunting the 15 is plenty. Seems one and always back down the power. I have ATACR and never go above 16 or so. At 100 yds I am on 6-8x punching paper hunting tight groups. If it was me I'd go more power for $150 it's a no brainier if the rest is the same. If $150 makes you think hard, don't price match ammo. I spend more that for a weekend of hoting. 
Get more power.
Get more power.
The 6-24x PST is huge, the 4-16x is merely big. I have a 10PC, it's a reasonable size rifle, not huge or heavy, and it would look and feel weird with a huge scope sitting o top of it.
But really the fundamental question is what shooting you want to do. If you're going to do all your shooting prone with a bipod at 300 to 1000 yards, the 6-24x probably makes more sense. If you're going to do some of that but also some deer hunting or similar, the smaller size and lower low magnification on the 4-16x will be more user
friendly.
This would really just be for target shooting, Im mainly a bow hunter, but if I do need a gun, my Saiga 308 comes out. Yea, I know ammo is expensive, but Im going to start rolling my own and I realize when we are talking scopes, $150 can be a drop in the bucket.If your punching paper more is better. If your hunting the 15 is plenty. Seems one and always back down the power. I have ATACR and never go above 16 or so. At 100 yds I am on 6-8x punching paper hunting tight groups. If it was me I'd go more power for $150 it's a no brainier if the rest is the same. If $150 makes you think hard, don't price match ammo. I spend more that for a weekend of hoting.
Get more power.
Interesting, I didnt realize it was that much bigger. But shooting will be off a bench or prone from 100-600 yards, thats what the local range is.
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I was just looking at the specs, Ive got a Bushnell 4200 on my scope now, the 6-24x is almost 2" shorter and and oz lighter, so it cant look as bad as the monster that Ive got on there now.
I had a Bushnell 4200 Tactical 6-24x50 FFP...awesome scope, but unusable for hunting in timber.
At 6x, the field of view is 13'.
Compare that to the PST 6-24x50, which has a 17.8' FOV at 6x...and the PST 4-16x50, which has a 27.4' FOV @ 4x.
The scope I ended up choosing was the Vortex Viper HS 5-15x44 MidwayUSA special, which has a 25' FOV @ 5x. The Bushnell 3-12x44 FFP, another scope I brieflyi owned, has a 26' FOV @ 3x.
I hunted with the Viper HS 5-15x last fall in a wooded creek bottom, and it worked great.
If you are primarily looking for a target/range rifle where FOV doesn't matter, I'd say rock the best bang for your buck...which would be a Bushnell Elite Tactical 6-24x50 G2DMR from Scott @ Liberty Optics.
At 6x, the field of view is 13'.
Compare that to the PST 6-24x50, which has a 17.8' FOV at 6x...and the PST 4-16x50, which has a 27.4' FOV @ 4x.
The scope I ended up choosing was the Vortex Viper HS 5-15x44 MidwayUSA special, which has a 25' FOV @ 5x. The Bushnell 3-12x44 FFP, another scope I brieflyi owned, has a 26' FOV @ 3x.
I hunted with the Viper HS 5-15x last fall in a wooded creek bottom, and it worked great.
If you are primarily looking for a target/range rifle where FOV doesn't matter, I'd say rock the best bang for your buck...which would be a Bushnell Elite Tactical 6-24x50 G2DMR from Scott @ Liberty Optics.
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I am just about to mount my 6-24x50 FFP MRAD Vortex Viper to my 10BA Savage. Can't wait to start punching some paper.
Get the 24x. You can always dial the 24x down to 16x but you can't dial the 16x up to 24x. The 24x is 15.5" and the 16x is 13.7". Not that much difference. I run a 5-25 that is 16.5" with a 2.5" sunshade and it's not too big. Not like it hangs over the muzzle.
You will be happier with the 24x in the long run.
You will be happier with the 24x in the long run.
Heres a shot of my newly mounted Vortex Viper PST 6-24x50 FFP MRAD. Cannot WAIT to get this thing to the range.
My rule of thumb is that every increase of 50% in magnification is useful. 24X is 50% more magnification than 16X and is a significant increase using my rule of thumb. Of course, there is a limit to useful magnification because of atmospherics and loss of image quality.
