30mm tubed scopes for hunters?

[BeeMaa]

The reason I have chosen 30mm tubes over 1 inch (25.4mm) has to do with the options I wanted were not available on the 1 inch. The major ones were illumination with the reticle I wanted and rail mounts (no scope rings).

The lone exception is my 22lr scope that is a 1 inch tube and does have rings. If I were more serious about hunting with it, I'd upgrade to a 30mm tube with illumination.

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

Yeah, if you could just get the features you want would be great.

You can't, I know I have the same problem.

I'm not about to "Pony up" for the Swarovski 1.7 - 10 but I bet it's a great scope.

@CBH Australia
Our Nick Harvey loves the old 2 to 8 by 36 Leupold on a hunting rifle. Light and good power range foe most hunting. Teams well with a light to medium weight rifle
Simple Chris simple
The only thing I don't like about ALL Leupolds is even the duplex reticle is to fine for my old eyes I personally like heavier like on the Meopta and ziess.
Bob

 

[Hunt anything]

Like you, I prefer the appearance of 1” scopes but have many 30mm scopes due to the quality of glass and illumination I am looking for. I wish Swarovski would make a Z6 quality scope with illumination in a 1” tube.

I’m just the opposite, I like the looks of 30mm over the 1 inch, I guess the 30mm looks more rugged than a 1 inch tube which I like . To each his own.

 

[SFRanger7GP]

This thread got me to thinking while I was at the range early this morning. Today has been a hazy, cloudy, grey type of day here in Texoma. I was testing a bunch of loads in various rifles. I was using rifles with the following optics:
Leica 1-6 Amplus6i, 30mm tube
Leupold VX3 3.5-10, 1" tube
Trijicon 3-9 Accupoint, 1" tube
Trijicon 3.5-10 Accupower, 30mm tube
Swarovski Z3 3-10, 1" tube
Meopta 3.5-10 RD, 1" tube

All scopes are bright and clear on a beautiful, sunny day. It's days like these and times of limited visibility that great glass shows why it costs more. In a totally unscientific, yet 100% accurate optics comparison, here are my findings. (Disclaimer: This comparison is only 100% accurate for my eyes, your comparisons may differ.)

Other than a slightly better field of view, the 30mm tubes vs 1" tubes were about the same. The Swarovski, Leica and Trijicon scopes were all very clear and bright and I could not see any notable differences between them. The Meopta was slightly below them in brightness and clarity. The big difference I could see was with the Leupold. The other scopes were much clearer and brighter. So much so that I thought something was wrong, so I cleaned the Leupold lens. Nope. It was clearly (pun intended) at the bottom. Not bashing Leupold at all. In fact, for all practical applications, the Leupold is plenty good enough and I have used them to kill tons of game to include pigs at night.

Safe shooting

 

[CBH Australia]

@CBH Australia
Chris the only advantage of a 30mm tube is more adjustment and some argue they are stronger.
Downside is the are generally heavier and more expensive.

Me personally I stick with 25mm.
Just my 2 cents but then again I like a nice 6x fixed on a hunting rifle as well.
Bob

Thanks Bob,
I've heard about the 30mm tube being stronger and I'm sure that all things being equal then the larger tube is stronger if the materials/construction/quality and thickness are the same.
The engineer among us might be able to confirm that.
On the same token if one is a strong aluminium alloy and the other is a softer aluminium alloy them all bets are off.

@BeeMaa nailed the question and explains the logic of why he chose them for features and how that works for the setup the BeeMaa's run.

@PhilipGlass was challenged on the light gathering but explained having high end scopes he believes they are brighter. I believe that too based on higher quality optics.

I have been researching and some suggest that some high end 30mm scopes have larger internal lenses that make a difference.

It's just a curiousity questions to what benifits hunters get from the larger tube.

Some say it's just the specifications available in a given model e.g. Zoom range.

I guess some are just looking for high quality optics so maybe it's just availability leading them to 30mm models.

I'm pretty sure @Red Leg has some Leica scopes so I wonder if he has anything to add.

Bob, If Nick Harvey's old eyes can see ok through an old Leupold 2-7 them we all need to harden up cause he has some years on you . He's done some mileage and hunted all over so it goes to show sometimes simple stuff still gets you there.

 

[geoff rath]

My only "beef" with 30 (and 34!) mm scopes is getting them low enough on the action; I tend to drop right down on the stock when shooting; low rings/mounts for me!!

 

[Inline6]

My only "beef" with 30 (and 34!) mm scopes is getting them low enough on the action; I tend to drop right down on the stock when shooting; low rings/mounts for me!!

