Best Scope For Night Hunting

I have never hunted at night either, but almost always in low light.

I think I would stick to a brand that I knew I liked unless you're really looking to upgrade or your preferred brand doesn't have what you are looking for.

Example, I have a Nikon 3-9x40 BDC reticle and I love that scopes clarity and low light performance. It was about $120.

I recently bought a Vortex Viper 4-16x44, paid $400 on sale. It is a good scope, but in all light conditions my Nikon beats it in clarity for me. maybe because of the factors coyotezapper stated, but I have also heard some brands work better depending on your eyes. I wish now I would've gotten into the Nikon Monarch line, may still one of these days.

Thanks for the info zapper, it helps a lot of us.
 
Originally Posted By: jakellyOriginally Posted By: Tim NeitzkeOriginally Posted By: jakellyI've tested several brands and models of scopes for low light performance, my leupold vx3s performed really poorly in low light. Even against scopes costing half as much.

Must be your eyes, or your wallet.

Never had a problem with any Leupold in low light.

Have you tested them in low light versus comparable scopes?

I also never had a problem in dawn to dusk hunting situations with my Leupold VX3s, however I never had a problem with my 3-12 Japanese Tasco either.

Leupold vs a Jap Tasco ? Yep had them both. Add the non Jap Tasco to the list as well. Neither will hang with the leupold.

I hunt low light and at night and all in between.

Eye sight and wallets do have some control on what is best.
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Originally Posted By: old catgen. 3 nv.
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Agree, gen3 NOD always the better night scope . In the night it also a good test tool to compare light transmission of scopes .
Take the pvs14 and put it in front of the ocular on different scopes sitting side x side . Look and you see differences in there light transmission they let squeeze threw . Not talking about optical clarity of fine focus with what you see in top quality glass . But just ' light ' that different scopes design lets threw in the shittiest ambient light environment .
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Originally Posted By: Pa. MickVortex Crossfire II 3-12x56 AO
Hog Hunter Scope
V-Brite (MOA) Reticle | 30mm Tube
Illuminated dot in center of duplex reticles - adjustable brightness
UNCONDITIONAL FULL LIFETIME WARRANTY
$300 bucks

I love it !

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1st thing . I truly love a variable, 'low' power-x scopes to hunt .

I have this model sitting right in front of me and in NO Way . I would NOT recommend this ( Vortex Crossfire ll ) scope . 3-12x56 ( CF2-31049 ) illum .
( Big Bad Flaw ) with a scope that had such great possibilities . The Ocular lens housing that screws in and out to focus the Reticle . Moves Around . and Your Ret. ' is ' this Ocular screw focus system .

Vice your rifle . Screw outward the Ocular lens/Ret. housing . Stopping when the Reticle is in bold focus to your eye's vision . You can move the point of aim of the Ret. all over the 100 yars target . with just touches of the finger on the lens housing . My Point of Impact was all over the place with this model Vortex .

This is not a defect, it just ' is ' What it Is. This is just the ultra low-end design that Vortex subcontracts it for its retail sales . Crossfire model fact, = Cheep China Junk .
I rarely will bash any Optic because all optics can go down, even the most expensive . BUT There is a reason this is a 299-$ suggested retail optic .
Vortex Hog Hunter scope is for a fact a true MOH ( minute of Hog )
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The Trijicon ( RS22-C-1900015 ) model . 2.5-10 x56 . Is not to bad . I put it on a short action this year to checkout and shot a few Coyotes at night with using it . But took it off and picking up something different for that particular rifle for the Night.

This Trijicon. model Scope is marked on bottom ( made in Japan ) . I would say honestly that it is not exceptional at light transmission but is still pretty fair and glass is OK .
It a little week (spongy) in the Tactile feel when turning the Windage & Elevation knobs . but the glass is OK and they give you a laser etched Ret. along with Illum. . They offer a Ret. that has 2 moa subtension marks & will Range on 10x power . The scope is a Fixed focus and is nice for you, if you like to just throw-up quick on target and and fire .
Satisfactory hunting scope at night. the Ret. is nice and illuminates crisp, But just a little to fine etched ' for my taste ' and I like a little more heavy-bold Reticle when it comes to hunting with the low-power scopes .
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Originally Posted By: lyotehunternight hunted for 40plus years and fixed power are the best for brightness

^^This.

Same story. I'm a little behind you though...only about 35 years of night hunting. I've hunted with and looked through a lot of different scopes in that time. Some were really bad, but we didn't know it at the time. Although it's not cool and hip and doesn't have all the doo-dads, one of the best was a fixed 6x Leupold M8 with heavy duplex. I also like Leupold V3 3x10 40mm.
 
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Originally Posted By: tawnoperOriginally Posted By: lyotehunternight hunted for 40plus years and fixed power are the best for brightness

^^This.

Same story. I'm a little behind you though...only about 35 years of night hunting. I've hunted with and looked through a lot of different scopes in that time. Some were really bad, but we didn't know it at the time. Although it's not cool and hip and doesn't have all the doo-dads, one of the best was a fixed 6x Leupold M8 with heavy duplex. I also like Leupold V3 3x10 40mm.
I got rid of my 12x leupold for a 350.00 8x kahles out of the px in Germany from a friend he sent it here and it was like turning the lights on
 
Originally Posted By: cdbIn your price range the best scope I've used in low light is the Meopta MeoPro followed by Zeiss Conquest and then VX-3. YMMV.

The reticle is often overlooked by many people. If the reticle is too thin you won't be able to see it in low light or darkness. I prefer the German #4. Again, YMMV.

cdb is 100% right, I use German reticles for night hunting and won't turn back
 
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