Low Light hunting scope

[Floridave]

Looking for some help with new scope, primary reason is looking for excellent low light performance, those very first and very last moments of legal shooting light in deep dark woods in the southeast.

I have narrowed down to 3, all in the $1200-$1400 range at Eurooptic, all illuminated reticle.
Any thoughts as to which would serve me best? This is not for long range hunting, though I do want to be able to dial for the range.

Schmidt Bender 3-12x50 Klassik LM L3

Swarovski Z5i 2.4-12x50 - BT-4W-I

Trijicon AccuPoint 3-18x50 MOA Ranging Reticle with Green Dot

Zeiss Conquest V6 2.5-15x56mm Illuminated Plex Reticle

 

[Johnwell]

I’d go Schmidt or trijicon from that list.

Some Europeans can hunt at night as long as they don’t use electronics; so my understanding is that Schmidt and Benders are pretty much the top dog in that respect out of those two.

 

[DavidReed]

S&B from that list. Slightly Stretching the budget will get you the S&B 3-12x50 Zenith which is a step up in low light performance over the Klassik. Both are excellent scopes.

 

[dreamingWest]

I would also add Trijicon Accupoint 2.5-10x56 to your list to consider. Full disclaimer, I do not own that scope. I own lots of other Accupoints though and have been considering the 2.5-10x56 for a low light, shorter range whitetail hunting rifle for my son.

 

[Brock63]

I have a Trijicon 2.5x10x56 on a 30-06 and LOVE IT....and my next rifle will have the 3-18x50 on it for the great glass and low light resolution...May actually put on my 280 AI and take scope off of it to give my grandson for his new rifle I bought him. Trijicon is top notch on ruggedness and quality....plus their reticle with non electronic illumination is very good too...if ind the green dot to be precise and easily picked up when hunting.

 

[sdupontjr]

I have had 3 out of the 4 (no swaro), the Klassik is better. Now that I have sold my Klassik, I upgraded to the Polar. Best low legal light optic on the market. What seperates SB from the rest is the illumination. I run a 4-16x56 Polar with elevation turret. It's lockable at any setting as well as has zero stop.

Klassik 2.5x10x56


Polar 4-16x56


Where the SB shines is when the sun goes goes down. Don't do a comparison in daylight. You won't hardly see the difference. It shine when the sun is starting to go down. Reticle makes a huge difference in low light hunting. I run this

Also where SB got this correct is that the illuminated dot is like a pin prick. Thus on the lowest setting its just visible enough so that it doesn't overpower your pupil and blind you. The Zeiss victory HT 3-13x56 (discontinued) was as close to the Polar as they come as far as low light glass and illumination.

I went down this rabbit hole a long time ago. I have legal shooting times with 30 min before sunrise and 30 min after sunset. 90% of my hunting is hardwoods where shots are 150 and in, but I do have open areas that I can go to 400+. Being in the south the foliage on the trees doesn't die until damn near end of December, so the leaves stay on the trees. Thus, blocking out the sun and getting dark waaayyyy before legal times. So when someone tells you that an optic will get you pass legal times, the 1st question you need to ask is where and what terrain do you hunt? Hunting out in west Texas, I can still see 1000 yards in any direction 10 min after the legal 30 min of daylight with my Polar. Here in South Louisiana hard woods, when the sun sets, I turn on my illumination so that its ready for the last 30 min. Of the others on your list, the Trijicon Accupoint is very nice, but I would go 2.5-10x56. Gave that one to my son on his R700.

 

[Glendine]

ZeIss V8 2.8-20X56

 

[Floridave]

I have had 3 out of the 4 (no swaro), the Klassik is better. Now that I have sold my Klassik, I upgraded to the Polar. Best low legal light optic on the market. What seperates SB from the rest is the illumination. I run a 4-16x56 Polar with elevation turret. It's lockable at any setting as well as has zero stop.

Klassik 2.5x10x56
View attachment 1027028

Polar 4-16x56
View attachment 1027025View attachment 1027026

Where the SB shines is when the sun goes goes down. Don't do a comparison in daylight. You won't hardly see the difference. It shine when the sun is starting to go down. Reticle makes a huge difference in low light hunting. I run this
View attachment 1027027
Also where SB got this correct is that the illuminated dot is like a pin prick. Thus on the lowest setting its just visible enough so that it doesn't overpower your pupil and blind you. The Zeiss victory HT 3-13x56 (discontinued) was as close to the Polar as they come as far as low light glass and illumination.

I went down this rabbit hole a long time ago. I have legal shooting times with 30 min before sunrise and 30 min after sunset. 90% of my hunting is hardwoods where shots are 150 and in, but I do have open areas that I can go to 400+. Being in the south the foliage on the trees doesn't die until damn near end of December, so the leaves stay on the trees. Thus, blocking out the sun and getting dark waaayyyy before legal times. So when someone tells you that an optic will get you pass legal times, the 1st question you need to ask is where and what terrain do you hunt? Hunting out in west Texas, I can still see 1000 yards in any direction 10 min after the legal 30 min of daylight with my Polar. Here in South Louisiana hard woods, when the sun sets, I turn on my illumination so that its ready for the last 30 min. Of the others on your list, the Trijicon Accupoint is very nice, but I would go 2.5-10x56. Gave that one to my son on his R700.

My situation is same as yours, I’m usually in North Louisiana or Florida.

 

[777dogman]

i have a swarovski z8i 2x16x50 that is my go to scope for low light hunting. Illuminated reticle is a pin point red dot in the center that can be adjusted to a barely visible glow that does not flood the field of view.

 

[BluMtn]

Trijicon 2.5-15x56 is your huckleberry.

https://www.eurooptic.com/trijicon-credo-hx-25-15x56-sfp-w-red-moa-center-dot-30mm-satin-black-riflescope-

 

[Chris in TN]

I have a Zeiss V6 and I can say the glass is wonderful and while Zeiss scopes haven't fared well in the drop tests here, I bumped the heck out of mine - with my forehead, as I was holding it at port arms and faceplanted into the dirt with the riflescope turrets between my face and the ground - and it didn't budge. Cut my face/nose pretty good though.

But would I buy it again? No. I'd get the S&B based on the drop tests here, then the Trijicon, then the Zeiss, then the Swaro. YMMV.

 

[Kaleb]

thoughts or opinions on this one? I'm pretty ignorant on this subject but to be honest where I live a light sucking scope for a 138 yard shot is probably more practical than me dialing for 389 yards. I see a big price jump in the polar and curious about the difference between them.

Schmidt Bender Polar T96 3-12x54 Illum D7 1cm Scope 756-911-72D | SHIPS FREE! - EuroOptic

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