50mm vs 44mm Objective

[General RE LEE]

I have a Tikka T3x 6.5 Creedmoor with a 20 MOA picatinny base and medium Leupold Mark 4 rings. I currently run a Leupold VX5HD 3-15x44 but considering a VX6HD 3-18x50.

Is there an appreciable performance increase at legal first and last light with a 50mm objective? Especially at higher magnifications?

Will I be able to keep my rings the same with the 50mm?

 

[Tgunz64]

No. From what I have learned objective size doesn't matter much. It's the internal lenses that let the light through. If you had 3 scopes same model but different objectives and the internal lenses were the same size then that's all the light that will make it to your eye based on the size of the internal lenses. Look up the "original gunsmith" on you tube. He kind of explains this. And leupold told me something similar when I asked them about the objectives on my VX5HD. I bought a 56mm thinking better for low light. Leupold said nope, doesn't make a difference. Hope that helps.

 

[General RE LEE]

No. From what I have learned objective size doesn't matter much. It's the internal lenses that let the light through. If you had 3 scopes same model but different objectives and the internal lenses were the same size then that's all the light that will make it to your eye based on the size of the internal lenses. Look up the "original gunsmith" on you tube. He kind of explains this. And leupold told me something similar when I asked them about the objectives on my VX5HD. I bought a 56mm thinking better for low light. Leupold said nope, doesn't make a difference. Hope that helps.

Thank you although that's surprising Leupold would say it doesn't make a difference. A larger objective lens increases the exit pupil at higher magnifications thus making images appear brighter.

 

[BoomFlop]

The average adult's pupil will let in approximately 4mm of light. With that said, your 44 will max at 11 power and a 50 will be 12.5 power to achieve that exit pupil size. If the scope/power provides 6 mm, it doesn't matter, as your eye can't dialate large enough to allow the light in anyway.

Hope this helps.

Steve

 

[VLD Pilot]

Thank you although that's surprising Leupold would say it doesn't make a difference. A larger objective lens increases the exit pupil at higher magnifications thus making images appear brighter.

No surprise. Most people don't know that beyond a 44mm objective, your not gaining alot with all others things being equal. Big objectives sell. If all scopes had 44mm objectives, scope manufacturers would sell less scopes. Just like anything else, newer, better, bigger comes out and people have to have it.

 

[Old Hickory 45]

Thanks for that info, Tg! That answered some questions that have been on my mind for a lot time.

 

[2ndson]

The only difference would be that the 50mm objective would give you more light at slightly higher magnification. Both scopes should give you more than enough light gathering capability to take any game as long as it is legal light to do so.

 

[Hand Skills]

Like others have said, under 10x you will not see much difference.

Over 10x magnification, and you will. How much difference you see will depend on the conditions and your eyes.

Personally I would go for the 50mm objective - it will not affect mounting height with a skinny barrel like that, you can use the same rings.
For typical north american big game hunting (+/-30min sunset/sunrise), it's not going to make much difference, but if you ever have to identify a strange object in the dark, you will be glad to have the bigger objective.

I notice the extra girth taking a big scope in and out of gun cases, and especially scabbards.

56mm and up really starts to get unweildly.

 

[JungleShooter]

The objective size also makes a difference when you want to film through the scope.

Depending on the prism used in the camera mount you will loose half or more of the light that is being diverted to the camera.
And if you want to film in slow motion, 120fps or 240fps, it makes even more of a difference.....

Matthias

 

[General RE LEE]

Like others have said, under 10x you will not see much difference.

Over 10x magnification, and you will. How much difference you see will depend on the conditions and your eyes.

Personally I would go for the 50mm objective - it will not affect mounting height with a skinny barrel like that, you can use the same rings.
For typical north american big game hunting (+/-30min sunset/sunrise), it's not going to make much difference, but if you ever have to identify a strange object in the dark, you will be glad to have the bigger objective.

I notice the extra girth taking a big scope in and out of gun cases, and especially scabbards.

56mm and up really starts to get unweildly.

There is a 56mm VX5HD I was looking at. That should help brighten image when cranked to 15x after sunset

 

[Hand Skills]

You will probably need new rings for that one!

 

[Tgunz64]

There is a 56mm VX5HD I was looking at. That should help brighten image when cranked to 15x after sunset

I have this in the 3-15x56. It's a great scope. Not a huge fan of the 56 but I originally thought it would make things better in low light conditions over the VX5HD with the 44. Leupold said not really. It'd be so minuscule that your eyes probably won't notice. But the weight difference between the 2 sizes isn't that much. So depending on your needs go with either one and you won't be disappointed. But the 56 is harder to squeeze into some cases as one of the other guys mentioned. I ended up buying a larger case just so it would work better.

 

[General RE LEE]

I have this in the 3-15x56. It's a great scope. Not a huge fan of the 56 but I originally thought it would make things better in low light conditions over the VX5HD with the 44. Leupold said not really. It'd be so minuscule that your eyes probably won't notice. But the weight difference between the 2 sizes isn't that much. So depending on your needs go with either one and you won't be disappointed. But the 56 is harder to squeeze into some cases as one of the other guys mentioned. I ended up buying a larger case just so it would work better.

Great feedback. I've already got VX5HD 3-15x44 so sounds like it's not really an upgrade.

 

[Rich Coyle]

There is a 56mm VX5HD I was looking at. That should help brighten image when cranked to 15x after sunset

In my side by side comparison using that scope and comparing with Swarovski z5 5 to 25, Leupold VX6 4 to 24, and Bushnell 4 and 1/2 to 30, the VX 5 with the 56 mm lens beat them by 6 minutes on my deer antlers which are mounted in the woods 131 yards away.