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"Bright" Scope Recommendation Please!

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jughead View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
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Joined: July/14/2008
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jughead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: "Bright" Scope Recommendation Please!
    Posted: July/14/2008 at 14:27

Hello ladies and gents.  I'm new to the forum and excited about the kinda help I believe I will receive here!

Here's my deal.  I'm been looking at the available scopes out there until my head hurts and need some help.  I'm looking to re-scope my Browning BAR .308 that I use for "in the woods" deer hunting, primarily during the rut.  Hence, "brightness" in the dark woods (crispness/clarity is also pretty important to me) is the most important characteristic to me, but I also tend to lean toward lower power scopes (I have several 2x7 scopes) due to the fact that the deer are often moving when chasing does (though I've never owned one, the 1.5-6 range looks awesome to me).  I suppose I would be OK with a 3x9, especially if the optical characteristics were good enough.

I've only owned cheaper optics in the past, so I don't have much experience by which to make a decision.  I've been considering the following scopes: Bushnell Elite 4200 3-9x40 (much cheaper), Zeiss Conquest 3-9x40 ($360), 3-9x50 ($408), and 1.8-5.5x38 (not sure), Nikon Monarch Gold 1.5-6x42 ($431), Burris Euro Diamond 1.5-6x40 ($420), new Nikon Monarch 2.5-10x42 (not sure, but cheaper than the others listed).  I can get most any scope at a discounted price as listed above through a personal contact. 
 
I will also add that I recently bought a muzzleloader that had a near mint Kahles Helia 4x36 on it and wondered how it would compare in the brightness and crispness/clarity departments to the ones I have listed (obviously I wish it had some magnification adjustment, but I might could just get used to it).
 
Please help me make a decision as my head is spinning. Whacko    
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jughead View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: July/14/2008
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jughead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/14/2008 at 14:49
I forgot to add one thing.  I have actually looked through the 3.9x40 4200 and the Conquest 3.9x40 side by side in a Bass Pro Shops at night (it was pretty dark in there) and I couldn't tell much difference in "brightness", but I could tell a noticeable difference in clarity/crispness.  Most likely the 4200 will not be bought for this particular gun as I wouldn't take it out in the rain to begin with, but one of my back-up rifles (I do carry it when it's raining) will DEFINITELY be wearing a 4200 soon. Cool
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koshkin View Drop Down
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/14/2008 at 15:17
Your best bet is probably one of Kahles scopes from the samplelist.com.  Kahles is optically superior to all the scopes you mention above.  What I would consider to be "the" perfect scope for you application is Kahles CL 2-7x36.  It has been recently discontinued, but you can check if someone still has it in stock.

Of the scopes you have listed, Zeiss Conquest has the best optics (beating Elite 4200 by a nose), so you can just pick the configuration you like.

ILya
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Optics GrassHopper
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jughead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/14/2008 at 15:27
Originally posted by koshkin koshkin wrote:

Your best bet is probably one of Kahles scopes from the samplelist.com.  Kahles is optically superior to all the scopes you mention above.  What I would consider to be "the" perfect scope for you application is Kahles CL 2-7x36.  It has been recently discontinued, but you can check if someone still has it in stock.

Of the scopes you have listed, Zeiss Conquest has the best optics (beating Elite 4200 by a nose), so you can just pick the configuration you like.

ILya
 
So you're saying that the Kahles Helia 4x36 that I currently have on my new to me MZ will be optically superior in low-light to any of the Zeiss Conquests that I'm considering?  If so, I will probably just swap that scope over to the BAR and live with the fact that it is fixed power as optical quality is a more important attribute to me than variability.  Use of a Kahles Helia will HAVE to be the scope I currently own as I can't afford buying a variable best I can tell from shopping prices.  I got the Kahles with a CVA Optima black/nickel sitting under it for $400 which I thought was pretty darn good deal.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote koshkin Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/14/2008 at 15:32
That depends on the age and condition of the Kahles Helia scope you have.

ILya
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Optics GrassHopper
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jughead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/14/2008 at 15:35
Can barely tell it from new....no scratches on the lenses at all and one TINY scratch near the forward end of the tube.  Best I can tell from looking around the web (this model isn't made anymore according to the Kahles website?) it is the Helia C 4x36.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote silver Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/14/2008 at 15:59
The Kahles scope you mention is very good from a field of view stand point.  Zeiss has a fixed 4x in the Conquest line.
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Optics GrassHopper
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jughead Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/14/2008 at 16:52
The FOV is not something that I've thought about very much.  I suppose that is the most critical feature from a moving target acquisition aspect....right?
 
I noticed in looking around some that the 100 yard FOV of the Kahles I have is the same as the Zeiss Conquest at 3x, but not nearly as good as the Monarch Gold at 1.5x (34' vs. 64').  I guess I've got to make my mind up whether the FOV is suffice on this Kahles.  I'm really not worried about it from a magnification standpoint as the furthest I've ever killed a deer through the woods in these mountains we hunt is about 100 yards. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dougk Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: July/14/2008 at 17:13
You should look at the 1.8-5.5x38mm Zeiss Conquest.  My requirements for a 30-06 were almost identical, I was also lookin a a scope tat would perform well night hunting feral hogs.  the 1.8-55x38mm fit the bill perfectly, and it is extremely bright.
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