Hunting Scope Choice: 2-7x32 vs 3-9x40

[Vandy]

I am looking to buy a scope for hunting purposes. On hunting firearms, I am use to 3-9x40 scopes. In low light hunting situations, do you give up much, if any, performance in a 2-7x32 (or 33) as compared to a 3-9x40. This would assume you are comparing scopes of the same line and optical quality.

 

[iH8DemLibz]

Is this for the same Savage 220?

 

[haoleboy]

If it helps at all, I have a 1x4 on my H&R Ultra Slugger. Where I hunt, the shots are rarely over 70 yards. I've never needed more than 4x power.

 

[Vandy]

Is this for the same Savage 220?

Yes it is for the same gun.

 

[E.Shell]

I am looking to buy a scope for hunting purposes. On hunting firearms, I am use to 3-9x40 scopes. In low light hunting situations, do you give up much, if any, performance in a 2-7x32 (or 33) as compared to a 3-9x40. This would assume you are comparing scopes of the same line and optical quality.

Relative brightness in scopes of equal quality will be determined by the size of the exit pupil, the column of light the enters the eye. Once we make the exit pupil as large as the human eye can use (around 7mm), making it larger does not add much brightness.

We can determine the approximate size of the exit pupil by dividing the objective size by the magnification.

The 2-7x32 will have a 16mm exit pupil when set at 2x.
The 3-9x40 will have a 13.33mm exit pupil when set at 3x.

While the 2-7x40 will have a larger exit pupil, both scopes substantially exceed 7mm and so both will be quite bright at the bottom end of the magnification range and it is doubtful there will be a perceptible difference to the user.

With regard to the top end magnification, there is very little practical difference between 7x and 9x, but 9x will usually allow better detail, such as counting antler tines, picking a spike out of a herd of does, etc..

One thing about cheap scopes is that they usually look better at lower magnifications and if you are looking at inexpensive scopes, the 2-7x will probably be as easy to see through as the higher powered 3-9x. Good quality scopes allow one to take advantage of the larger image, instead of just making a small blurry object into a big blurry object.

 

[tomandjerry00]

I use a 2-7 on my slug gun (H&R) and have used it successfully at up to 200 yards. I like having the 2 power for moving through the woods but usually keep it at 7x.


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[iH8DemLibz]

Yes it is for the same gun.

Going with 2-7 here too then.

 

[outrider58]

I've got a Nikon 3 x 9 pro staff on my 220. Totally unnecessary IMO. I put it on 3-4 while walking and 5-6 power when sitting. It was just a scope I had lying around.

 

[Vandy]

Thank you for all of the feedback. I am going to see how many of these I can handle in person before making any final choice on model or power.

In the 3-9x40 I am looking at the Vortex Viper, Leupold Ultimate Slam, Nikon ProStaff 5, and Bushnell Elite.

Looking through offerings in the 2-7x, I am considering the Nikon Monarch 3, Leupold VX-2, Bushnell Elite, Leupold Ultimate Slam, Burris Fullfield E1, and Vortex Diamondback. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Vortex makes a Viper in 2-7 any longer.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Give some considerable thought to the type of hunting you're going to be doing with that scope the majority of the time. There's a tendency amongst some to focus on magnification, as if more is always better. If you're likely to encounter a need for quick shots, or if you're hunting very heavy cover, the opposite is true. Low or even no magnification becomes your best friend. Field of view increases for one thing. So does the ability to quickly pick up a rapidly moving target, or a target in dense cover. The other thing is that, when you need magnification, you'll almost invariably have time to dial it up. Not so with a desire or a need to dial down from a too high magnification setting. Good luck!

 

[PIT BULL]

Can't go wrong with Nikon.

 

[Vandy]

Depending on which property I am hunting, I could be hunting in dense cover where I won't get a shot over 50 yards while on another property, I will have shots across/down the field edge that will max out the effective range (and/or my ability) of the slug. Regardless of where I am hunting, I always keep my scope on its lowest power for the reason being if I need the magnification, I likely have the time to crank the power dial.

For the occasional deer drive I use my old pump 12 gauge with iron sights, so this scope would not be used in that type of scenario.

 

[Boom Boom]

Adding to what Duke just said, consider the exit pupil at full magnification. Your eyebox will shrink dramatically, making it difficult to move and hold your sight picture. If you expect to move at all (meaning you're not in a stand), then lower magnification with better glass is much easier to use than more magnification with lesser glass, assuming the same price point.

 

[Uncle Duke]

Depending on which property I am hunting, I could be hunting in dense cover where I won't get a shot over 50 yards while on another property, I will have shots across/down the field edge that will max out the effective range (and/or my ability) of the slug. Regardless of where I am hunting, I always keep my scope on its lowest power for the reason being if I need the magnification, I likely have the time to crank the power dial.

For the occasional deer drive I use my old pump 12 gauge with iron sights, so this scope would not be used in that type of scenario.

I've had the very good fortune to kill a lot of deer in my time. I mention that only because I would venture to say that fully 90% of them have been inside of 75yards. Of those, I'd also guesstimate that fully 2/3 have been inside of 50 yards. And of those, perhaps as many as half were probably inside of 35 yards.

With what you describe? Of the two you mention, and unless you're anticipating the majority of your time hunting fields? 2x7 would be my choice. Just one man's opinion though.

 

[BlackBart]

I LIKE 3-9x40's.

 

[Sewer Rat]

I prefer the 40's and even 50's for light gathering at dusk.... mag is dependent on the situation. I tend ot keep my scopes at low mag and then zoom in.

 

[IndispensableDestiny]

I bought a 50mm Leupold with a heavy reticle just for hunting at dusk. It makes a difference at longer ranges. But tomorrow morning I'm going out with a 2.5-8x36 Leupold on my Savage 220 shotgun.

 

[sandeman]

Ed shell comments are gospel. I am glad he is a Mds member.I have trained with him. A class act. Knowledge that would take a life time to accquire.

 

[Biggfoot44]

As always E.Shell is spot on.

A cpl of other factors - Every thing else being equiv , more field of view is better than less. And mounting closer to the bore line (aka lower) is always better , and for common gunting guns will almost always be more naturally aligned to your line of sight, leading to being able to more quickly pickup your target. ( Going under the concept that a 32mm will likely be able to use lower rings/mount than would be needed for a 40mm .

I have frequently experemented while in hunting areas to check my watch while taking test sightings every minute. With various 32mm scopes I have always had acceptable sight pictures to at least end of legal shooting time , and usually another 5 minutes or more. The popularity of 40mm and larger started in Europe where night hunting by moonlight is legal and semi-common.

And as noted , *usually* when you would Want more magnification , you have time to increase , but when you need wide field of view , you need it right then.

Being Old School beyond my years , I still prefer fixed power scopes. The old sugguestion of 4x for all around is actually quite a good one. My late father used 4x to make first shot hits at 700 plus yards ( yes , in front of witnesses ) so I rarely would feel handicapped with one. And at "normal" distances a 2.5x or 2.75x will work quite well.

* To Me * , the primary role of NEEDING a 3-9x , would be for a true dual purpose rifle, ie one used for both deer and varmits. A cpl generations ago this was semi-common with .243, .25-06, .257R , etc , but these days most people have dedicated rifles for each.