As the old saying goes; might makes right. Meaning that those with power can enforce their will. This doctrine has long been used when it comes to hunting cartridges. With hunting season right around the corner we figured it was worth the discussion to evaluate the premise. Does a magnum’s might make right when it comes to hunting? Does the heavy energy load of magnum cartridges make them the best choice for your hunt? Let’s get to the bottom of it.
I load my own with these RCBS dies, this allows me the ability to customize the energy applied
What Makes a Magnum?
Magnum cartridges are simply larger than typical cartridges of comparable bore. For example, the 30-06 Springfield is a common 30-caliber cartridge. The 300 Winchester Magnum is a larger 30-caliber cartridge, with more powder capacity. This allows the 300 to push bullets much faster all else being equal.
the 30-06 Springfield has been and will continue to take nearly any NA big game animal. This Winchester model 70 is a classic example of an American hunting rifle
The whole premise of magnum cartridges is to bring higher velocities and energy. When you shoot larger bullets and faster velocities the energy imposed on the target goes up. This can be very important when it comes to hunting animals, as energy is key to quickly incapacitating our prey.
Ballistic Performance
Another reason magnum cartridges are popular is because of their ballistic performance. The same attributes that make them effective for hunting, also make them effective for long-range shooting. Being able to shoot bigger bullets at faster velocities, or standard bullets at even faster velocities makes them a better choice for shooting further. Heavier bullets and faster bullets hold onto their energy longer, which pushes out the envelope of their effectiveness. You can imagine how this would be helpful to both a hunter, and a long-range shooter.
Magnums like this 300 PRC do well for long-range shooting and hunting
Newer and better bullets are constantly hitting the market, which is making the ballistic performance grow ever better. The 180 grain bullets your grandpa shot weren’t as efficient as the latest and greatest 180 grain bullets we have today. But does that matter for many of us?
Real World Applications
As I peruse hunting and shooting forums, social media groups, and even the slums of reddit, you can get an idea of most hunting practices. It seems that the majority of hunters typically engage big game like deer at distances between 50 and 400 yards when hunting with firearms. Obviously that depends greatly on location and the animal they are after.
deer sized animals can easily be taken with smaller calibers like this 6mm GT in my Desert Tech SRSM2
If you are stalking a fifty-pound Roe deer on the green fields of Great Britain, you will probably use different tackle than a hog hunter in Georgia, or a Stone Sheep hunter in the Yukon. The size of your prey, and the environment you pursue them in has much to do with your cartridge selection.
Even large animals like a Rocky Mountain Elk are easily taken with short action cartridges like a .243 or a 30-30. So why do most people use heavy magnums for hunting them? Mainly because Rocky Mountain Elk live in places you don’t want to take your .243.
The Landscape
Western hunts often take place in big open country, where shots could be much further than average. Furthermore, a wounded animal might go for miles through the steepest miserable country you can imagine. So it makes sense to use a rifle with more power and heavy bullets. In many of these hunts, it is also important to drop the animal right where it stands to avoid strenuous extraction.
when hunting in the deep forest, you often want to secure your prey where it stands to make it easier to get out
Conversely, if you are hunting one of the gulf states you probably aren’t going to be making many 400 yard shots. And your chances of finding an elk down there are likely limited to exotic ranches. Consideration to location could have a lot to do with whether or not you really need a magnum.
in the thick woods where I took this bear, having a smaller rifle with lower recoil was beneficial
Biology
It is also very important to understand the body structure of the animals we intend to hunt. Some animals are tougher than others, and require a little more energy to quickly and cleanly put them down. Using an appropriately proportioned cartridge for the animal not only ensures a clean kill, but also reduces waste. I like to eat what I hunt, so blowing a deer in half with a super magnum is not on my list.
Hitting an animal in the right spot is more important than what you hit them with, read more about that here
Using a magnum on a small animal particularly at short distance is likely to cause more damage than necessary. This could cause meat to be lost and discarded. Shooting a 90-grain bullet from a 6mm Creedmoor might be perfect for hunting a Pronghorn antelope inside 400 yards. You could use a 300 Winchester for the same job, but you might have a few pounds less to take home for the freezer.
Many Americans seem to have been born with a .30 caliber fixation, nothing to be ashamed of believe me. But there is a rivalry coming for America’s top spot, and its coming from the metric system believe it or not. 6.5 caliber cartridges are nothing new, even in North America. Today we are going to discuss a variety of the 6.5 cartridges and why they have such a cult following that continues to grow. Perhaps by the time we are done, you might feel a taste for the 6.5 Koolaid yourself.
the Ruger American Rifle is available in various calibers like 6.5CM and 6.5 PRC
6.5 or .264?
I remember speaking to an old gunsmith who claimed to have trained under P.O. Ackley. He told me that allegedly Ackley believed the 6.5 to be the ideal bore for accuracy. I believe both of them were simply a product of their time, and I also believe there isn’t an “ideal bore”. Instead there are simply perfect proportions, bullet lengths and angles as compared to the bore.
What you cannot deny is that 6.5mm bullets (or .264 inches for the Yanks) typically have excellent ballistic coefficients (BC). And these high BC bullet are usually easy to get up to excellent speeds due to their weights. Most 6.5 bullets fall within the range of 100 to 150 grains.
Whether .264 or 6.5, there is an incredible variety of cartridge cases designed to push them. And choosing which one of these cases is incredibly important as to the performance. A diminutive 6.5 Grendel can shoot the exact same bullet as the massively overbore 26 Nosler, but the performance will be just as distinct.
