Absolute Best Low Light Scope with Illuminated Dot (No Price Limit)

[Capt RB]

+1 for the T96.

 

[FEENIX]

Don't take the published light transmission values as gospel. You need to look through them side by side at dusk and dark.
I

Agreed! There are differences in the quality of individual vision. Also, there are plenty of instances where I can still see the game but not what is beyond and ended up not taking the shot.

 

[ModernRedneck]

I'm no optics engineer, but the way I understand it is this: In addition to the magnification and objective diameter giving the exit pupil calculation, and the coating allowing light transmission in a spectrum geared for low light use (some coatings cheat by making a scope look fantastic in controlled light, but they die at twilight) fewer lenses will make a scope brighter.

For example, if an optics company claims "98% light transmission per lense surface" you are losing 2% of your light for each lense it has to pass through. That can become very noticeable in the target scopes with a wide range of magnification, which have more lenses. Even the best of these type of scopes are in the 80% range because of this, and a larger objective only goes so far.

Another thing to keep in mind is the erector set up. Scopes with higher magnification are usually designed to have the maximum amount of mechanical windage and elevation built into them. There is no free lunch. What is lost is a larger aperture in the erector set up. So, you have great glass, top-notch coatings, a hubble-sized objective .....and a tiny apeture which filters out too much light.

So, the brightest scopes should be a combination of best quality glass, top quality coatings designed for twilight not mid-day use, a large objective, an erector system that has a larger apeture and less mechanical range, and fewer internal lenses.

and for what it's worth, somebody ran their own test between the victory, t96, and R2 over at SH.
https://forum.snipershide.com/threads/compared-zeiss-victory-ht-meopta-r2-and-s-b-polar-t96.6917510/

Great info! I actually read that comparison write-up on SH earlier today. It actually was one of the main reasons I became sold on trying the T96.

 

[ModernRedneck]

Here is some reading that might help you. Having both of these scopes I can tell you that the Zeiss is far superior. The 36mm tubes are amazing. You might also look at a new player in the game called (ZRO) Zero Compromised Optics.

http://randywakeman.com/Why Riflescope Light Transmission Percentages Mislead.htm

Oh man..."far superior"?! That's a red flag for the T96 coming from someone who has both.

 

[Riflehunter1776]

Here is some reading that might help you. Having both of these scopes I can tell you that the Zeiss is far superior. The 36mm tubes are amazing. You might also look at a new player in the game called (ZRO) Zero Compromised Optics.

http://randywakeman.com/Why Riflescope Light Transmission Percentages Mislead.htm

"far superior" is a very subjective phrase unless it is qualified by data.

But I'd be very interested to know why you say it. If you can, please test them objectively side by side. the best way to do this is with various optical charts at a set distance, and it must be done under identical conditions, not different scopes on different evenings. With only two scopes under identical field conditions, you should be able to definitively come up with a time frame for how long one outlasts the other into the twilight.

For myself,and it sounds like for the OP, I don't care about mechanical functionability, like how well one dials in windage and elevation over the other. They will be sighted and then capped. I don't dial in this type of scope because I am only shooting them to 600 yards, usually at targets that are moving too fast to fiddle with calculations. I only care about light gathering quality, and which one stays useable longer.

 

[Skinem]

I'm looking for the absolute BEST low-light hunting scope with an illuminated dot in the reticle. I like somewhere in the 2-15 range with a 56mm objective.

I currently own a Zeiss Victory HT 3-12x56 Reticle 60, which I LOVE! The only downsides to this scope is the tunnel vision effect and the field of view isn't that great. However, I'm still highly satisfied with it as I mostly care about the low-light gathering and fine illuminated dot.
With that being said, I just purchased a new 6.5 Creedmoor bolt action that I plan to use next season hunting within 100 yards in Mississippi out to 600 yards or so in Nebraska and Missouri. Looking for another scope for this rifle.

I'm currently eyeing the Zeiss Victory V8 2.8-20x56 Reticle 60. I've heard good things about Nightforce, the high-end Vortex, Swarovski, S&B, etc. But, I have no experience with any of them. Doing crazy research before dropping that kind of money.

Help a brother out by dropping a few recommendations and why you chose your pick!

I have the zeis victory v8 and its everything you can imagine for low light... incredible.. I've owned or own them all.. you will not be disappointed..

 

[ModernRedneck]

"far superior" is a very subjective phrase unless it is qualified by data.

But I'd be very interested to know why you say it. If you can, please test them objectively side by side. the best way to do this is with various optical charts at a set distance, and it must be done under identical conditions, not different scopes on different evenings. With only two scopes under identical field conditions, you should be able to definitively come up with a time frame for how long one outlasts the other into the twilight.