That has to do with the objective bell of the scope over the tube. A 50mm objective lens is the same height no matter the tube. It is like saying a 35" tall tire is bigger on a 20" rim vs a 15" rim. The outside is still the same.

 

[geoff rath]

I'm looking at the low-power variables for d/g rifles; they usually have smaller objective lenses

 

[CBH Australia]

That has to do with the objective bell of the scope over the tube. A 50mm objective lens is the same height no matter the tube. It is like saying a 35" tall tire is bigger on a 20" rim vs a 15" rim. The outside is still the same.

In this case the centreline is the same so the tube is sitting closer to the action.
Let's say it's a 30mm tube with a small objective in low rings then it might interfere with the loading and unloading as a 30mm tube will be sitting 2.5mm lower or closer to the action.
A 34mm tube puts it 4.5mm closer. People using a large tube mounted low might find it gets in the way in some cases.

 

[Nevada Mike]

I have scopes from Leupold, Swarovski, S&B (Summit), and a few others. The only 30mm scope I have is a Leupold VX6 1-6X and I bought that scope for the illumination and the No. 4 reticle, If I could have gotten this cope with a 1" tube, I would have preferred it over the 30mm tube.

I have not suffered from a lack of adjustability or lack of a bright image. Further, the 1" scopes are lighter and generally have fewer 'bells and whistles', so they appeal to my need for portability, simplicity, and ruggedness.

 

[CBH Australia]

I'm looking at the low-power variables for d/g rifles; they usually have smaller objective lenses

I can see that being a problem with low mounts reducing the gap that you put your fat fingers in to put your fat cartridges in.

If you can't eject cases in a hurry not even a CRF action is going to help.

 

[ZG47]

Does anyone mount 30mm scopes on hunting rifles.

Do you choose it for the tube size or the other specifications like "model" quality/Brand/adjustment? Example my mate likes the Swarovski z6 series.

Do you feel there is any specific advantage?

I know it can offer more adjustment but is there any advantage to the hunter?

I currently have one hunting/match rifle fitted with a 30mm tube scope. The big advantage with a straight tube scope is that you have much more light coming in, due to the larger usable diameter of the objective lens. The main reason for choosing a 30mm scope with an objective bell is that a 30mm tube allows more room for the elevation and azimuth adjustments.

 

[Inline6]

In this case the centreline is the same so the tube is sitting closer to the action.
Let's say it's a 30mm tube with a small objective in low rings then it might interfere with the loading and unloading as a 30mm tube will be sitting 2.5mm lower or closer to the action.
A 34mm tube puts it 4.5mm closer. People using a large tube mounted low might find it gets in the way in some cases.

Alot of it depends on the stock design as to how low of a mount you need. The way the action and the bases will also come into play. It is not a one statement fits all. We have a lot of mounting options these days. Find the set that works should not be a problem. If you need to raise the comb of the stock to make things perfect, we have options for that too.

This is off the path of the intent of the OP, it is just something else to take into consideration.

 

[Velo Dog]

Fellow Hunters,

When I worked in an Anchorage, Alaska gun store, during slow spells I sometimes carried a few optical items outside, rifle scopes, binoculars and spotting scopes, for comparison.
I would set up a steady tripod on the store porch and use it to fasten each item to or, rest ones upon it that had no threaded socket.

I would compare rifle scopes against rifle scopes, binoculars against binoculars and so forth, by looking into the shady woods, at the end of the street, facing south from said porch, always focusing on one particular dead stick, consistently shaded by the thick trees behind it.
Likewise, I would look north, way up the street and try to read license plates on cars parked in front of a business establishment there.

The one thing I noticed was that the highest quality Austro-German products made all the difference in light gathering ability, “crispness” of down range image and etc. and USA Leupold was although not quite as clear or “crisp” as the ones from Zeiss, Swarovski and Lieca but, Leupold was pretty good, especially considering the lower price.
Perhaps the following only indicates that my eyes are too simple, just like my non-technical brain is but, I could detect absolutely no difference between the 30 MM tube rifle scopes and their same brand, otherwise comparable models of 1 inch tube scopes.
In those days, the only 30 MM tube rifle scopes we had there were from Leupold.
Again, comparing Leupold against Leupold, I found no difference between the 30 MM tube and 1 inch tube scopes.

