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Rifle Scope Upgrade Which one! |
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igt2beme
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/18/2008 Location: SC Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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Posted: November/18/2008 at 09:23 |
I hunt with a 3X9X50 Nikon Prostaff mounted on a Remington 7600 chambered in 30.06. The scope optics are great but it does not do very well in low light conditions. I live in SC and we can legally shoot an hour before and after sunrise or sunset. I can not see anything for about the last 20 minutes of legal shooting time. I can see deer fairly easily in my binoclars but not through my scope so it has to go. I am not a rich man so $350 to $400 is my limit. Which scope should I buy?? Am considering Bushnell elite 3200, 4200, Sightron Bigsky, or Nikon upgrade. Does anybody have suggestions or sother scope ideas??? I would appreciate all answers
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Lee H.
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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4200 is probably the best deal going in variable hunting scopes. The optics will be significantly brighter. If 3-9 works for you now, no reason to change.
http://www.swfa.com/pc-7280-185-bushnell-3-9x40-elite-4200-rifle-scope.aspx For a step up (in price and in optical quality), consider a Zeiss Conquest. http://www.swfa.com/pc-1525-259-zeiss-3-9x40-conquest-rifle-scope.aspx The Zeiss is $50 above your listed range; however, they do show up on the Sample List from time to time and that would put it in your range. The Zeiss will be brighter, either would be a significant improvement. I hear good things about Sightron but do not own one, so cannot offer any first-hand input. |
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Big Squeeze
Optics Master Extraordinaire GOOGLE NINJA Joined: August/30/2007 Location: Anaheim, Calif. Status: Offline Points: 3143 |
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You`re going to have to increase your optic quality, while reducing your objective size to meet your budget. An optical upgrade with a 32 mm to a 42mm objective will be better in low light, rather than having a scope with a 50mm objective with lower optical quality.
Another option is the 2 or 2.5-8x32 (if I remember correctly) Zeiss Conquest @ $399. 8X on the high end is more than adequate for the 30-06.
On your 7600, a lower profiled scope with a smaller objective will look better anyway.
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igt2beme
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/18/2008 Location: SC Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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So the 4200 Bushnell in 2.5x10x40 would be a better choice than the 2.5x10x50 in the 3200 series???
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Lee H.
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Rancid Coolaid
MODERATOR Joined: January/19/2005 Location: United States Status: Offline Points: 9318 |
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yes!
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Freedom is something you take.
Respect is something you earn. Equality is something you whine about not being given. |
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igt2beme
Optics GrassHopper Joined: November/18/2008 Location: SC Status: Offline Points: 3 |
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How much difference would I see in the 50mm and the 40mm in the 4200 series. Would it be worth spending the extra money. Its about $100.00 as far as I can tell |
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Lee H.
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Dogger
Optics Jedi Master Joined: January/02/2007 Location: Ontario, Canada Status: Offline Points: 8915 |
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At 3X no difference in brightness that you can use in either scope. At 10X the 40MM scope will give you an exit pupil of 4mm Vs 5mm for the 50mm scope. May make some difference at last shooting light. Whether you can achieve a comfortable cheek weld with the larger 50mm scope bell may be a bigger issue as well as weight and aesthetics. Those are personal issues.
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God save the Empire!
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Dshusker
Optics Apprentice Joined: November/09/2008 Status: Offline Points: 103 |
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Think I would save $100 and get the Bushnell Elite 3200 or the Nikon Team Primos (both sell for $200 @SWFA). Have hunted with both scopes in low light situations and found them to be excellent. The Elite series has the Rainguard coating which is useful in wet conditions. Both feature above average optics, light transmission, and are light weight and durable. I have found the 50mm adds weight and little appreciable advantage. Of course I have never been able to afford the upper echelon scopes where it might make a difference?
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Tip69
Optics Master Extraordinaire Tip Stick Joined: September/27/2005 Location: Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 4155 |
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I just posted a "review" of my Kahles CL 3-9X50 in the "Member's Tests and reviews" section. I would HIGHLY recommend you save a little longer and get one of these! Mine is not the "Multizero" and was less expensive. Here is one with the multizero from the samplelist.com
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take em!
