How To Clean Your Rifle Scope
By Gary Garnett
They don't often get much thought, but Rifle Scopes are really highly sophisticated pieces of equipment. Using high definition multi-coated lenses modern Rifle Scopes can deliver extraordinary sharpness and detail.
However, peak performance is only available when scopes are kept clean. Dirty or smudged lenses can reduce sharpness and detail, especially in early morning or late afternoon when light levels are low.
During mid day periods detail can be lost by light striking dust or dirt particles on the front lens anytime the scope is pointed in a direction where the sun might strike the font lens.
Proper cleaning not only adds to the scope's life, but it helps prevent damage to expensive multi-coated lenses, (multi-coating is the purple, green or orange color often seen when looking at optics). A properly cleaned rifle scope is the best way to take advantage of the brightness and clarity the scope is capable of delivering when it's needed the most.
The following steps are recommended for cleaning a Rifle Scope.
Step 1.
Start by brushing away any larger dust or dirt particles from the glass surface using a soft brush like the Ultra Brush found in the Peca Optical Cleaning Kit. The Ultra Brush is manufactured using extremely soft fibers that are safe to us on any glass or multi-coated lens surface. Try to keep the brush away from oils or grease during use so the don't get transferred onto the glass surface. After use, it's recommended the brush be retracted into the base and the cap replaced to keep the brush clean and dry.
Using Ultra Brush on Rifle Scope
Step 2.
To remove minor smudges or fingerprints from the glass surface, the Soft-Tek Microfiber Cloth is recommended for the next step. The Soft-Tek cloth is chemical free, and safe to use on any glass, plastic or multicoated lenses. While the Soft-Tek cloth seems to work like magic, it's really science at work. Each individual fiber is 10 times thinner than silk, and 100 times smaller than a human hair. Unlike round shaped fibers found in cotton materials that tend to spread oils and smudges, the fibers in the Soft-Tek cloth have a triangular shape to them. This allows the fibers to wipe down to the glass surface much like a squeegee works on glass.
Using Soft-Tek Cloth on Rifle Scope
The Soft-Tek cloth is extra thick so very small particles on the glass surface are safely swept up into the cloth instead of being dragged across the lens surface possibly leaving a scratch. The extra softness and thickness make it ideal for cleaning LCD screens on GPS units or the LCD screen on Cell Phones. It's also great for cleaning eyeglasses, shooting glasses or sunglasses.
The Soft-Tek cloth can be can be laundered without harm, but fabric softener or bleach should not be used.
Step 3.
When more advanced cleaning is needed to remove residue like dried water spots or pollen from the front or back lens, a combination of Lens-Brite Anti-Fog Liquid Lens Cleaner and Premium Grade Lens Cleaning Tissue is recommended.
Lens-Brite has been scientifically formulated to provide anti-fog action, especially helpful for outdoor activities. The complete manufacturing process including distilling the water, mixing the chemicals, filling the bottles and packaging is done in Beloit Wisconsin by Peca Products in their own facility to assure rigid quality control.
Premium Grade Lens Cleaning Tissue is also manufactured by Peca Products in Wisconsin and meets US Government Specification A-A-50177A.
For advanced cleaning it is recommended a few drops of Lens-Brite be put on a wad (a couple sheets wadded up) of lens cleaning tissue. Clean the lens using a circular motion, starting near the center of the lens and working out towards the outside edges. Immediately follow with a dry wad of tissue to remove any fluid from the lens surface and continue until the lens is clean and polished.
Putting Lens-Brite on Tissue to Clean Rifle Scope
Lens-Brite has been carefully formulated to provide proper cleaning action while at the same time remaining safe to use on any glass, multi-coated, or plastic lens. Lens-Brite works by releasing oils and smudges from the lens surface. The first wad of tissue moistened with the fluid removes most of the oils and smudges from the lens surface, while the second wad of dry tissue removes any remaining fluid leaving the lens clean and polished.
Using Dry Wad of Tissue on Rifle Scope
Careful consideration was given to the Lens-Brite formula allowing it to dry at a specific rate. Fast drying fluids tend to dry so rapidly that residues and oils often dry right back onto the lens surface before they can be removed. Lens-Brite's formula allows time for the second wad of dry tissue to remove any remaining fluid and residues from the lens surface leaving it clean and polished.