Last but not least, I am with those who think 30 MM tube scopes make hunting rifles with otherwise classic lines, look unpleasantly “top heavy”.
If however, the 30 MM scopes showed me some serious advantage, I would probably have to rethink all of this.
Since however, I am now almost fossilized, yet without ever wishing I had more adjustments in my 1 inch scopes or, battery powered lights in them plus, whatever else the 30 MM folks say we all need now days, it is very likely that I will croak without ever owning a 30 MM tube rifle scope.

This in no way is implying that 30 MM tube rifle scopes are somehow inferior for those folks who prefer them.
I am only saying that I personally have no need for a 30 MM tube rifle scope.
One man’s bread is another man’s poison.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

 

[HookMeUpII]

I have a Leupold VX5HD in 30mm on my Browning X-Bolt in 300 win mag. I also have a Nikon Prostaff on my Ruger 44 Carbine in 44 mag. Both are great scopes and both serve very different purposes. Only with the mag and objective sizes, nothing to do with tube diameter.

You are going to find very little difference between 30mm and 1". Weight, adjustment, etc. There are differences but very minor.

When I bought my VX5HD in 3-15x 44mm I didn't even know it was 30mm until I ordered the rings/bases and at that point it was very much inconsequential to me.

 

[WAB]

Fellow Hunters,

When I worked in an Anchorage, Alaska gun store, during slow spells I sometimes carried a few optical items outside, rifle scopes, binoculars and spotting scopes, for comparison.
I would set up a steady tripod on the store porch and use it to fasten each item to or, rest ones upon it that had no threaded socket.

I would compare rifle scopes against rifle scopes, binoculars against binoculars and so forth, by looking into the shady woods, at the end of the street, facing south from said porch, always focusing on one particular dead stick, consistently shaded by the thick trees behind it.
Likewise, I would look north, way up the street and try to read license plates on cars parked in front of a business establishment there.

The one thing I noticed was that the highest quality Austro-German products made all the difference in light gathering ability, “crispness” of down range image and etc. and USA Leupold was although not quite as clear or “crisp” as the ones from Zeiss, Swarovski and Lieca but, Leupold was pretty good, especially considering the lower price.
Perhaps the following only indicates that my eyes are too simple, just like my non-technical brain is but, I could detect absolutely no difference between the 30 MM tube rifle scopes and their same brand, otherwise comparable models of 1 inch tube scopes.
In those days, the only 30 MM tube rifle scopes we had there were from Leupold.
Again, comparing Leupold against Leupold, I found no difference between the 30 MM tube and 1 inch tube scopes.

Last but not least, I am with those who think 30 MM tube scopes make hunting rifles with otherwise classic lines, look unpleasantly “top heavy”.
If however, the 30 MM scopes showed me some serious advantage, I would probably have to rethink all of this.
Since however, I am now almost fossilized, yet without ever wishing I had more adjustments in my 1 inch scopes or, battery powered lights in them plus, whatever else the 30 MM folks say we all need now days, it is very likely that I will croak without ever owning a 30 MM tube rifle scope.

This in no way is implying that 30 MM tube rifle scopes are somehow inferior for those folks who prefer them.
I am only saying that I personally have no need for a 30 MM tube rifle scope.
One man’s bread is another man’s poison.

Cheers,
Velo Dog.

Hmm, an anchorage gun store with a porch, I’ve got a feeling we’ve run into each other in the past!

 

[Shootist43]

30mm vs. 1 Inch scope tubes?

I have 1” scopes on all of my rifles for the hunting I’ve done in North America forever. I’ve read here a lot where 30mm tubes are recommended? Are they worth the extra weight and/or better for lower powered scopes? I’m asking because I have a .375 and .416 I’m wanting to put scopes on. Thanks!

www.africahunting.com

This is a good thread

 

[geoff rath]

I've been "researching" the 25mm scopes in the Leupold VX3 range; interesting ...

 

[Velo Dog]

Hmm, an anchorage gun store with a porch, I’ve got a feeling we’ve run into each other in the past!

Likely indeed we have met at some stage.
I worked there at Great Northern Guns a couple days per week, from about October 2022 through about the following summer.
The dates are a distant fog now, but approximately during that space in time is when I worked there.
Had to quit though, because I was still hoarding guns back then.
And so, every payday I was having to write them a check. LoL

 

[Fabnosh]

All my scopes are 30mm (S&B and Kahles). Even when my eyes worked well with the fine Leupold reticules I used the 'European 30' range....... which I really liked and wish I'd not moved them on.

All areas of technology move on and it certainly looks that most of the major manufactures are applying their R&D and new model money to variants based around a 30mm tube.

FN