Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics Low Light, Smaller Objective?

I’m looking for something lighter/smaller than what I have now with same or better performance at dawn/dusk...

I like hunting deer on foot in the 30 minutes before dawn or after sunset, so an illuminated reticle and low magnification option is a requirement for my aging eyes. I won’t be taking shots beyond 75 yards in low light, but the option to take shots out to 250 yards in full daylight would be nice. I like simple reticles and never dial my turrets, prefer MPBR method.

Here’s what I have now:

NightForce SHV 4-15x56 forceplex illuminated
NightForce SHV 3-9x42 forceplex non illuminated
Trijicon 2.5-10x56 Accupoint amber mildot

Here’s what I’m considering:
(Would love to find a demo/open box deal on these!)

Meopta Meostar R2 1.7-10x42 RD
Meopta Meostar R1 1.5-6x42 RD

Other suggestions?

Hop,
Welcome to the 'fire and 'thank you' for starting this thread. I have been thinking of the same thing, just too lazy to post... I will be watching this with interest.

I think you'll find that the Meostar is as good optically as anything offered

Those are more than sufficient for 30 minutes before/after. VXR 2-7x would be enough.

of listed, trijicon. I picked up the newer Meopta optika 6 3-18x56 and its great to these old eyes in low light dark timber. But its a little heavy at 30 oz.

I'd add the Meopta 6x42 to that list.

Do you have any Leica Magnus open box deals or anything like that? That's probably the best low light scope out there right now.

Short of that Meopta R2 is definitely up there.

ILya

My leupold VX-5HD 2-10x42 is very good in low light. I hunt in SC and the last whitetail I took this year was about 160 yds out, about 50 min after sunset.

I like the meopta meopro 6x42, just couldn’t find it with illuminated reticle. A big reason I’m considering the Meostar is that it’s the recommended low light choice on the DLO’s OpticsThoughts Blog... and because it’s about half the price of anything with comparable glass

Better than S&B polar T96 or Zeiss victory HT ?

Swaro Z 3 or Tract Toric.

The amount of light that comes through an optic is related to objective size AND magnification. You have to also consider how much light the human eye can use. A 20mm front objective set on 4X will let through exactly the same amount of light as a 40mm objective set on 8X, or a 50mm objective set on 10X. And all of those will let about all the light through that MOST human eyes can use. Some people with better than average vision can use more light. If you're over about 30 chances are a bigger objective than these won't help.


Taking the front objective size in millimeters and dividing by the magnification gives the diameter of the beam of light exiting the scope in millimeters. All of the above examples comes in at 5mm, which is as much as most of us can utilize. Some people can use 6 or 7mm, but this isn't common, especially as we age. Going to a larger objective allows us to take advantage of more magnification in low light. I've had no trouble seeing well enough to shoot 30 minutes before sunrise with a 20mm objective on 4X out to 100 yards. If the range were greater and more magnification were needed then I'd need a bigger objective.

The 1.5-6X42 will give you 7 mm of light on 6X and should be plenty. The 1.7-10X42 would be borderline on 10X, in low light, but as long as you don't go over 7X or 8X in low light should be fine too. Having the ability to go up to 10X in good light might make it better for the longer shots.

No. The size of the exit pupil will be the same but there is "more light" in the 5mm beam from the 10x, 50mm scope.

The Meoptas will certainly give you good low light performance, but they are not light weight.

You might want to look at a Zeiss 1-4x24 or Swarovski 1-4x24 or a S&B 1-4x24. I have a meopta 1.5-6x42 and it is a fine low light scope and comparable to my Zeiss, Swaro and S&B scopes. I have a Leupold VX 3 1-4x20 and it is most assuredly not a low light scope.

Bigger objective, brighter beam. However, 32mm is apparently bright enough for 6x to 30 min before/after.

Thanks for all the feedback!

I found an open box, never mounted Meopta Meostar R2 1.7-10x42 on CameraLandNY for $1,049.99 and jumped on it. It’s 2 inches shorter and half a pound lighter than the NF SHV that it will replace on my hunting rifle. I’m looking forward to trying it out!

Thanks again everyone

don't think you will go wrong with the meopta meostar. i have a meostar 3-10x50mm with #4 ret on my tc encore pro hunter in 35 whelen. its a bright scope and does well in low light too.
Big Ed