PST II 5-25 or 3-15?

[TC338]

Looking at both of these scopes. Use will be hunting from 10-800 yards. My main question is whether the 25x will be brighter on 15x than the 15x maxed out? All the scopes I've had before got dark earlier on max power. What do y'all think? Which scope would you choose?

 

[Barrelnut]

The 5-25x50 will be brighter at 15X.
50/15 = 3.3 Exit Pupil
44/15 = 2.9 Exit Pupil

But, the 3-15X44 will be much brighter on low power. If I hunted in low light often, I would look at the 3-15x44
50/5 = 10
44/3 = 14.6

They say that the human eye can only dilate to about 7mm and anything over that doesn't get brighter. It just gives a bigger window to look thru.

 

[TC338]

Bumping this back up. Would like some more opinions. I'm torn between power ranges and will be purchasing soon.

 

[dfanonymous]

Looking at both of these scopes. Use will be hunting from 10-800 yards. My main question is whether the 25x will be brighter on 15x than the 15x maxed out? All the scopes I've had before got dark earlier on max power. What do y'all think? Which scope would you choose?

Less is brighter and it would be more advisable to not be in full magnification and things that walk, it makes tracking and finding the target easier as well as following the shot through the optic. 3-15 is the most you need but 5-25 will be better in brightness for the reasons that have already been stated, as long as your not cranking up magnification. The question is, what do you need in minimum magnification...

 

[RockyMtnMT]

Is 3x of much value to you? If you think you would have use for the 3x then get it.

Steve

 

[TC338]

Is 3x of much value to you? If you think you would have use for the 3x then get it.

Steve

Some of my hunting will be in the heavy river bottom timber so shots will be 40-50 yards max. Same night walking out shots could be 500+.

 

[Hand Skills]

Though the 3-15 seems better suited to your application, the form factor, weight and price are so similar I would have a hard time going that route myself, the 5-25x is just more scope! As 3-15x goes, the Razor LH seemed like a better fit for me. Not saying it would be for you, but that's the direction I went.

 

[RockyMtnMT]

I wrote a review on the 5-25 s&b. A spectacular scope in my opinion. With the quality of these scopes I don't think you will miss a thing with the lower power scope. The glass is do clear it will function very well out to 1000+ yards no problem.

Steve

 

[zr600]

Look at the 3-15 vx5hd. They have top notch glass.

 

[TC338]

Look at the 3-15 vx5hd. They have top notch glass.

Thanks, FFP and illuminated reticle are required. Should have said that earlier.

 

[Alaska_Guy]

Depends on your use. For hunting a 3-15 will suite you great. I used to use scopes in the 6-24 range when I first got into hunting as I was a bench rest shooter and that's what I used when bench rest shooting. The only positive I found on the higher magnification was spotting game far out I could use my rifle scope and make out if it was legal or not. After many years of hunting I prefer a 3-9, 3.5-10, or 3-15 for hunting as they are lighter, I had zero issues with my 6-24 burris signatures as other than weight. I have taken shots out past 300 yards using a 3x9 in a standing position successfully with zero issues. I passed on a 420 yard shot last year as I was using a 3x9 scope on that rifle and just recently upgraded to a 3-15 and I am pretty sure that's what I will stick to moving forward. My brother in law has been my hunting partner going on 7 years now, he has been using a zeiss hd5 3-15 for his hunting scope and when I ask to look through it out of curiosity when we are spotting game it has always been excellent and what has made me decide to move to 15x range. I looked at the PST Gen II 3-15 myself due to FFP, but I know that in hunting situations FFP or SFP never matter for me as I have been using SFP for 15 years and I am used to holding over if needed.