Foxing scope- Lamp

[Peter Eaton]

Just been looking at this thread http://www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk/showthread.php?21611-Hawke-scopes and I too am looking for adcive on a replacement scope for fox lamping. I want something sub £300 to replace the Simmons Pro Hunter 6 x 18 x 40 which is a real pain as it is so fussy when postioning you eye and also does not gather much light, though to be expected as was just a cheapie
What I want is sonething with a good field of view so I can get on target with minimal of fuss, should i go for fixed power or variable, say upto 10x power , I guess the ojective needs to be 50 or 56?? Second hand is an option.

All suggestions welcome

ATB

Pete

 

[Claret_Dabbler]

Best advice I can give is to buy somthing s/h.

The traditional Euro 3-12x50 is hard to beat, but you will struggle to get one for that sort of money. Save the beer money for a month or two and muster up £500 and you will get a much better scope. Good glass is expensive, but it holds it's value, I have never lost a penny buying and selling on Euro scopes.

I find that anything more than 12x (10x really) is unuseable in the field. Field of view is limited and low light performance is absolutely rubbish, even with a really good scope.

You would be well advised to look for a decent used 8x56. The improvement in optical performance will more than compensate for the reduced magnification.

Look out every week on ebay, Macleods etc for a used Meopta or Minox etc if you are stuck around the £300 mark.

 

[Peter Eaton]

Hi Claret..sound advice and I agree, I bought a Z6i for deer stalking but for fox...naaa, I have looked at a few leopolds today around the 350 mark ok, but im not singing aloud. I think what you say is good advice,

Many thanks

Pete

 

[Overlay]

Just fitted a Bushnell Elite 6500 30mm on my .223 in 2.5 x 16 x 50 mm

one word - fantastic £514.00

 

[pete evans]

why not use one of your nikons? much better than the cheap stuff . fwiw i like a non parallax scope in the 8-12 range left on a fixed mag when lamping, less to mess about with. it will have its limitations when it comes to the longer stuff + 200 but tbh i dont shoot much beyond that with a lamp and most stuff is a lot closer. the scope that has been used for the majority of foxes on the lamp for me was a 3-9x50 leuopold rifleman (budget end of leup) left on 9. i have also used 6 x 42 swaro and s+b but the leuop was a better format due to higher mag and finer cross hair. i now have a 3-12 x 50 swaro but havnt used it much so cant coment.
if you still have the nikon and its not on another rifle then i would use it over the others you have mentioned, if you dont like it then use it as a trade against a similar quality scope in a different format.
the problem with high mag is it becomes more parallax sensitive as the mag increases and i have always found myself leaving them on a lower mag with the parallax ring set on 100 (so in effect a fixed power) I have also found the nikon and leuopolds in the higher mag range to be a pain re eye relief and lateral head possition and the european stuff better in this respect.

 

[Peter Eaton]

Hi Pete, guess this reply was from Australia, hows it going? I would have used one of my Nikons but sold one on here to fund a Z6i. I still have the other Nikon but need another scope for my .17hmr, well either or, depending which scope I decide to put on which rifle whn I buy a new one. The scope I have at the moment on my .17 is pants and its a real pai trying to 'get on Charlie'. Will take on board whats been said here , cheers...oh and the wee scottish dumpling we know has just landed in Texas.