10X for PD's

MPFD

MPFD

Well-known member
I just got a new scope for my AR. It's a 2.8-10x44, I think I am gonna really like it for calling, cause the 4-12x40 I had had too much magnification for close up shooting. I only go shoot PD's about 3 times a year at the big town (200 acres), so my question is what do you think about a 10x at a praire dog town? I have a 6-24X50 world class that I used to use on my old PD rifle, I could swap out but the 10 power is so much clearer I don't know if the extra magnification is worth using the big scope? What do you guys think?
 
How far are you shooting....

I have never been to shoot prarie dogs, but shot a lifesize steel PD target that was set at 1000yds and I could not find the target with a rifle that wore glass topping out at 10X's....I had a 14X on another rifle and did make hits with that.

I have used that 10X out to just under 600yds on woodchucks and have found it to be plenty for that. I have found that I can use 10X's on targets that are around MOA in size. Anything smaller and my reticle just covers too much of the target.

That might not help you to much, but that is what I have found. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
I use a 3 by 9 for a calling scope and though we don't have PD's here in this part of Idaho when ground squirrel season comes around an old Tasco 8 by 32 by 40 goes on for those coke bottle sized varmints and the occasional Rock Chuck. It's not near as bright as the lower power scope, but as my eyes get older I really appreciate the magnification.
 
OK. I have been pasture poodle shooting. Am going in few months again. Your 10X will be OK, but may be just bit of a stretch if you shooting much past 400 yards. But I will say that dogs past 400 yards are hard to hit no matter what you using.

I have used 4X, 3-9, 4-16, 6.5-20, and 6-24 scopes for dog shooting. Out to a 150 yards or so, you can manage just fine with a 4 power, but it not all that great. I have shot quite a few with my 4-16 power, and it just about the best all around. But saying that, it sure is nice to be able to crank up the power to 24X or so every now and then. Sure help to see if it a dirt clod or a sunning praire dog. You can always turn it back down a smidge before you shoot so that you can watch the acrobatics.

I would want a bit more than 10X myself, but if that what you got, it will do the job.

Good luck. Tell us how you do!
 
It depends a lot on your eyesight some of us Old farts need bigger glass than others do. With your old 4-12 was setting it at 10X working? or did you just go right to the top end? 10 and 12 X usually is not a whole lot differant for practical use.
 
Well I hadn't gotten to take the old scope to the PD shoot yet so I dunno, I did use that same model scope on my HMR for a while and it was ok. I can switch out to the 6-24x50 if it woun't work I just thoughtI would get some opinions. I used the 6-24 last year on my single shot .223 and it was nice but neither of those scopes were that good when a dog was on a run at you from less then 40 yards. Thats why I put a lower powere scope on my AR.
 
True statement
Quote:
But I will say that dogs past 400 yards are hard to hit no matter what you using.



I use a 4-16x on my .204 AR and while I will make 'try' shots at them after 400yds, they are certainly not guaranteed hits. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

I know that when I extend my scopes out past the 18x line, they tend to lose some of the 'distinction' between rocks and PDs.. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif

I have one scope that has exceptionally fine cross hairs and it's not the best, but at least it seldom covers up my target, but I don't want to try to shoot it in less than bright light as I tend to lose them (Old Eyes as well) /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif

I have a couple of 2-10x scopes that I feel very comfortable attempting 200yd shots.
 
I use Leupold MK4 M1 3.5x10x40s on a couple pdog rifles, they havnt been a hinderance in any way. Ive killed a good many over 500yrds with the said scope/rifle combos.
 
I have shot PD for many years and use nothing less than a 6.5-20x50. Granted I am not shooting at dogs in the 200 yd range as they are pretty much a give-me. You guys must have some really good eyes as most scopes in the 10x area cover up a PD completely at longer range with their ret's.

I always have gone by the thought that you can only shoot as good as you can see when it comes to optics. Prefer the larger optics.
 
Hey Stranger
Are you on the organ donor list? If so, can I have your eyes? I am doing good to see a praire dog at 500+ plus yards with a 10X scope. Let alone try and hit one!
My hat's off to you.
 
Keep in mind that there's nothing wrong with using two scopes, I do. One for coyotes and one for PD's and other varmints. The only down side of a high powered scope is when the day turns hot and the heat waves start making the image shake and wobble, but usually turning down the power some will help with that.

I've got a 6 by 24 on a Remington VLS and put the old 8 by 32 Tasco target scope on the 204 when spring rolls around for ground squirrels. The little 3 by 9 by 50 goes in the safe until fall comes and I start shooting at coyote's again.

Here's the VLS with the 6 by 24.

700VLS243.jpg


Here's the CZ with the old Japanese Tasco 8 by 32.

coyotesetup.jpg
 
Quote:
I use Leupold MK4 M1 3.5x10x40s on a couple pdog rifles, they havnt been a hinderance in any way. Ive killed a good many over 500yrds with the said scope/rifle combos.



Wow. Praire dogs are what? 6 to 8 inches tall? 3 to 4 inches wide? And you shoot them OVER 500 yards with 10X scope? That way better than I or anyone else I know can do.
 
