Thought on best optics for this gun??

[Shumba1]

The Leupold VX-5HD 2-10x with Firedot reticle would be a top choice. 2x power on the low end is perfect for the close in shots and 10x is more than enough for any longer distance you'll be hunting. Absolutely get a scope with an illuminated center dot/crosshair

 

[johngibbs222]

Nikko stirling Boar Eater 1x4 mine was the $ equivalent of about 240$. Buy 4 with cheapo chinese pic rings sight them all in and swap if they ever bust, 300 yards? what was said earlier. Light gathering is fantastic, comparable to my zeiss Diavari 1.5x6 and the illuminated reticle is the business. Rifle is 308 btw. Field of view is enormous at woods ranges.
Zeiss 1.5x6 on my Ruger #3, I don't do bells and whistles, as you can see.
It's a 223 set up for the little muntjac deer that are regarded as varmints over here. the 308 is for driven boar.

 

[cajun]

The Leupold VX-5HD 2-10x with Firedot reticle would be a top choice. 2x power on the low end is perfect for the close in shots and 10x is more than enough for any longer distance you'll be hunting. Absolutely get a scope with an illuminated center dot/crosshair

This is true. I rarely use anything beyond 10x. However the 15x is helpful when doing load work ups shooting groups and the 3x is fine on the low end. The 44mm is probably a little better at dusk.

 

[woodnut]

Can't go wrong with a Nightforce! Many options and there's usually some for sale here on this site. I've bought plenty here and even though they are used; all I bought could pass for brand new.

 

[kmcdonou]

1X low end optics would be a perfect fit for everything except the low light. Those 20 and 24 objectives really hurt dusk and dawn compared to 40and up ones.

That accupoint would probably be my first choice for that rifle, for your intended ranges and needing low light performance it would be a good pairing with a sfar.

I always wondered about this. Let's say we had two scopes of generally the same construction, e.g. the Schmidt and Bender Exos, 3-20x50 and 1-8x24. If you kept both on 3x, thus exceeding the maximum human eye pupil diameter of 7mm, would the brightness be the same between both scopes? If so, a 24mm diameter scope (1-6x24 or 1-8x24) would still be bright in lowlight at 4x or less (to the extent the scope's coatings and construction allowed).

If so, the only consideration would be if you are planning to be close enough that 4x will work. Obviously if you had to turn up the magnification to determine details, the larger 50mm diameter scope will allow you to go up to 7-8x before the exit pupil gets less than idea.

 

[cajun]

From my experience and research if you divide the objective by 5 that is about the highest power you can use at dusk dark. On the 44mm leupold it's about 9 power. Those small objective scopes are not great for late evening shots past 100 yds.

 

[comfisherman]

Dunno much about exit pupil or math. Do know about 3 years ago I went on a rather costly quest for the greatest all round rimfire scope for Ptarmigan and grouse hunting. I'd been using a 1-4, but had only hunted to mid October. That year I hunted well into the winter, and farther north as well. At this latitude it's dusk and dawn from late November to early February. Noticed around the first week of December the 1-6 leupold was running rather dark to see jumped birds across the clear. Swapped in for a 2-12 off another rifle I the case, and honestly was shocked at how much brighter it was in the black spruce.

I'd never really noticed the issue of light transmission as a lot of my hunting was either during the light part of the year around fishing seasons or hunts that occur just as easily mid day.

 

[Mike D Texas]

No dialing. thanks

The Credo will be a good choice but the turrets are very mushy. That's why I asked if you would be dialing.

 

[Elkwonder]

Got a descent deal on the 2.5 -10 x 56 Acupoint, so I went with it. Ill take it out after Christmas and compare it to my Nigh force SHV 3-10x42 and see how they compare with each other. Now I can take my time shopping and try to find a real light gatherer. Probably try to find something upper end I can buy used in the classifieds and save some coin.....lol
Thanks for all the help guy!