I,m no guru on this but I would think that scopes are best when the shot is from about 35yards (1 1/4 power)onwards. I took the 2.5 power scope off my 44 mag lever action as I think that at realy close,crawling through the lantena and finding a big angry bore coming towards me ,distance ,open sights are better. I,m one of the newer breed of those weened on scopes and cant use iron sights as well as some of the older ones so I still use scopes on everything else.