Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Best low light deer hunting scope.

Under $700? Easy. Meopta Meopro

Spend 300 more and get Swarovski Z3 4-12x50 you'll be glad ya did!

In my case it most definitely does!

One of the benefits of the S&B Klassic is having a FFP reticle. You can make your reticle any size you want. For me on my scope w/a #4 reticle I do almost all of my killin on about 5.8 power. Much over that at dark thirty and my scope has some flare to it. I mean really dark here. powdr

It could be eyesight. Just how we see things differently....of course. We don't all take the same eyeglasses either.

The "best" low light reticle I have used is the Swaro version of the Duplex found on the old PH 2-10x. Even at 300 yards looking back into timber after legal shooting light, that reticle simply would not quit and was visible to aim for me after a Zeiss Conquest faded out.

I don't wear eyeglasses except to read. I had lots of trouble with that S&B, Swaro Z5 and Z6, all plex reticles. I think Swaro thickened up those from when they first came out though.

I could see the thin wires on the conquests I've had better than that Summit.....go figure.

I've got an old older Swarovski 2.5x10-42 obj FFP and like Bob said, it doesn't quit. Awesome scope for a hunting rifle.

I've also got a 2-12 VX6 with the Firedot 4. It doesn't beat the Swaro.

For my OLD EYES I settled on a Leupold FX-3 6x42
that I had Leupold install their German #4
Bright with a Reticle I can SEE at
DARK THIRTY
AMRA

X2^^^^^^

Mine's a Kahles Helia L 3-12x56mm with a No. 1 reticle in the first focal plane. The reticle gets larger and easier to see as magnification increases.

I also have a German built (grayish) Zeiss Duralyt 2-8x42mm that's fantastically bright.

Both of these scopes were built for the Euro market where hunting at night is legal.

I can't remember my last scope that wouldn't make it to legal shooting light was over, and I don't alpha glass for riflescopes.

For your $700 budget, it's more about the features you want.

Just my $.02

2 6x42's

6x42 Leupold is good.

In that price range the 3-9 Conquest is hard to top for viewing.

I can't wean myself off old M8's, especially the eye relief. I have one SWFA 10X, but it's on a play rifle.

Reckon I'm a old fuddy duddy

You might be able to find a Kahles CL or KX for 700 or a tad more. They have no competition at that price. The next would be a Zeiss Conquest HD and then down to Meopta/Zeiss 3-9x40 3-9x50 etc.

I agree with Jeff, the Conquest was definitely better than the two VXIIIs of the same vintage and cost in low light performance, but right now both Leupies are mounted on rifles and the Zeiss is in the box. Up a little in cost are the VX-6 and Accupoint which both are illuminated and are excellent low light scopes. For under $700, I'd go Zeiss Conquest if my main criteria was light gathering capability. It is bright.

Gotta keep in mind exit pupil though. Some deal about dividing the objective by power. So I think the average pupil is 5mm and whenever it works out to less than 5 your losing light. 42mm OBJ / 6x = 7 (bright) 40mm OBJ / 10X = 4 (not so bright)

Something like that, read it on the back of a box of Cap'n Crunch. Mighta been the crunch berries....

I had a Zeiss 6x42 Diatal that was very impressive in low light. I had the ASV+ turrets added to it. I let it go to finance trying something else. That was an epic mistake. They don't make them anymore and the folks that have them are astute enough to hold on to them.

There's a Schmidt & Bender 6x42 on the classifieds that would at least equal the Zeiss 6x42 if not even better it:

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbth...Schmidt_and_Bender_6x42_Cla#Post11476006

John

The price range has kicked up a notch.... my Swaro 3-10x42 is really good optically in lowlight, though as others have mentioned the reticle is a little thin. I don't know if they've changed the reticle thickness on the very similar Z3's.

Warning, bit of a ramble.... funny how circumstances change. Low light performance has sunk down the priorities list for me in the last 5 years... It was very high on the list but might not make top 3 now! I drew a coveted high desert mule deer tag THREE TIMES in that span, a tag that should take 4-5 points to get, plus one year I was building a new house and desperately cranking to get the roof on before the rains hit; I didn't hunt much that fall. And concurrently, the private land honeyhole I still-hunted blacktails on for all those years kinda dried up.

I'm in deer camp right now and bailed from my stand well before last light. Much of what I was watching was 400+ yards away, and/or cross canyon, and at a certain point I'm not taking that shot anyway then having to hike way over there in the dark anyway. And finding the deer, etc.

Check this one out I don't think you'll be disappointed.
Fixed. 6x great #1 reticle very bright and clear glass

http://www.eurooptic.com/meopro-6x42-riflescope-1-560800.aspx

I am kind of with Jeff O on this as far as low light priority goes. Not because it has somehow become less important but because any scope I look at now will have greater brightness than most costing much more just a few years ago. As a result things like a preferred reticle, positive and repeatable click adjustments and perhaps weight are allowed greater consideration. For example the 3-9 VX3 variable I bought rather recently is brighter than the fixed 6x42 M8 that was a gold standard of brightness to many for years. Either gets me past legal shooting times.

If I wanted to go for max brightness now I would likely look at an FX3 6x42 with my favorite #4 reticle.