Best dawn/dusk low light deer scope

[Northkill]

As I get older(pigment dispersion glaucoma and floaters) I really lack in dusk and dawn vision when compared to what I had when I was younger.

So have any of you had the opportunity to compare 3x9, 3x10, 3x12, 3x15, 3x18 etc scopes side by side in low light?

I saw a video on youtube where they guys were saying that the VX 3 and VX 6 Leupold had the same clarity the VX 6 just had a lot of other perks to get it to the price it was at.

I saw a Vortex Hog scope 56mm, but some said their "old" Leupolds were much better in low light.

From what searching I have done the VX 6 3x18 looks awesome but the price

This is not going to be an ELR scope, but more of a 0-400(0-200 mainly) whitetail scope.
Any first hand preferences on great dusk and dawn scope?

Tell us when you get your optic of choice and how it works out for you. That's how we all learn.

 

[Greyfox]

Being an avid whitetail hunter, low light performance at dusk and dawn, as well as low sun glare reduction are important attributes for me. The best low light performance I've experienced has been with my S&B 5x25 PMII. Right behind this scope is my March 2,5x25x52 which alo happens to be on of my best scopes for cutting low sun glare. Also, I'm really liking the newer NF ATACR F2 5x25x56 which seems to deliver the best balance of low light clarity, glare reduction, and ergonomic/control features which has resulted in it being my go-to for the last couple of seasons.

 

[bluedog69]

I'm considering posting both my Leica ER-i and Meopta Meostar for sale. They are both sitting idle and I really want to build a .30 cal something. The meopta is new in the box, and the Leica is perfect except for faint ring marks. I've busted my rifle budget for the time being and, if I build a .300 mag of any variety, I'll need more than a 2-10 or 2-12 mag range.
i will say that for low light and older eyes, a single illuminated center dot has been my saving grace. Both of these scopes have a great center dot illumination....ive looked through others where the glare from the red dot obscures the clarity around it. These are very crisp and well defined. All of my scopes have the single center dot and I use it in the middle of the day just like I would at dawn and dusk.
Anyway, I found both of these as demos and saved a good bit....I'd let either or both go for a good number. I don't even mind taking a little loss if it gets me to my next project.
If anyone is interested please speak up...otherwise I'll likely list for sale or trade for a carbon barrel, nice action, or barreled action.
For the record, the Meopta can be fitted with a custom ballistic turret for dialing....but I think of it as more of a mid range scope with the hashes being used for the longer shots. At 200-300 yds I rarely crank my scopes up past 12x.....which gives a nice mix of target image while keeping a wide field of view.

What exactly is the Meopta?

Way too many choices these days. Old days..... 3x9 or 4 x16. Now its R1, R1r, R2, 4k, BDC 2, BDC 3, 4c/1, Dichro, SFP, FFP, PA, non PA, illuminated, non illum.

Does anyone know what the differences between R1 and R2 really are??????

 

[bluedog69]

You're getting batted from one side to the other. Just when you think you're mind is made up, someone comes along with another angle. The beauty of these forums. Comparisons can be a bit subjective to individual perceptions and, like it or not, ingrained biases. I like my VX6-HD but would not call it as bright as the MeoStar 3-12x56 RGD R1r (30mm tube) that we have. It's specifically setup for "night" hunting. The color contrast is remarkable for this class of scope and you would be amazed at what you can see in the "dark" with this thing. We have literally hunted nocturnals in the moonlight with it. Check out the label on the scope pic showing light transmission. The rifle it's on (Fierce 6.5 CM) is getting sold so we may even be interested in selling the scope. Now you'll think I'm biased for sure.

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RGD does that mean Red or Green dot?

Whats the difference between R1 and R1r?

That sounds like a great scope! We can hunt coyotes at night now too!

 

[Northkill]

RGD does that mean Red or Green dot?

Whats the difference between R1 and R1r?

That sounds like a great scope! We can hunt coyotes at night now too!

RGD is Red and/or Green. It has both colors to suite your preference. I had checked awhile back to see about a custom turret for it. They said they can cut those - not even that expensive. I just never got around to doing it since we didn't use the rifle for long range. The scope never lost "zero" but I can't speak much for tracking since I never dialed it around much. Don't recall any anomalies from when sighting in...

