Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics When does 50 mm + objective become useful?

George has hit the nail on the head,for low light hunting,one is often limited more by the thin design of many reticles than by the optical brightness of the scope.

But it is possible to have your cake and eat it too. You can use a scope with really good optics,a large diameter objective lens,and a really bold reticle. European variables with first focal plane reticles naturally look bigger and bolder to the eye as you increase magnifciation so they are perfectly suited to the really low light game.

The same European scope with a thin second focal plane reticle will enable you to see the critter but the reticle is no longer visible. That is why many of the Euro scopes with second focal plane reticles are offered in illuminated versions.

My favorite scopes for low light hunting are Euro Variables with 50 or 56 millimeter objectives coupled with bold first focal plane reticles or good illuminated reticles. Such scopes allow me to kill hogs at night under star light without difficulty on most any clear night with any moon light at all. They actually work better than the Generation One night vision systems that I have tried,if that doesn't tell you something I don't know what will.

After quite a few years and quite a few scopes, my 1.5-5 x 20 continues to impress. It's the last scope I'd get rid of.

similar, I just tried one of the 1-4's this saturday at sunset plus 20 min the image was mush, could not make out an anthill at 100 yards on 4X, the reticle lighting is so so but works, still not a usable device in low light.

In talking with Leupold Techs, never.

They sell 50 mm scopes because of demand and a perceived gain.

As to 50mm being needed: All I can say is those who have been down the road and have the experience fully know the answer, and THAT is why the 50 and 56mms sell. Sure, some buy "just because." But if your shot opportunities are few and far between -- and if, like me, you are not mobile and can't stalk closer -- that 36mm objective on a 2.5-8x VX-3 will prove utterly useless on a 175 yard hog in weak moonlight. Some will talk about exit pupil, but you HAVE to have magnification under those circumstances (not to mention a visible aiming point). Trust me. Been there. Done that. I've tried all sorts of scopes that would be up to the task for this sort of usage, and not a single 40mm objective cracks the top 25 in my experience.

There are a precious few scopes which boast both the resolution and contrast to even allow 6x to be a viable option at 100+ yards (in moonlight/very low daylight). 8x usually works fine, but if you can get 10x or more, then all the better. You can crank a 40mm objective all the way down to 3 or 4x and have an impressively-bright image, but I assure you making a humane shot at extended ranges will be out of the realm of possibility. You simply won't be able to discern enough detail. Hunting under moonlight or very low light is a completely different ballgame than shots taken in decent daylight.

Bobby what about a green or red light for the hogs? I am getting close to buying a 28mm objective scope but I plan to use it with a green Wicked light.

Red almost never spooks them; green does on occasion, but they don't seem to be in a hurry to vacate the area and still allow time for a shot. For me, dark hogs are harder to see in a red beam than a green, but everyone's vision is different. If you slowly lower the light onto them rather than blasting it on directly at them, they are less likely to spook -- even when a pure white light is being used.

Have found this advice to be spot on...I like the green light, mainly because its what Ive used most, but did kill a hog the other night with white light. Kudos on the slowly lowering the green light on them.

As for 50 mm scopes....No.More marketing than anything else thats practical.

Bobby I have a red/green VLR-1 I bought from Selph Arms fellow named Brad I think, its a good light and has two LED's red and green. The wicked light I bought is heavier but has more beam power in my opinion but I just use the smaller one more often due to weight. I agree at low power the image in a 50mm scope seems easier to find, but I have not hunted with a new 50mm objective with newer coatings after dark, my experience there is limited.

At sunset plus 30 the little 1-4 SWFA craps out tested this saturday, I don't think the coatings are that good on the 1-4's and someone else has alluded to the fact they are daylight dialing scopes.,,, makes me wonder about their HD line if they are any better regards lower light??

Yes Leupold does suck immeasurably with their mechanics however the older VX6 1-6 24 mm objective and heavier reticle is awful close at 4X to a Zeiss victory with a number 60 in it 1.5-6 x 42 random testing by peering off my deck near dark and hunting with both until sunset plus 30. It almost makes it worthwhile in the $1000 Leupold to put up with the adjustment BS if only on a hunting rifle you use locally.

When its after 30 minutes from sunset, I have a mounted and hand held light! so I am probably dumbassidly considering a Trijicon FFP 1-8 x 28 for a new night hunting rifle I am putting together, this plus a red/green light and I for the life of me cannot understand why this would be a handicap over a Zeiss, or SB, or Swarovski with a 50 mm objective considering I am using the light.

With auxiliary lighting as you plan to use, virtually any scope with a decently-heavy reticle will suffice. While I do not use lights very often anymore, one of my favorite scopes for this is the B&L 3000 3-9x40 with duplex reticle or the later Bushnell 3200. In fact, I'm probably going to list my B&L soon since I just don't get a chance to use it anymore.