Lens cleaning kits can be purchased at Clean Optics. (www.cleanoptics.com)
By Gary Garnett
They don't often get much thought, but Rifle Scopes are really highly sophisticated pieces of equipment. Using high definition multi-coated lenses modern Rifle Scopes can deliver extraordinary sharpness and detail.
However, peak performance is only available when scopes are kept clean. Dirty or smudged lenses can reduce sharpness and detail, especially in early morning or late afternoon when light levels are low.
During mid day periods detail can be lost by light striking dust or dirt particles on the front lens anytime the scope is pointed in a direction where the sun might strike the font lens.
Proper cleaning not only adds to the scope's life, but it helps prevent damage to expensive multi-coated lenses, (multi-coating is the purple, green or orange color often seen when looking at optics). A properly cleaned rifle scope is the best way to take advantage of the brightness and clarity the scope is capable of delivering when it's needed the most.
The following steps are recommended for cleaning a Rifle Scope.
Step 1.
Start by brushing away any larger dust or dirt particles from the glass surface using a soft brush like the Ultra Brush found in the Peca Optical Cleaning Kit. The Ultra Brush is manufactured using extremely soft fibers that are safe to us on any glass or multi-coated lens surface. Try to keep the brush away from oils or grease during use so the don't get transferred onto the glass surface. After use, it's recommended the brush be retracted into the base and the cap replaced to keep the brush clean and dry.
Using Ultra Brush on Rifle Scope
Step 2.
To remove minor smudges or fingerprints from the glass surface, the Soft-Tek Microfiber Cloth is recommended for the next step. The Soft-Tek cloth is chemical free, and safe to use on any glass, plastic or multicoated lenses. While the Soft-Tek cloth seems to work like magic, it's really science at work. Each individual fiber is 10 times thinner than silk, and 100 times smaller than a human hair. Unlike round shaped fibers found in cotton materials that tend to spread oils and smudges, the fibers in the Soft-Tek cloth have a triangular shape to them. This allows the fibers to wipe down to the glass surface much like a squeegee works on glass.
Using Soft-Tek Cloth on Rifle Scope
The Soft-Tek cloth is extra thick so very small particles on the glass surface are safely swept up into the cloth instead of being dragged across the lens surface possibly leaving a scratch. The extra softness and thickness make it ideal for cleaning LCD screens on GPS units or the LCD screen on Cell Phones. It's also great for cleaning eyeglasses, shooting glasses or sunglasses.
The Soft-Tek cloth can be can be laundered without harm, but fabric softener or bleach should not be used.
Step 3.
When more advanced cleaning is needed to remove residue like dried water spots or pollen from the front or back lens, a combination of Lens-Brite Anti-Fog Liquid Lens Cleaner and Premium Grade Lens Cleaning Tissue is recommended.
Lens-Brite has been scientifically formulated to provide anti-fog action, especially helpful for outdoor activities. The complete manufacturing process including distilling the water, mixing the chemicals, filling the bottles and packaging is done in Beloit Wisconsin by Peca Products in their own facility to assure rigid quality control.
Premium Grade Lens Cleaning Tissue is also manufactured by Peca Products in Wisconsin and meets US Government Specification A-A-50177A.
For advanced cleaning it is recommended a few drops of Lens-Brite be put on a wad (a couple sheets wadded up) of lens cleaning tissue. Clean the lens using a circular motion, starting near the center of the lens and working out towards the outside edges. Immediately follow with a dry wad of tissue to remove any fluid from the lens surface and continue until the lens is clean and polished.
Putting Lens-Brite on Tissue to Clean Rifle Scope
Lens-Brite has been carefully formulated to provide proper cleaning action while at the same time remaining safe to use on any glass, multi-coated, or plastic lens. Lens-Brite works by releasing oils and smudges from the lens surface. The first wad of tissue moistened with the fluid removes most of the oils and smudges from the lens surface, while the second wad of dry tissue removes any remaining fluid leaving the lens clean and polished.
Using Dry Wad of Tissue on Rifle Scope
Careful consideration was given to the Lens-Brite formula allowing it to dry at a specific rate. Fast drying fluids tend to dry so rapidly that residues and oils often dry right back onto the lens surface before they can be removed. Lens-Brite's formula allows time for the second wad of dry tissue to remove any remaining fluid and residues from the lens surface leaving it clean and polished.
Lens cleaning kits can be purchased at Clean Optics. (www.cleanoptics.com)
