Digital v’s glass

[hendrix's rifle]

I use both. I shoot deer with both. Alpex on the 243 for fox + deer. 6.5prc for deer and if a fox happens to step out, so be it.

Scope on the prc is a s+b and whilst its a phenomenal scope with quality glass, the low light performance of the alpex is night and day (literally). Its all personal preference at the end of the day.

For what its worth, I do have a back up scope for the 243 and I will never be without conventional glass on one of my rifles!

 

[Klenchblaize]

As observed elsewhere, this new kit should be age restricted which is a no less sensible proposal than banning under 16's from social media.

K

 

[chaz243]

My own entirely irrelevant thoughts.
Shooting deer with digital is just that, killing. Why do you you need an image intensifying device ? Do you need to kill something so much you need to push into the dark. You may do if it's your job/source of income/demands of the area (a friend has that issue, so I fully understand)
The use of thermal etc for spotting no problem, and having looked through some of the modern thermal binos, I'd quite like to own them. These new multispectral fellows look great. Will they survive like a set of quality glass binos, dunno.

Yes I am under pressure from my landowner plus the fallow here are quite simply wrecking the place . We do have a night licence also but I totally wish I was just a recreational stalker once more quite a lot of the time ..

 

[Malxwal]

Yes I am under pressure from my landowner plus the fallow here are quite simply wrecking the place . We do have a night licence also but I totally wish I was just a recreational stalker once more quite a lot of the time ..

Often the case. I find myself paying for what should be recreational stalking, only to get moaned at by tenant farmers, and deer driven nocturnal by pressure on the ground of a pheasant shoot and timber work.

 

[JH83]

My own entirely irrelevant thoughts.
Shooting deer with digital is just that, killing. Why do you you need an image intensifying device ? Do you need to kill something so much you need to push into the dark. You may do if it's your job/source of income/demands of the area (a friend has that issue, so I fully understand)
The use of thermal etc for spotting no problem, and having looked through some of the modern thermal binos, I'd quite like to own them. These new multispectral fellows look great. Will they survive like a set of quality glass binos, dunno.

Nail on the head. I have several bits of ground with definitive cull targets, reduction culls. I’ll take deer up to the legal limit here with my Alpex. As a pure stalking scope they knock spots of everything else-and I had a schmidt PM2 before it.

Where I don’t I’ll take my old sauer 6.5x57 with a zeiss 4x32 on.

There’s a lot of holier than thou opinions from folks who either have A, a lot of time (I’m full time work, and a 3 year old, mrs full time) or B, very little ground-or at least little pressure.

 

[Chris Richardson]

done the night vision thing went back to glass 90 % of my stalking is thick woodland , the alpex was no good for that now running 2 x zeiss 3-12 x scopes and a meopta 3-12 x that said i wouldnt be without my thermal spotter

 

[Tim.243]

done the night vision thing went back to glass 90 % of my stalking is thick woodland , the alpex was no good for that now running 2 x zeiss 3-12 x scopes and a meopta 3-12 x that said i wouldnt be without my thermal spotter

Mine is complete opposite with a few woods, large spinney's also large safe havens, with my grounds the food is on the outside wild bird cover cereal crops beans etc. I shoot more deer "out of the seat" than in them, a few seats cover the flanks of woods with deer moving along the inside edge heading away so I get down and cut them off when they come out on the blind side flank.
A couple of seasons back I shot for a chap half of my years total on 2 fields muntjac coming out of a safe haven as they plague his huge well kept garden. Just spot stalk and shoot as they come out follow the border but often very late (to late for a glass scope) so I switched to the drone 10 as I could see with the z6 but not clear enough so switched and the numbers went way up.
Would I be with out a thermal spotter NOPE as the extra time it gives to move into a good position makes the difference of a deer on the deck or
"oh well next time" yes you get those days I except that but it always make the trip home a bit nicer.

 

[opticron1]

off to Perthshire on Friday

Better check the roads......a few have been flooded and lots of debris around, especially around Kirkmichael and Bridge of Cally - hopefully cleared by Friday!

 

[Foxyboy43]

Better check the roads......a few have been flooded and lots of debris around, especially around Kirkmichael and Bridge of Cally - hopefully cleared by Friday!

Oh for heaven’s sake - BoC/Kirkmichael is one of my planned outings!
No doubt the torrent has come down over the road in the usual place.
Much obliged for the update O.

 

[NullMac]

There are a lot of glass tarts. It has to be Swarovski everything else is shite. Well you can see stuff through the cheap glass too, surprise.

The old argument about getting 15 minutes more has been blown out the water now.

You can get Swaro dS capability and longer in failing light for less than a grand.

So as always it depends what you are doing. If you want a very light simple scope for daytime use then I don’t think the digital stuff is there yet, maybe it is?

But given top end stuff now is an arm and a leg but their supposed advantages have largely disappeared why would you shoot digital? One answer may be if you are proper long range but for deer the only real reason i can see is the digital scopes are a bit of a lump still

 

[Ouhout]

I'd personally stick to good quality glass, especially while building up experience.
Digital certainly has its place (its only going to get better) & certainly if you were managing deer numbers as a profession it gives you options.
For me personally though - its glass & I don't see myself changing.

 

[wytonpjs]

There are a lot of glass tarts. It has to be Swarovski everything else is shite. Well you can see stuff through the cheap glass too, surprise.

The old argument about getting 15 minutes more has been blown out the water now.

You can get Swaro dS capability and longer in failing light for less than a grand.

