Who has the brightest scope for the money?

Color rendition is important all high qaulity optics are fully multicoated. this is what allows them to pass 98% of the light but some coatings pass certain parts of the color spectrum better than others.
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Very few if any scopes pass 98% of light.Each lens surface might pass that much light or more,but when you subtract the losses for each lens surface in a scope,you usually end up with less than 98% total transmission.
Some manufacturers do advertise light transmission per lens surface in order to give the impression that their scopes pass more light than other scopes.
 
Another vote for Sightron. Dollar for dollar, I think they are the best scope for the money. You would have to pay much, much more and have a critcal eye to see any real difference.
 
For the money Probably a tossup between Zeiss Conquest, Burris Eurodiamond, Bushnell 4200 and Leupold VXIII, but if money is no onject I like the Schmidt & Benders best, I have used the Swarov. Habicht, Kahles Helia and Nickel but they are not as clear/sharp in my eyes.
bigbull
 
IMHO, if you're using an Elite 4200, which is rated at 95% light transmission, you're not going to do much better than that. 95% is about as good as it possibly gets, science-wise, for a variable scope. You could pay another $1000 to $3000, and I seriously doubt you'd be able to tell the difference. Maybe a tad around the edges, but then that's not where the cross-hairs are located, eh?

A 50mm objective might give a couple extra minutes at last light...maybe.

Lots of marketing, everyone of 'em is the brightest with the mostest.

Only so much is physically possible with light transmission through a series of lenses at the end of the day.

Don't fret your Bushnell 4200, they're a helluva good scope.

Spend the extra dough on another rifle and 4200 scope for it!

:)

PS: I've got a Leupold VX-III 4.5x14x40 with "indexed" lenses on my 300 WM Vanguard, and my son-in-law has an Elite 4200 4x16x40 on his Rem. 700 XCR 300 WSM. Frankly, I'd give the edge in overall brightness and clarity to his Elite. Plus, he has Rainguard, which I wish mine had. And his was only a couple hundred bucks cheaper than mine. Only advantage to the Leupy is that it's more compact.

I've read that there are only a relatively small handful of manufacturers of optics lenses worldwide, most of 'em off shore in Japan, China and Europe. And almost all scope makers buy their lenses from these suppliers. Coatings is where the rest of the difference enters in. Japanese makers have an excellent reputation for optics, which is where the Elite scopes are made.
 
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Great thread, just to answer some of the "manufacturers" questions from above. Nikon advertises our light pass through and light gathering capabilities as two separate entities. Light pass through is based on the amount of light coming through ten or more lenses, they amount and type of coatings vary with the series of scope you buy from us.

Nikon Monarch's are rated at 95% pass through, with multi-coatings on all of our lenses
Nikon Buckmasters are rated at 92% pass through, lower grade coatings than the Monarch's.
Nikon Prostaffs are rated at 90% pass through, again one more step down in coatings.

Coatings lead to things like light refraction, edge to edge sharpness, etc. Light gathering on the other hand is based on physics. Exit pupil is the same for every manufacturer and most glass lenses have what is referred to as a "sweet spot" in the middle. Higher quality optics will have a bigger sweet spot and allow a better image to pass through to your eye.

My recommendation, look through the scopes yourself and if you can get your dealer to allow you to look through them outside at a little longer range, can be tough in the store to get a good idea of what it's going to be like in the field. Everything looks good with a bright shiny fluorescent light at 50 yards.

Enjoy your search! :)
 
FAKE Reupold for $ 100 shipped ! :D Okay, I'm just joking! Seriously, if I could afford the glass, I would spring for a Nightforce, S&B or Mark4. But I don't have the money so this cheep Zhinese Kommunist knockoff will have to do for this Mirror Kommando Moderator! :)

Here's the Reupold that has killed many, many earthpigs! :evil: Works for me and my budget. Here's to keeping things light around here!

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Cheers all! Peace be to journey!

Barney
 
I think you get what you pay for in most cases. Just buy the best you can afford and work with it. I run mostly NF scopes and couldn't be happier.
 
The difference in light gathering abilities between the high end optics is minimal if not negligible. Any of the quality tier one brand names will offer superior optical clarity over the lower end stuff. That being said, I'm all for Nightforce, even misses look good.

TDC
 
Every comparison test we have read states that Sightron is the brightest for the money. This is only one aspect of optical performance, but Sightron wins this one by a long shot. We have a local dealer who lines up Sightron SI, Leupold VXII and Bushnell Elite and has customers look through them. They consider Leupold and Sightron tied for first, but the Sightron costs less, so another sale is made. They have sold out and ordered many more Sightrons.
 
Norma said:
For hunting the brightest scope won't do you any good if the lenses gets fogged up and you can't see nothing. It's hard to beat those Bushnell Elite 3200 and 4200 when the weather gets really bad. I'm sure at the range it's a different story
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About time someone say this!!!
 
I switched from Leupold MK4 series scopes to a S&B 5 - 25 X 56mm PM-II.......huge difference in clarity and brightness..........I compared then side by side and the S&B is clearer and brighter...........but also a lot more money........

Now if I was on a budget, I would look at Nightforce or Leupold........
 
I can do a comparison test.
Any dealers want to ship out a Premier, a Nightforce, S & B, Hendsolt, Leupold Mk4 ERT, US Optics, Bushnell 6500 and a Sightron?
I can PM you with my address and I will spend a few weeks trying them out.

Make sure you send their Long range and their Short range combat optics from each company as well.
 
I can do a comparison test.
Any dealers want to ship out a Premier, a Nightforce, S & B, Hendsolt, Leupold Mk4 ERT, US Optics, Bushnell 6500 and a Sightron?
I can PM you with my address and I will spend a few weeks trying them out.

Make sure you send their Long range and their Short range combat optics from each company as well.
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I am sure that the dealers would be happy to do just that,as soon as you send them your credit card number.:D
 
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