This site will help you with some of your questions on the R1 vs R1r differentials:

Meopta MeoStar R1r 3-12x56 RD Review [Illuminated Riflescope]

We Review The 3-12X56mm Meopta MeoStar R1r Riflescope. It's A Low Light Legend Thanks To Its Redzone Illuminated Reticle System.(Must See)

www.targettamers.com

 

[bluedog69]

RGD is Red and/or Green. It has both colors to suite your preference. I had checked awhile back to see about a custom turret for it. They said they can cut those - not even that expensive. I just never got around to doing it since we didn't use the rifle for long range. The scope never lost "zero" but I can't speak much for tracking since I never dialed it around much. Don't recall any anomalies from when sighting in...

This site will help you with some of your questions on the R1 vs R1r differentials:

Meopta MeoStar R1r 3-12x56 RD Review [Illuminated Riflescope]

We Review The 3-12X56mm Meopta MeoStar R1r Riflescope. It's A Low Light Legend Thanks To Its Redzone Illuminated Reticle System.(Must See)

www.targettamers.com

PM sent and thanks for all of the answers!

 

[Bullmark]

I'm no Meopta expert but I have owned a few they have all been top notch at their price points. They've been around for a long time and earned a great reputation in other parts of the world despite spending very little on advertising. They are a Czech company that seems content staying in their lane and letting the end user drive new sales.
The main difference between the R1 and R2 is the specific coatings and the 6x mag range.
The R series and the Optika's have a much longer list of differences that are way more technical than I am built to understand. I've never handled an Optika but can't imagine it wouldn't be great glass and a good value, just like all Meopta scopes.
That said, the company isn't charging less for a line of products for the fun of it. They cost less for a reason.....different coatings, tolerance and quality control, user options, etc. The effects of those differences may never come into play. If you use a scope and it never fails to track or hold zero, then the less quality control and tolerance testing didn't matter. Just like, if you're blind as a bat, and only take a rifle out hunting 2 or 3 days per year, I doubt you're gonna notice the difference in glass coatings that eliminate the glare from the sun.
I realized I was starting to ramble, forgive me. I will end by saying that since I really became interested in the shooting and equipment aspect of hunting, I've used the same approach when buying optics. After setting some sort of budget. Then come up with a short list with prices 10-20% above it. I'd search for a used or demo. So far I've found one from the list every time.
Unless a scope is seriously damaged or faulty to begin with, they don't wear out.....And the more top shelf the glass, the more this observation holds true.

 

[jvr]

My old zeiss Diavari 3 x 12 x 56 illuminated will allow you to shoot past legal and before legal hours. I'm sure the newer ones are even better

 

[Erich Lep]

The best is probably going to be the Schmidt and bender Exos, or a tangent theta 3-15 P or LRH.

 

[HunterMann]

I have an older Bushnell 3500 3x9x50 on my .223 Vanguard that is really bright, but I have not tested it at dusk like you would want for deer hunting. It's tough judge how well a scope will perform then when you are not actually in those conditions. That is why a lot of folks go to the European manufactures because twilight hunting is common over there. I hear Meopta are good but I don't have any personal experience with the brand. Most of my scopes are Leupolds

Scopelist.com has this Schmidt & Bender deal on right now that might meet your needs:

Schmidt Bender 3-12x50 Klassik LM L3 Black Riflescope 644-811-482-05-05A02

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[FEENIX]

My problem with shooting a game at the last 30 mins of legal shooting time is not the ability to see the game but rather what is behind. If I cannot see/identify what is behind the game, I pass and end my hunt.

 

[bluedog69]

My problem with shooting a game at the last 30 mins of legal shooting time is not the ability to see the game but rather what is behind. If I cannot see/identify what is behind the game, I pass and end my hunt.

Good idea! Gotta respect that, and safety always comes 3rd!(haha it is number one) Here in MO if you quit at sunset(30 minutes before legal shooting time) you might go years with out getting a deer. The deer here have evolved/learned from tons of hunting pressure. One of my favorite methods for bow hunting the last 10-15 years is to set up 30 yards off of a road in heavy thick timber on a trail. The deer will stay in heavy cover but move towards where they want to cross a road. They often show up within about 5 minutes of "to dark to shoot". They will show up and wait until it is very dark before crossing the roads to head to food sources.

I am not wanting a super good scope for "night hunting", but I need all the help I can get just to be on the same playing field as other hunters.
Last Dec we had a buck come in during late muzzleloader season. We have antler restrictions and I hate shooting young bucks anyway. I was looking through the scope trying to see if he was legal. My 12 year old said dad this buck is huge shoot! I was like are you sure he is legal? He is huge dad trust me. Then he turned his head sideways and my boy about went nuts, "ITS DOUBLE TROUBLE ITS DOUBLE TROUBLE SHOOT NOW SHOOT NOW!!!"( I am tearing up re-reading this...lifetime memories!) I shot, and think I grazed him...maybe. I tracked him 2 miles in the snow and found maybe 8 faint tiny drops of blood. I am not sure he wasn't bleeding from something else. He returned near the same spot within a few days.

