OpticsTalk by SWFA, Inc. Homepage SWFA     SampleList.com
Forum Home Forum Home > Scopes > Rifle Scopes
  New Posts New Posts RSS Feed - Need a bright scope
  FAQ FAQ  Forum Search   Events   Register Register  Login Login

Visit the SWFA.com site to check out our current specials.

Need a bright scope

 Post Reply Post Reply
Author
Message
wildboar hunter View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/27/2004
Location: Poland
Status: Offline
Points: 6
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wildboar hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: Need a bright scope
    Posted: April/27/2004 at 07:05

I need a bright scope for night time wildboar hunt (in Poland we are allowed to hunt a wildboar at night). Max. shooting range will not exceed 200 meters. So i decided to buy something like 3-9 X 50. I would like to spend something about 200$. What would be your suggestion?

By the way, does anybody know what is a light transmition of Bushnell 3200? It is "only"(not fully) multicoated but has a rainguard coat. Bushnell Legend is indicated to have 91% but the Banner series is declared to be specially designed for low light conditions, for its D&DB (dusk and dawn brightness). So finally, which is brighter? I will be greatfull for other suggestions (I could hardly stand a price of 300$).

 

Back to Top
wildboar hunter View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/27/2004
Location: Poland
Status: Offline
Points: 6
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wildboar hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/30/2004 at 02:30

wildboar hunter wrote:

 
Hello! Is there anybody?
Back to Top
Chris Farris View Drop Down
TEAM SWFA - Admin
TEAM SWFA - Admin
Avatar
swfa.com

Joined: October/01/2003
Location: Texas
Status: Offline
Points: 8024
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: April/30/2004 at 10:43
The best low light scope for $200.  will be the Elite 3200 3-9x50.  Not sure of the exact light transmission but I can tell you that only the Elite 4200 is brighter in the Bushnell line.
Back to Top
wildboar hunter View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/27/2004
Location: Poland
Status: Offline
Points: 6
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wildboar hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/04/2004 at 02:09

Chris wrote:

The best low light scope for $200.  will be the Elite 3200 3-9x50.  Not sure of the exact light transmission but I can tell you that only the Elite 4200 is brighter in the Bushnell line.

Thanks a lot. But...

What would be your choice in a 300$ price range?

I have selected some models that seem to be reasonable, and are placed in a high end of my financial abilities :

Leupold VX-II 3-9x50 (hardly but possible)

Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x50 (4200 may result with divorce)

Burris fullfield II 3-9x50

Weaver Grand Slam 3,5-10x50

and again light is the limit, because I believe that each of them is strong enough to keep adjustments, and no one will became foggy with a first freeze.

One more question, is the Simmons Aetec of the same level of quality? or is it rather a lower shelf?

Thanks in advance for your opinion

Jan

Back to Top
Roy Finn View Drop Down
MODERATOR
MODERATOR
Avatar
Steiner Junkie

Joined: April/05/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 4856
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Roy Finn Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/04/2004 at 08:10
Listen to Chris, go with the Bushnell Elite. If you can somehow manage the extra money, go with the 4200 Elite 2.5-10x40. It is brighter and because it has the 40mm objective you can mount it in a lower scope ring. Also, it is 3 oz lighter.
Back to Top
Chris Farris View Drop Down
TEAM SWFA - Admin
TEAM SWFA - Admin
Avatar
swfa.com

Joined: October/01/2003
Location: Texas
Status: Offline
Points: 8024
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/04/2004 at 10:34

If it were me in your situation with your requirements I would put them in this order.

