Plene Paratus
Fanatic
Everyone at the last sniper school I went to spent the majority of their time at 18x to 25x (for HR shots, I used 25x at 335 yds). The Marine Corps is currently issuing a Nightforce 5-25x scope. They used 10x fixed Unertl scopes for a very long time, because doctrinally, the rule of thumb was 1x per 100 yds, and they tended to stay within 1000 yds. Also, there weren't many scopes out there (particularly variables) that met the reliability requirements of the sniper's job. Finally, if fixed was the only viable choice, you had to weigh a ton of factors in selecting the one scope to rule them all. 10x is certainly usable at 100 yds (the FOV will suck, but still usable), while still being adequate at 1000, for most shots a sniper would take.The current 5-25x makes things easier all the way around.Definitely Deplorable said:This is absolute truth.
I have "old eyes". Can't see irons. Or...When I can see irons with corrective lenses, I can't see the target. Aimpoint to the rescue! My old Comp M2 mounted on my bone stock M&P15 would ring a MGM flasher at 300 EVERY.SINGLE.TIME as long as that 4mil dot was covering the target. I use Aimpoint PROs now so I can see a bit of target around that dot. Now when you are jittering like a squirrel on meth from drinking the amount of coffee that I do? Well, no optic can help with that. Past 300 requires a little magnification and is mandatory for me. 20X just isn't needed for mortal men. How many years did the Marine Corps snipers use fixed power 10s?
I guess the moral to this post is that different tasks require different tools.
I'm not denying that 10x isn't what I would consider "necessary" for most 300 yd shooting. For some, it is definitely helpful. We don't know what the OP is hoping to use the rifle for, so it's hard to say if they would find such magnification useful.