The Rise of 6.5 Cartridges
Back in the late 19th century, the 6.5 craze had already begun in Scandinavia with the 6.5×55 Swedish. It was used widely for so many purposes and in such numbers that it spilled into other firearm markets. For over a hundred years the Swede’s have been taking moose and reindeer with a 6.5. This might be downright shocking if you are one of those who uses a 300WM to pile up a 110-pound bean field whitetail from a ground blind.
both of these elk were taken with 6.5 cartridges, on the left a .260 Ackley, on the right a 6.5 Creedmoor, both taken from 520 yards. Watch the VIDEO HERE
It took some time for the 6.5’s to catch on across the American heartland. Ballistic tinkerers like the aforementioned Mr. Ackley made wildcats like the 6.5-06 popular. There were others like the 6.5 Remington magnum, but they didn’t catch on like their designers had hoped. It was like trying to sell a bullpup to Americans who love AR15’s.
One of my favorite cartridges for largely sentimental reasons is the .264 Winchester Magnum. A product from the 1950’s, it actually predates its 7mm twin, the 7mm Remington Magnum that gained far more attention.
this bull fell at 500 yards to my father’s .264 Win Mag shooting 140 gr bullets
Modern 6.5 Cartridges
Most of us are likely more familiar with modern 6.5 cartridges, but which one will best suit your needs? Many people love to hate on the 6.5 Creedmoor, but it’s impossible to deny its versatility. And it’s literally a ballistic twin to the 6.5×55 and we’ve already discussed how useful that cartridge has been and still is today.
Over a decade ago, there was an outright brawl between the three most popular 6.5 cartridges in the precision shooting space. The three protagonists were the 6.5 Creedmoor, the equally new 6.5×47 Lapua, and another American classic the .260 Remington. All three were hugely popular for short-action precision rifles, but the Creedmoor has seemed to win the popularity contest. Each of them had their strong points, but there’s nothing wrong with any of them.
The newly popular 6.5 PRC has gained an impressive following among big game hunters. While it often shoots the same bullets as the Creedmoor, it shoots them much faster. With a four to five hundred feet per second advantage, the PRC is lighting on deer and elk.
In long-action cartridges, Nosler more recently released their 26 Nosler cartridge. With a huge powder column, it is made to move fast. Of course this comes with a Nosler sized price tag as well.
Considerations
All of these cartridges have positive attributes that you should consider for your purpose. Whether you are a casual hunter, a serious competitor or even a Law Enforcement sniper there is something for you in this family of cartridges.
If you find yourself shooting deer or other comparable game within ranges of two to three-hundred yards any of them will do. One of my kids will be hunting with a 6.5 Grendel this season, shooting 120 grain bullets. Another of my kids will be hunting with the same little .260 I built for him when he turned 12.
My brother and I both will be shooting 6.5 PRC’s most likely, which are definitely good for a bit more distance. We’ve both taken .260’s and Creedmoors beyond the 1,000 yard line, but the PRC is a better tool for such a task.
My father would be shooting his .264 Win Mag, which he’s used in the past to take mule deer, antelope and mature bull elk. Sharing a ballistic profile with the 6.5 PRC it too has a more useful range envelope.
I joined the cult of shooting long ago, with a focus mainly on long-range shooting and hunting. Like many others in that sub-group of shooters, I felt that I needed as much magnification as possible. In the decades since I have learned that there is not always a need for such high power optics. You can read more about that subject in this article. But today’s subject is a little more specific, today we are on the topic of: what is an LPVO and do you need one?
LPVO is an abbreviation for Low Power Variable Optic. There are quite a few LPVO’s on the market, I suspect it has something to do with marketing medium range optics for the massive AR15 customer base. Everybody want’s to build their own version of a “Recce rifle” and they usually put some kind of LPVO on it.
What is an LPVO?
A low power variable optic is just what it sounds like. Typically they feature variable zoom settings between 1-4 and as much as 1-10 or more. Not all of them are 1X at the lower end, some are 1.5, 1.8 or sometimes even a little bit more. The reason for this is pretty simple, at 1X or near there, the optic can be used almost like a red dot or holographic sight. And should you need to engage a target at a more significant distance, you can zoom the scope in to its higher power settings.
LPVO’s like all scopes can vary greatly in quality and construction type. It might be a 30mm tube or a 34mm, you might find one for $150 or you could pay upwards of $2000 if you want. Other features like exposed turrets and illuminated reticles are also possible features that might be incorporated.
on this Eotech VUDU 1-8, you can see the diopter focus at the very rear. the magnification ring with the added throw-lever. The turrets are capped on this one, and the illumination is on the other side of the scope.
Many LPVO’s do not have a large objective lens in the front. This has had the comedic effect of people mounting them backwards because of a lack of understanding. Most LPVO’s are just like larger rifle scopes, they have a diopter ring at the back to focus the reticle. And a power adjustment ring near the eye-piece to adjust the power setting. It’s not rocket science or brain surgery, its just a smaller scope with the same job; to allow accurate aiming on target.
Why So Low?
