40mm or 50mm Objective

I'd take a 40mm or 42mm scope over a 50mm anyday, my main reason for this is that with a lower mounted scope it makes quicker to get your crosshair on the target, and you head is in a more comfortable shooting position (If you have an ajustable cheak piece on you stock this dosen't matter).
My 2 cents

-Jamie
 
700,

Sounds like you may be able to answer a question: What is the light gathering capability of a 30MM tube over a 1 inch tube, OBJECTIVE DIAMETER BEING EQUAL? I have read that a larger tube diameter has a much greater effect on light gathering than does objective diameter; is this true?
 
No. The only advantage of a 30mm tube over a 1" tube is that the 30mm will offer more windage and elevation. But if I am not mistaken, if the 30mm tube offers true 30mm internal lenses than there is a great light transmission ability. Please correct me if I am wrong!

[ 06-11-2004: Message edited by: Jon Jackoviak ]
 
I have compared the 40 mm and 50mm Leupolds side by side as the light fades. We set up a 4.5x14x40mm. a 4.5x14x50mm 1 inch and a 4.5x14x50mm w/30mm tube and found about 10 minutes of difference favoring the 50mm.

As stated before the 40mm got us to legal shooting hours but depending on conditions I suppose there might be a situation where it could be a difference in a legal situation. Dark animal or trying to distinguish horns in a group of animals.

I use the 50s on heavier rifles and (10 -11 lbs) and 40s for everything else.

One thing I really do believe is if you want a 50 get the 30mm tube with the side focus. Big improvement.
 
Shilen30

What Jon Jackoviak posted is partially true in my openion.

The advantages of the 30mm over the 1 inch tubes are stronger build and more dial adjustment. Also more room for add ons like side wheel parallex and reticle illumination.

Light will travel through a 1 inch tube as efficently as a 30mm tube, so no advantage there. There may be a false perception among the shooting community that the 30mm tubes are more light efficient but this may be due to the fact that 30mm scopes are usually more expensive than 1 inch scopes, and thus may be built using better glass. This, of course, is not always the case.

Rgds

700
 
More important that size (as I tell my wife...
wink.gif
) is quality of optic and reticle design.

Thusly I would bet my proverbial that my Swaro 6x42 with no4 reticle will have a better 'real life' twilight performance than cheaper 50mm with duplex reticles.

I shoot a lot of deer a year, all with a 6x42. I reckon I could pick up maybe an extra 5 fallow if I went to an illuminated 8x56 S&B but the extra time spent in the high seat together with the extra weight and extra hassle of finding a deer in the pitch black (even with my dog) means I haven't and likely never will go down this route.
 
No question, the better fit. If you are hunting during legal daylight hours inside 400 yard I cant see any problem with a 40mm 1'tube. This combo on a 4.5-14 loopy has never let me down!!!
 
I have both...M3 3-10 x 40 and an M1 4.5-14 x 50. I like them both. For the 50 I bumped up my cheek weld with an elastic type cartridge holder with some 1/2 inch foam under it. That is a must if you're using the 50.

I prefer the 50 only because of the higher power. I'd go with whichever is on sale.
 
Nikon claims that there is more light transmission with a 30mm tube. I'm not sure if that means that more light actually makes to the exit pupil (ie. higher % light transmission), or if its BS.
 
Cobber,

I guess that is where I was coming from on my previous post. Nikon uses actual 30mm internal lenses compared to the 1" internal lenses in many other manufacturers scopes. Still don't know if it true or not.
 
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