Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Optics anyone use a 56mm scope ??

all ive used are 42 and 50mm scopes...2 of my uncles use a 3-12x56 zeiss and say that could hunt all night if they wanted....i am somewhat considering buying a 3-12x56 possibly a meopta meostar for upcoming whitetail season. was wondering if anyone else uses a 56mm scope and does it really offer a big advantage over say a 4-12x50 in lowlight because i know they are much heavier and will require tall scope rings

big advantage? during legal hunting hours medoubts their overall efficacy...

larger objectives pick up the resolving of detail, brightness in low light and things do get bigger if you keep turning that dial...

prefer a high quality 42mm with heavy reticle...but the promise of something better in optics always suckers me anyway...:)

just seems like u read reviews n stuff and ppl say things like "my zeiss or my meopta 56mm is the ultimate whitetail scope" etc etc. so its got me curious lol. not sure i like the idea if somthn that big and heavy on my rifle but at same time if the advantage of hunting a little longer and what not is worth it i would consider it

The problem with a 56mm scope is one loses a consistent cheek weld from shot to shot. The scope has to be mounted so high that it does not allow a good consistent sight picture. I have personally never used above a 50mm objective but the problems above were there. Using a 56mm can only exacerbate the problem. Most people cannot hunt all night legally, especially for deer, so unless you're buying it for other types of hunting it will not be an all round asset. Most people already have their mind made up that bigger is better so if you must go ahead and buy one and find out for yourself. I know your uncles will think I'm crazy. powdr

I used a vx-3l 3.5x10x56 in south Carolina where an hour before sunrise and an hour after sunset is legal shooting times...made a huge difference during those hours...nice a clear glass...gonna send it in for a number 1 reticle to help during those extended hours as well

did mounting it so high cause any annoying issues? cheek weld,view,etc?

With said HQ 42MMs and a #4 reticle have killed several bucks when my BIL was walking back to the truck with a flashight.

He says: "I knew that was you"

On a trim sporter, they sure get awkward. If I was treed all the time, I might live with it.

No issues for me at all...it is primarily a stand hunting scope of course....wouldn't use it for any other hunting...it's too bulky

thats mostly what i do is stand hunt. my dad has a .243 he never uses i may slap a 3-9x40 on it and use it for when i go in the woods instead of open field

I you want the ultimate in low light performance, find a fixed 8x56. I usually don't hunt 56MM objectives, but I bought a Swarovski PH8x56 from a member here out of curiosty. It is UNBELIEVABLE ! in low light. I use it sometimes for last light food plot hunting

I've got a Kahles with a 52mm and that baby is bright. Since most of my guns are more of the mtn rifle variety, most of mine wear a simple 3-9x40, but I definitely like the bigger scopes for recreational shooting.

My main rifle wears a Swarovski PH 2.5-10x56 with a #4 reticle. It is a specialized piece of gear for the stand hunting I do. It IS bright, you could hunt all night with it with a little bit of moon if you wanted. It's been my experience that if a big whitetail is going to show himself on a field then it's going to be at very last light. For those that'll crow about not needing to hunt after legal shooting hours, try pulling a big deer out of the woodline 200 yds away when it's 29 minutes after sunset on a cloudy day. It does make a difference.

If I were out west I probably wouldn't be using it. Where I hunt and the with the game I hunt I find it invaluable. The bulkiness is overrated, it's not something I ever really notice and my Swarovski weighs 19 oz, that's only about 3-4 oz. more than most "normal" scopes. The cheek weld argument is ridiculous, we're not shooting quail over pointers with fitted shotguns here. It's simply not an issue. There are multiple ways to raise the comb height if it bothers you, I've never seen the need. Half the guys you see nowadays are running around with these "tactical" style rings and mounts on their rifles anyway that cause the scope to be mounted much higher than normal, my 56mm sits lower than just about any 40mm that's got a picatinny rail under it.

the red dot #4 reticle on the meostar. anyone have experience with the red dot?

The cheek weld is a big issue with me. Most deer I have shot have been moving fast and close. I also shoot a lot of skeet and bird hunt. It may just be the way I mount a rifle, because of the shotgun hunting, but I can take valuable seconds if I don't have good cheek weld and proper eye relief on my hunting rifle. I can see though where it wouldn't be such an issue for your hunting method.

I don't care for the floating, head high position either.

My smoothest handling rifle is a short action Rem. 700 Classic fitted with a Leupold 6x36 in low dual dovetail rings. I've let several people of differing builds try it out. Pick out a target point, close your eyes, mount the rifle, open your eyes and the target is near center.

This!

I have 40mm, 42mm, 50mm, 52mm scopes and never have a cheek weld problem. I don't need to lock my face into the stock because I use muzzle brakes and hold the rifles lightly like I would hold a BB gun. My best offhand at 100 yards is 1 1/4" for three shots. On a bad day it is 6" with my .375.

I will add if you are not looking right down the middle of your scope when you throw it up to your shoulder it is not mounted correctly. You can check this quickly with a variable by putting it on the highest setting. With your eyes closed throw it up to your shoulder, open your eyes and check. Maybe the scope needs to be lower or higher or forward or backward. But then it might be right already. Go shooting!

That is exactly why I don't like high mounted scopes.

Ring height has a lot to do with stock design/comb height. Most of my guns simply wear mediums.

i have a swaro 50mm on my remington 270. has small dnz mount

Same here. My preference is 36 mm scopes. I can do a 40 mm if the rifle has a high comb.