42 vs 50 mm scopes

[NoBark]

Hey guys,  what are your thoughts on scope objective size.  I know the advantages of light gathering, but as an archer who ocassionally hunts with a rifle is the extra mm worth $70 more??    Also, I have heard that you want to keep the scope as low as possible on the rifle.  Is it worth going higher to get the 50??

[Bob33]

50mm is not worth it IMO.  If you cant see the animal with a good 42mm, it is too dark to shoot anyway.

[204chucknorris]

I have a 56 on one gun and when I bought another gun and it had a 40*censored* I realized how much I loved it. However it depends on how much you spend on the scopes also.

[TeacherMan]

I have both and really like both. Depends on the purpose of the gun. My 7mm Browning A-bolt that is set up for distance shooting has a 6.5-20x50 Leupold on it, love it! With that said its not a fast gun. The 50mm scope makes the gun line up different for me, not as fast. I also have an older Winchester 243 that I put a 4-12x42 Pentex on that I lOVE for fast shooting, my go to deer gun. The gun is overal shorter and lighter. One more thing that I've learned about scopes is if I'm looking for a fast scope to get one with a nice heavy duplex reticle. Besides my distance rifle having a 28" barrel instead of a 20" barrel  it has a much finer reticle. Hope this helps, it really comes down to whats comfortable on you.

[high country]

For the most part, stepping up in quality trumps obj size. If comparing two good quality scopes of like make, the difference will be worth a few minutes at best. I really don't care for them on hunting scopes...precision scopes...yes.

[Rick]

I've got 33 and 36mm on most of my rifles. I have no need for the big hubble telescopes most guys seem to think is necessary.

I can't imagine mounting a 6.5-20 on a hunting rifle.

[NoBark]

Thanks guys.  Good thoughts and observations.   Mulling over the
choices.

[Bofire]

  I have several 40mm Leupolds, mostly VXIII's, one of them is a 50mm objective. I can see no difference. I would not buy the 50. Your eye can only use so much light anyway. I also do not like how high I had to mount the 50.
Carl

[Bean Counter]

I have a coworker selling a Leupold Mark 4 4-14x50mm. It would be a great improvement over my VX-I, my last optic of middle/lower quality. I think the Mark 4 sells for like $1,200+ so at $700 it sounded like a screaming deal. I checked local Craigslist adds and found a lotof 50mm scopes for sale..... Hmmm..  Are people not happu with 50mm scopes? It would seem so. I have a lot of the reservations that Carl spelled out above. I passed on the Mark 4 and wouldnt  you know its still for sale.

Let us know what you decide on.

[JimmyHoffa]

The tube diameter can make use the objective lens.  If your two options are both one inch tubes, then I don't think you gain much with a 50 vs a 42.  If the tube is 30mm or higher, then you can take full advantage.  At least that is how I've heard it. 
For the other question about scope height, it is personal preference.  Identical guns with identical ammuntion but different scope heights will have different trajectories eventhough the ballistics are the same. Just need to know YOUR setup and how it will react.  Just because a publisher says a bullet will drop 3 inches from 100 to 200 yards, doesn't mean it will for your rifle---if the scope is much higher than the test gun--it might rise 3 inches.

[Bob33]

The issue of scope height has more to do with cheek weld and sight alignment than trajectory.  If you have to lift your face off the stock to see through the scope, that's not a good thing.  Low mounts allow you to keep you face firmly touching the stock which should improve accuracy.

[Bean Counter]

The tube diameter can make use the objective lens.  If your two options are both one inch tubes, then I don't think you gain much with a 50 vs a 42.  If the tube is 30mm or higher, then you can take full advantage.  At least that is how I've heard it. 
...

The Mark 4 has the.larger 30mm tube but im with Bob that the.cheek weld is different. I dont like 'different.' Consistency = accuracy.

Wider tubes also.enable a greater range of angular adjustment. So  when that buck of a life time steps ou at 1,000 yards but youve only zeroed at 200 yards, your new bad azz scope will let you do some quick math and start lobbing rounds down range. Who needs to bother to stalk after droppin' coin on a sniper scope..


.... Just kidding

[NoBark]

Well, I pulled the trigger on the 42.  I like the lower profile and I am not a long range shooter.  Thanks for the thoughts!!

[high country]

Good choice. What brand/model?

[Quackin_Archer]

awesome thread. Answered my question aswell      

[NoBark]

Good choice. What brand/model?

I'm a bit of a dutchman, always looking for the best deal etc, but I also like quality stuff and don't like buying things twice.  I also kinda shy away from what everone else has.  Ha, psychoanalasis in a sentence. 

All that to say I threw the dice and went with a relatively new brand in the states with a long history in Europe.  I got the Minox 3-15 X 42. Has Schott glass and lifetime warrenty.

Should be here in about a week.