Bushnell  Elite 4200 2.5-10x40.....$324.95

Weaver Grand Slam 3.5-10x50.....$299.95

Leupold VX-II 3-9x50.....$329.95

Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x50.....$189.95

Burris Fullfield II 3-9x50.....$259.95

Simmons Aetec 2.8-10x44.....$129.95

 

You have picked all 50mm scopes and I assume its because you feel they are brighter.  A larger objective lens does not necessarily mean that the scope will be brighter. 50mm scopes are not brighter than 40mm scopes.  It is all relative to what power the scope is on.   It is easier to explain using a fixed power scope.   People up to around 40 can perceive a 7mm exit pupil from the scope, because that is the maximum diameter of their pupil in low light or darkness.  So ideally you would want a scope that transmits a 7mm exit pupil, the only problem is how do you know what its transmitting (its easy).  Just divide the objective lens size by the power and the answer is the exit pupil or the amount of light that is coming out of the back of the scope. ie: a 6x42 scope transmits a perfect 7mm exit pupil (that's why they make scopes and binoculars in strange numbers like 8x56, 6x42, and 9x63.  The formula is a little different for a variable scope, you would take the objective lens size and divide it by 7 to determine what power to put your scope on for a 7mm exit pupil (the most your eye can handle). ie: a 3-10x40 would need to be set on 5.7x to produce the desired 7mm exit pupil. A 3.5-10x50 would need to be set on about 7.1x to get a 7mm exit pupil. You see, these two scopes 40mm and 50mm are just as bright, they just do it on different powers.  A larger objective allows you to use your scope on a higher power and still have perfect light gathering.  A 3-12x56 transmits perfect light on 8x.  A 1.5-5x20 does it on 2.9x.  First decide what power you need for what you are doing, then multiply that by 7 and the answer will be the size of objective lens you will need.

All of these formulas for producing the same light with different powered scopes are only relevant if you are comparing scopes from the same manufacturer and the same models.  ie:  Weaver Grand Slam.  You can't get a BSA 3-9x50 and set it on 7x and expect it to be just as bright as a Leupold 3-9x50, because it is the glass and coatings that primarily determine the scopes ability to transmit light to your eye efficiently.

Back to Top
wildboar hunter View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/27/2004
Location: Poland
Status: Offline
Points: 6
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wildboar hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/06/2004 at 03:22

Chris wrote:

If it were me in your situation with your requirements I would put them in this order.

Bushnell  Elite 4200 2.5-10x40.....$324.95

Weaver Grand Slam 3.5-10x50.....$299.95

Leupold VX-II 3-9x50.....$329.95

Bushnell Elite 3200 3-9x50.....$189.95

Burris Fullfield II 3-9x50.....$259.95

Simmons Aetec 2.8-10x44.....$129.95

 

You have picked all 50mm scopes and I assume its because you feel they are brighter.  A larger objective lens does not necessarily mean that the scope will be brighter. 50mm scopes are not brighter than 40mm scopes.  It is all relative to what power the scope is on.   It is easier to explain using a fixed power scope.   People up to around 40 can perceive a 7mm exit pupil from the scope, because that is the maximum diameter of their pupil in low light or darkness.  So ideally you would want a scope that transmits a 7mm exit pupil, the only problem is how do you know what its transmitting (its easy).  Just divide the objective lens size by the power and the answer is the exit pupil or the amount of light that is coming out of the back of the scope. ie: a 6x42 scope transmits a perfect 7mm exit pupil (that's why they make scopes and binoculars in strange numbers like 8x56, 6x42, and 9x63.  The formula is a little different for a variable scope, you would take the objective lens size and divide it by 7 to determine what power to put your scope on for a 7mm exit pupil (the most your eye can handle). ie: a 3-10x40 would need to be set on 5.7x to produce the desired 7mm exit pupil. A 3.5-10x50 would need to be set on about 7.1x to get a 7mm exit pupil. You see, these two scopes 40mm and 50mm are just as bright, they just do it on different powers.  A larger objective allows you to use your scope on a higher power and still have perfect light gathering.  A 3-12x56 transmits perfect light on 8x.  A 1.5-5x20 does it on 2.9x.  First decide what power you need for what you are doing, then multiply that by 7 and the answer will be the size of objective lens you will need.