For myself,and it sounds like for the OP, I don't care about mechanical functionability, like how well one dials in windage and elevation over the other. They will be sighted and then capped. I don't dial in this type of scope because I am only shooting them to 600 yards, usually at targets that are moving too fast to fiddle with calculations. I only care about light gathering quality, and which one stays useable longer.

Exactly! I do like having a custom turret that matches my bullet data, but that's lagniappe.

 

[Riflehunter1776]

for what its worth,

1)

Schmidt & Bender 4-16x56 Polar T96 vs Swarovski Z8i and Zeiss V8 - Optics Forum

they say S&B is brighter than the V8

2)

Schmidt & Bender 3-12x54 Polar T96 Riflescope

Schmidt & Bender 3-12x54 Polar T96 Riflescope By Chris Parkin Leaving the 92% clan far behind, this scope claims an impressive light transmission and Chris Parkin is itching to test it in the field and on the range Schmidt & Bender’s T96...

www.longrangehunting.com

incomplete information. where's the rest of the test.

3)
if you go to 12:11, the girl rates the V8 as brighter than the T96. "Helligkeit" is brighness, but I dont know much german (Sprechen nicht über den Krieg), so that isn't necessarily a twilight rating. Her shooting conditions dont look that dark.

Unfortunately, there's no way to qualify the opinions here. Were these tests done mid afternoon, or at very last light. And there's a massive pile of BS drivel out there of people "evaluating" any of these scopes by taking them out of the box in their living room and handling them for the camera while quoting data from the manufacturer. Useless. Most anyone will say that these scopes are all "in the same ballpark" and "you can't go wrong with any of them" but I've heard the same thing said about other scopes I dropped money on, and then the objective testing showed them to be much dimmer, becoming useless while others were still going strong into the darkness (Leica er5, Meopta R2, and anything Leupold I'm talking about you)

 

[Greyfox]

The best performing low light scope I have used is my S&B PMII. This comparison is against my NF(all), March, Vortex(Gen2), and Leupold Mk4.

 

[graywolf]

I have 2 Hensoldt 4-16x56 scopes and 2 Victory HT scopes, a 2.5-10x50 and the 3-12x56 with a 60 reticle you have. For a pure lowlight hunting scope at ranges you mention the Victory 3-12 is what I rely on. I don't think the field of view is limiting and I don't notice any tunneling effect though I don't use it at 3x very often. The light transmission and eyebox of that scope are amazing.

 

[rwreter]

I'm looking for the absolute BEST low-light hunting scope with an illuminated dot in the reticle. I like somewhere in the 2-15 range with a 56mm objective.

I currently own a Zeiss Victory HT 3-12x56 Reticle 60, which I LOVE! The only downsides to this scope is the tunnel vision effect and the field of view isn't that great. However, I'm still highly satisfied with it as I mostly care about the low-light gathering and fine illuminated dot.
With that being said, I just purchased a new 6.5 Creedmoor bolt action that I plan to use next season hunting within 100 yards in Mississippi out to 600 yards or so in Nebraska and Missouri. Looking for another scope for this rifle.

I'm currently eyeing the Zeiss Victory V8 2.8-20x56 Reticle 60. I've heard good things about Nightforce, the high-end Vortex, Swarovski, S&B, etc. But, I have no experience with any of them. Doing crazy research before dropping that kind of money.

Help a brother out by dropping a few recommendations and why you chose your pick!

I love these scopes. Have had no issues

Forge Riflescope - 4.5-27x50 FFP Illuminated Reticle

The Forge 4.5-27X50mm rifle scope is only choice for long-range hunting enthusiasts. Magnification extends to 27x for targets up to 800 yards away. Buy today!

www.bushnell.com

 

[FEENIX]

I love these scopes. Have had no issues

Forge Riflescope - 4.5-27x50 FFP Illuminated Reticle

The Forge 4.5-27X50mm rifle scope is only choice for long-range hunting enthusiasts. Magnification extends to 27x for targets up to 800 yards away. Buy today!

www.bushnell.com

L L! Now you've done it.

 

[BillLarson]

I own now or have owned and used niteforce,march,kowa,golden eagle vortex and usoptics,and lots of leupold weavers etc.etc.
My us optics st-10 with illuminated reticle is the best of all....through thorough testing...
Bill larson

 

[smokepoler]

Trijicon, Accupoints or Accupower. I own them, also NF NXS and Sightron SIIIs. The newer Trijicon Accupowers with the 34mm tube are good low light scopes.