So as always it depends what you are doing. If you want a very light simple scope for daytime use then I don’t think the digital stuff is there yet, maybe it is?

But given top end stuff now is an arm and a leg but their supposed advantages have largely disappeared why would you shoot digital? One answer may be if you are proper long range but for deer the only real reason i can see is the digital scopes are a bit of a lump still

A stalking colleague has now returned his second Burris and given up on them. My first gen DS is now 7 years old and performs perfectly. You pays your money and takes your choice.

Don't get me wrong, in addition to my DS I have Meopta and Hawke scopes too but I know what I prefer to use.

 

[Tim.243]

I'd personally stick to good quality glass, especially while building up experience.
Digital certainly has its place (its only going to get better) & certainly if you were managing deer numbers as a profession it gives you options.
For me personally though - its glass & I don't see myself changing.

I have a Kahles and swro z6 in the cupboard (not for sale) and given up using them as the time the deer come out I am just guessing also muntjac are very often on an angle so what looks to be square at last light is then green soup
When we used to shoot in Lincoln for Fallow it would be waiting for it to be light enough to see but the fallow we shot around the 200yd mark were just shapes crossing the ride at first light so had to let them pass. The rest of the day fine but if it was know as we have chatted about this then the one chance all morning which went past as just a shape would be a clear image in the Alpex.

 

[nf-fuse]

There are a lot of glass tarts. It has to be Swarovski everything else is shite. Well you can see stuff through the cheap glass too, surprise.

The old argument about getting 15 minutes more has been blown out the water now.

You can get Swaro dS capability and longer in failing light for less than a grand.

So as always it depends what you are doing. If you want a very light simple scope for daytime use then I don’t think the digital stuff is there yet, maybe it is?

But given top end stuff now is an arm and a leg but their supposed advantages have largely disappeared why would you shoot digital? One answer may be if you are proper long range but for deer the only real reason i can see is the digital scopes are a bit of a lump still

The big alpex is a lump. I don't think that applies to all NV scopes by any means

 

[Klenchblaize]

I doubt anyone is contesting the "last light" argument in favour of Zeiss/Swaro etc. has indeed been blown out of the water by thermal, but I don't feel it is sour grapes to question the reliability and, to a lesser extent, the longevity of the product. The issue of retaining spot-on zero being at the top of the list from what I'v read and seen.

Looking forward to the day when Thermal Tarts are instantly recognisable by the brand of unit they clamp to their rifle.

K

 

[Tim.243]

I doubt anyone is contesting the "last light" argument in favour of Zeiss/Swaro etc. has indeed been blown out of the water by thermal, but I don't feel it is sour grapes to question the reliability and, to a lesser extent, the longevity of the product. The issue of retaining spot-on zero being at the top of the list from what I'v read and seen.

Looking forward to the day when Thermal Tarts are instantly recognisable by the brand of unit they clamp to their rifle.

K

As the same with the badges on the stalking caps

 

[wytonpjs]

I doubt anyone is contesting the "last light" argument in favour of Zeiss/Swaro etc. has indeed been blown out of the water by thermal, but I don't feel it is sour grapes to question the reliability and, to a lesser extent, the longevity of the product. The issue of retaining spot-on zero being at the top of the list from what I'v read and seen.

Looking forward to the day when Thermal Tarts are instantly recognisable by the brand of unit they clamp to their rifle.

K

@Klenchblaize

They're all tools for different jobs - like any craftsman, I select the appropriate tool for the envisaged job:

• Thermion 2 XP50 Pro on my .243 - foxing (game protection) and my summer roe/muntjac "go to"
• Alpex 4k LRF or Z6i 2.5-15x56 via QD mounts on my "heavyweight" .308 for fallow FL/LL static ambush (also Hik Thunder 3 compatible)
• Swaro DS on my lightweight .308 for open heathland stalking primarily roe and reds (also Hik Thunder 3 compatible)
• Z6i 5-30x50 on my .270 for general stalking with Hik Thunder SQ50C 3 Clip-on for FL/LL primarily roe, fallow and muntjac
• Hawke (something) on my .22 FAC air rifle
• Hik Alpex Lite on my .22 sub-12 air rifle

So in addition to being a gadget tart, does that make me a thermal tart in your book?

 

[kenbro]

I doubt anyone is contesting the "last light" argument in favour of Zeiss/Swaro etc. has indeed been blown out of the water by thermal, but I don't feel it is sour grapes to question the reliability and, to a lesser extent, the longevity of the product. The issue of retaining spot-on zero being at the top of the list from what I'v read and seen.

Looking forward to the day when Thermal Tarts are instantly recognisable by the brand of unit they clamp to their rifle.

K

Just look for someone carrying a CM…..

Only joking.
KB.

 

[lotuseater]

Glass retains the intimacy and fidelity of the activity, whereas digital renders stalking almost remote and virtual, in my opinion. I have a thermal monocular but that is as far as I will go, and I am equivocal about that.

 

[Cottis]

The big alpex is a lump. I don't think that applies to all NV scopes by any means

Indeed. The new 4k Zulus tubed has just been delivered to me this morning. Only had a quick look out of the box but it certainly does not feel heavy or look/ feel cumbersome. It certainly does not have the same build quality or solid perfect feel of my day scopes but then it is a cheap Chinese leccy scope.

We shall see how it does later but I have a decent feeling about it. 3 x last light lover fallow and it will have paid for itself with ease. No chance I am getting rid of most of my day scopes though. I might sell one though if this works out to be ok.