oldelkhunter

I was going to save this for the new "OPTICS" forum and feel funny posting it in a GUNS forum but what the heck[:@]. Lets talk about scopes that have great resolution/allow plenty of light to get to the users eye and have a crosshair that can be seen in lowlight(Most importantly). Lots of mumbo jumbo about 30mm tubes or 56mm objectives or German vs Austrian vs Japanese in fact its so confusing the gunwriters can't even get it right. WHo has a scope that meets this criteria and if so what make/model and under what conditions did you use it? Please no links to other sites or articles. I want to hear real person experiences and only if you have used it.

JeffS

I use a Zeiss Conquest 3 x 9 x 50. I bought it for hog hunting at night. W/ any kind of moon light at all I don't need any additional light. There is also a another scope we have been using made by ZOS. It has lighted crosshairs and the ones we have are 4 x 16 x 50. A friend of mine has been getting a deal on them for about $110 a piece though I don't think they will stay that price for long. I don't know the exact model number because the gun is out in the country right now though the optics seem to be as clear as the Leopold we replaced w/ it.

Josh Sorensen

The best low light scope I have used was a nightforce 5.5-22x56 with lighted NP-R2 reticle. It gathered a lot of light and the lighted reticle was awsome for night hunting. I used it for predator calling here in the winter. With snow cover you can see almost as well as day with this scope out to practicle ranges. The next best I have used is the Burris Euro black diamond 3-12x50 that I have on my 338 WM. My buddy has a 1.5-5x50 swarski that he swears by for low light conditions. THe lighted reticles are definately a bonus and 30mm does seem to gather more light and have a wider feild of veiw than the 1" scopes. The springfield lighted reticle scopes are supposed to be really nice too.

SWAMPMAN

OLDELK,
IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY, THE BEST TIME TO HARVEST A BIG BUCK(OTHER THAN THE RUT) IS DUSK. VIRTUALLY EVERYONE HERE IS USING A 50MM EXIT OR BIGGER. 3-9, 4-12, BY 50 OR 56MM. ILLUMINATED RETICLES ARE POPULAR. I HAVE BEEN HUNTING HERE OVER 25 YEARS.(FROM CALIFORNIA) I HAVE GONE THROUGH ZEISS, SWAROVSKI, LEUPOLD, KAHLES,NIKON, ETC. I HAVE SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF MONEY TRYING TO FIND THAT PERFECT LOW-LIGHT SCOPE. THERE'S NOT ENOUGH DIFFERENCE IN MOST TO NOTICE. WHAT I HAVE FOUND ARE THE BUSHNELL ELITE 4200 SERIES, FIREFLY RETICLE AND A PAIR OF FUJINON BINOCULARS WORK BEST FOR ME IN ALL CONDITIONS. THE BEST THING IS THAT NEITHER WILL SET YOU BACK MORE THAN 600.00. THERE'S MY OPINION, FOR WHAT IT'S WORTH.

Rebel Hog

I have three Zeiss Conquest Scopes the same>4.5-14x44 AO
One on BLR .338mag
One on Ruger 7mmRem mag
One on Ruger 6.5mm Swed
I have no complaints sofar.

Also have two Simmons 44 MAG 6.5-20x44 AO.
One on BRN A-5/ Hastings Paradox Barrel--SABOT GUN
One on MOSS 835/ RIFLED BARRRL---SABOT GUN

They seem to work for me in low light.

James B

My Aetecs gather light well. I also have a 6x40 Pro Hunter that I have watched deer accross the road from my house in the park. I can see the deer and the crosshair up to and past legal shooting time. I quess thats enough light for me. Its the best 55.00 scope that I have ever owned. Probably the best period for light gathering.

oldelkhunter

That is incidentally what my best friend uses and he lives in Alabama where I plan on hunting again as I have for the last several years.

Sounds like we are on the same track.
I haven't really concentrated that much on deer hunting in the past but plan on putting more emphasis on it in the next few years. Very good chance of getting a very good buck where I hunt but to exhaust all the possibilities I need something that really stands out at last light or first light and it sounds like a big objective along with an illuminated reticle may be the ticket at least in this area.

Rebel Hog

Oldelk,
Have you checked-out Banner Dusk&Dawn scopes?

Superpig

I would agree with Swampman. I for several years was a tried and true Leupold fan. I've owned a number of them and still have many. When I was shopping for a new scope I began researching because of the Leupold price tag. I ended up buying a Bushnell 4200 Elite 2.5-10X40MM. I think this was a solid purchase. I have set on the porch many evenings and watched the local wildlife with a Leupold 3.5-10X50 Vari-X III and the Bushnell. To my eye and also my wife's which is a hunter we both agree the Bushnell is sharper and gathers just as much light as the Leupold. I won't sale the Leupolds I have mounted already on guns but in the future I will be putting the 4200's on my rifles. Especially when a model like I have can be bought for $300 vs. $500 for the Leupold. The Leupold does have a little more eye relief at 3.7" at 10X and the Bushnell has 3.5" at 10X. The Leupold will also be a little shorter and weighs about 2.5 ounces less. If you need this then buy the Leupold but I can handle a few more ounces for around $200 less.

My good hunting buddy has bought a Zeiss Conguest 3-9X40 and I can see no difference if we are looking at dusk through both scopes except the the larger price tag.

I've heard in the past a few state the Bushnell would not hold up to heavy calibers as to this I can't say. My cousin has an old Ruger 77 that he has had a Bausch & Lomb 2.5-10X40 mounted on for about 10 years with no problems. The Bausch & Lomb name has been dropped but it's the same scope I have that says Bushnell on it.

oldelkhunter

Bushnells can take quite a bit of pounding in my experience. I used to have a Bausch and Lomb elite scope in 4x many years back..it was a long and heavy scope but it had better then Leupold optics back then and I had no problem "Almost" night hunting with it. I haven't looked thru a new 4200 except at a store and we know how much that tells you about their capabilities..quality wise it looks great. I own Conquests and Nikon monarchs currently being totally Leupold free in a very long time..both are very very good scopes and very similiar performance wise with the edge going to the Zeiss but only because it has a better reticle and that is it. I will give the Bushnell 4200's a try and especially with a 50mm objective and possibly firefly or the illuminated reticle