Is the sun setting on expensive glass?

[Heym SR20]

With you H except the “range” bit - with the Zulus and other RF scopes equipped with a BC there's no need to remember “dope” or heaven forbid, gulp, dial in different ranges - you just ping once with the RF button and a second press for your new zero - so far a 100 yds zero and that simple double press has given me 3x300 yards foxes and endless numbers of 240 and 400 yards gongs - so that wins for me in terms of speed and handiness. That said on ranges I imagine that such devices are/will be banned for competition use….
Incidentally two professional stalkers I know well are already considering switching to digital as guests invariably get distance and holdover wrong plus they (the stalkers) can see the scope picture live via bluetooth as they lie beside the guest - who would have thought….

Quite why guests are getting it wrong. It’s really not difficult to set up a rifle so that no need to worry about distance out to 200m. A case of all the gear and no idea.

And if a guide can’t get a client into sub 200 well.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Quite why guests are getting it wrong. It’s really not difficult to set up a rifle so that no need to worry about distance out to 200m. A case of all the gear and no idea.

And if a guide can’t get a client into sub 200 well.

These guys are very experienced stalkers - probably what appeals is being able to see what the guest sees.
Think of “The Golden Shot”….

 

[cooksey]

Quite why guests are getting it wrong. It’s really not difficult to set up a rifle so that no need to worry about distance out to 200m. A case of all the gear and no idea.

And if a guide can’t get a client into sub 200 well.

Wonder how many guests have gone done DSC got a rifle had it zeroed for them done no range time then gone stalking!

 

[Tim.243]

Wonder how many guests have gone done DSC got a rifle had it zeroed for them done no range time then gone stalking!

Lots lol

 

[Freeforester]

Unfashionable though it may be, a LEP mini torch adds about 270g with battery, rat tail and mount, and will let you see anything out to 600 yards without disturbing it unduly due to the characteristics of the light, and for circa £200 represents about the best value option, being readily attached detached;

As for binoculars and telescopes, it seems that they are fast becoming almost obsolete with some, yet to take in the scene for sport stalking and wildlife observation generally, the more you can afford to sink into top end glass suitable for one’s application offers the serious observer a lifetime supply of moments of pleasure hard to describe.

Everyone’s application is of course different, and for a great many of those upon which their livelihood depends on seeing clearly the object or animal in view often regard the money invested in top end glass as ‘well parked’. This is of course different from those merely using a set of binoculars to identify or sex an animal before culling, where the resolution, handling and overall performance are generally of secondary importance to many.


As an example, the NL Pure glasses by Swarovski (10/32 above) are not something most who have handled and/or viewed with feel are undesirable, cost considerations aside. The same sentiment will be found among those who prefer Leica, Zeiss, etc. but the real danger is in looking through these great glasses of the top-drawer marques in the first instance, as using them tends to render using the others rather something of a disappointment thereafter.

Having been fortunate to have used great glass for forty plus years, over which time ‘the best’ have continued to improve incrementally, I consider it one of life’s greatest pleasures to view wildlife going about its business through such instruments, and have never once regretted my choice, long after the hankie had dried out since the actual moment of purchase!

All said and done, we each pay our money and make our choice, and live with it thereafter.

 

[Damoeire33]

No digital scopes allowed for deer in ireland...

IN FACT
Any gun that has NV or thermal attached to it becomes a restricted firearm

All it takes is the stroke of a pen from someone who thinks your arnie vrs predator III

 

[mealiejimmy]

Yes, different rules for different countries
In Scotland recently, there was a "stroke of the pen" that made shooting deer with night vision and thermal legal

Cheers

Bruce

 

[JH83]

To me the reason I had top end scopes was last light performance to extend my ability to take deer, particularly those wary hinds that only break cover in the last few legal minutes. That USP is now null and void, I can’t see my dropping £2k anytime soon. I don’t compete in PRS like some of my mates so that justification is out of the window.

I did recently buy an Arken 6-24 to go on my plinking setup, the consensus is they track reliably, glass seems decent…we shall see. I suspect this is the way a lot will/have gone, digital and something like an Arken on QD mounts for less than 1/2 of a PM2. I still have 2 rifles with German fixed scopes, one as a guest rifle the other my ‘fun’ stalking rifle (6.5x57, fixed 4x) but when achieving a cull it is now the Alpex.

 

[Rutland lad]

Some real life experience on here which is good to read.
I shoot 6.5x55 mostly in woodland at muntjac. My used Pulsar C50 has improved my results no end, and it’s my ‘go to’ set up. However, I also look after some deer in a park and although the ranges are similar I swap the C50 for glass as I need to have the precision that the image gives me.
I’ve recently had two trips to Scotland - again with the glass scope on. I find the pixelation at larger mags distracting so I’d rather go with the clean glass image.
If - and it’s a big if, there was a digital scope that gave very clear images I’d consider giving up the glass, but at the moment, nobody has produced an image I’m happy to say is comparable to glass in good light.
I’m sure it’s coming, but it’s not here yet as far as I’ve seen.

 

[Freeforester]

To me the reason I had top end scopes was last light performance to extend my ability to take deer, particularly those wary hinds that only break cover in the last few legal minutes. That USP is now null and void, I can’t see my dropping £2k anytime soon. I don’t compete in PRS like some of my mates so that justification is out of the window.