I agree with Steve. I shoot pdogs a lot, and truth is, until mirage wipes out your upper end, it's almost impossible to have "too much" upper end magnification. (Not to be taken to imply a 35X BR scope is good for the application, either_.

My 2 mainstay scopes are 18X at the top end, and they are very good out to around 500 yards against pdogs. Longer than that, and I break out the 6mm Rem with the 20X glass, and I occasionally wish I had 24X.

One day, just for kicks, I shot a few pdogs with my .270 topped with an upper end of 12X, and it was pretty tough going at 300 yards.

I once owned a Bushnell Legend in 4.5-15X that turned out to be an amazingly good scope for the application atop a .223 Rem out to 400 yards. Very modest cost,
 
It would be nice to have more but I still had one heck of a good time just with a std 3x9 on my 22-250, but I'm sure I stuck it on 9x the whole time. The bigger problem was pdogs hiding behind the std reticle crosshair, it was just too thick. So I've now switched to a Target dot with fine cross hairs. All I need now is to get back to Montana. But I'd take a 6.5x20 if I could justify the glass.
 
I agree. The choice of reticle is more important than minor variations in max power level. I, too, shoot the Leupold 1/8 MOA Target Dot nowadays. I'd take a 4X drop in power if I had to, just to keep the target dot reticle.

Mike
 
I shoot a lot of colony varmints. I probably average at least 5000 a year and only stop then because I am lazy. I have used a lot of scopes in lots of powers and I have decided that a fixed 8X is the best compromise for me. A big problem with colony varmints that people are ignoring is that they all duck up and down and run around a lot. Once you locate them with binoculars it is important to be able to get the scope on them before they duck. By going down to 8X I can get them in the scope much quicker than in a higher power scope. 8X is plenty of power to shoot ground squirrels out to 300 and PDs out to 450. That is about as far as even good shooters can guarantee a 90% certain hit.

I use only fixed power scopes because they are significantly more accurate than variables. A variable is fine for big game but when shooting small targets at longer ranges reducing your group size even a little helps.

Jack
 
I get a chuckle out of some of the opinions I have read here. A few points I would like to make:
1) If you are shooting by yourself you need to match the scope power to the recoil of the rifle so you can spot your misses or see that dog explode.
Example if you are shooting a 223 in a 11-12 lb rifle 12X is about max. A 22-250 or 220 swift in the same weight rifle 10x is max. The 6mm and 243 is about 8x and the 222 and 204 the maximum power is 12-14X. Lighter rifles need a lower power scope.
2)For you "lobbers" shooting at 400 yds plus with high power scopes can't do it with out some one spotting for you. You might get lucky and hit one now and then but what is the fun if you can't see that dog explode. To shoot at those kind of ranges you need a 16-20 lb rifle with a high power scope, a solid bench and guide that is willing to spot your shots.
3)As far as a 10x covering the dog at 500 yards, you would not be holding dead on the dog anyway.
 
I had a Leupold fixed 10x with fine crosshairs for many years on my .22-250.
In high summer when the grass is golden, the p-dogs blended right in and were difficult to spot from about 400 yards out. That said, I once killed a very unlucky one (after 5 or so misses) at a lasered 586 yards. He was just a shimmering golden blur down on all fours on a golden background, but when he lifted his head now and then I could confirm his location. I think I held high using the duplex transition on the lower wire (this was back around '99 or so) so I could still see the 'golden blur'.

10x worked very well inside of 400 yards though. Beyond that you need good contrast between the target and its background. One good thing about it was that you almost never got heat-mirage washout of the view.

As stated above, I couldn't see most of my misses unless the dust cloud lingered a bit or the range was very long (though I still remember some interesting glimpses of mid-air acrobatics as the rifle recovered). Without seeing your misses or having a spotter you can't compensate for wind/drop.

Right now I use a Weaver T16 fixed scope. Works well except for really high-mirage days, and with a muzzle brake I can see where the shot goes.
 
Quote:
Quote:
I use Leupold MK4 M1 3.5x10x40s on a couple pdog rifles, they havnt been a hinderance in any way. Ive killed a good many over 500yrds with the said scope/rifle combos.



Wow. Praire dogs are what? 6 to 8 inches tall? 3 to 4 inches wide? And you shoot them OVER 500 yards with 10X scope? That way better than I or anyone else I know can do.



Yes prairie dogs. Yes I have killed a good many of them in the 500-600 yrd range with the said scopes. I have shot 12x12 steel plates @ 1K with 10x scopes. Obviously when I know Im gonna shoot nothing but LR I prefer higher mag, but in my experience a Leupold MK M1 3.5x10x40 is probably the best scope for the type of pdog shooting we do- We dont sit on tables/benches, we shoot prone, sitting, somtimes even standing. Shots range from 20yrds to over 500yrds.

Granted my 27yr old eyes work pretty good yet- I can easily SEE pdogs @ 500+yrds when the stand on thier mounds, so seeing them in a 10x scope isnt a problem. Leupold Mildot and TMR reticles arent too thick, therefore covering up the dog isnt an issue.

Next time your out and about look thru your scope set on 10x at somthing pdog size, 500yrds away, you just may be amazed.
 


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