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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8314 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 6:53 pm Post subject: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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I'd like to get a scope for my new 6.8 AR that works good in low light conditions but is not heavy. I don't need any more than 4-6 magnification but would like around 2x for close in situations. Any suggestions. My 2.5-16x50 Bushnell 6500 does great in these conditions but would make the rifle too top heavy. Any suggestions?
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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Pumpkinslinger Super Member
Joined: Sep 22, 2007 Posts: 5001 Location: NC foothills
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 8:18 pm Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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_________________ Mike
"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle |
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8314 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 8:35 pm Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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Pkslinger, that has an illuminated reticle which is nice but I have always understood that you need a big objective lens to gather light at dawn and dusk. Seems they only come in 3-9 or greater.
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8314 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 8:37 pm Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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I saw this Nikon but it only has a 32mm Objective. Weigths less than 12 oz though. If only it had an illuminated reticle.
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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Elvis Super Member
Joined: Jul 27, 2008 Posts: 9239 Location: south island New Zealand
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Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2012 11:17 pm Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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1-4 leupold shotgun type scope would be ideal. great field of fiew and good low light gathering. the best scope Ive owned(and Ive killed a few of them) is a 3x9x40mm niko stirling gold crown. they beat my leupolds for low light and field of view.
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Vince Site Admin
Joined: May 25, 2005 Posts: 15701 Location: Brisbane AUSTRALIA
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 1:07 am Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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The Nikko Stirling is a fair sort of a scope, but really is the lower end of the market. I have a Nikko Stirling Platinum on my Weatherby, and although it is a great scope it really isn't as clear as a Loopy. I also have a NS Gold Crown on one of my .22 rimfires and it isn't as good as the Platinum.
You are right in saying you need a larger objective to bring in the light, but the coatings they put on the glass these days, in my mind, probably does more to bring in that light.
What brand of scope to go for...generally, I believe you get what you pay for when buying glass.
Cheers, Vince
_________________ Cheers, Vince
Illegitimi non carborundum
(Never let the bastards grind you down)
Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God.
"Nulla Si Fa Senza Volonta."
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8314 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 4:16 am Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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Vince wrote: |
I believe you get what you pay for when buying glass |
Agreed, and its not very easy to test scopes out in typical hunting low light conditions.
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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Pumpkinslinger Super Member
Joined: Sep 22, 2007 Posts: 5001 Location: NC foothills
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:05 am Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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What you are concerned with is the "exit pupil", which is related to how much light gets to your eye. Ideally it should be around 7mm range. You calculate that by dividing the objective diameter by the magnification. The Bushnell above has an exit pupil of 6mm at 4x and 15 at 1.25x, plenty for low light.
The illuminated reticle, especially at 1.25x, would act like a red dot and let you shoot with both eyes open for fast target acquisition.
Here's a better explanation:
www.nikon.com/products...sic_05.htm
_________________ Mike
"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle
Last edited by Pumpkinslinger on Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:10 am; edited 2 times in total |
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Pumpkinslinger Super Member
Joined: Sep 22, 2007 Posts: 5001 Location: NC foothills
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 6:22 am Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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I kinda like this one too. One like this will probably go on my next SUR (Sport Utility Rifle).
www.burrisoptics.com/f...ical1.html
_________________ Mike
"I ain't no better than anybody else, and there ain't nobody better than me!" Ma Kettle |
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Dawgdad Super Member
Joined: Feb 08, 2006 Posts: 1065 Location: On the Prairie
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 12:11 pm Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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Check out Mueller Sport Dot IR. I have two of them and love them . Great glass for the price. Only the dot in the center of the cross hairs illuminates so it is like a red dot in very low light.
If you want to test drive one Give me a PM I have a 3x9 40mm in a one piece mount for flat tops that is "surplus". If you like it we can tlk price.
_________________ Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms should be a convenience store, not a government agency... |
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8314 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 7:56 pm Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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Pumpkinslinger wrote: |
I kinda like this one too. |
Wow, a 24mm exit pupil! I've eyed this one before.
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8314 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 8:08 pm Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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Dawgdad wrote: |
Check out Mueller Sport Dot IR. .... If you want to test drive one Give me a PM |
Thanks, Dawgdad. I'll consider it.
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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Aloysius Super Member
Joined: Nov 03, 2009 Posts: 2438 Location: B., Belgium
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Posted: Mon Sep 17, 2012 11:51 pm Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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slimjim wrote: |
Pumpkinslinger wrote: |
I kinda like this one too. |
Wow, a 24mm exit pupil! I've eyed this one before. |
maybe try to get it with a blue cross. Red is no good during daylight. Red AND green doesn't allow enough adjustments, so better take red OR green and when you've seen blue, I think you no longer like red or green.
And a crosshair with a very small red dot in the middle works fine, but you 'll miss the dots or the thicker parts on a cross when you want to hold over.
Why don't you take 2 different scopes and a mount that allows easy exchange? You even can give each scope his own round: the small scope a real stopper for close brushhunting, the large scope your best long distance load... I bet it's cheaper than buying 1
Zeiss or Swarovsky.
By the way: for low light a fixed multiplication will always be better than a variable scope. The high multiplication will also reduce the lighthole inside the scope.
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slimjim Super Member
Joined: May 16, 2009 Posts: 8314 Location: Fort Worth TX
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 3:39 am Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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Aloys, all good advise. I've seen the two color red/green illuminators and they have half the adjustment that a single color has. I saw blue in a scope once and loved it but the scope was a "cheap" Chinese knock-off that I wouldn't take the time to even mount on my worse rifle. I haven't seen any other scopes with blue, however.
The thought has crossed my mind that I may need two different scopes.
I didn't know that about fixed vs variable. I know that if I get about 8x on my 2.5-16 Bushnell that its low-light performance drops off.
_________________ "To anger a conservative, lie to him. To anger a liberal, tell him the truth." - Theodore Roosevelt
"The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it." - Albert Einstein |
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Aloysius Super Member
Joined: Nov 03, 2009 Posts: 2438 Location: B., Belgium
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Posted: Tue Sep 18, 2012 4:49 am Post subject: Re: Light scope with good low-light capabilities |
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Don't judge too soon. I put a chinese Bushnell 10-40x50 with sidewheel AO, blue light, milldots and an internal water-level (costing about 100 euro) on a Remington Sendero in .300 WM. I don't use that rifle that much because they don't allow the .300 WM anymore on the range, but it's still functioning OK.
To be honnest: it surprised me too.
When buying a new chinese scope is cheaper than the transportcost to have a Zeiss or a Leupold repaired...
and when you have several rifles and cannot efford to put Zeiss or Swarovski on all of them...
and how many scopes that carry a brandname are produced in China?
And when it's bad quality, you trow it away and try another one. It's also fun when a scope of 25 euro on your cheap Baikal gives you more fun than that Zeiss on the Blazer of your buddy
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