Optics for aging eyes

One other thing. I have owned many different reticles and found that Many are to busy to be effective under most conditions. Sometimes I think that the Optics makers do it for sales not for use. Some probably think It will make them a better shot, but in many cases it is so cluttered that it can make it more difficult to come up with a shooting solution.

My favorite scopes are the simplest Reticle for the job. For the longest ranges I like the MOA hash marks both vertical and horizontal and no more. (To much information to download in my old brain).

Poor light conditions make the standard Duplex or the German Duplex very good for running shots and distances of 2 or 3 hundred yards. Beyond that they are two wide and cover to much Point of aim. A lighted reticle also helps as long as it is adjustable for brightness.

The longer shots require a finer and more detailed Reticle.

Just My Opinion

J E CUSTOM
BTW, best reticle I ever used for running deer was the old post and crosshair. Deadly in the woods on a 2-7X
 
First of all I am 68 and have eyes that are also in the early stages of cataracts.

I have a SWFA HD 5-20 x 50 illuminated and love it. I like everything about it. Great turrets easily zeroed and they line up EXACTLY on the witness marks when tightened. Reticle is useful without being overly busy. Both turrets and reticle are Mil/Mil. First focal plane keeps stadia spacing the same under all magnifications. The tiny illuminated dot in center is a bonus as it won't block view of intended target in dim light. I hunt coues wt in S. Az with this scope. The tiny red dot sure helps with seeing the crosshairs on an animal at first and last light.

Jon A did a great write up on this scope:

https://www.longrangehunting.com/threads/swfa-super-sniper-5-20x50hd.72157/

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24 hr campfire member Formidilosus had it on his reliable scope list.
This gentleman works for a company that works with hundreds of scopes, several hundred thousand rounds, destructive and environmental testing, multiple military tests. Based on what he has seen fail he says:

"Failures or issues with these scopes are extremely rare"

1). Nightforce NXS/ATACR/BEAST
2). Bushnell LRHS, HDMR/DMR, ERS, XRS
3). SWFA SS 6x, 10x, 1-6x, 3-9x, 5-20x
4). S&B fixed 10x PM
5). Hensoldts
6). Older Leupold fixed power Mark 4's/Ultra's

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There are currently 2 illuminated used (demo B and C) SWFA HD 5-20 x 50 scopes at reduced price of $899.95, (new price $1499.95)
LINK:

https://www.samplelist.com/entire-sample-list/riflescopes.html#brand=SWFA SS&pg=2


I bought a condition B illuminated 5-20 and it was flawless as was a condition B HD 1-6 illuminated. Skylar, at SWFA, said they are very discriminating on what scopes get assigned the condition B. Bought another scope in condition C and it had a mark on elevation cover, that was all.

Or you can go here and buy a new one. https://www.swfa.com/optics/riflescopes.html?brand=SWFA+SS&brand_model=HD#brand_model=HD

For $899 that used one would be something worth trying.
 
Having A lens filter on a camera is A good thing at times when It is to bright, but in poor light It makes the performance of the camera less than desirable. The same thing happens with scopes if you add filters in poor light.

I have tried filters on spotting scopes when you have to set up facing the sun or a sunlit slope and they are very good in these situations. But in poor light they can be detrimental. Shooting target matches using optics we sometimes had to use a sun shade that extended beyond the Objective lens 3 or 4 inches, that way the Hood did not reduce the light gathering ability of the scope. The old Red field Wide field had a reddish tint that was Ok until you got caught in a poor light situation then you were shut down. There are still a few blue tinted scopes that look great in the store with good light, But when the sun goes down they are the first to white out.

I'm not knocking the device, but the poster wanted a good poor light scope and anything that filters more light or glare takes away from the scopes ability to hunt later.

I once tried the lens caps that are see through and even the clear ones took away from the scopes light gathering ability and had to come off when the light went down.

The best way to see how well a scope gathers light is to set in your stand/blind and keep looking through it on max power. At some point
It will start to whit out. At that point you will have to turn the power down until It becomes clear again. keep doing this until the power is all the way down and if you have a good set of binoculars they will probable out last the scope because they are normally low power with big objective lens. This is also a good way to evaluate your binoculars.

With any kind of moonlight, a good scope will go beyond legal hunting hours.

Be careful when adding anything to a good scope because they were not designed for anything that could effect there light gathering rating. A good quality scope will hunt past a shooters ability.

Just saying

J E CUSTOM
 
Guys, Looking for advice from you old guys. As we age our eyes change. I've noticed my eyes require better and more expensive scopes with better resolution to see well as I am getting older. I am having a new beanfield rifle built and need to choose a scope. We hunt big fields and the ranges can be pretty far. 900 is not unusual at all. Deer here are hunted hard and nearly nocturnal. Shots always come in poor light, usually just before dark. Have a little cateracts, and don't see as well in poor light as I used to. All that being said, looking for a scope with excellent tracking, 1min wind marks, and really great glass that stands out in class in low light. Needs to top out around 25X. Cost really isn't an issue as much as trying to get the most out of my old eyes, but would like to stay around $3k or so. The options are mind boggling. I do know a Vortex Razor won't cut it anymore so don't go there.
I'd imagine you found a good scope being you were willing to spend 3K-lol.
 
You younger folks will learn that as you age you will have to have better tools for everything you do if you still want to do the things you used to do. For instance a blind you used to lift now takes a winch. You need better and better optics just to see clearly, etc. The good news if you bust your butt all your life working, you will be able to afford it when the time comes, and trust me, that day will come.
 
I see what JE is saying about the extra lens , and I agree . I'm thinking though if the extra lens corrects your vision it could be whats needed to see your reticle in the first , and last few minutes of the hunt ? I have been able to see the target , but could not see my reticle well enough to feel confident in the shot . that's when I upgraded my one rifle from a VX3 to a VX6 . I feel like you other guys , it's turning into an optics race .
 
My best low light optic is a Nikon Monarch III in 3x12...

Clear then my other 7 brands of optics... I have about 20 in storage...

5 years running with 2 major Tumbles and lots of brutal weather conditions...

Simple BDL reticle...

Life is just that simple...
 
The resolution and clarity of the scope will help but your correction is the best thing to help, if you use glasses or contacts, unless your vision is near flawless.
 
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