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lucytuma
Optics Jedi Knight Joined: November/25/2007 Location: Wisconsin Status: Offline Points: 5389 |
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I agree with Todd, I think your going to have to jump up to the $500.00 plus range to get the results your looking for, the Zeiss conquest would be my cheepest suggestion, next would be a Meopta R1.
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"The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not." - Thomas Jefferson
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sheephunter
Optics GrassHopper Joined: April/27/2008 Location: Wyoming Status: Offline Points: 14 |
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I put a Nikon Team Primos on my 300 this fall and I like it a lot. After looking through mine my buddy bought one he really likes it. We have a truckload of scopes between us. The 4200 is nice too but I prefer the Nikon Primos.
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"There is no defense comparable to that of being fully prepared to meet the enemy." George Washington
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Urimaginaryfrnd
MODERATOR Resident Redneck Joined: June/20/2005 Location: Iowa Status: Offline Points: 14964 |
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Let me jump in and be the first to ask a stupid question - do you know that how bright a scope appears depends on which power you have the scope adjusted to?
For example with a 3-9x40 scope if one wished to use the scope at its greatest ability to gather light one would want a 7mm exit eye pupil and one would accordingly divide the objective size 40mm by 7 = 5.7 power. So if you take the scope you have and dial down the power to 5.7power ---- POOF it just got brighter. So understanding the concept lets say you selected a 50mm objective and divided 50 by 7= 7.1power and so by using a ten mm larger objective you have gained about one more power of magnification increase at the maximum level of gathering light. Now having said that I really like the Bushnell 4200 scopes especially the 4-16x40 but having a 40 mm objective if its turned up to 16 power you are down to a 40divided by 16= 2.5mm exit eye pupil which is not very bright.
Point being you have to turn down the power when it gets dark. Try that with the one you have and see if you still want something else and if you do TRADE IN the one you have to SWFA and get what you want to use. Good Hunting
Edited by Urimaginaryfrnd - November/24/2008 at 00:48 |
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"Always do the right thing, just because it is the right thing to do". Bobby Paul Doherty Texas Ranger |
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Ed Connelly
Optics Retard God of no Chihuahua Joined: December/16/2007 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 24225 |
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Me, too.....once you commit yourself to spending a big gol-durn pile of cash for a fancy-pants rifle scope----stay up there with the BIG, BAD, FANTASTIC Scope Brands!!! Once you get up to the neighborhood of $600-700, don't even look at anything less than Kahles, and IORs and Meoptas..........( that's what I would do if I had any money.... )
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Ed Connelly
Optics Retard God of no Chihuahua Joined: December/16/2007 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 24225 |
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I like that "POOF"......
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Tip69
Optics Master Extraordinaire Tip Stick Joined: September/27/2005 Location: Nebraska Status: Offline Points: 4155 |
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Only thing I would add to Urimaginaryfrnd's post is that Glass quality and coatings quality will make a difference with low light as well!
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take em!
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Steelbenz
Optics Jedi Knight ROLL TIDE ROLL Joined: January/03/2006 Location: Heart of Dixie Status: Offline Points: 5153 |
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+1 |
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"Don't argue with a fool! From a distance you can't really tell who's who!"
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hunter12345
Optics Journeyman Joined: November/21/2007 Status: Offline Points: 470 |
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The Nikon Prostaff always fails in low light conditions.Try the Sightron SII 3-9x42 great scope for around the $200 mark and yes it works great in low light for me for over five years.I recently just used the new SII Big Sky and have to say its brighter than my Zeiss Conquest and works better in low light.Hope you buy a Sightron the best warranty in the business.
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swtucker
Optics Master Joined: September/03/2008 Location: Low Moor Status: Offline Points: 1430 |
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An HOUR AFTER SUNSET??? You might outta invest in a spotlight. In Va. it's a half-hour and that's pushin' it for even the best scope made....
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Ed Connelly
Optics Retard God of no Chihuahua Joined: December/16/2007 Location: USA Status: Offline Points: 24225 |
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I think "POOF" is as good as "snort"................we need to use that more often!!!
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