The further out your shots are the more magnification you will enjoy. However if you can't turn it down low enough then any close shots are going to be questionable.
I have a 4.5x14 Leopold on my .25-06 and found out that problem last year on a deer hunt where I had a shot at 10 yards and even with it cranked down to 4.5 I had a hard time finding where I wanted the bullet to hit.
Considering that you are talking about 400 yards max, 9 power is enough on the high end. Personally I have only taken a handful of shots in excess of 300 yards in 35 years of hunting.
JimP is right on. I would be
more concerned about low end power and the ability to get on target quick at close range. You want a low power for that very real scenario, 3.5 is as high as I would go and the closer to 2 power the better. If the shooter is less experienced, lower power always makes getting on target easier.
Realize that a really sharp and clear 10 power fixed scope has been fairly popular for long range target shooters who are shooting well in excess of 400 yards, so 10 and below should be fine for you. I'm not a 1000 yards shooter (not yet anyways
) but have heard that 10 power is adequate to 1000 yards.
