Why the different size of scope tubes?

Yep a big difference.
It's like comparing a small block V-8 to a big block V-8. Sure some 25mm's (or one inch) scopes have great light transfer but the 30mm of the same glass has that much more. Ask Dr. Phil @ P&D Enterprises for the down low as he is probably the best guy to buy or enquire about different optic product's from.
 
Ok just checking because the scope I ordered is 30mm and the company also makes the same scope in 25mm.

Just hoping that the local gun store has the rings I'll need :p
 
Bigger the 'tube' the more internal adjustment for windage/elevation " M O A "( A 1" tube Leupold 6-18 VXII will give you 56 MOA / SWFA "SS" 10 X with a 30 mm tube will give you 150 MOA as will a Sightron 10 X SIII)

PS....If you are still unsure check out 'opticstalk.com '
 
Yep a big difference.
It's like comparing a small block V-8 to a big block V-8. Sure some 25mm's (or one inch) scopes have great light transfer but the 30mm of the same glass has that much more.
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Totally incorrect,a larger tube diameter provides the potential for more adjustment,but the size of the objective lens,and the quality of the lenses and lens coating determines the light transmission.
 
stubblejumper said:
Totally incorrect,a larger tube diameter provides the potential for more adjustment,but the size of the objective lens,and the quality of the lenses and lens coating determines the light transmission.
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Yup, dead on accurate. Quite a few companies actually use the same internal components in the 30mm as in their 25mm, they just charge more for the 30mm as everyone assumes it must be better.
 
Recce21 said:
Care to share which companies? What companies should I or Drache stick to then?
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Leupold advises that the lenses in the 30mm scopes are essentially the same diameter as the one inch scopes. The only advantage for a 30 mm tube with Leupold then is more internal adjustment for windage and elevation and thus the long range designation. Phil.
 
jennis said:
Bigger the 'tube' the more internal adjustment for windage/elevation " M O A "( A 1" tube Leupold 6-18 VXII will give you 56 MOA / SWFA "SS" 10 X with a 30 mm tube will give you 150 MOA as will a Sightron 10 X SIII)

PS....If you are still unsure check out 'opticstalk.com '
Click to expand...


pretty much sums it up.....................:)
 
They also offer more room for the internal mechanics to increase the zoom range. The Swaro Z6 and Bushnell 6500 are examples of this. The greatest zoom range currently achieved in a 1" tube is 5x where the the Z6 offers 6x and the Bushnell 6.5x. Most 1" tubes only offer 3-4x zoom range.
 
American marketed scopes are 1", and European scopes are 30mm.

Now European makers are adding 1" scopes to appeal to N. American markets, and American scope companies are starting to push the 30mm.

Ah, the wonders of marketing, eh!

34mm is for the seriously tactical stuff.
 
In addition to most of the above, the 30mm tube makes it a lot easier to fit side focus (parallax adjustment) instead of twisting the bell.
A side benefit is the additional strength of the larger tube. Scopes with large objectives and long tubes, often with sunshades, are just begging to get bent. Strength and stiffness of a tube goes up exponentially with diameter.
 
My belief has always been that european scopes are 30mm as they use the metric system, whereas US companies use 1"/25.4mm as they have the standard system.

In recent years, companies have begun to explore markets in other countries, Europeans making 1" scopes for the American market and Americans making 30mm scopes for the European market.

It boils down to marketing, not so much in advantages from one compared to the other.
 
It gets very confusing and there are so many contradictory specs that there really isn't a rule of thumb.

There are 1" tube scopes that have lots of elevation and more then some 30mm scopes.

Some manf claim that their 30mm tubes are thicker then others so you gain tube strength but end up with 1" guts - True? no interests in smacking scopes around.

Yes, some manf use 1" guts in 30mm tubes with standard thickness 30mm tubes - this can offer the chance of more internal adjustments.

Coatings, type of lenses, number of lenses, style of parallax adjustment, this that and the other thing.

I gave up looking at specs to decide what the scope should perform like a long time ago. For basic specs, sure but to determine optical quality, tracking and how easy it was to use, have a look through it at a long distance objects.

There really isn't any other way to know for sure.

Jerry
 
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