Where a lot of confusion comes about in evaluating a scope, is that the evaluation is completely subjective. How nice it would be if we could look through a scope and a number would jump up, like a 63, then we could say that scope rated 63 and go on to another. But no, we have to look through the scope, then judge how well we can see through it.
In the 1960s I spent a couple years behind the counter in a gun store. This was just when scopes were starting to get popular. We drilled a good many new rifles and mounted scopes on them, as per the buyers orders. The two most popular sellers were the 2 and 4x Bushnell Scope Chief and the Weaver K2.5 and K4. They were not at give away prices, considering the prices of the day. The two four power models cost just short of $50, at a time when a box of 30-06, or similar ammo, was $4.95.
The Bushnell were considered the brightest scope, but weak and needed care to keep from breaking the aluminum tube. On the other hand, the steel tubed Weaver's were extremely strong and I have never to this day, seen a broken tube on a Texas Weaver.
Weaver K model scopes, with Jack O'Connor pushing them, became very popular with American hunters and many US hunters went on month long horse packing safaris in the mountains of northern BC or the Yukon, with Weaver K4 scopes on their 270 or 30-06 calibre rifles. And many record, or near record, sheep, goat, grizzly, caribou, etc., game animals came back from being sighted through these Weaver, or maybe Lyman AA scopes.
A CGN friend I often shoot with, loudly sings the praises of Leupold scopes. I once handed him my Marlin 44 magnum rifle and he did some shooting with it. He quickly remarked what a nice scope I had on the rifle and he was shooting very well with it. He then looked at the scope and saw it was a Weaver K3! This scope had come back from the Weaver warranty shop in Calgary and was in like new condition.
To help in evaluating scopes, I have set up from my car port a viewing area. To the south, into the light, just short of a hundred yards, is an old barn and I placed the small licence plate from a BC motor bike on it. I then take my various scopes, set all the variables to 4x and compare from a solid rest, one against the other, for clarity and visibility on the licence plate.
Among the scopes I have evaluated by this method are many older and fixed model scopes, as well as two Leupold still being made, one of which sells for over 500 dollars.
I soon became amazed that the Leupold models, set at 4x, did not distinguish the smaller marks on the licence plate any better than did some of the old, 4 fixed power scopes in my collection, or even an old Bushnell Scope Chief variable of 1989 vintage, that had just came back from a warranty check at Bushnell. I tested at various light conditions, from sun in my face, to dusk of evening and the bottom line is that I can't name one scope that is clearly better than the rest!
This is with my eyes, my set conditions and my testing. Your mileage may vary.
In the 1960s I spent a couple years behind the counter in a gun store. This was just when scopes were starting to get popular. We drilled a good many new rifles and mounted scopes on them, as per the buyers orders. The two most popular sellers were the 2 and 4x Bushnell Scope Chief and the Weaver K2.5 and K4. They were not at give away prices, considering the prices of the day. The two four power models cost just short of $50, at a time when a box of 30-06, or similar ammo, was $4.95.
The Bushnell were considered the brightest scope, but weak and needed care to keep from breaking the aluminum tube. On the other hand, the steel tubed Weaver's were extremely strong and I have never to this day, seen a broken tube on a Texas Weaver.
Weaver K model scopes, with Jack O'Connor pushing them, became very popular with American hunters and many US hunters went on month long horse packing safaris in the mountains of northern BC or the Yukon, with Weaver K4 scopes on their 270 or 30-06 calibre rifles. And many record, or near record, sheep, goat, grizzly, caribou, etc., game animals came back from being sighted through these Weaver, or maybe Lyman AA scopes.
A CGN friend I often shoot with, loudly sings the praises of Leupold scopes. I once handed him my Marlin 44 magnum rifle and he did some shooting with it. He quickly remarked what a nice scope I had on the rifle and he was shooting very well with it. He then looked at the scope and saw it was a Weaver K3! This scope had come back from the Weaver warranty shop in Calgary and was in like new condition.
To help in evaluating scopes, I have set up from my car port a viewing area. To the south, into the light, just short of a hundred yards, is an old barn and I placed the small licence plate from a BC motor bike on it. I then take my various scopes, set all the variables to 4x and compare from a solid rest, one against the other, for clarity and visibility on the licence plate.
Among the scopes I have evaluated by this method are many older and fixed model scopes, as well as two Leupold still being made, one of which sells for over 500 dollars.
I soon became amazed that the Leupold models, set at 4x, did not distinguish the smaller marks on the licence plate any better than did some of the old, 4 fixed power scopes in my collection, or even an old Bushnell Scope Chief variable of 1989 vintage, that had just came back from a warranty check at Bushnell. I tested at various light conditions, from sun in my face, to dusk of evening and the bottom line is that I can't name one scope that is clearly better than the rest!
This is with my eyes, my set conditions and my testing. Your mileage may vary.
