LPVO for an AR

[flyfisher117]

LPVOs just aren't fun in lowlight. I have 2 coyote uppers both with LPVOs. I try to love them but I can't. Mine are just low end LPVOs but after borrowing a couple top of the line I didn't see enough of a boost in low light performance to justify.

 

[Long Cut]

LVPO’s in my opinion shine for “game guns” I.E. Tactical Games, 3 Gun, etc… Take an LVPO into the field with low light conditions we commonly experience during hunts and they become marginal at best.

Sure on a wide open range at 2PM on a sunny day shooting white targets with green back drops they’re great, but trying to identify a brown deer with a brown backdrop in woods on an overcast evening… I’ll take a 3-15x42 or 3-9x42 over a 1-8x24 every single time.

We can play Entrance/Exit pupil diameter numbers all day but the 40-50mm objectives will walk away from the 24mm LVPO’s. Sure at 1-3x the LVPO has adequate light transmission, but a 50mm tube will offer the same light transmission out to 7-8x magnification.
Glass quality can only do so much when your objective is nearly half the size…

 

[justinspicher]

I think too many dudes try to make LVPOs work for something that they just aren’t intended to do and end up frustrated and spend more money than necessary.

Unless you take the time to really learn how to use your LVPO, a guy just won’t be as proficient as he could possibly be.

There’s always a trade off, just have to set your priorities.

 

[RockAndSage]

LVPO’s in my opinion shine for “game guns” I.E. Tactical Games, 3 Gun, etc… Take an LVPO into the field with low light conditions we commonly experience during hunts and they become marginal at best.

Sure on a wide open range at 2PM on a sunny day shooting white targets with green back drops they’re great, but trying to identify a brown deer with a brown backdrop in woods on an overcast evening… I’ll take a 3-15x42 or 3-9x42 over a 1-8x24 every single time.

We can play Entrance/Exit pupil diameter numbers all day but the 40-50mm objectives will walk away from the 24mm LVPO’s. Sure at 1-3x the LVPO has adequate light transmission, but a 50mm tube will offer the same light transmission out to 7-8x magnification.
Glass quality can only do so much when your objective is nearly half the size…

Largely agree, with one caveat...

I ended up with a Swarovski Z8i 1-8, because seeing in low light matters to me. And I saw so much of what you're describing above. But this Swaro is comparatively excellent - it's glass blows any other LPVO I've looked through completely out of the water, and it's damn capable in the realities of low-light field conditions.

But my Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x44 is far, far more crisp, clear, and capable in any low-light condition.

 

[justinspicher]

I guess I don’t understand why everyone is trying to shoot in a low light scenario. If you can’t see because it’s getting dark, how is an optic supposed to help you?

 

[RockAndSage]

I guess I don’t understand why everyone is trying to shoot in a low light scenario. If you can’t see because it’s getting dark, how is an optic supposed to help you?

If we're talking hunting, then it can matter on things anywhere from still having legal shoot-light but being in dark timber, to varmints, to predators. A lot depends on the species and circumstances, state laws, etc, whether you can hunt in low/no light, use of white light laws, etc.

Granted, for most people it just may not matter to them, or they may not have a need for it. But all it takes is one legal shot at a trophy buck, that you can see in your binos but can't see through your scope, to permanently value low-light capability.

 

[justinspicher]

If we're talking hunting, then it can matter on things anywhere from still having legal shoot-light but being in dark timber, to varmints, to predators. A lot depends on the species and circumstances, state laws, etc, whether you can hunt in low/no light, use of white light laws, etc.

Granted, for most people it just may not matter to them, or they may not have a need for it. But all it takes is one legal shot at a trophy buck, that you can see in your binos but can't see through your scope, to permanently value low-light capability.

This makes sense, it is what I kinda thought. I just didn’t want to assume.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

Not a fan of LPVO for anything. I had one on my AR pistol and ran into some hogs one night, couldn't see a MFin thing and couldn't get a shot off even with plenty of time. It was a 1+6x24 and didn't matter illuminated or not I could not acquire the targets at about 50 yards. I just have a red dot on it now and it's much more useful. Fast forward to the next trip I put a cheapie Sig Buckmasters 3-9x40 on the SBR and walked back out to the same area in a very similar situation and could see well enough to get shots off even with the 3x opposed to 1 and ended up killing two. That was all I needed to know. I'm sure they're fine in the daylight.

 

[ScreamingPotato]

I guess I don’t understand why everyone is trying to shoot in a low light scenario. If you can’t see because it’s getting dark, how is an optic supposed to help you?

Lotta guys put them on defense weapons. Hopefully for them the intruders will turn the lights on for them.

 

[cgw1984]

I really like the credo 1-8. The razor.1-6 is nice. I absolutely hate my atacr 1-8, and ive yet to find a 1-10 thats worth anything

 

[Fritz D]

I’ve a Credo 3-9x40 on an AR-10. Reticle is an illuminated mil type. Works great down at 3x and all the way up to 9x.