Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Short range illuminated scope for bear

I have a Vortex II 1-4x24 (illum.) scope on Marlin 1895 Guide gun. My bear site is in a dark set amongst hemlocks. Because of the terrain, I need to neck shoot the bears to make sure they don't get down a hill. I've been pretty successful over the last few years at this site. I recently took a bear within the last 10 min. of legal shooting light. With my current setup, I quickly knew my scope needed more light gathering capability. It seems years ago there were far more 32-36mm Obj. lens scopes. When I do a search of major scope manufacturers it seems like nobody is producing scopes in that objective size with illumination. I've tried Trijicon Accupoint 1-4x24mm and Leupold FX II 4x33mm. The Trijicon was too bright at last light to make a precision shot and the Leupold was not quite bright enough. I'll go to a bigger scope if needed, because I only use this rifle for this specific application. Am I missing a current offering or are there older discontinued models I should keep an eye out for ?

I’m surprised the Triji was too bright. Many complain it’s not bright enough. Did you adjust the fiber optic thingy down?

I used to have a Leupold AR Mod 1 1.5 to 4 with a green SPR reticle. It would adjust very low and had a motion detector to save the battery. Issue was exposed turrets that were too easy to turn. Illumination was very good though. Don’t know about similar ones with capped knobs.

My Trijicon is probably 15yrs old now...maybe it's died down a bit. Thanks for the input, I'll give it a look, thanks.

The Credo HX are battery-powered and give better control than the Accupoints. I have a 1-6x24 on my Grendel. At 4x and below, it should be bright enough in the dim. Haven’t had it out in the woods yet. Senior doe season and early doe seasons are in about a month, and it’s first in line. They are a bit spendy, but good stuff.

Pappy you must have 40 or 50.thoudand invested in all those scopes you claim to own.

Do you need magnification? I would be looking at Aimpoint. I love my T2 for the deep dark forest.

What’s the problem?

The are a number of 1.5-6x40-42mm scopes out there withe illuminated dots or circle dot reticles

This.

If you don't need a true 1x, then you might try the Nightforce SHV 3-10x42. It has a simple duplex reticle that can go very dim if you choose.


Okie John

I do need magnification.

Buy the bear what he wants, don't be cheap.

Understood. I lived and hunted in Sweden for a few years. We hunted wild boar at night in the dark forest over bait. A Zeiss Victory 1.5x6x42 with an illuminated reticle. I regularly killed pigs in the pitch black dark with this scope. Many times I could not see them with the naked eye but was able to pick them up clearly in the scope dark...

Swarovski.

I like that a lot. What Swarovski model is that ?

I'm going to try this Weaver Classic Extreme 30mm 1.5-4.5 with a duplex and lighted center dot on my 358 carbine for close range bears.

I recently got a Credo 1-6x24 FFP with green MRAD reticle. I haven't mounted it yet on my .375 H&H, but I think it will be a good DG scope. I think it could also work as a 3 gun or CQB scope.

Are those circle segments black when the light’s not on, or just missing?

Nice set up. Always on the look out for 99 in 358. Is yours from the factory or rebarreled/rebored?

I have a steel receiver BLR 358 that needs a new scope. The 2-7 Leupold gloss compact that was on it for 20+ years recently gave up. Not sure what direction I'm going to go with it. Would like to replace it with 1" straight tube gloss, but wouldn't mind it being lit. I have a number of 1.5-5's on levers that have held up, and I was leaning towards just going with another when I come across a used gloss.

Aimpoint H-2