{"id":12388,"date":"2025-11-18T11:01:02","date_gmt":"2025-11-18T11:01:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/shooting-tight-groups-is-high-magnification-really-necessary\/"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:34:36","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:34:36","slug":"shooting-tight-groups","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/shooting-tight-groups\/","title":{"rendered":"Shooting Tight Groups &#8211; Is High Magnification Really Necessary?"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Shooting Tight Groups &#8211; Is High Magnification Really Necessary?<\/h3><p><iframe src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/xTSvyw74A-0?si=uWyvXx37ChtEB8Aj\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><br \/>When it comes to <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/videosview\/toric-4-5-30x56-mrad-elr-scope\/\">precision shooting<\/a>, one of the most debated questions is: <em>how much <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/understanding-ultra-high-definition-in-optics\/\">magnification<\/a> do you actually need for shooting tight groups?<\/em> Josh from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/@PursuitofAccuracy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Pursuit of Accuracy<\/a> recently put this to the test using a controlled experiment at 50 yards\u2014and the results might surprise you.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_Experiment_Setup_Shooting_Tight_Groups\"><\/span>The Experiment Setup: Shooting Tight Groups<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>Josh used a top-tier setup to eliminate variables and focus solely on magnification:<\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-coyote-hunting-cartridges\/\">Rifle<\/a><\/strong>:<\/span> <strong>Vudoo 360 in MDT ACC chassis<\/strong><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Scope<\/strong>:<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/toric-uhd-4-5-30x56-34mm-ffp-mrad-elr-extreme-long-range-rifle-scope\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TORIC ELR (4.5\u201330 magnification)<\/strong><\/a><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Distance<\/strong><\/span>: <strong>50 yards<\/strong><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Groups Fired<\/strong>:<\/span> <strong>Two 5-shot groups at each magnification level (30x, 20x, 10x, 4.5x)<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p>The goal? To see whether group size increases as magnification decreases\u2014and if so, at what point.<\/p><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Magnification_vs_Group_Size_What_the_Data_Shows\"><\/span>Magnification vs Group Size: What the Data Shows<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>Josh\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xTSvyw74A-0&#038;t=13s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">results<\/a> were clear and consistent across the board:<\/p><table><thead><tr><th>Magnification<\/th><th>Group Quality<\/th><th>Shooter Feedback<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><strong>30x<\/strong><\/td><td>Excellent<\/td><td>Target and impacts were crystal clear<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>20x<\/strong><\/td><td>Nearly identical to 30x<\/td><td>Very comfortable <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-best-coyote-hunting-cartridges\/\">shooting<\/a> experience<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>10x<\/strong><\/td><td>Still tight groups<\/td><td>Target smaller, but manageable<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><strong>4.5x<\/strong><\/td><td>Surprisingly good<\/td><td>Very difficult to see impacts<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Takeaways_Shooting_Tight_Groups\"><\/span>Key Takeaways: Shooting Tight Groups<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><ul><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>No significant drop in accuracy<\/strong><\/span> until magnification dipped below 10x.<\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Even at 4.5x<\/strong><\/span>, Josh was able to shoot respectable groups, though visibility was a major challenge.<\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>20x magnification<\/strong><\/span> offered the best balance of clarity and comfort without overkill.<\/li><\/ul><figure id=\"attachment_9249\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9249\" style=\"width: 601px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\" wp-image-9249\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/tight-groups-1-1024x764.jpg\" alt=\"Shooting Tight Groups\" width=\"601\" height=\"448\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9249\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shooting Tight Groups<\/figcaption><\/figure><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_You_Really_Need_30x_For_Shooting_Tight_Groups\"><\/span>Do You Really Need 30x For Shooting Tight Groups?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=xTSvyw74A-0&#038;t=13s\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Josh\u2019s conclusion<\/a> was simple: <em>\u201c<strong>If you\u2019re looking at a scope and worried you can\u2019t afford 30x, don\u2019t sweat it.<\/strong>\u201d<\/em><\/p><p><strong>Here\u2019s why:<\/strong><\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>20x is plenty<\/strong><\/span> for shooting tight groups at 50 yards.<\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>10x still performs well<\/strong><\/span>, though spotting impacts becomes harder.<\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>4.5x is doable<\/strong><\/span>, but not ideal for <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/understanding-ultra-high-definition-in-optics\/\">precision<\/a> work.<\/li><\/ul><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Scope_Selection_Tips_for_Precision_Shooters_Shooting_Tight_Groups\"><\/span>Scope Selection Tips for Precision Shooters: Shooting Tight Groups<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>For shooting tight groups on paper, here\u2019s what Josh\u2019s test suggests:<\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Choose a scope with at least 16x\u201320x magnification<\/strong><\/span> for optimal visibility and impact spotting.<\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Don\u2019t overpay for ultra-high magnification <\/strong><\/span>unless you\u2019re shooting at extreme distances.<\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Consider your use case<\/strong>:<\/span> For benchrest shooting or competition, higher magnification helps. For casual plinking or training, 10x may be enough.