Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

Looking for a new scope to put on my Weatherby 7mag. What do you guys think is the best low light scope on the market. I want a scope that I can use in low light conditons, I have already had to pass on 3 deer this year becuase I could see the deer but when I put up my scope I just couldn't make a safe clean kill shot so I had to pass. I want a really good scope that I can safely make that shot in low light conditons. So again what do you guys out there think is the best light gathering scope..

RE: Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

What kind of $$$ you’re looking at spending...?

RE: Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

Yeah I guess that would be good information to have.

under $600

RE: Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

I have a 42 mm Nikon Monarch gold and find it does a good job for gathering light at low light conditions. I think any Nikon Monarch would work just as well. One scope that you could check into is the Zeiss 3-9 x 40 mm. Although I haven’t had the opportunity for field testing this scope, it has been getting lots of attention and good reviews. Looking forward in getting my Zeiss as soon as possible. Another scope that I have been very impressed with is the Weaver Grand Slam but this scope is not very popular and the eye relief is a little short...

RE: Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

SUpposedly, The Bushnell Elite 4200 is among the brightest scopes in the world. Os so says the product brocure. It is indeed a bright scope. It is tough and fully multicoated, waterproof and has rainguard. Rainguard causes water to gather in very small dropletts on the lense so if it rains, you get a cleared sight picture when the outside is wet.
One of the weaknesses is that eye relief is not very forgiving and is eye position sensitive. For this reason, it is no longer on any of my rifles.
BTW Scopes can't gather light. Gathering would intimate that the would be more light inside the scope (and transmitted to your eye) than there is outside the scope. What scopes do is TRANSMIT light. I believe the Bushnell 4200 transmits 94% of available light which is pretty high.

RE: Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

The Leupold VX-III should be in your price range. I have one in 4.5-14x40 on my .25-06, and I have been very pleased with its performance. It transmits light very well, and is fairly forgiving as far as eye relief.

RE: Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

Zeiss Conquest would be my suggestion based on the 3 I use currently. Theyprovide brighter/better resolution to the VX III's, to my eye.They've been rock solid in performance, holding POI and tracking percisely in adjustment. Constant eye relief/fast focus are great features as well to this scope.

The Nikon Gold mention compared well to me eye in testing but the weight was an issue for me.

Bushnell 4200 elite is a good one but as mentioned ER is limited.

Having owned or own 4200 elite, burris, leupold in the same class as the Conquest I think the zeiss is the best of the bunch.

RE: Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

Thanks for the info, this is the best forum I have ever found, there's an answer for everything. Looks like I'm just going to keep on saving up for that scope. I figure I can't half azz this. It's just wrong to have a top of the line gun with a cheap scope,,,, optics are so important. I think I'm just going to stick with my 30/30 and finish pimpin my weatherby 7 mag for next season. Thanks again, and happy holidays all.

RE: Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

The Conquest at $399 will be hard to beat, the Elite will run about $260. At first I was going to say the Zeiss Diavari 3x12x56, IMHO worth the money.

RE: Best Light Gathering Scopes
 

I might check out that 3x12x56, that should gather a lot of light, I was looking for something that would also have a lot of zoom in power since back home in Louisiana I hunt some bigg green fields but i have noticed at low light i have to turn down the power to be able to see the animal so I think I am going to check into that scope. Thanks again for the info, i never thought i would own a zeiss scope...