Having such a low magnification serves several purposes. I mentioned above that the scope can be used like a red dot, but there is more to it than that. Having low magnification also widens the view angle, allowing you to see more through the scope’s field of view.
the reticle of the SAI6 LPVO
Many manufacturers like to tout “true 1X”. Meaning that the image through the scope will be identical to what your non-sighting eye sees. This is because many folks shoot with both eyes open when the shooting is fast and close. Having a 1X image that matches you other eye will help keep perception and boost your situational awareness. This can come in very handy when shooting while moving through obstacles and potentially dangerous scenarios.
Why Might You Need an LPVO?
The traditional purpose of LPVO scopes has been on firearms that might be used at short or medium distances. For example, a three-gun shooter might be engaging many targets in rapid succession. The targets might be 30-yards away, or 300 yards away depending on the course of fire. 30-yards is pretty close, you probably don’t want a 4X scope for shooting that close. And 300-yards is a bit far for 1X or iron sights. You can see how a scope that can be quickly switched between 1X and 6X for example might be perfect for such a scenario.
Now imagine you are hunting Cape Buffalo on the dark continent, with dangerous animals lurking in the brush. If the possibility exists of needing to make a shot at a charging buffalo from 50 yards, 1X might be great option. And if you need to take an accurate supported shot at the animal from a hundred or more yards it would be nice to have more than 1X.
My son has hunted the last eight years with his little .260 topped with an LPVO of one kind or another. This US Optics TS8X helped him make an excellent shot on this buck as he bounded off
New Shooters
These are just a couple situations where an LPVO might serve you well. I’m sure you can imagine others where it might come in handy. One of my favorite uses has been for helping new shooters. Its often hard to get a child or someone new to rifle scopes to be able to see properly through the scope. And even harder sometimes to get them to actually find the deer or target in the scope. Too much magnification in this situation often exacerbates the issue. That is why I like to use LPVO’s for my kids when getting them started into shooting. They can find the target using low power then zoom in in for a better view.
Choosing the Right LPVO
Typically the best way to choose an optic depends on the activities you anticipate doing with it. If you plan on shooting targets on a short range with a 150 yard maximum range. Something like a 1-6 scope like the Vortex Venom would probably work fine. Whereas if you plan on shooting further distances like three to five-hundred yards, you might want something like the Vector Continental 1-10.
Like all rifle scopes, there are varying levels of quality. Price is also usually a concern to keep in mind as well. There are some great less expensive LPVO’s like the ones I mentioned above. I can also recommend the US Optics TS6X and TS8X, as I’ve used them extensively.
I’ve even used the TS8X to accurately engage some target as far away as 1000 yards. If you plan to use an LPVO at distances beyond say 300 yards, look for one with adjustable parallax. Many LPVO’s come with fixed parallax around 100 yards, and for semi-close distances that is fine. But for long-range shooting you may want to adjust for parallax, if you aren’t sure why you should read All you need to know about Parallax.
If you’d like to step up in quality a bit, and price, I’ve got a few more recommendations. The Eotech VUDU line of LPVO’s are great. I have both the 1-6 and the 1-8 and they have been very solid and repeatable on a variety of firearms.
I’ve used the VUDU LPVO’s extensively for a few years now, very good scopes
Illumination
The VUDU pushbutton controls are very handy for illumination, and the very bright dot in the center makes it almost like a red dot sight at 1X. Most scopes these days have some form of reticle illumination. Some are the old fashioned way with an LED just lighting up the reticle, and others have very high intensity LED dots centered in the reticle for and unmistakable aimpoint even in high-noon daylight.
For a few more dollars the SAI Optics LPVO’s are another fantastic scope, I am waiting to get hands on their 1-10 so stay tuned for that.
this SAI 6 has been a great scope, cant wait to get the SAI 1-10
I’d also feel awful if I failed to mention the great LPVO’s I’ve used from Sig Sauer Optics. They make a few different ones, and to be honest the two that I have used were both fantastic. The Tango 6T is definitely not inexpensive, but it is very clear and bright. The FFP illuminated reticle can be used for a great many tasks.
The Tango MSR is more made for average shooters who maybe want to spend their money on ammo and training instead of optics. It too is impressive optically and has some very useful features.
There is a huge variety of reticle options among LPVO’s. Some of them are fairly simple while others are quite complex, some even have dual focal plane reticles. As I mentioned these are typically marketed for medium range rifles, they often have drop compensating reticles.
FFP drop compensating like this one from US Optics allow you to hold over for distance
Again this is where you need to evaluate your purpose when choosing a reticle. If you do plan on shooting medium ranges, you might want one of those drop compensating reticles. Whereas if you plan on doing a lot of long-range shooting, you might be better off with exposed tactical turrets.
the VUDU SR1 reticle has a large circle you can use to bracket targets up close, and a finer inner reticle that can be used for corrections
There seems to be a split in LPVO reticles, they are either optimized for short range shooting, or medium range and beyond. Some have large horseshoe features, and some have thin and precise features for corrections. Do some homework on them before you pick one.
Medium or Long-Range?
If you truly want a capable long-range LPVO, it’s going to cost a bit more. Snipers have been shooting long-range with 10X scopes since before I was born, so there’s no reason you and I can’t keep it up. I mentioned you’ll want a scope with adjustable parallax, most LPVO’s with adjustable parallax are at the larger end of the magnification spectrum.
The US Optics FDN 10X is a great scope for shooting long range, and it’s been around for a while so checking out its record is easy. Leupold makes a 2-10 Mk5 that I haven’t used yet, but it certainly has caught my eye. I’ve also noticed that March scopes make a few different models with adjustable parallax
All that said, you can still do well with a typical LPVO. I mentioned my son has been hunting with the same little rifle and an LPVO since he was twelve. We spent a lot of time practicing so he was ready when it mattered. His first year hunting he took this cow elk with his little .260 Remington at over 500 yards using a 1-6X Minox.
