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Joined: Nov 2012
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Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2012
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There are a lot of 40-44mm objective scopes out there as well as 50mm objective scopes. For low light hunting and shooting do the 50mm and above scopes really help that much with light transmission? There are some nice 56mm scopes out there also. Do they help that much more then the 40-44mm?
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,300 |
Heres the simple run down. If you are over 40 your pupil can only dilate to 5mm. Take the diameter of your objective in mm and divide by the power you are using. ( i.e. 40mm divided by 10 power= a 4mm exit pupil) The exit pupil is the amount of light transmitted to your eye.. Do the math on the scopes you are considering for your answer. The ideal is thought to be 7mm exit pupil+ simply because it gives you a margin of error for poor placement of your eye...
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 26,520
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 26,520 |
Quality of glass and coatings matters as well.
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,081
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
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So let’s look at the Trijicon 2-10x56mm. If I’m using only the 2 power divide 56 by 2? 28mm exit pupil?
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825 |
If you're willing to out up with the physical requirements of the big objective scope it will allow you to stuff more magnification into a given exit pupil.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825 |
Yep, most of which is wasted not getting past the aperture in the front of your eye
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,081
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
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Ok then. So just stick with 40-44mm objectives and low magnification
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Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,760
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 28,760 |
OTOH, too small an objective will make some of those Xs unusable in bad light. I don’t have big ones on all my rifles, but having one can be handy at times. The 2.5-10 Trijicon Huron HX I just mounted on my new Carbon Mini was an anvil on a Hawkeye, but it sits very low on the Mini with the rail and only brings the total weight up to 7lbs on the nose.
What fresh Hell is this?
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825 |
If you don't mind the size of the scope you can get 10x in a 5.6mm exit pupil. Magnification can make things appear brighter too.
I simply don't favor big old scopes on top of the rifles for my particular hunting purposes.
I like a 6x42 scope or a modest size variable which adjusts to that combination.
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Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,513
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,513 |
Well... a larger objective will also have greater resolving power. Showing finer detail of what is magnified.
I like using a low power and small objective on some rifles because of the incredibly wide field of view, that actually is primarily attributed to the short focal length, which generally affords fast target acquisition at short range.
Last edited by DollarShort; 11/20/22.
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,476
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 4,476 |
At 49 my eyes aren’t what they used to be. So alpha 50mm glass has become my go to. Most of my hunting is from a big ladder or box blind.
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,926
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 7,926 |
Objective size and magnification go hand in hand. If you divide the objective size in millimeters by the magnification, the number you get is he diameter of the light beam coming out the back of the scope. Known as the "Exit Pupil". You want a minimum of 5 for low light. But for most people anything much over 5 is wasted. Certainly, no more than 6 or 7.
A scope with a 50mm objective set on 10X, a 40mm scope on 8X and a 20mm scope set on 4X all allow the same amount of light through them.
Most people don't really want the truth.
They just want constant reassurance that what they believe is the truth.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825 |
Unless there is a gross superiority of one scope over the other I'm not too worried about resolution. When there's hair under my reticle I'm aiming, not examining or birdwatching.
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Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,256
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Apr 2017
Posts: 3,256 |
I have espoused upon this several times... 56mm objectives and 30+mm tubes will absolutely gather more light. I have taken them out side by side and used them both. The smaller objectives will get most of the job done... we can LEGALLY deer hunt here for an HOUR after sunset. I have been using 56mm scopes here for 40+ years because the flat out work in the dark. I certainly wish the cheaper and smaller ones worked but they really don't.
There is a reason that so many people here and in Europe use the larger objectives - they flat work. In Europe, you can actually hunt at "night" in some places...
"If there are no dogs in Heaven, then when I die, I want to go where they went" Will Rogers
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825 |
Tubes don't gather light.
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Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 44,825 |
If you're sitting where I am the biggest Schmidt and Bender won't do you any good an hour past sunset.
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Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 2,081
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2012
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I have espoused upon this several times... 56mm objectives and 30+mm tubes will absolutely gather more light. I have taken them out side by side and used them both. The smaller objectives will get most of the job done... we can LEGALLY deer hunt here for an HOUR after sunset. I have been using 56mm scopes here for 40+ years because the flat out work in the dark. I certainly wish the cheaper and smaller ones worked but they really don't.
There is a reason that so many people here and in Europe use the larger objectives - they flat work. In Europe, you can actually hunt at "night" in some places... I have espoused upon this several times... 56mm objectives and 30+mm tubes will absolutely gather more light. I have taken them out side by side and used them both. The smaller objectives will get most of the job done... we can LEGALLY deer hunt here for an HOUR after sunset. I have been using 56mm scopes here for 40+ years because the flat out work in the dark. I certainly wish the cheaper and smaller ones worked but they really don't.
There is a reason that so many people here and in Europe use the larger objectives - they flat work. In Europe, you can actually hunt at "night" in some places... Thanks
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 27,969
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 27,969 |
I used to turn my nose up at any objective over 40-44 mm . At 40+ years old now, 50mm and up look great. Although the difference in a 36 and 50mm is small to my eyes looking through the scopes ,it’s still a noticeable difference . I had a 36mm and 50mm scope in the blind last week.
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Joined: Oct 2017
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Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 1,513 |
The 30mm tube does offer the potential for a larger field stop, which given equal focal length would offer a wider field of view. Normally at the cost of added size and weight, and potentially making top loaders more difficult to load.
Last edited by DollarShort; 11/20/22.
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Joined: Oct 2004
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Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Oct 2004
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If you're sitting where I am the biggest Schmidt and Bender won't do you any good an hour past sunset. What kind of hunting environment?
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