1-4x or 1-8x scope?

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I was thinking of getting a decent 1-4x scope since they're in my budget or should I save up for a 1-8x. The scope would be going on my tavor and used mostly just for range use. What would you recommend? Would 1-8x be overkill for range use? Just want to buy once and not have to buy again down the road. Also, the 1-4 is a second plane reticle and the 1-8 is a first plane reticle.
 
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1-4x is ideal for a Tavor. What is your price range, and i would recommend a good mount be factored in to the cost, not a cheapo.
 
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You could split the difference and go with a 1-6x. Budgets are a weird thing and shouldn’t drive whether you get a 1-4x or 1-8x. Decide what magnification you want, then look for the best one you can afford. You should easily find any of your options at all the reasonable price points.
 
I'm not really sold on the 1-8s unless you are dumping big money on an ATACR, so I'd stick with a 1-4.
 
Depends on distance you want to shoot. Under 300 1-4. If you want to shoot to 600 go 1-8.

I just shot a scoped carbine course with a Leupold 1.5-5x out to 600. I could make reliable hits full known distance, but unknown distance estimation was tough 400-600.

Also would help to know price range. We taking $500? $1000? $2k-4k?
 
There's got to be an optical reason that most variables work on a more or less 3X basis, meaning 3-9X: highest magnification is 3 times the lowest 3x3=9. 2-7x: 2x3+6 (close enough to 7). 1-4x: 1x3+3 (again, close enough to 4). A 1-8X is definitely working against some kind of "Optical Law".
 
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There's got to be an optical reason that most variables work on a more or less 3X basis, meaning 3-9X: highest magnification is 3 times the lowest 3x3=9. 2-7x: 2x3+6 (close enough to 7). 1-4x: 1x3+3 (again, close enough to 4). A 1-8X is definitely working against some kind of "Optical Law".

It's the number of lenses, quality of the lenses, diameter of each lense, length of the scope allowed by design construction,focal length of each lense and how many added features your scope has (FFP/illuminated reticle/etc) that all dictate the range.
In order to get magnification range, you must have enough extra room to move one or several lenses to create magnification and have enough light gathered for that magnification to be effectively seen by your eye.

For instance there are some lenses in certain scope whose sole purpose is the flip the image right side up.

To make larger ranges, you must have higher quality light gathering and manufacturing higher tolerances to get more in a smaller package without sacrificing the quality of the end image.
 
the tavor is a long stroke piston gas system with a thin barrel. it will never be an "accuracy" rifle. even more limiting is shooting prone from a bullpup which is a PITA.

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the primary issue with 1-8x is that in FFP the reticle will be enormous on 8x. they'are also heavy. the trade off heavily favors a 1-4x especially on a .223 where pushing to roughly 500 yards will be the max. the Steiner P4xi is absolutely killer for the price. the accupower 1-4x also good one. of course neither of those are HD glass if willing to drop over a $1k the options really open up and it's worth every penny.
 
the primary issue with 1-8x is that in FFP the reticle will be enormous on 8x. they'are also heavy. the trade off heavily favors a 1-4x especially on a .223 where pushing to roughly 500 yards will be the max. the Steiner P4xi is absolutely killer for the price. the accupower 1-4x also good one. of course neither of those are HD glass if willing to drop over a $1k the options really open up and it's worth every penny.

This is where I am at with the LVPO thing. I have an older 1-4 that I like for just about everything, and have shot well enough out to 600m with it. I also have a Vortex Viper PST 1-6 that I like to look through, but I am not sure it is worth the 6 extra oz's. I am probably going to sell that 1-6 soon.
 
This is where I am at with the LVPO thing. I have an older 1-4 that I like for just about everything, and have shot well enough out to 600m with it. I also have a Vortex Viper PST 1-6 that I like to look through, but I am not sure it is worth the 6 extra oz's. I am probably going to sell that 1-6 soon.

after spending ~3 years dicking around with LPVO's I'm now coming back to the out-of-fashion magnifier setup. under a magnifier the holographic eotech reticles look amazing so my new fave setup is an EXPS 2 or 3 with any decent magnifier. this way I can detach the magnifier and have a lightweight 0-100 yard setup. slap the magnifier on there and I can easily make hits to 400. it's not the most elegant arrangement but I have found LPVO's to just straight suck inside ~25 yards.

the exps "-2" reticle has a second hold for 500 yards which I find to be perfect amount of BDC without cluttering up the reticle.
 
after spending ~3 years dicking around with LPVO's I'm now coming back to the out-of-fashion magnifier setup. under a magnifier the holographic eotech reticles look amazing so my new fave setup is an EXPS 2 or 3 with any decent magnifier. this way I can detach the magnifier and have a lightweight 0-100 yard setup. slap the magnifier on there and I can easily make hits to 400. it's not the most elegant arrangement but I have found LPVO's to just straight suck inside ~25 yards.

the exps "-2" reticle has a second hold for 500 yards which I find to be perfect amount of BDC without cluttering up the reticle.

Funny enough, I am actually looking at ordering up the UNITY FAST mounts for my EXPS-3 and an Aimpoint 3x for my night gun. After bullshitting around on the big range with the EXPS-3 by itself and making consistent hits on the 600 yard steel, I thought to myself, why do I have almost 2lbs of scope and mount on this other 5.56 rifle.
 
I'd take it one step further, and just go with a fixed 4X. I got a Simmons for around $30. No (or less) moving parts, more solid, less expensive. This will give you an idea what you're dealing with, and you can always get a more powerful one later. You can always sell it, or use it on something else. But, you might as well get good rings now, since those can be used going forward as well.
 
I'd take it one step further, and just go with a fixed 4X. I got a Simmons for around $30. No (or less) moving parts, more solid, less expensive. This will give you an idea what you're dealing with, and you can always get a more powerful one later. You can always sell it, or use it on something else.

I'll take it one step further then that. I'd like a short fixed 10 power scope with a 34mm tube, adjustable parallax, horus type reticle, and .1 mil turrets. Should be way lighter then all the 1-6 and 1-8's, and cheaper to produce. That, with a NV capable RMR on a 12-2 oclock tube mount would make for a pretty stellar SPR setup.
 
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I'll take it one step further then that. I'd like a short fixed 10 power scope with a 34mm tube, adjustable parallax, horus type reticle, and .01 mil turrets. Should be way lighter then all the 1-6 and 1-8's, and cheaper to produce. That, with a NV capable RMR on a 12-2 oclock tube mount would make for a pretty stellar SPR setup.
Heh, that seems like maybe a couple of steps...
 
I'll take it one step further then that. I'd like a short fixed 10 power scope with a 34mm tube, adjustable parallax, horus type reticle, and .1 mil turrets. Should be way lighter then all the 1-6 and 1-8's, and cheaper to produce. That, with a NV capable RMR on a 12-2 oclock tube mount would make for a pretty stellar SPR setup.
10x is going to be a pain in the balls for anything other than shooting from a rest or prone. Gonna be tough to find your target with any speed inside of 100 yards.
 
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