Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics What is with the worship of rainguard?

As RDFinn says, no.

It would be technically possible if Leica licensed the process to make new lenses and swap them in for a charge but in that past companies have not done this (they prefer the profit from a new sale!).

But to coat them you'd have to remove them from the bin. You couldn't do it in place.

What Kevin has stated is true in that Bushnell developed the technology for sport optic applications. Actually it first appeared on Bausch & Lomb products in the mid 90's. I still own a B&L 4200 w/ Rainguard and a B&L Elite spotter w/ Rainguard. IIRC, it took several years for Bushnell to develop the process so that it would be durable enough for scopes, bino's and spotters.

It looks like the first of these patents is in 2001 which could have resulted from the work in the 1990s.

It's interesting to note that the first patent is more specific than the later patent (which comes out and makes the more general claim).

The other interesting thing is that of those three patents only two are assigned to Bushnell the other is still owned by John Cross. It's the middle one chronologically so I wonder if he was a consultant working with them rather than an employee.

Regardless this is what the Zeiss/Bushnell licensing deal is about.

John Cross is the head optical engineer for Bushnell. He's been with Bushnell for some time now. I spoke with him several years ago and he is a real gentlemen.

I'm just going out on a limb here, but perhaps the fact that it works very well maybe have anything to do with it?

I wouldn't worry about that limb breaking, John.

This thread has convinced me that my next scope will have rainguard.

I tried the scope caps years ago when they first came out, but they weren't for me. Actually most of my NW Montana hunting is with an open sighted Savage 99 in 300 Savage, but I occasionally use my .270 or 7mm Mag which are both scoped. I have never used any type of scope cap, maybe I'm careful with keeping debris out of my scopes or maybe I'm just used to sighting through crud, but I don't recall ever missing a shot due to a foggy scope picture. I can see rainguard for hunting in rain though. My last deer shot in incliment weather have all been with my Savage, but it's just a matter of time before I'll be hunting in bad weather with a scoped rifle.

What I see here is a group who probably still uses a stick shift in there family car rather than an automatic. I mean why would we want to take advantage of tecnology?

Family car, I don't have no stinking family car, my 89 Ford F 150 has the inline 300 six with a stick shift, but my new 1999 Ford F250 Super Duty has an automatic. To me the rainguard is a step up in technology, I just find the scope caps akward and never saw a need for them.

That's where the smart money is being bet...

+1

Self-Cleaning Materials: Lotus Leaf-Inspired Nanotechnology

This article has some good comments on where rainguard-like tech is going.

Slipping covers and chambering a round are often too much for some folks.

Kevin,

I bought a Zeiss Victory scope a couple of years back and that utilizes their Lotutec lens coating...Not only does it repel dirt and water, but its a claimed to be a very hard coating that is very resistant to cleaning...All properties you might expect given that it was developed for eye glasses originally..

I still use BC covers on the scope, but the Lotutec coating is a nice additional feature that does offer some tangible benifits..

Regards,

Peter

My rifles have Leupold Vari-X/Vx 3's. Hunting the hills of WV I carry a set of caps (BC) in a pocket. If I'm still hunting and it starts to rain the Obj. cap goes on and I sling the rifle; footing can be tough on the mountain and free hands can help. In the stand both caps go on if the rain is inevitable. Been hunting the same hills since 1972. The caps have worked fine. Always felt like I had to give up something to switch to one of the "rainguard scopes" (Eye relief, light weight, etc.)

I couldn't agree less

I've been using BC covers for 15 or so years. Rain, sun, snow, almost blizzard conditions and I've never had a problem with them.

It's second nature for as soon as I shoulder the rifle to flip both covers up with my thumbs and they've worked perfect and take no longer to flip open than it does to shoulder whatever gun. Also work good in storage to keep the optics clean/clear.

I often hunt in freezing weather up here during late season. Last year I saw a muley buck out on a log slash, put the gun up, and my Leupold immediately fogged up from breath. Had that happen several times. One of these days it might cost me that Mr. Big I've been looking for.

Seriously considering selling it and going for a new Elite 6500. Looked one over a while back, was very, very impressed.

FWIW.

Is there such a thing as glass that does'nt fog up from breath?i've never seen it...

Rainguard. That's not why I bought it but it is a NICE bonus. And if you have breath fog on a scope in extreme cold, it is on there like iron.


FWIW its not an either/or on scope covers or Rainguard for me. I use both. Never had a cap so perfect it would keep a scope from fogging in the worst conditions. The cap keeps off solid rain and big water drops, plus wet forest debris and the Rainguard feature has added a surprising bonus by eliminating the fogging. If you breath on a cold Rainguard scope, there is a detectible "fog" but it does not significantly obscure vision and it is gone in a second or two in my experience.

I have 2 4200's. While they are very nice scopes I bought them for the rainguard feature. Stalking blacktails and elk in the coast range may give a different prespective of what can fog. BC's are ok but in 30 something degrees and a downpour they are worthless. Get any water in and You have fog and they are not waterproof.