The Uses of Power

When it comes to power ranges, most experts agree that the very lowest they would want on a hunting scope is 4x. Why? Because anything higher than that will narrow your view too much for close shots and/or shots involving moving game.

For zooming in on far game at reasonable ranges, 9x is usually plenty high. You might want a higher magnification in some cases, but that depends on the type of terrain you hunt and how far the longest shot may be. You should keep in mind that 12x is probably way too much for most realistic hunting situations. Besides, the higher the magnification, the shakier the movement of the crosshairs on your target. In the end, however, you are the best judge of what you need in a riflescope.