Problems in the cold
- Thread starter tommy88
- Start date
The Kurgan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steel Town and The Peg
Cheap scopes, and some more expensive scopes, will fog-up. Part of the reason I stick to the older Bushnell Elite series is because of this fact. It's also why most of my rifles have effective iron sites and my scopes are on QD (or easy to detach) rings. I particularly like the CZ rifles with proprietary integrated dovetails for easy return to zero.
I don’t have the extensive experience that some others will have. In my limited experience, up to around -20C to -30C nothing much happens — the magnification ring, turrets, parallax etc. all become stiffer, but they still turn.
Somewhere near -40C both the mag ring and the parallax side focus would no longer turn. I pulled out my leatherman pliers wrapped in cloth but it felt as if something might break if I were to force them, so I abandoned that idea. I also noticed that I could not activate the illuminated reticle.
I made the mistake of trying to warm the mag ring by breathing on it. Whatever moisture was in my breathe condensed onto the scope and froze, making it worse. The ocular lens also fogged and wouldn’t unfog. All in all it was a disaster. The scope was a Zeiss Conquest V4 so not a cheap scope.
Somewhere near -40C both the mag ring and the parallax side focus would no longer turn. I pulled out my leatherman pliers wrapped in cloth but it felt as if something might break if I were to force them, so I abandoned that idea. I also noticed that I could not activate the illuminated reticle.
I made the mistake of trying to warm the mag ring by breathing on it. Whatever moisture was in my breathe condensed onto the scope and froze, making it worse. The ocular lens also fogged and wouldn’t unfog. All in all it was a disaster. The scope was a Zeiss Conquest V4 so not a cheap scope.
- Location
- glaslyn saskatchewan
I think your biggest concern will be the magnification and the parralax could become so stiff that you'll unthread something internally trying to force it.
A good 10x42, like the Bushnell that could be had last year for ~$150 is the way to go when it gets below -15°.
Even the most minimum of winter shooting really gives you an appreciation for those Russian and Finnish snipers during WW2.
A good 10x42, like the Bushnell that could be had last year for ~$150 is the way to go when it gets below -15°.
Even the most minimum of winter shooting really gives you an appreciation for those Russian and Finnish snipers during WW2.
double post
If a scope fogs up on the inside of the lenses then it has failed and the internal gas (nitrogen or other) has leaked out or allowed external air and moisture inside. Higher end scopes are built to higher tolerances and precision and should most times eliminate this from happening. If the fog occurs on the exterior of the lenses that is most often a function of humidity and coming from a warm environment to a cold one (sometimes the reverse may happen). In colder weather if I can manage it I will leave my rifle scope combo either outside or in the bed of my truck. Some higher end exterior coatings might resist fogging somewhat but that is almost unavoidable with a large differential in interior and exterior temperatures. Phil.
Yeah when everything is cold and you are watching a deer come in I have had my scope fog/frost over. A quick wipe with a frozen glove makes things worse lol. Then panic and switch to binos that quickly did the same.
Depending where I am hunting if it's cold I set my magnification and parallax ahead of time and then hopefully it doesn't need to be touched if things get real cold and stiff.
Depending where I am hunting if it's cold I set my magnification and parallax ahead of time and then hopefully it doesn't need to be touched if things get real cold and stiff.
- Location
- Saskatchewan
That's my solution as well ... set it ahead of time and don't fiddle with it in the field. Even expensive and precisely made scopes are stressed by very cold weather, I try not to tempt fate when it's colder than -20 or so.
Exactly. Power and sighting adjustments may or may not become unpredictable or even unusable when temperatures dip.
It is worth trying your scope to determine what happens. It may be fine, it may not be.
And, as mentioned, don't exhale on the ocular.