I did recently buy an Arken 6-24 to go on my plinking setup, the consensus is they track reliably, glass seems decent…we shall see. I suspect this is the way a lot will/have gone, digital and something like an Arken on QD mounts for less than 1/2 of a PM2. I still have 2 rifles with German fixed scopes, one as a guest rifle the other my ‘fun’ stalking rifle (6.5x57, fixed 4x) but when achieving a cull it is now the Alpex.

Personally in the short winter days I used a second hand Zeiss 8/56 with clean glass, which I picked up here for £250 for the last minute emergers, I love good glass but can never see myself paying 2k for a zoom scope. I bought a brand new S&B 8/56 to replace the Zeiss, but in the end there was effectively nothing to be gained, so I sold it, still unused.
The advantage of the LEP torch is that for all normal shooting ranges the pencil beam fills the scope and has no spill, so it only illuminates the target. It’s a ten second job to attach or detach too, and then your setup is just as for normal daytime shooting, with one upside down male mount fixed to the scope.

Everyone has their own preference, and we are all different - imagine if we all had exactly the same setup - there’d be nothing to chat about!

 

[Pellet Pinger]

Personally in the short winter days I used a second hand Zeiss 8/56 with clean glass, which I picked up here for £250 for the last minute emergers, I love good glass but can never see myself paying 2k for a zoom scope. I bought a brand new S&B 8/56 to replace the Zeiss, but in the end there was effectively nothing to be gained, so I sold it, still unused.
The advantage of the LEP torch is that for all normal shooting ranges the pencil beam fills the scope and has no spill, so it only illuminates the target. It’s a ten second job to attach or detach too, and then your setup is just as for normal daytime shooting, with one upside down male mount fixed to the scope.

Everyone has their own preference, and we are all different - imagine if we all had exactly the same setup - there’d be nothing to chat about!

I thought lamping deer was illegal?

 

[TringSaint]

Key question is when do you commit to the jump to NV.
All digital optics are on a development curve at the moment and it’s rising steeply as new processors, etc come to market and components get faster, cheaper and smaller, so if you jump today then it’s likely that your ‘scope’ will be old hat in a year.
But every product development path slows down once you start to hit the limits of engineering, tech and cost and the incremental gains year on year get less (think iPhone - gen 1-6 were very different, but 7/8 onwards and it’s the odd tweak here and there).
As long as you are happy in the knowledge that in time your NV scope will be out of date then crack on, but if you like your tech at the bleeding edge then best get saving, as older versions of NV scopes won’t hold their value well.

 

[Smellydog]

Maybe you can within one hour after sunset. ??

 

[kevtherev]

I can remember my joy at buying my first sealed for life 12v motorbike battery. (no more Barber coats, or skin, eaten away by battery acid). The smug feeling when I'd fashioned a battery shoulder harness out of old seat belts, with the lap buckle as a fastener. These together with my car spot light, later to be a 1,000,000 candle power lamp, transformed my lamping with dogs and shotgun.
I can't imagine my grandkids walking up hill and down, carrying several lbs of kit for a few Rabbits and the odd fox.
Ahhh, the good old days.

Remember when the first Cluson cluelites came out slim battery in all in one case with shoulder strap jack plug to charge and it was a revelation after carrying a wet motorbike battery and home brewed spotlight!!
It’s probably 30 years ago now but remember my mate carrying lots of rabbits and a rather large hare he’d suddenly gone quiet so I shone hand torch to see where he was and I was met with him sat on floor saying ‘my legs have gone’

 

[Klenchblaize]

This thread - better than any other - demonstrates the Site Owners' realisation of the need to cater for two (2) distinct types of member:

K

 

[Tim.243]

This thread - better than any other - demonstrates the Site Owners' realisation of the need to cater for two (2) distinct types of member:
View attachment 406566
K

yes

 

[Freeforester]

I thought lamping deer was illegal?

Under licence in parts of these Isles, it was until recently the only lawful means. It may differ where you are, I’m not so up to speed with your legislation. But the topic subject is about expensive glass, be it used for foxing at night, target shooting, deer control, or whatever site members use such glass for.

 

[Pellet Pinger]

Under licence in parts of these Isles, it was until recently the only lawful means. It may differ where you are, I’m not so up to speed with your legislation. But the topic subject is about expensive glass, be it used for foxing at night, target shooting, deer control, or whatever site members use such glass for.

The OP specifically mentioned stalkers moving over to digital en masse so i assumed that is what was being discussed.
Regardless, for the vast majority lamping deer would be illegal so not an alternative to digital.

 

[Tim.243]

The OP specifically mentioned stalkers moving over to digital en masse so i assumed that is what was being discussed.
Regardless, for the vast majority lamping deer would be illegal so not an alternative to digital.

You could have a torch switched on your scope on a sunny day (11am) as that falls in the 1 hr before sunrise 1 hr after sunset.

 

[Pellet Pinger]

You could have a torch switched on your scope on a sunny day (11am) as that falls in the 1 hr before sunrise 1 hr after sunset.

I’d give it a go but don’t have room!