Conclusion
I like doing a lot with just a little, maybe it’s a fool’s errand. You can certainly use an LPVO for a great many purposes, and I hope we’ve given you some ideas here today. I love the idea of a compact and accurate carbine with a great LPVO, pulling of shots better suited to big precision rifles. But as I mentioned I have a bit of bias towards long-range shooting and hunting.
But perhaps more realistic is using a good carbine with an equally adequate LPVO to pull off the shots the rifle was made for. Proper training with such a weapon can make you deadly fast and accurate, whether it be charging hordes of feral swine, or picking off a deer at the far end of a deep pasture. Try out a few different options before you buy, and then practice hard with it. You may find it to be the best thing you never knew you needed.
Its not every day that I get to write about a cartridge that I remember coming out, but today is one of those. It was twenty something years ago, I was a much younger fella recently married and a son on the way when I first learned about the 6.5 Grendel. Even back then 6.5’s were hot, so when I heard about the 6.5 Grendel I paid attention.
The little Grendel came from Alexander Arms, and the whole idea was to put higher Ballistic Coefficient (BC) bullets into an AR-15. Bumping up the case size was also necessary in order to get these 6.5 Bullets up to a respectable speed. All this to create a cartridge that would make the AR-15 more lethal at distances beyond 500 yards or more.
The popularity of the Grendel has led to similar cartridges gaining fame as well. The 6 ARC has become extremely popular for similar reasons, and now the 22 ARC is following its footsteps.
22 ARC, 6 ARC, and the 6.5 Grendel
6.5 Grendel Dimensions
The 6.5 Grendel inherited a similar volume from it PPC/220 Russian parent case, the case volume is approximately 35 grains of water. Typical Grendel powder charges run between 20-ish and 30-ish grains of powder, depending of course on the powder and bullet choice. These mild charges are not too different from charges used in the .223 or other comparable cartridges. This allows the 6.5 Grendel to propel 100-140 grain bullets up to velocities like 2300 to 2600. These are some pretty general numbers, that obviously are subject to change.
Left to Right: 308 Winchester, 6.5 Grendel, 223 Remington
The odd size of the Grendel case has some other consequences as well. With its .449 bolt-face it falls between the .223 bolts used in most AR-15 rifles and the very common 308 sized bolt-face in larger rifle platforms. Luckily due to popularity of the Grendel and similar cartridges, this has become less of a problem. 7.62×39, .224 Valkyrie and others have made the midsized bolt-face more mainstream.
Additionally, due to its shape and proportions, the Grendel requires a different magazine to feed from AR rifles. There are a few different options out there including followers and complete mag-housings that have been altered to fit the Grendel and its offspring.
My Test Rifle
The rifle featured in this article for testing purposes is a Bear Creek Arsenal bolt-action upper. A handy and cost effective way to convert from one firearms type to another. It features one of their eighteen-inch heavy barrels and threaded 5/8-24 which fits perfect for my suppressor. The 1:8 twist works great with bullets commonly loaded for the Grendel. I used a Maven RS.3 5-30X50 scope which was probably a little more than necessary, but welcome.
Part of the idea behind the Grendel was improved ballistic performance from the AR-15 rifle. With 5.56/.223 chambered rifles, most were shooting bullets from 55grains up to 75-80 grains. Which can be very useful for a great many things, but at 800 yards they have significantly deteriorated performance. That is where the Grendel comes in, even with a light for caliber bullet like a 123 grain 6.5, the Grendel far exceeds even the heavy .224 bullets. For comparison, a couple loads shown below; an average and heavy 5.56 load compared to an average and heavy Grendel load.
Load Data
Velocity/Energy @400yds
Velocity/Energy @800yds
5.56 55gr FMJ 3250 FPS
1800fps/395lbs
1000fps/120lbs
5.56 75gr BTHP 2910 FPS
2025fps/680lbs
1340fps/300lbs
6.5 Grendel 123gr 2450 FPS
1875fps/965lbs
1380fps/520lbs
6.5 Grendel 140gr 2330 FPS
1880fps/1100lbs
1475fps/680lbs
The Grendel loads can have thirty percent or more energy at further distances, which could be vital when incapacitating a target. While velocities are comparable, the energy of the heavier bullets carries further, and better.
Making brass for the little Grendel has come a long way from forming your own from something else. Whether it be Hornady or Starline, you can get some great brass for the Grendel. You can even get Lapua 6.5 Grendel cases now, so you know its serious.
Riflescopes have become standard equipment on most rifles. And optical sights have also become standard for many modern carbines. Their popularity is partially because they allow the user to aim with more precision and accuracy than with open sights. However, using a telescopic sight at maximum magnification may not always be ideal. And high-power scopes in general might not be the best option for some purposes. Today we are discussing maximum magnification; finding the right magnification for your scope, and whether or not you need all that power.
Most modern riflescopes or optical sights can fall into one of two types; variable power zoom optics, and fixed power optics. A fixed power optic like a Trijicon ACOG might have 1.5X or something more like 3.5X or 4X. Variable power scopes come in a variety of ranges, for example; a 4X scope might have a 4-16X zoom, while a 6X scope might have 5-30X magnification.