All of these formulas for producing the same light with different powered scopes are only relevant if you are comparing scopes from the same manufacturer and the same models.  ie:  Weaver Grand Slam.  You can't get a BSA 3-9x50 and set it on 7x and expect it to be just as bright as a Leupold 3-9x50, because it is the glass and coatings that primarily determine the scopes ability to transmit light to your eye efficiently.

 

Thank You for your opinion, it is great to have your advise.

It is very interesting what you wrote about the brightness, In Europe we used to believe that the bigger is brighter. You have convinced me that the exit pupil really matters, but is it really all the same if the light (for this ideal 7mm pupil) is collected from a 40mm objective or 50mm (it has nearly 50% geater surface)? I believed that if it comes from larger objective area it is more condensed (brighter).

Second question is: where do They make the Weaver scopes? I havent found them in the list of American made (that was given at this site). Has it anything common to the "old Weavers" that were used during II WW? or it is only a trade mark that someones bought?

Thanks in advance for your opinion.

Jan

Back to Top
hangfire View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper
Avatar

Joined: February/13/2004
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 49
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote hangfire Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/06/2004 at 21:44
W.R. Weaver went out of business, I think it was 1984. The old scopes were not great optically but very strong and reliable. The new Weavers are imported from Japan, and are excellent optically. They were considered merely OK for reliability, at least until the Grand Slams were introduced, which is changing the reputation of Weaver for the better in that respect.
Back to Top
wildboar hunter View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/27/2004
Location: Poland
Status: Offline
Points: 6
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wildboar hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/07/2004 at 03:41

hangfire wrote:

W.R. Weaver went out of business, I think it was 1984. The old scopes were not great optically but very strong and reliable. The new Weavers are imported from Japan, and are excellent optically. They were considered merely OK for reliability, at least until the Grand Slams were introduced, which is changing the reputation of Weaver for the better in that respect.

 

Thanks a lot for this information. I want to put new scope on my Lee-Enfield No4 303 British (Savage made-1943) and would feel bad having Japaneese scope on the Allies rifle

Back to Top
Chris Farris View Drop Down
TEAM SWFA - Admin
TEAM SWFA - Admin
Avatar
swfa.com

Joined: October/01/2003
Location: Texas
Status: Offline
Points: 8024
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Chris Farris Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/07/2004 at 12:27
A 7mm exit pupil is a 7mm exit pupil regardless of the objective that helped produce it.  All things being equall a 20mm scope set on 2.86x will be just as bright as a 56mm scope set on 8x.
Back to Top
Rodrigo View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/18/2004
Location: Argentina
Status: Offline
Points: 13
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Rodrigo Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/10/2004 at 09:56

I would also look at the Nikon Monarch UCC 3-9x40. It is in the $300 price range, and in low ligth conditions I think it is better than both Bushnell Elites.

 

 

Back to Top
acerimusdux View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/15/2004
Status: Offline
Points: 10
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote acerimusdux Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/11/2004 at 15:09

wildboar hunter wrote:

Thanks a lot for this information. I want to put new scope on my Lee-Enfield No4 303 British (Savage made-1943) and would feel bad having Japaneese scope on the Allies rifle


Lol, well maybe if your next gun is a Mauser.....
Back to Top
wildboar hunter View Drop Down
Optics GrassHopper
Optics GrassHopper


Joined: April/27/2004
Location: Poland
Status: Offline
Points: 6
Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote wildboar hunter Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: May/13/2004 at 03:25
Thanks to everyone for remarks. I will go with Ellite 4200 (even If I would have to change wife) but hope will not need to change scope any more
Back to Top
 Post Reply Post Reply
  Share Topic   

Forum Jump Forum Permissions View Drop Down

Forum Software by Web Wiz Forums® version 12.01
Copyright ©2001-2018 Web Wiz Ltd.

This page was generated in 0.089 seconds.