Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Best Low Light/Brightest Variable Scope under $500?

I want a variable scope roughly 4-14 or 16 power for deer hunting over large fields from elevated blinds. Naturally, the big bucks come out right around dark so I want to find the best low light scope out there, for $500 or less. I have heard/read folks liking Nikon Monarchs, certain Sightrons, Weaver Grand or Super Slams, Bushnell Elites, Vortex Viper, Zeiss Conquest (not sure if in budget), etc. So, based on your experience, what do you guys say?

The brightest sub-$500 scopes I've tested on my optical chart are Minoxes.

That said, the difference is very slight between them and several others.

Crusader,

Both my Bushnell 4200 4-16X40's are about as good as you're going to get. I purchased them from our free classifieds for $275 each. Both looked about like new.

What's your anticipated long shot?

+/- 400 yards

The extra magnification is helpful for antler judging and for having old eyes!

Be sure to balance that against exit pupil.

Larger exit pupil is better is an internet myth.

January 7, 2012
For my fun and entertainment I laid out some binoculars and two scopes on some sand bags for a low light comparison. After focusing the bins on the deer antlers 131 yards away I decided to see what was the lowest setting I could make out the forks with the scopes. My criteria was would I shoot at the deer which carried them? The exit pupils have been included to show how irrelevant they generally are.

Tasco World Class 4-16X40 @ 7X = 5.71 exit pupil
Bushnell 6500 4 1/2-30X50 @ 5 1/2X = 9.09 " "

After this I turned them up to 8X to match the Bushnell Ultra HD 8X42 and waited.

Binoculars Exit pupil

Minox 15X58 - 3.87mm
REI 10X32 - 3.2
Bush. 8X42 - 5.25

At 5:10 the 8X42 binocs and the scopes set on 8X were out.
Tasco on 8X = 5.00 exit pupil
6500 on 8X = 6.25 � �

I turned up the scopes till I could make out the forks again.

Tasco - 14X = 2.86 exit pupil
6500 - 15X = 3.33 � �

At 5:14 I had to turn up the scopes again.

Tasco - 16X - 2.5 exit pupil
6500 - 20X - 2.5 � �

At 5:15 the REI 10X32 were out.
3.2mm exit pupil

At 5:16 the Tasco and 6500 were out.

Tasco exit pupil: 2.5mm
6500 exit pupil: 2.5mm
Both lasted longer than the 3.2mm of the REI with a 3.2mm exit pupil.

The Minox 15X lasted until 5:20. Exit pupil: 3.87

I've done my own testing, and it does matter. But it isn't the be all, end all some believe either.

What will your pupils dilate to?

I agree with Mule Deer. My Minox scopes do perform very well in low light. However, my 2.5-8x32 Conquests are the brightest scopes at low light that I have personally used and quite possibly the best all around hunting scope made IMO. It's a shame they were discontinued.

The more magnification you have at an exit pupil size your eyes can use, the further you will see in bad light, period.
The catch here is "an exit pupil size your eyes can use."
What happens is that as we age, as a rule, we have less ability to see in or handle low light conditions. But it does vary between individuals.
How you can tell is if you can adjust your scope to produce a 7mm exit pupil and still see something with it after legal shooting hours. If the scope "quits," it isn't the scope. It's your eyes.
Some of us can see all the way until the end of legal shooting hours on any day with the scope set for at least a 5mm exit pupil. Some of us can only do so on bright clear days, in open country. And some cannot do even that. It depends on how bright the day and the evening are and how much low light ability your eyes have. E

My Minox AS3 is the brighest rifle scope in late afternoon with very little light still available. This is AFTER legal shooting time has ended. Burris is very close behind in visibility. HOWEVER at the end of legal shooting time my Pentax is the best for hunting. Although not as bright as the Minox, the heavier lines in the reticule are more distinct and easier to see. The thiner crosshair on Minox and Burris are superior for distance shots in good light but more difficult to use in low light with dark background. When hunting open fields the Minox or Burris are the choice. I am sure from looking at the Zeiss and Sightrom Big Sky in show rooms they are in the same catagory. For hunting in woods with darker areas the dot or heavy cross wires are more advantageous than brighter scope with thin reticule.
I have done testing over many years and always find a heavy cross wire or dot easier to see quickly at dusk. This is at LEGAL SHOOTING TIME. Mary times quality scopes in the $300-$600 price were brighter as it grew dark but harder to put the cross hair on a target.
Over the years the best for putting the cross wire on target quickly was the now discontinued low power SCOPE CHIEF. It was not the brightest at dusk but it was the easiest to use.
Out to 200 yards I prefer a dot reticule (no londer the popular reticule. Out to 400+ yards I find the Minox BDC reticule perfect. Burris has a new BDC reticule with windage dots. It looks good but I have not had the need to use that feature yet. I think it will be useful for open field hunting with wind.

400 yards at dusk....Fogetaboutit

Don't go all realistic now ...

I would buy a Leupold 4.5X14 Vari X 111 or Vx3 from Ebay. You will have a great low light and dependable scope. Good shooting