This Athlon Talos is a fixed 10X, which was very common once upon a time. The Athlon Talos line has a variety of variable power scopes worth looking at as well
Variable scopes can further be broken down into two additional subcategories; front focal plane, and second focal plane scopes. Front focal plane (FFP) scopes feature the reticle in the front or first focal plane and are therefore magnified with the target image. This results in the reticle changing size depending on the power setting used.
First and Second Focal Plane
Second focal plane scopes have the reticle fixed after the magnification feature. These reticles remain the same size regardless of magnification setting. One of the potential downsides to second focal plane scopes is that their reticles are typically calibrated at max magnification. Many of them also have a clearly marked mid-power setting. This is so you can use the reticle there as well with double the indicated values.
There is also a downside to some FFP scopes, with high-power zoom’s the reticle can often be magnified enough to be obtrusive. If the reticle gets too thick at high magnification it can be challenging to aim precisely with it. If you are shooting groups at a hundred yards this may not be an issue. But if you are shooting small targets at long-range, it certainly could become a problem.
as you can see, shot placement can be precise without heavy magnification
Why Too Much Magnification Could be Bad
Depending on your purpose, there can be such a thing as too much magnification. I used to hunt quite a few rabbits, and using a scope at high magnification was not helpful as the small animals darted between brush piles. I ended up setting my scope at it’s lowest setting 3X for the best results.
While hunting bigger animals like deer 3X might work in some situations, I often would prefer to have more if possible. The rifle I hunted with last season had a US Optics TXH 3-18 scope, and I found it to be perfect. It gave me the ability to use three power when sneaking through thick woods where shots wouldn’t go beyond 75 yards. But when I stepped out of the forrest into the wide open canyons of the Rocky Mountains, the 18X of the scope would make even long-range shots doable.
When shooting on a range where the furthest target might be two-hundred yards away, you don’t really need high magnification. And yet some still do, probably because they need a higher degree of precision. Shooting tiny targets at 150 yards with a .22Lr could certainly justify using a higher power scope. Whereas shooting IPSC targets at the same distance with a 5.56 carbine can be easily done with a red dot or low power variable optic (LPVO).
One reason why telescopic sights may not be ideal at maximum power is because of the reduced field of view. The higher the magnification the narrower your field of view. This can make it more difficult to acquire and track moving targets, especially at close range. In hunting situations, this can be particularly problematic, as game animals can move quickly and unpredictably.
Here you can see how at max power in low light, you can lose a lot of a scope’s brightness, but to be fair the view through this Steiner TX6 5-30 is still pretty good from over a mile away
Another reason why telescopic sights may not be ideal at maximum power is because of the reduced depth of field. This means that the area in focus becomes shallower, making it harder to maintain proper sight alignment and focus on the target. This too can be especially problematic in low-light conditions or when your target is moving.
Other Factors
Overall, while telescopic sights can be a valuable tool for shooters, using them at maximum power may not always be the best choice. You should consider their specific shooting situation and adjust the magnification accordingly to optimize their accuracy and success. When a riflescope is set to its maximum magnification, the image can become less clear due to a few different factors.
Having a broad spectrum of magnification gives you more options, this Lucid Optics MLX was a perfect fit for the Howa Mini 22 ARC
Firstly, at higher magnifications, the image can become dimmer. Increasing magnification causes a reduction in brightness. This effect can be particularly noticeable in low-light conditions, such as at dawn or dusk.
Second is something I have noticed over the course of many years and countless scopes from nearly every manufacturer. Almost all scopes are brighter and sharper when not zoomed all the way in. In my experience it seems like when they are at 80-90 percent of their maximum power is when they offer the best image. This is more often the case with lower priced scopes, and not as much with the high-end scopes.
Using all the features of the reticle also sometimes requires using less than maximum power, like in this Burris Veracity PH
Its also worth mentioning that some of the modern reticles we have today aren’t even fully visible at max power. Much of the reticle features are better used with 75-90% of magnification.
Use Application
Obviously if you are shooting static targets on a bright sunny day with a good target spotter, max power is a great option for precise shooting. Its important to practice and understand when and where to adjust your scope’s zoom, optimizing its use for your needs.
I often find myself adjusting my scope for the terrain and anticipated use as I move from one scenario to another. I do the same thing with the parallax adjustment on my scopes when present.
My son and his first deer, shot at 490 yards with a 1-6X LPVO, you can watch the video here
I like to start new shooters out on LPVO’s. With their incredibly forgiving eye-box and low magnification, it’s MUCH easier to get a new shooter on target quickly. If all they see is tree bark and leaves when they look through the scope its hard to guide them to a target like a deer.
When my son was just a little guy, I would use these low-power scopes to ensure he could see the target. If the image in the scope is very similar to what they see unmagnified with their own eyes its much easier to pick out where the target is. And once they find the target you can zoom in as needed for better point of aim placement.
More Magnification Means More Range?
I once thought that more magnification meant you could shoot further, but your rifle has the same capability for accuracy at distance regardless of what scope you put on it. The difference is what you can see at a given distance.
With a good scope you can shoot just fine at long-range even with low power optics. I’ve made some outstanding repetitive hits at a kilometer using my 6 ARC WLVRN using a simple US Optics TS-8 LPVO. While I wouldn’t exactly recommend that kind of scope for shooting that far, just know it can be done.
