1" vs 30mm Tubes
- Thread starter jackrabbit000
- Start date
bearkilr
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Nowhere, ......just past the middle
This guy said it best:
http://w ww.opticstalk.com/1-or-30mm-tube_topic804.html
30mm scopes were first made in Europe years and years ago for two reasons.
1. Everything was done by hand and a large tube was needed to be able to build the scope.
2. They are on the metric system.
When we started building scopes in the U.S. technology had advanced some and being on the Standard system we built our scopes with 1" tubes.
The German scopes were and are superior because they use better glass, better coatings and better craftsmanship. Most people assume that bigger is better and that must be the reason why German 30mm scopes are brighter. It did not take long for U.S. and Asian scope makers to catch on to this and start offering 30mm scopes. It worked for a while but more and more people are learning the truth with the advent of the Internet. When Leupold first offered a 30mm tube in a hunting scope, they named it the Euro. 30. A competitor dissected one and said, B.S. that scope has 1" guts with a 30mm tube. Leupold's spin doctors quickly changed the name of the new 30mm line of scopes to LR or Long Range and released press releases stating that this new line of scopes has 1" internals with a 30mm tube to allow for more elevation adjustments.
Bottom line is 30mm scopes are 30mm because of the Metric system, they can be brighter than a 1" scope with all other things being equal (# of internal lenses and diameter of objective especially) if the maker takes advantage of the larger internal lenses in a manner that manages the light better (cutting down on distortion and stray light loss). 30mm scopes are also stronger and usually heavier. Biggest advantage is more internal adjustment travel for long range shooting.
http://w ww.opticstalk.com/1-or-30mm-tube_topic804.html
30mm scopes were first made in Europe years and years ago for two reasons.
1. Everything was done by hand and a large tube was needed to be able to build the scope.
2. They are on the metric system.
When we started building scopes in the U.S. technology had advanced some and being on the Standard system we built our scopes with 1" tubes.
The German scopes were and are superior because they use better glass, better coatings and better craftsmanship. Most people assume that bigger is better and that must be the reason why German 30mm scopes are brighter. It did not take long for U.S. and Asian scope makers to catch on to this and start offering 30mm scopes. It worked for a while but more and more people are learning the truth with the advent of the Internet. When Leupold first offered a 30mm tube in a hunting scope, they named it the Euro. 30. A competitor dissected one and said, B.S. that scope has 1" guts with a 30mm tube. Leupold's spin doctors quickly changed the name of the new 30mm line of scopes to LR or Long Range and released press releases stating that this new line of scopes has 1" internals with a 30mm tube to allow for more elevation adjustments.
Bottom line is 30mm scopes are 30mm because of the Metric system, they can be brighter than a 1" scope with all other things being equal (# of internal lenses and diameter of objective especially) if the maker takes advantage of the larger internal lenses in a manner that manages the light better (cutting down on distortion and stray light loss). 30mm scopes are also stronger and usually heavier. Biggest advantage is more internal adjustment travel for long range shooting.
Re: 30mm scopes were first made in Europe years and years ago for two reasons.
1. Everything was done by hand and a large tube was needed to be able to build the scope.
2. They are on the metric system.
I call BS on both these 2 statements.
If statement #1 was true, then why were the first European scopes made in 22 mm tube diameter (Zeiss Zieklein, Hensoldt Zielyt) & in 26 mm tube diameter by Kahles (Heliavier) & Goerz (Certar)?
If statement #2 was true, then why were the first American-made scopes (Noske & Lyman [Alaskan]) also made in 22mm (7/8")?
I've looked & posted on that site (sponsored by SWFA) & been told in no uncertain terms that Leupolds are every bit as good, if not better, as/than any Swarovski, Kahles, Schmidt-Bender & Zeiss Diavaris / Diatals / Victorys ever made.
1. Everything was done by hand and a large tube was needed to be able to build the scope.
2. They are on the metric system.
I call BS on both these 2 statements.
If statement #1 was true, then why were the first European scopes made in 22 mm tube diameter (Zeiss Zieklein, Hensoldt Zielyt) & in 26 mm tube diameter by Kahles (Heliavier) & Goerz (Certar)?
If statement #2 was true, then why were the first American-made scopes (Noske & Lyman [Alaskan]) also made in 22mm (7/8")?
I've looked & posted on that site (sponsored by SWFA) & been told in no uncertain terms that Leupolds are every bit as good, if not better, as/than any Swarovski, Kahles, Schmidt-Bender & Zeiss Diavaris / Diatals / Victorys ever made.
The significant disadvantage I have found with a 30mm tube was the difficulty getting rings for it. They seem to have become more common since then, but I don't think the rings have entirely caught up. I haven't noticed an advantage that my 30mm tube scope has over my 1 inch tube scopes.
Yes, but now you've looked and posted on this site (collating information and experience from a range of actual end users of the scopes) & been told in no uncertain terms that Leupolds are probably as or more durable than the Euro price-monsters, but are in no way their equal in terms of optical quality.
Whatever will you do now?
From what I have read so far, 30mm maintubes are no brighter than 1" ones. It looks like 30mm tubes have an increased range of adjustment for elevation and windage for long range shooting. Also 30mm has more room inside the tube for the side focus adjustment to be possible.
TV-PressPass
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Mountains, Alberta
This is a myth. 30mm tubes allow for more MOA adjustment, because there is more space to move the reticle up and down. But that is all. There is no difference to transmitted light. That all happens in your zoom, lens size and glass quality.
