Best scope for lamp work?

[Claret_Dabbler]

What do you guys recommend as the most effective scope for use while lamping?

I have tried everything from a Meopta 6x42 to a Swaro Z6i 3-18x50. I read stories of guys shooting foxes at 300 plus yards at night, and I think to myself - with what? We have the best scopes and lamps I think we can buy, but I can't see a fox in the lamp much past 200 yards.

The Z6i is very good, but you need to keep tweaking the focus on the red dot.

I might just as soon use the Swaro PF 8x50 that I sold here like a plank last year.

I realise that a cutting edge low light scope is probably not necessary for lamping.

What works well lads?

 

[nick100]

This could be interesting, you always hear of these 300yd shots.
I once shot one at 250, the only reason I was 100% it was a fox was, because we had tracked it with the lamp and scope across the field.

All we I could see through the scope was eyes and the very faintest outline, but no where near enough to just spot it and take the shot.
That was using a Nickel 8*56, so not a bad scope, and lightforce lamp.

 

[derek treherne]

HI. claret dabbler 300yds is a long way at night back in late 70s befor fancy big mag scopes all i used was a 6x42 swaroski on top of my tikka traper 22/250 where 200yds was the norm .

 

[shaun22/250]

Both me and my budy use 8x56 S&B's on our 22/250's and a Lightforce 240 variable power even then some nights you can struggle at 200 yards but other nights its as clear as a bell out to 300 ish. best weve managed was 270 range finding it the following day

 

[landkeeper]

8x56 s&b in my opinion, point and pull ! dead simple always crystal clear always in focus no fussing faffing

 

[Claret_Dabbler]

8x56 s&b in my opinion, point and pull ! dead simple always crystal clear always in focus no fussing faffing

That is what I keep coming back to.

Going back nearly twenty years when lamping was not fashionable or common here, I knocked off a huge number of foxes with a CZ452 in 22wmr and a Meopta 6x42. Foxes were not nearly so educated then and we shot most of the foxes between 60 and 100 yards.

For years then I shot lots more foxes with a 222 and an 8x50. I have the Z6i on the 22/250 now. I can take them pretty well to 200 yards or so, but beyond that you are shooting at eyes only - and this is not at all clever. Cranking the scope past 12x is counter productive, you lose all the light and the red dot is unnecssary with a no4 type reticule.

No doubt foxes are harder to lamp and call than they used to be - cubs apart, I keep thinking the old standard is as good as any, a 3-12x50 with a no4 set at around 10X is as much as anyone can make use of in the dark.

Might move the Z6 2-12x50 onto the 22/250 and experiment some more.....

 

[palo]

I use a zeiss 6-24x56 and have shot foxes out to 350 yards with it at night.
You do need a good lamp as well and I use the large lightforce one.

 

[splash]

Could not tell you what the best is !

But i use S&B 8x56 on both .17 CF and .22-250 enough said ?

 

[griffshrek]

8x56 S&B with illuminated retical you wont go wrong (apart from the price)

 

[flytie]

I am now a confirmed Swarovski 8x56 user.

When using my old S&B 8x56 I had a job to see bullet holes in paper targets at 100yds. The Swarovski allows me to see every bullet hole in the same make of target, and its eye relief is wonderful. I would not refuse an S&B 8x56 if it came my way at the right money, but having tried both I would always opt for the Swarovski. Not something I ever thought I would say!

Simon

 

[Munty Hunter]

I would agree, i use a Zeiss 7x50*. I rarely shoot beyond 150m with the lamp from a safety and ID perspective.

 

[Axe]

I have a leupold vx3 - very clear at night to 200
A swarovski z6i - ok at night to 200
A Nikon Monarch - good to 100 at night
A S&B PM2 - good to 200
the only scope I've got where I've taken a 300 yard shot (measured) at night and it was clear is a zeiss diavari - VERY good scope, rivals the swaro any day

 

[www.yorkshireroestalking.]

My furthest lamped fox last year was a measured 369m's
22250 6-24 x56 zeiss FL with a drop compensator.
scope set on x16 range dialed in and taken off a sand bag.
if you want to shoot beyond 200m's throw away the red filter and use a white blitz 240.
I took out 5 beyond 300m's last season. Rather have them at 90m's but sometimes i need to stretch out.
I have the same scope on my 7mm rem mag and its obscene at long range.

 

[richard griffith]

we have all heard of the 300 yard + mob but it can be done without any safety issues if you have the right equipment as I have personally done it, 310 yards to be precise- with my 22-250 with known drop chart clicks( range finder next day).I have a zeiss diavari x 16 mag -42mm objective with target turret for dialing in and a lightforce 240 blitz.the lamp is the difference as before I was using a cluson and could not at 250 yards plus make absolutely sure it was a fox.richard

 

[derek.snr]

having upgraded my lamp from a cluson to a 170 i have now realised that my z6-2-12x50 is not the most suitable to use on the lamp ,the reticule is too fine.am swapping it with a duralite 3-12x50 ill reticule that i have on my 30-06 its much easier on the eye.How many of you practice at night not many i bet

 

[Paul at Fechan]

if you're serious then you need a variable to 14+ mag with crystal clear optics to see the thing is actually a fox at distance. IR really helps depending on the conditions and in honesty, the lamp and the operator are more important that your scope.

 

[Claret_Dabbler]

Was thinking we need to upgrade the lamps. One if the lads bought a Lightforce HID recently. I have seen it in operation yet.

 

[Offroad Gary]

swarovski 8x56 illuminated to get the 4a-n reticle - never use the red dot in the lamp but the floating dot with the break in the ret gives good clear picture and 300y holdover mark. dont mind shooting em at 300+ but picking the buggers up at that distange is bloody knackering. that scope now lives on my 25-06 deer rifle but gets an occasional outing with the lamp. most most my foxing done with 243 wearing swaro 6-24x50 tsd4i pvi2 - best scope ever made for all types of uk hunting. works well with the lamp and also the archer. my tikka 590 22-250 due back tomorrow from accurising will wear a leupold 4.5 - 14 x 50 lr - supposed to be best scope for archer - i'll report back when i've tried it.

 

[Hw60sniper]

Got to say that my zeiss is superb and although the furthest ive shot at night has only just been about 200yds ive watched foxes clearly at further .As paul says above tho the lamp is as important ,the lightforce lamp are immense compared to the cluson 1s ,although i have to admit that at times it feels as if your holding a satelite dish up with the blitz 240.

 

[www.yorkshireroestalking.]

having upgraded my lamp from a cluson to a 170 i have now realised that my z6-2-12x50 is not the most suitable to use on the lamp ,the reticule is too fine.am swapping it with a duralite 3-12x50 ill reticule that i have on my 30-06 its much easier on the eye.How many of you practice at night not many i bet

Well after well over 2,000 foxes i would say i've practiced enough......
on the real thing.
The blitz 240 with no filter is the ultimate lamp, with the big zeiss set on high mag 16x upwards i can see the white bib on foxes beyond 300m's
one scope i have has the ret 60 (red dot) its brill
the other has the rapid z7 and its better not lit, theres to much going on with it, its better lit in low light at dusk. Though its handy set on x18 power the drop is correct out to 700m's with a 162gr bullet, set on 22x its right for 110gr in my rem mag.
the clarity of both these scopes is truely fantastic.