For all the reasons I’ve mentioned, when shooting long-range I often will use my scopes at less than maximum power. It seems that generally I like 10-14X for much of my long-range shooting. This seems to give me the right field of view to keep the target in sight, as well as allow me to spot my own shots. Sometimes I will use more zoom, and sometimes less. Practice helps build skill in knowing what power to use.
Final Thoughts
I’m not trying to talk you out of high-power scopes, or even using high magnification. I’m simply saying that its not always the best option. Many years ago when I was first getting into the long-range shooting game, all I wanted was more magnification. But now I find myself looking at 4-16’s and 3-18’s with as much excitement.
Every so often there are new cartridges that break onto the shooting scene, most of the time it is part of a marketing campaign, but sometimes there is a higher purpose. Some new cartridges offer a marginally better performance like some extra feet per second, or a faster twist for modern bullets. But today we are looking at a bit of an oddball, in that to some folks it seems like a step in the wrong direction. The subject of discussion today is the very popular fast twist and quiet shooting: The 8.6 Blackout. A relatively new cartridge brought to us by the folks at Q LLC.
The bigger blackout, the 8.6 follows the same line of thinking as the popular 300 Blackout. *Record scratch* The 300 Blk has been around for a long time, first as the 300 Whisper. The cartridge has done well particularly in AR15 platform rifles. Its main idea is contrary to popular trends in ammunition; slowing bullets down to reduce the sound signature. Of course with slower velocities the only way to keep energy on target up is to increase the bullet weights used in these situations. The heavier bullets typically shot at these slow speeds, require faster than average twist.
Slowing bullets down to below the speed of sound is by design with Blackouts, doing so removes the supersonic shockwave produced. And when coupled with a suppressor to remove the muzzle report of the firearm, the result is near movie quiet shooting. This is where both Blackouts shine, when they are shot suppressed with subsonic bullets, there is a level of anonymity that is appealing to many hunters.
The 8.6 Blackout
It should come as no surprise that the boys at Q came up with the 8.6, carrying on from their previous work. The cartridge is based off of the 6.5 Creedmoor case, that is opened up to accept .338 caliber bullets. Bullets typically weigh between 200 and 350 grains, again, using heavier bullets is part of increasing energy on target when increasing velocity is not an option.
Loading the 8.6 Blackout is usually done with faster burning powders typically used in pistols and cowboy cartridges. Again, this is because velocity is not the goal of the 8.6. It has a very specific purpose, to propel big bullets right up to the speed of sound but not exceed it.
I was turned onto the 8.6 Blk a few years ago, when I sat down to speak with Ian McCollum of Forgotten Weapons. As nerds often do, our discussion quickly went to numbers and the science behind 8.6 ballistics. A brilliant part of the 8.6 design that departs from the 300 Blk predecessor, is the barrel twist. Taking the fast twist for heavy bullets to an extreme, has more than just stabilization benefits. The 8.6 typically uses a one twist in three inches (1:3), yes it almost looks more like threads than rifling. This incredibly tight twist does far more than stabilize long and heavy bullets.
The Numbers
Let us again look at numbers, the point of the Blackouts is to keep bullets under the speed of sound. Subsonic bullets are quiet, and if you can’t increase speed the only way to increase the energy on target is to increase the mass of the bullet. At least it was the only way, but there is another. The 1:3 twist of the 8.6 drastically increases the rotation of the bullets, and as the RPM of 8.6 bullets increase, so does the energy they impart on the target.
The 300 gr. Sierra Match King is a great bullet for the 8.6Blk, they were provided byWideners Reloading supplies
This of course only works if the bullet grossly deforms from its smooth shape. Imagine if you could, removing the blade of your favorite blender, and putting a bullet in its place. Even if you filled the blender with tomatoes, the spinning bullet wouldn’t do much. But imagine now that the bullet opens up like some are designed to do, with broad petals and increased diameter. You can imagine what this blender bullet might do to organs, even though its velocity is subsonic.
Popular Firearms in 8.6 Blackout
As the popularity of the 8.6 has increased, many firearm manufacturers have brought new guns to the market chambered thusly. And the volume of manufacturers doing so, seems to show some faith in the concept. It would be far too time consuming to list them all, but its safe to assume you can find one from your preferred brand. Whether it be one of the Fix’s by Q, or one of the CMMG variants, or more bargain branded guns like Bear Creek Arsenal. The 8.6 I am shooting today is like many others a custom one, a sixteen-inch 1:3 twist barrel for my Desert Tech SRS.
Of course the 8.6 Blackout can also be used as a supersonic cartridge as well. There are plenty of options out there in the 180-230 grain class that can also be used. Though my personal opinion is if you are going to shoot super sonic cartridges there are better options.
Suppressors
Shooting the 8.6Blk without a suppressor makes no sense to me, so I wanted to try a few different options to see what worked best. It should come as no surprise that the CGS Group Hekate won that competition. This DMLS suppressor is well known for its superior suppression, and it made the 8.6 sound like a distant duck fart in quiet water.
I purchased a set of dies by Lee Precision, and started trying various loads to see where the 8.6 would take me. I will say that I did find it a touch more challenging than loading the 300Blk. It took a little more work to find the right powder and suppressor combination that would produce quiet results.
If you deal with optical devices used for measuring or observing purposes, you are likely to run into the topic of parallax. Parallax is the optical phenomenon of two objects on differing planes appearing to move at different rates to the observer. Today we are going to dive into how this can effect your shooting experience; with all you need to know about parallax.
