Scope Magnification SOP?

[stomridertx]

It really depends on the shooting discipline, but I've come up with a personal guideline that has served me well. I start by determining the max range I would shoot the rifle and what magnification I want to be at the majority of the time. Then I look for a variable range where that magnification lies approximately in the middle of the adjustment range as that is where you usually get the best balance of eyebox, optical clarity, and can see the reticle fully (on FFP scopes). LPVOs are a little different where in that case I want my target magnification at the very end, which is why I don't go higher than 1-6x SFP.
For example, on my SPR build I decided I wanted a mil-based Christmas tree reticle with a great experience at 10x magnification. I opted for the Burris XTR IIIi 3.3-18x50. The low end is fast enough to find targets fast, 10-12x is fantastic on that scope, and going to max helps to self-spot when by myself. It's great for a semi-auto longer range application. The other popular picks for this type of rifle are the Nightforce ATACR 4-16 and the Leupold Mk5 3-18 which meet the same objective. These scopes are all around 30 ounces, but I've learned that to get good glass you just have to suck it up and make peace with a little heavier gun.
PRS guys I've talked to like 5-25x56 for similar reasons as they tend to live in the middle of the magnification range most of the time, which makes sense.
On my .308 Remington 700 tactical I chose an Athlon Midas Tac 4-16x44 and it fits this model. I like to shoot that rifle at 8x or 10x and it is clear enough for me to self-spot at 16x as well as find targets quickly at 4x.
I think the "1x for every 100 yards" mantra has become outdated and too limiting for all the advancements that have been made in the optical industry. We live in fun times.

[ECK]

I shoot PRS, PRS22, NRL22, and NRL Hunter matches and most of the time I’m around 12-16x magnification.

For targets that are hard to see with the naked eye like NRL Hunter or PRS, I usually start the stage with magnification around 10x to have a wider field of view to get on the target then once I’m on I’ll zoom in to around 16x, sometimes I’ll go to 20x if the target is small or way out there. For PRS22/NRL22 matches I pretty much keep the scope on 16x for the entire match and never touch the magnification ring.

My scopes go out to 30x on the high end of magnification, but usually the only time I’m on 30x is when shooting groups, spotting for a buddy, or the target is 1K or beyond.

[CS Tactical]

Thank you [MENTION=184]EricP[/MENTION] and [MENTION=13759]HeavyDuty[/MENTION]