Is glass quality in scopes actually a factor?

[cole96]

Yes it absolutely is. Maybe not for everyone. But as a primarily whitetail hunter the southeast it is a priority. Not that I want the rest ti be junk, but glass is at the top for me

 

[OneGunTex]

I will say i've gotten behind some buddies cheap scopes that I absolutely wouldn't tolerate the glass quality in though. One that sticks out is a vortex viper HSLR 4-16. I used to have a 4-16 PST g1 that i knew glass sucked but shooting my buddys viper was a good reminder - I wouldn't accept that now days.

This is funny to me, given that in my comment above I was extolling the virtues of Vortex Viper glass. ... when compared to a no-name Walmart combo scope. The Viper glass looks pretty similar to my Gen 1 SWFA 3-15. I'm looking forward to trying this new ZeroTech if it's really that much better

 

[Macintosh]

I think good glass on a rifle scope is as-important as good glass on binos or a spotter, there are just fewer criteria to take into account for observation optics. Ie most of the time mediocre is still plenty good, but there are always special cases where it makes a difference. But at least for me it’s not the “#1 criteria at all costs” for either. Like others Ive had a couple situations where conditions were such that I could not see an animal thru the scope that I could thru binos or with my naked eyes, and it cost me the opportunity, or I made it but was left with a noticeable impression of the shortcoming that made it more difficult.

I also think some people legitimately have “special case” situations more frequently than others just by virtue of where and how they hunt.
Shooting hrs a full hour before/after sun
Heavy timber/dark conditions as the norm
Extremely busy/thick brush as the norm
Difficult sun/shade conditions as the norm
Etc

Its just another thing to add to the priority list, which might rank slightly differently for different people.
Reliablility
Reticle
Glass
Weight/size (depends, maybe #3 sometimes)
Etc

 

[streamerfish]

I think good glass on a rifle scope is as-important as good glass on binos or a spotter. Ie most of the time mediocre is plenty good, but there are always special cases where it makes a difference. Like others Ive had a couple situations where conditions were such that I could not see an animal thru the scope that I could thru binos or with my naked eyes, and it cost me the opportunity, or I made it but was left with a noticeable impression of the shortcoming that made it more difficult.

I also think some people legitimately have “special case” situations more frequently than others just by virtue of where and how they hunt.
Shooting hrs a full hour before/after sun
Heavy timber/dark conditions as the norm
Extremely busy/thick brush as the norm
Difficult sun/shade conditions as the norm
Etc

Its just another thing to add to the priority list, which might rank slightly differently for different people.
Reliablility
Reticle
Glass
Weight/size (depends, maybe #3 sometimes)
Etc

I don't know first hand. But I can definitely see how legal shooting light being 1hr pre/post sun, could make a difference compared to the 30 minutes pre/post I am used to.

 

[ianpadron]

YES, but with a huge asterisk.

SWFA is the perfect example....there is nothing you can't do with a 3-9 HD

However, try shooting a fixed 6 or 10 with the sun immediately behind or in front of you and you're going to think you're the backcountry version of Ray Charles.

I don't believe anything at all is gained by having Swaro tier glass in a rifle scope, but managing sub-optimal lighting situations is one place where the "better" stuff is worth every penny over the "good enough" glass, IME

 

[eoperator]

For me spotting impacts is easier with good glass especially in lower light conditions.

 

[Chris in TN]

Glass quality comes into play maybe 5% of the time that I hunt,.

But, truth be told, that 5% represents a larger chunk of my hunting than does the percentage of times that I drop my rifle or otherwise overuse/abuse a scope or mount, or need to dial for elevation or hold any windage at all.

So, yeah, I try to take it pretty seriously. But I'll happily admit that today's mediocre glass is more than sufficient for pretty much everything. We've came a long way in the last 20-40 years.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Glass quality is a huge factor.

 

[jaredg]

A different perspective here.

I have damaged my eyes enough times that I require alpha glass in everything I use including eyewear. Put it this way, I'm starting with way less vision than most & I need all the advantage I can get. I use Swaro and S&B.

I'm a glass nerd and love being able to put a well adjusted alpha optic up to my eyes and feel my vision get crisper.

I have my wife and son to spot game for me because they were lucky enough to be born with exceptional game-vision.

 

[Chris in TN]

A different perspective here.

I have damaged my eyes enough times that I require alpha glass in everything I use including eyewear. Put it this way, I'm starting with way less vision than most & I need all the advantage I can get. I use Swaro and S&B.

I'm a glass nerd and love being able to put a well adjusted alpha optic up to my eyes and feel my vision get crisper.

I have my wife and son to spot game for me because they were lucky enough to be born with exceptional game-vision.

I absolutely get that. My right eye was correctable with contacts until a few years ago then I did a medical treatment that made it worse - a rare but documented side effect - and I now wear a -8.5 contact prescription in my right eye and even at that, it isn't really clear, and it is incredibly hard for me to maintain focus. Shooting at steel or game it doesn't hinder me much in halfway decent lighting conditions, but I'm more sensitive now to less than ideal light.

I can actually see/shoot very well with my left eye (it's not great but is easily correctable with contacts) but I'm awkward trying to do so. I've shot deer when I had to that way - like hunting from a ladder and something shows up to my right side - but it ain't pretty.

 

[jaredg]

I forced myself to become ambidextrous in my forties. It's way easier then you think, takes way less time then most would imagine. Found out I shoot better left handed.

 

[Chris in TN]

I forced myself to become ambidextrous in my forties. It's way easier then you think, takes way less time then most would imagine. Found out I shoot better left handed.

I don't think I've ever missed an animal left handed - I only do it when I have to, and that's usually close - and I actually have practiced a fair bit over the years from the wrong side. But I am still incredibly awkward at it with a rifle, and utterly hopeless with a shotgun, nevermind archery gear.

 

[Kurts86]

It’s held me back with a $150 scope in difficult lighting conditions when I could see the deer clearly with Swarovski binoculars.

It’s a non factor once you spend more than a few hundred dollars for hunting applications. It’s arguable if that threshold is $250 or $600 for 10x magnification . The threshold maybe more like $1k once you go up to 15-20x.

I enjoy having better glass in a scope, it isn’t a bad thing neither is it a non factor. It just happens that there are a lot of scopes with good glass that have poor zero retention. I would rather look at a target with a 10x NXS than a 16x vortex viper.

 

[jaredg]

I don't think I've ever missed an animal left handed - I only do it when I have to, and that's usually close - and I actually have practiced a fair bit over the years from the wrong side. But I am still incredibly awkward at it with a rifle, and utterly hopeless with a shotgun, nevermind archery gear.

There is no wrong side. Just your dangerous side and you're more dangerous side. The last hurdle for me was archery. Shotgun was what I was most worried about most but was first day first shot easy.

Honestly, we don't really get to pick the most effective position to take a shot, might as well be well trained in every way possible.

BTW I never did learn to throw a ball or use chopsticks left handed. PM if you want some pointers that helped me with shotgun and bow. It's actually easy when you overcome a few fast things.