To illuminate or not to illuminate that is the question??

[norfolk shooter]

Hello happy hunters,
I have been hit with a dilemma! It is regarding the illumination of the reticle on my scope. I have never hunted with an illuminated ret but can see that it could be rather handy when aiming on a black target (cape buff). But then again part of my thinks to just do away with the scope and engage all DG with express sights (get old school on them)!! Pop a nice bit of glass on some QD mounts and Robert is your farther's brother.

What do you chaps use and do any of you use the express/iron sights for close up work??

Many thanks

 

[TokkieM]

Open sights will always be my first option on DG, but I have diffrent requirements from my rifle. A low power scope with IR on a DG rifle cannot be wrong. If you have a problem with your eyes or need something even faster than a low power scope I would have a look at a dot sight with QD mounts. Have used a Aimpoint Hunter with great success even at night, both eyes open no paralax problems and no eye relief issues.

 

[norfolk shooter]

Going through one of my boxes I came across this. Just the ticket I thought for CQ DG on some QDM

 

[Amon458]

What kind of optic is that.

 

[Spooksar]

I use a Trijican 1x4 with a green triangle on my Double and a couple of other big rifles. It works real well for my old eyes.

 

[Hank2211]

Hello happy hunters,
I have been hit with a dilemma! It is regarding the illumination of the reticle on my scope. I have never hunted with an illuminated ret but can see that it could be rather handy when aiming on a black target (cape buff). But then again part of my thinks to just do away with the scope and engage all DG with express sights (get old school on them)!! Pop a nice bit of glass on some QD mounts and Robert is your farther's brother.

What do you chaps use and do any of you use the express/iron sights for close up work??

Many thanks

On my first leopard hunt I didn't have an illuminated reticle, and in poor light, with black crosshairs looking at an animal that is mostly black (and not all that big), I was wishing I had an illuminated reticle. Since then, each new scope (there have been two) has gotten an illuminated reticle. I don't use it every time, or even most times, but there are times when it could make the difference between taking a shot and not. I'd rather take it.

As far as DG is concerned, my experience is that many PH's prefer you to use a scope. Makes for a surer shot. Follow up, by all means take the scope off, but you want that first shot to be the best it can possibly be, and for most of us, that means a scope.

So my bottom line is that i can't add illumination to a scope that doesn't have it, but I can shut if off on a scope that does.

 

[bluey]

, I was wishing I had an illuminated reticle.

So my bottom line is that i can't add illumination to a scope that doesn't have it, but I can shut if off on a scope that does.[/QUOTE]


bingo ....

 

[wesheltonj]

I don't like them for the simple reason, its just something electronic to fail and have to be replaced.

 

[norfolk shooter]

What kind of optic is that.

Its an old British fibre optic sight unit. I have used it every where from South America to the Arctic and the deserts of Arabia. Good ol' thing it is indeed and you never run out of battery!!

 

[bluey]

agreed in that
but if and when it fails you still have a decent scope/until it fails you have the option to use the illuminated dot or reticle
I rekon its better to have it,and not need it ,than need it and not have it.......

 

[norfolk shooter]

well yes but i was thinking about using the single point for DG and having a scope for PG. But I can see your point

 

[Wheels]

Hank is spot on.

Worse case scenario, your battery fails, you have a regular scope.

If you want to use open sights, great. Just realize there is a place for a scope and an IR in that scope on some DG hunts.

I shot a leopard that I probably would not have shot without IR. Consider how much the hunt costs. Is it worth spending $100-500 more for an IR scope.

If you get an IR scope, get one with multiple brightness settings. If you shoot night critters, you want it on low. If it is a bright day and you are looking deep in the shadows for a hunk of black shoulder you want it on a high setting. I like mine so much I leave it on all the time I am hunting. My eye is pulled directly to the dot.

All the best.

 

[Hank2211]

With Wheels on this. Multiple brightness settings are essential - too bright at night and you can't see anything else; not bright enough during the day and you may as well not have it.

As for something else to break, well, if you liked it and it breaks or the battery dies, you can get it fixed or get a new battery. If you didn't like it or use it, then forget about it and you still have a decent scope. Hard to see the downside, other than the added cost, but usually not that much in proportion to the cost of the scope. Having said that, I recall my father saying the same thing about power windows on cars many years ago . . .

 

[norfolk shooter]

I guess it is to illuminate in that case

 

[Ole Bally]

I have a great Burris scope with lit reticle (multiple setting) optional...it's great for twilight shooting.
I have used a 1 - 5 Leupold scope on my DG rifle always...shooting with both eyes open. Just does the job!

 

[Bert the Turtle]

No downside that I can see to an illuminated reticle. My scope uses a coin-type battery and I put a spare under the turret cover so I have one if I need it.

 

[Savage Hunter]

Optics Planet has the Leupold VX-R 3x9x40 with CDS on sale right now for $489.00.

I bought a VX-3 3x9x40 recently and it's sitting in my closet waiting for the next rifle purchase.
If I had not just bought that, I'd be all over this VX-R.