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Minimum Focus Distance?

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symphony View Drop Down
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Joined: October/26/2005
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    Posted: October/26/2005 at 14:28

Greetings,

 

Need some clarification on what scope manufacturers mean when they publish minimum focus distances. Am I correct in assuming that when the specifications state that a particular scope (say for example a variable 6X24 50 mm) will focus down to 30m that this is at maximum magnification or in this case at 24X? Will the same scope have trouble focusing down below 30m at say a lower magnification like 6X? 

 

I'm looking to buy a quality scope with variable magnification (eg. Leupold, Swarovski, IOR) to use for various activities (varmint hunting, target, squirrel etc...) but want to ensure that I can use it for close up stuff at lower magnification. Will the above scopes have trouble focusing down at closer distances like 10m?

 

Appreciate any insight...

 

 

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Urimaginaryfrnd View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Urimaginaryfrnd Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: November/03/2005 at 14:29

Yes

 

If you get a high magnification scope the closest it may focus correctly at is porbably 50 to 75 yds for most of the top quality scopes. that doesn't mean that you can't shoot at something that is at 25 yds, but it does mean that it will be out of focus. With rifles there is a huge difference in where the bullet strikes at different distances - Trajectory.

As for hunting squirrels Ive eaten more than my fair share of squirrels and always shot them with open sights or at most a cheap 4x. That is different from a target varmit gun. Squirrels are up in trees and it is a huge mistake to shoot high power rifles up into trees the bullet will come down somewhere you can not safely have it come down. It is considerably less risky to shoot them with a 22 just try to make sure the backstop is the tree.   The higher the minimum power the less forgiving the scope will be up close. Check out this one:

Leupold 4.5-14x50 VX-III Riflescope

Leupold 4.5-14x50 VX-III Riflescope

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Specifications
Weight (oz): 16


Varmint Hunters

Length (in): 12.6
Eye Relief (in): 4.4 - 3.6
Field of View @ 100 yards (ft): 19.1 - 7.4
MOA: 1/4
Finish: Matte
Ring Spacing
Max Mount Ring Spacing (in): 5.1  
Front Ring Space (in): 1.6
Rear Ring Space (in): 2.3


< style="MARGIN: 0px" =/addtocart.asp method=get>
Order Here
Stock # Price Quantity  
LEU57990 $679.95

 

 I have one of the 20X Super Snipers and it will focus down to 10 meters but the focus is very very narrow depth of field front to back and I would probably go with the 10x model with side focus if I was to buy one again but  better yet buy  a Leupold. My best scopes are Leupold they are sharp and clear they work well under the worst conditions and there is a difference you get what you pay for. My favorite all around scope is a VariXIII 4.5-14 Leupold.   I have an Illuminated Mark 4   8.5-25 which is a super tactical scope but it's a big beast and I have a Mark 4 10X M3 that is fast and deadly but it's a fixed 10 so not as good close up as a variable but faster at varied distances.  The 4.5-14 magnification range works very well for what I do and should be a good pick for you.  When Leupold says Long Range they mean it will not focus closer than 50 to 75 yds. A little blury but useable. When Super Sniper says it focuses at 10 meters 10 is in focus 9 and 11 are out of focus so the Leupold is much more forgiving and plesant to use. A minimum of 4.5 is more forgiving up close than 6X which is more forgiving up close than 8.5X but its very cool to be able to crank it up 25x and see where the holes are in your target.  


"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do".
Bobby Paul Doherty
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