<\/li><\/ul><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gear_Breakdown_Joshs_Setup\"><\/span>Gear Breakdown: Josh\u2019s Setup<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>For those curious about the gear that made this test possible:<\/p><ul><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Scope<\/strong><\/span>: <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/toric-uhd-4-5-30x56-34mm-ffp-mrad-elr-extreme-long-range-rifle-scope\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>TORIC 4.5-30&#215;56 MRAD ELR<\/strong><\/a><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Rifle<\/strong><\/span>: <strong>Vudoo 360<\/strong><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Chassis<\/strong>:<\/span> <strong>MDT ACC with Gray Ops stackable weights<\/strong><\/li><li><span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>Accessories<\/strong><\/span>: <strong>MDT Baker Wings, Bullet Bag Rider (for rear bag stability)<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p><strong>This setup ensured that the only variable in the test was magnification\u2014not rifle performance.<\/strong><\/p><figure id=\"attachment_9250\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9250\" style=\"width: 2560px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-9250\" src=\"http:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/tight-groups-3-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"Shooting Tight Groups\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" title=\"\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9250\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Shooting Tight Groups<\/figcaption><\/figure><p style=\"text-align: center\"><a style=\"text-align: center;text-decoration: none\" href=\"https:\/\/www.trustpilot.com\/review\/tractoptics.com?utm_medium=Trustbox&#038;utm_source=EmailNewsletter3\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/emailsignature.trustpilot.com\/newsletter\/en-US\/3\/5fc7afaa58a6e200016f0dfc\/520\/170\/light@2x.png?stars=5,4,3,2,1&#038;fontSize=default\" alt=\"\" width=\"520\" height=\"170\" border=\"0\" title=\"\"><\/a><\/p><h2><\/h2><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"TORIC_Rifle_Scope_Magnification_Options\"><\/span>TORIC Rifle Scope Magnification Options<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><table><thead><tr><th>Model<\/th><th>Magnification Range<\/th><th>Tube Diameter<\/th><th>Objective Lens Size<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\/toric-34mm-elr-rifle-scopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TORIC ELR<\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/toric-uhd-4-5-30x56-34mm-ffp-mrad-elr-extreme-long-range-rifle-scope\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4.5\u201330x<\/a><\/td><td>34 mm<\/td><td>56 mm<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\/toric-34mm-elr-rifle-scopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TORIC ELR Eagleman<\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/toric-uhd-4-25x50-34mm-ffp-mrad-eagleman-long-range-hunting-rifle-scope\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4\u201325x<\/a><\/td><td>34 mm<\/td><td>50 mm<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\/toric-30mm-long-range-rifle-scopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TORIC 30mm LR Series<\/a><\/td><td><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/toric-uhd-30mm-4-20x50-ffp-mrad-prs-long-range-rifle-scope\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">4\u201320x<\/a><\/td><td>30 mm<\/td><td>50 mm<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/riflescopes\/toric-30mm-hunting-scopes\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">TORIC 30mm Hunt Series<\/a><\/td><td>2.5\u201315x<\/td><td>30 mm<\/td><td>44 mm<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Key_Considerations\"><\/span>Key Considerations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><ul><li><strong>Tube Diameter<\/strong> affects mounting options and internal adjustment range. 34 mm tubes offer more elevation travel, ideal for extreme long-range shooting.<\/li><li><strong>Objective Lens Size<\/strong> influences light gathering and overall low-light performance. Larger objectives (50\u201356 mm) gather more light but may require higher mounting.<\/li><li><strong>Magnification Range<\/strong> should match your shooting distance and target size. The 4.5\u201330x ELR is best for extreme long range, while the 2.5\u201315x is great for hunting and shooting tight groups as Josh has proved.<\/li><\/ul><h2><!--EndFragment --><\/h2><h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts_Shooting_Tight_Groups\"><\/span>Final Thoughts: Shooting Tight Groups<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p>Josh\u2019s experiment proves that high magnification isn\u2019t a prerequisite for precision. While it certainly helps with visibility and shooter comfort, <span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>tight groups are achievable even at lower magnifications<\/strong><\/span>\u2014especially with <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tractoptics.com\/key-elements-of-a-good-shooting-position\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">good fundamentals<\/a> and a solid rifle setup.<\/p><p>So before you drop big bucks on a 30x scope, ask yourself: <em>Do I really need it?<\/em> If you\u2019re shooting at 50 yards or less, chances are, you don\u2019t.<\/p><h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Contact_Us\"><\/span>Contact Us<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3><p>Want help choosing the right scope for your shooting style or building a gear list like Josh\u2019s? Feel free to reach out to the owners at TRACT either by <strong>email<\/strong>: <span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600\" href=\"mailto:support@tractoptics.com\"><strong>support@tractoptics.com<\/strong><\/a><\/span>, <strong>phone<\/strong>: <span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><strong>631-662-7354<\/strong><\/span> or <span style=\"color: #ff6600\"><a style=\"color: #ff6600\" href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>Chat Live Now<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/p><p><!--EndFragment --><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Shooting Tight Groups &#8211; Is High Magnification Really Necessary? When it comes to precision shooting, one of the most debated questions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12503,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2256,2260,2262,2265,2266,2267,2272,2274],"tags":[2301,2626,3580,2977,3359,3537,3910,3911,3912],"class_list":["post-12388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to","category-optics","category-product-reviews","category-rifle-scope","category-riflescopes","category-shooting-skills","category-toric-34mm","category-video","tag-22lr","tag-extreme-long-range","tag-how-to-improve-your-shooting-skills","tag-precision-marksmanship","tag-precision-shooting","tag-precision-shooting-scope","tag-shooting-tight-groups","tag-what-magnification-is-best-for-long-range-shooting","tag-what-scope-do-i-need-for-22lr"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12388"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12388\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12504,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12388\/revisions\/12504"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12503"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}