So, I'll be heading out on my first western hunt this fall (Colorado elk), and I'm pretty sure this won't be my last western hunt. 
Considering upgrading my rifle for longer shots with a 300 win mag. My personal limit would be under 1,000 yards (I'll know better once I can actually practice with the new setup). Since I don't have a lot of experience hunting the west, I'm not really sure what power ranges I should be looking at for scopes (but I'd like more power than my current 10X). Some of the newer scope lines have some tremendous range to them. And, I'm just trying to only buy a new scope once.
Of course, there are several different scope companies with various features and prices, but just as examples for looking at power ranges, the Zeiss HD5 line includes:
3-15 X 42
3-15 X 50
5-25 X 50
For good light performance at higher magnifications during hunting conditions, I'm planning to go with a 50mm objective.
Looking at the power ranges, since there's no 3-25X scope of course, I'm not sure which end of the continuum to favor more, especially with with newer models having so much zooming range within a given scope: a good wide-angle low end or maximum top end zoom.
Very generally, for most western hunting, is 5X sufficient for the low end, or would I really appreciate being able to have a wider angle 3X?
At the other end, for most western hunting, I would guess that 15X would be adequate for longer shots, but would I really appreciate being able to crank that zoom closer to 20X or up to 25X to make longer shots easier? Or, would 25X be overkill, providing too much magnification for hunting conditions/shots? I also don't want to have to pack around a set of sandbags to shoot off of just to steady the rifle at 25X (ha ha).
So, 3-15 or 5-25? Thanks for your suggestions!
Considering upgrading my rifle for longer shots with a 300 win mag. My personal limit would be under 1,000 yards (I'll know better once I can actually practice with the new setup). Since I don't have a lot of experience hunting the west, I'm not really sure what power ranges I should be looking at for scopes (but I'd like more power than my current 10X). Some of the newer scope lines have some tremendous range to them. And, I'm just trying to only buy a new scope once. Of course, there are several different scope companies with various features and prices, but just as examples for looking at power ranges, the Zeiss HD5 line includes:
3-15 X 42
3-15 X 50
5-25 X 50
For good light performance at higher magnifications during hunting conditions, I'm planning to go with a 50mm objective.
Looking at the power ranges, since there's no 3-25X scope of course, I'm not sure which end of the continuum to favor more, especially with with newer models having so much zooming range within a given scope: a good wide-angle low end or maximum top end zoom.
Very generally, for most western hunting, is 5X sufficient for the low end, or would I really appreciate being able to have a wider angle 3X?
At the other end, for most western hunting, I would guess that 15X would be adequate for longer shots, but would I really appreciate being able to crank that zoom closer to 20X or up to 25X to make longer shots easier? Or, would 25X be overkill, providing too much magnification for hunting conditions/shots? I also don't want to have to pack around a set of sandbags to shoot off of just to steady the rifle at 25X (ha ha).
So, 3-15 or 5-25? Thanks for your suggestions!
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