If you look at two objects one close and the other far, it is difficult to focus on both at the same time. The parallax adjustment in your riflescope is designed to bring the target image and reticle image together in the scope. We take it for granted that we should be able to see both the target and the reticle clearly through our scopes. When in fact, it is through the hard work of optical engineers who’ve designed them to correct for this characteristic.
Here youcan see an illustration of how parallax setting can cause problems. not having the reticle and target projection aligned can allow your reticle-to-target positioning to vary
Adjustable parallax riflescopes use internal optical correction to adjust the presentation of the reticle to match that of the target. Parallax is the difference in position when the viewing point is moved. Much like distant mountains appear motionless while clouds, trees and other parts of the landscape move when viewed from a moving vehicle.
The same thing can happen within your riflescope, albeit to a lesser degree. But we know it doesn’t take much to induce change in our point of impact. Even your own heartbeat can often be seen as movement through the scope.
Looking Through Your Scope
The eye box is the area where your eye can see through the scope, if you move too far out of the eye box you lose sight picture. And if you move too much within the eye box with uncorrected parallax, you might miss
You can see the effect of parallax sometimes looking through a stationary rifle scope. Without moving the rifle or scope, if you move your eye ever so slightly within the eye-box of the scope. You might see the reticle shift similarly on the target. With nothing physically moving but the eye of the observer, the optical anomaly can be seen.
Side focus knobs like those found on this Apex Rival are used to both focus the image and set parallax
How Does Parallax Effect Your Shooting?
You can imagine now how even the slightest shift in reticle position can effect your bullet’s impact once the trigger is pulled. If your eye is misaligned slightly, any parallax present in the image could cause you to aim incorrectly. The optical misalignment might make you think you’re aiming center of the target when you might be holding a measurable amount off.
This image (right) shows an exaggerated amount of optical misalignment. when parallax is present in your optic this example shows how a good shot can suddenly become a bad one.
We’ve all seen when you move your eye too far left/right or up/down a shadow appears on that side of the image. If you move just a little, before the shadows appear, you might see the reticle wandering on the target. This is because you haven’t adjusted your parallax properly, and you could be in for a miss.
A closer look at the image from above, you can see how the point of aim has been compromised. or at least appears to be
If you’ve done any shooting at longer distances, you know how often the difference between holding center and even the thickness of the reticle off center can be the difference between a hit and a miss. Removing parallax is important to ensuring you have the correct image while aiming.
Corrected parallax allows both target and reticle to be seen on the same plane. With both images aligned together there is far less room for error
Fixed or Adjustable Parallax
Not always but typically any good riflescope designed for long-range shooting will have adjustable parallax. Whereas short range optics like red dots and low power variable optics (LPVO’s) generally have fixed parallax. Cheap scopes typically also come with non-adjustable parallax. It might be fixed at one-hundred yards, or infinity. You should understand this when buying your next scope. If your purpose is shooting up close on a range, 100-yard fixed parallax is fine. Whereas if you plan on shooting precision shots at long-range, fixed parallax at 100-yards would be less ideal.
Most riflescopes with adjustable parallax also use the same control for image focus. Let me clarify; I’m not speaking of the diopter at the rear of the scope used to focus the ocular image. I’m speaking of what is usually a side focus turret or an adjustable objective. Either of these two control options usually does the same thing, it focuses the target image and sets parallax.
this old Leupold VXII scope has an adjustable objective to compensate for parallax
Perhaps you’ve experienced a binocular where both barrels needed focus adjustment for each of your eyes. Bino’s typically have a diopter on one side, the idea being you use the center focus knob to focus the other barrel. And adjust the opposing barrel with it’s diopter, once you’ve done that, both barrels are adjusted equally by the center focus knob. I expect parallax and focus are yoked together in a similar way inside the scope. But are focus and parallax the same thing?
No, you can have a focused image and still have uncorrected parallax or vice-versa. I expect that adding another precisely controlled internal device would grossly increase the price of riflescopes.
Because they can be optically measured and corrected for at the factory, and adjusting the focus of the image and the parallax are similar movements. Coupling them into the same control makes sense. But they aren’t the same thing, they are set and then slaved together to work as one.
With focus and parallax adjusted properly, the target and reticle are clear and stable, as seen through this US Optics FDN17X
Last Thoughts
You should be able to identify parallax in your particular setup. Knowing what to look for, and how to correct it is an important part of long-range shooting. Hopefully it makes a little more sense to you, and you can apply it to your shooting for improved results. Remember; Little things matter at a distance.
You may have heard of using canted scope mounts, and if you are unfamiliar why or perhaps trying to decide if you need one. Today we are going to discuss the subject. You might ask why use canted scope mounts and how much you might need? It is particularly important for long range shooting applications. To put it simply, a canted scope mounting system is designed to allow better use of a riflescope’s internal travel. Hopefully by the the time you’ve finished reading this, you’ll understand what if any size canted scope mounting system best fits your needs.
A Riflescope’s Internal Travel
To start out, we need to understand how a scope works. Inside a rifle scope you will find the reticle, which is mounted on a movable structure called an erector tube assembly. Moving the reticle up and down and left to right is done using covered or exposed turrets. These turrets move the recticle within the tube of the scope allowing you to align the reticle with the point of impact of the gun. This is what we do when we “zero” a riflescope.
