"Proportional" Scope Power for 100 Yards

[mljones1947]

I'm shooting .22LR at 100 yards and trying to make target and scope selections "proportional" to F-Class at 300 or 600 yards. The target is easy: 0.5 MOA X, 1.0 MOA 10 ring, etc. However, what would be the scope power equivalent to the 24X, 36X or so scopes typically used at the longer distances? Do I just divide by the proportional distance?

For example, 36X at 300 yards would be 12X at 100 yards.

This seems right, but I get messed up sometimes calculating this stuff. Thanks.

 

[Dylan in AZ]

Re: "Proportional" Scope Power for 100 Yards

Magnification isn't subject to distances. Meaning, 24x or 36x at 100 yards is still 24x or 36x at 1000 yards. What does change is the appearance of the target as distance changes. So, a target that is 10" across for 1000 yard shooting is still 10" at 100 yards. However it looks bigger because it is closer. This is the reason that you scaled your 300/600 yard target to be proportional for 100 yards. But that is more for the shooting aspect and being consistent with minute of angle type measurements. Magnification on the other hand... I would assume that this part is already taken care of by the scaling of the target you're shooting. Meaning that 10" target at 1000 yards is going to look about the same as a 1" target does at 100 yards as long as the magnification remains consistent.

I don't know this for a fact, but I'd be willing to bet that as long as your targets are scaled properly for the distance, that they will still look the same if you use the same magnification. Give it a try though. All you would need to do is take your big bore gun and point it at the f-class target for 100 yards.

 

[mljones1947]

Re: "Proportional" Scope Power for 100 Yards

Duh! I'm sure that you're right. I was running through some numbers and came to the same conclusion. Reducing magnification would be "double reducing," so to speak. Thanks.

 

[Tactical_Tom]

Re: "Proportional" Scope Power for 100 Yards

I think its helpful to have a scope which will let you see bullet holes at 100 yards easily. If you going with a cheaper scope with poor glass that means 12 - 20 max power for me.