40mm or 50mm?

[Fursty Ferret]

What are members thoughts on the best objective size for a scope for woodland highseat shooting?
Average range up to 100 yrds
Im possibly looking at a redfield 3-9x50
Thanks
FF

 

[david1976]

Depends if you are shooting from dawn or straight up to dusk or just during normal day light hours.

 

[Fursty Ferret]

All of the above

 

[bewsher500]

a good 6x42/44 will outshine an average 3-9x50

 

[charadam]

+1 to that!

The old advice to spend twice as much on glass as gun seems still to apply.

 

[Klenchblaize]

As much as I love Redfield scopes of 70's vintage for their aesthetics, neither they nor the latest offerings come close to a 6X40 from any of the German top brands of similar age in terms of image quality.

Save a little more and buy a second-hand 4 or 6 power Swaro, S&B, H&R, Khales or Zeiss.

K

 

[Mackensen]

Or a Pecar Champion 6x45 - still as good optically, twice as robust and about half the price of the "usual suspects"!

 

[al4x1]

if you find a second hand 8x56 s&B it would be spot on for your requirement

 

[Brithunter]

Tis hard to beat a good 6x42 for general woodland stalking.

 

[splash]

Tis hard to beat a good 6x42 for general woodland stalking.

I'm with Brithunter ! 6x42 is just as good as 8x50 or 8x56 for UK woodlands

 

[BunnyDoom]

Tis hard to beat a good 6x42 for general woodland stalking.

​+1

 

[tikka2506]

I would probably go for an 8x56, if your mounts allow that size. If not go for a 50mm, it will allow more light in when darkness comes. Try and aim for an exit pupil of around 7, (42/6=7, 56/8=7, this is an average max pupil size of a human, i think!!!!).

 

[Fursty Ferret]

Thanks guys
Interesting that most of you are recomending fixed as apposed to variable.
Ive not used fixed before, allways had variable zoom scopes for my vermin control.
I just worry that a fixed might feel a bit limited.
I suppose i need to try one to see how i get on with it

 

[AndrewS]

The other issue you might have if buying new is finding a fixed power scope - I think I read somewhere that most/many manufacturers stopped making them (open to correction on this...). Worth having a look at Macleod's web site, they often have some good s/h optics in stock.

Andrew

 

[Stover Rover]

According to a book I have, "Choosing, Using and Repairing Binoculars" By J W Seyfried, he lists a table of pupil size for the mark 1 eyeball by age.
20 = 7mm
30 = 6.5mm
40 = 6mm
45 = 5.5mm
50 = 5mm
60 = 4.5mm
70 = 4mm
75 = 3.5mm
80 = 3mm

So as you age you are not going to get the benefit of the magic 7mm so 40mm objectives with the lighter weight start to become more practical for the older mature discerning more sophisticated stalker. (I include myself in this bracket) Oh I forgot to add knackered and clapped out.

 

[Stover Rover]

The other issue you might have if buying new is finding a fixed power scope - I think I read somewhere that most/many manufacturers stopped making them (open to correction on this...). Worth having a look at Macleod's web site, they often have some good s/h optics in stock.

Andrew

Or in the classifieds usually always a selection, just because they stopped making them does not mean they are not up to the task.

 

[BiltongBill]

Asked the same question myself when I was getting my kit together. I ended up with a Swarovski 6x42 and haven't looked back.

 

[Cris]

Always used a 6x42 and found it just fine dawn to dusk. Most manufacturers make fixed power still.

 

[AndrewS]

Or in the classifieds usually always a selection, just because they stopped making them does not mean they are not up to the task.

Sorry, wasn't trying to suggest that at all. I have a 6x42 scope on one rifle and a 3-14x50 (I think!) on another; I doubt I've ever changed the mag from 6x on the variable (it came with the rifle, else I'd have bought a fixed power scope).

Andrew

 

[Mr. Gain]

My thoughts...(nothing original here!)...
If all you're doing is walking to a high seat and sitting in it, lightness and compactness wouldn't seem to be essential.
But if your expected range is only around 100m then high magnification and fancy reticles aren't either.
What matters then is optical quality, which will enable you to see better when the light is poor -which can mean low, dazzling sun and deep shadow as well as twilight.
This means buying the best scope you can afford.
Fixed-power scopes are the best value, but the 2.5-10X and classic 1.5-6X variables give you a low bottom end that can come in handy if you stalk in to your seat or need to take a shot at very close range from it. The S.O.P. is to set the scope on the lowest power from the off and only dial up if you need to.
I find that the better a scope is optically, the less magnification it needs, and the more it appears to have!