All scopes have limits in their internal travel, and the bigger the scope tube is the more travel they can accomodate. Thirty years ago, most scopes used a smaller one-inch tube. Mainly because it allowed enough internal movement to allow zeroing most rifles. As technology advanced, and shooting distances quickly extended, it became more common to use a bigger tube to allow for additional movement.
It might be hard to tell, but this mount has 20 MOA built into the scope mount, as does the scope rail it attaches to for a total of 40 MOA
Why More Movement?
Even novice shooters understand that the farther away something gets, you have to aim higher to hit it. Compensating for the drop of a bullet during flight can be done by holding high or by offsetting the sight. When you dial the turret of a riflescope down, it forces you to hold the rifle higher in order to put the crosshair on the target.
Ballistic prediction allows us to calculate how much we need to correct for. Which can then be input to the scope using the turret to adjust the offset a specific distance.
If you look closely you can see the angled scope mounting rail on this Desert Tech SRS M2, the Burris Veracity scope is canted down at the front
As we continue to push the boundaries of long-range shooting people want more and more ability to push their equipment. But every scope has its limits, you can only dial the scope so far before the reticle bottoms out. At that point you’ll be forced to hold over the target if you want to shoot farther.
MOA vs. MRAD
Rifle scopes typically use one of two measuring scales, one is the minute of angle or MOA measurement. The other is called the milradian scale or MRAD for short. And if you are super high speed it can be further shortened to MIL.
Both of these scales serve the same purpose, and are simply different methods of measurement. It isn’t actually, but is often compared to the difference between inches and centimeters. They are two different scales to measure the same thing. Most rifle scopes come in one or the other gradations and sometimes offer different models for each.
different manufacturers use different methods to graduate turrets, like this US Optics FDN25X
These numbers are important not because I am a math nerd. When you hear the term weaponized math its because these numbers are particularly helpful when killing a target. I would recommend you study further to better understand MOA and MRAD as it will only help you be smarter about the subject.
Your Scope’s Internals
The amount of movement your reticle can move within the scope is measured by you guessed it; MOA or MRAD. Lets say your scope has an internal movement of 15 MRAD in elevation (up & down), and 10 MRAD windage (left & right). That means that no more than 15 MRAD can be adjusted within the scope, but that is before you’ve even zeroed the rifle. So AFTER you zero the scope to the rifle you may have even less reticle movement.
This is why scope tubes keep getting bigger, because a 30mm tube has more room for travel than a one-inch tube etc. But lets say you zero your rifle, and in the process you use four of the available 15 vertical MRAD. That means you’ll only have 11 MRAD of vertical travel left.
You can see then why having a 34mm tube with something like 32 MRAD of vertical travel would be advantageous to a long-range shooter. Stay with me here, because if you had 32 MRAD of travel and used four to zero the rifle, 28 is more than the 11 you had with the other scope. Does that make sense?
Canted scope mounts are typically either a canted scope base rail, or a scope ring set with a cant built-in to the mount. Both options accomplish the same purpose, they offset the scope a specific amount. These canted scope mounts are typically sold in various degrees of cant, usually 20, 30, 40 or more MOA, which can also be delineated in MRAD sometimes. Especially if you find yourself in Europe.
The reason they are made with varying degrees of cant is so you can optimize for your purpose. For example, lets say you want to maximize the distance of your 6.5 Creedmoor (because thats what Creedmoor people do). And the furthest you can shoot is 1300 yards with the scope turned all the way to maximum elevation. But using our example from before, lets say you used four MRAD in order to zero the rifle. (what that means is you have 4 MRAD you can still dial down when the scope is at the rifle’s zero). That means you have 4 unused MRAD of travel, that could be used if you offset the scope 4 MRAD down.
Canted scope mounting systems allow you to setup your riflescope as close to the mechanical bottom of its internal movement as possible. This allows you to get the maximum adjustment possible out of your given scope.
Note: It’s probably never a good idea to run a scope all the way to the bottom or all the way to the top of its travel. Better to stay at least several clicks away from the extremes.
The amount of mechanical adjustment directly affects the distance envelope you can engage on your rifle and scope combination. Below you can see how two identical rifles have differing trajectory envelopes based on canting the scope on the second rifle. Both rifles still have the same available amount of scope travel, but one is able to maximize it with the scope cant.
Canting the scope allows identical rifles to shoot further taking full advantage of the scope’s adjustment
Extreme Long-Range
Canting the scope in the extreme is sometimes done when shooting extreme long-range, with amounts like 60, 80, 100 or more MOA of scope cant. Most of those rifles never shoot close distances, and I’ll tell you why that’s a good thing.
Extreme Long Range guns like this Desert TechHTI can easily use 40MOA or more scope cant
When you cant the scope, it pushes the envelope of your scope adjustment out. But it also might push your ability to zero out further too. A typical 20-30 MOA scope cant won’t be an issue most of the time. But it could require you to zero your rifle at 200 yards or more if you get real aggressive. Moving the envelope of your scope further out, can have the same effect on your zero distance. So instead of having a range of 100 to 1300 yards, you might have a range of 300 to 1600 yards. Just something to stew on while you consider your options.
Final Thoughts
I hope this has all made sense to you. Finding the right scope mounting solution is paramount for long-range shooting, I hope it is clearer to you now as to what you might need. Sometimes it takes a little trial and error to find out the best option, but once you get the right setup you’ll be glad you went through it. And in the process you’ll probably learn a few things about mounting scopes and how to adjust them.