So if I can't recognize a 198 7/8" monster with a scope(admittedly its a junker) I need to admit I am not what I used to be and justify the best I can swing. Hopefully this is my last scope I purchase for me.

Oh, how do I know I missed a 198 7/8" buck? We were truly blessed with a gift from God and found both sides. This was the pinnacle of my 40 years of hunting deer. I didn't even shoot him, but finding both sides in our thick brush and tall grass country is statistically about like winning the lottery. My boys and I literally danced around and just cherished the moment for about 45 minutes when we found the second side 2 months after finding the first. God is great!

 

[FEENIX]

Good idea! Gotta respect that, and safety always comes 3rd!(haha it is number one) Here in MO if you quit at sunset(30 minutes before legal shooting time) you might go years with out getting a deer. The deer here have evolved/learned from tons of hunting pressure. One of my favorite methods for bow hunting the last 10-15 years is to set up 30 yards off of a road in heavy thick timber on a trail. The deer will stay in heavy cover but move towards where they want to cross a road. They often show up within about 5 minutes of "to dark to shoot". They will show up and wait until it is very dark before crossing the roads to head to food sources.

I am not wanting a super good scope for "night hunting", but I need all the help I can get just to be on the same playing field as other hunters.
Last Dec we had a buck come in during late muzzleloader season. We have antler restrictions and I hate shooting young bucks anyway. I was looking through the scope trying to see if he was legal. My 12 year old said dad this buck is huge shoot! I was like are you sure he is legal? He is huge dad trust me. Then he turned his head sideways and my boy about went nuts, "ITS DOUBLE TROUBLE ITS DOUBLE TROUBLE SHOOT NOW SHOOT NOW!!!"( I am tearing up re-reading this...lifetime memories!) I shot, and think I grazed him...maybe. I tracked him 2 miles in the snow and found maybe 8 faint tiny drops of blood. I am not sure he wasn't bleeding from something else. He returned near the same spot within a few days.

So if I can't recognize a 198 7/8" monster with a scope(admittedly its a junker) I need to admit I am not what I used to be and justify the best I can swing. Hopefully this is my last scope I purchase for me.

Oh, how do I know I missed a 198 7/8" buck? We were truly blessed with a gift from God and found both sides. This was the pinnacle of my 40 years of hunting deer. I didn't even shoot him, but finding both sides in our thick brush and tall grass country is statistically about like winning the lottery. My boys and I literally danced around and just cherished the moment for about 45 minutes when we found the second side 2 months after finding the first. God is great!

It is not worth the risk for me to take shots where I cannot see what is behind the target. I am blessed here in MT to have plenty of hunting opportunities. I am not a trophy hunter but all my hunts are trophies.

 

[Bullmark]

I can tell you from personal experience that it's easy to shoot the "wrong" animal (in my case a whitetail) when it's a first/last light situation. Happened to me a long time ago, and didn't matter much at the time...it was a legal buck, on public land, and the only person disappointed was me.
I have a friend in Alberta who is an outfitter in the Upper Peace River region. When I first met him I was a client hunting for WT. He highly discouraged taking shots at first/last light. His experience showed that almost all the bucks shot in that time frame turned out to be far smaller than it was thought to be, and often a good bit smaller than the minimums being targeted.
I hunt Iowa's late muzz season a lot, and it's nearly always an afternoon sit only. Unless the conditions are really good, meaning cold, bitter nasty, and more cold, the activity is usually the last 30 min of light. I've had property there for years and have shot a wall full of mature bucks, so I get a lot of enjoyment out of taking a friend and sitting in a box blind to film or just hang out. So far on the two shot opportunities we've had, both times the Hunter has swapped out his muzzleloader for mine b/c he didn't have enough brightness with his scope to pick out the right deer and make the shot. Their choice of scope will remain a mystery, as I don't wanna rag on any company in particular.
Regardless of what glass you have, light will fade to the point of not being 100% sure that an animal is the size u think. The better glass simply makes that window more favorable for you.
Most of the time, in a hunting situation, it won't make a bit of difference if u shoot an animal using a $99 Walmart scope or something that costs as much as a used Honda Accord. But at low light the better glass totally earns its higher price tag.