Sunshades - yes or no?

[Joe Sixpack]

So my new scope came with a sunshade. I've never had one a scope before and I'm wondering whether to use it.

It's an Elite 6500 on a Ruger #1 in .300 Win Mag. Used for deer and moose mainly. So are the sunshades actually useful or are they just a gimmick that adds weight and bulk?

Any opinions appreciated. Thanks.

 

[canucklehead]

I find they do work - however, I only use them on my range/gopher guns. For humping through the bush, it's just more weight!

 

[phinton81]

Sunshades help out greatly for long range, high magnification shooting. For a bush hunting rifle, or a general purpose deer/moose rifle a sunshade won't do a whole lot for you. Cheers,

Patrick

 

[Tomochan]

Quite frankly I always thought they were a gimmick but at this past weekend's Frost Farky I could have really used one ! As the previous poster said, long range or target shooting they are handy to have but for hunting I wouldn't bother.

 

[Joe Sixpack]

Thanks guys. Off it comes.

 

[redman]

Never understood what they were for in the first place... To stop the sun from reflecting off the barrel into the scope or something?

 

[NormB]

I like mine as a rain shield.

Thanks guys. Off it comes.

They can keep the rain and drizzle off the front lens in inclement weather.

NormB

 

[canucklehead]

Never understood what they were for in the first place... To stop the sun from reflecting off the barrel into the scope or something?

No, think about the sun beating down - now think about how little 'shade' there is to prevent sunshine from entering the front of your scope. When you add a shade on the front, the sun has to be quite a bit 'lower' in the sky for the light to hit your front lens.

It's like your scope is wearing a baseball cap.

Good point about the rain - I never thought about that part.

 

[stevebc]

Quite frankly I always thought they were a gimmick but at this past weekend's Frost Farky I could have really used one ! As the previous poster said, long range or target shooting they are handy to have but for hunting I wouldn't bother.

And Tomochan beats me to it again! My experience at the Frost Farky matches his- I'll be getting one as soon as funds allow.

 

[redman]

It's like your scope is wearing a baseball cap.

I got ya . Guess I'm lucky that all the ranges I go to have plenty of shade, with the shooting direction always being East, which makes the Sun always at my back since I shoot in the afternoon!

 

[Joe Sixpack]

Stupid question...do they affect the light gathering ability of the scope at all?

 

[stevebc]

Stupid question...do they affect the light gathering ability of the scope at all?

Seems an intelligent question to me. I'd guess that it would, but not in a detrimental way. If the light it reduces is causing glare anyway...

 

[popcan]

It's just like with camera lenshoods, they help keep stray light from entering into the lens groups outside the angles being "seen" by the lens, and bouncing around in there. It can lower the contrast, and therefore the clarity, of the image you get at the other end. If they are of the plastic variety, they wouldn't add too much weight... but the metal ones could.

The limiting factor, as with cameras, is if you use a "zoom" lens, or variable magnification scope. Your lens hood can only be fully functional if it is matching the widest setting. ie, If you have a hood that matches your longest magnification, you will have vignetting when you pull back to the widest. Maybe that's why they make some hoods in sections... so you can remove some as required....?