Question about old scope power vs newer scope power.

[Pdawg88]

I have a .7mm WSM that is my go to gun. I have taken it with me the last couple years and really enjoy the way it shoots. When I bought it the rifle came with an older Bushnell that is 4x18. My question is will the glass on a newer scope be so much better to where I could get away with maybe going back with a 3x15? The glass in it now is terrible, and my eyes aren’t getting any younger. Thank you for your help.

 

[RockAndSage]

Newer won't necessarily equate to better glass, but price definitely tends to. By "better", I personally mean giving me the ability to peer into shadows better, and give me the ability to clearly see and shoot targets as early and as late as legal shooting light allows. Glass quality and various optical coatings are a huge part of that.

One of my great frustrations of having really dug into Rokslide the last year or so, is coming to the difficult acceptance that most of the scopes with the best glass are also just not very rugged. This is immensely frustrating. If you haven't dug into the drop-testing threads, it'd definitely worth doing so. Setting aside how well a scope handles being dropped, it's pretty hard to beat Leupold's HD glass, and the VX-5HD is probably the single best value in a scope out there, between price and optical performance.

That said, you should ask yourself what your tolerance is for checking zero before a hunt, and whether or not losing zero is acceptable to you if you drop your rifle, or it takes a hit somehow. As to the scopes that do really well in the drop testing, it seems the Maven 1.2 2.5x-15 is probably the best value around right now, between rugged durability, optical quality, price, and reticles. Nightforce scopes are highly thought of here, as are most of the Trijicons, but I don't know which particular models. That info is in the drop-test threads though.

 

[RWT]

Trijicon credo and Huron passed and are affordable. I believe the glass is an improvement over a scope that is of comparable price from 20 years ago. You also have the satisfaction of knowing it will likely hold zero over many other options.

 

[pacoalcracker]

I have never seen a Jim Shockey hunt where one of his Leupold scopes failed him and if they did he sure as shit would have aired it because he don't cover up bullshit. His hunts are among the most rugged there are and ones 99% of hunters will never see. If Leupolds survive what he puts his rifle thru they can't be all that bad. BTW, he also uses CA rifles to pretty good effect including long range. Seems many RS hate Leupold and CA rifles for some reason. Jim sure likes them! At the price point, you can't expect the Leupold to be as rugged as a Nightforce until you get to the upper end....but their glass quality is better.

 

[Big_wals]

Seems many RS hate Leupold and CA rifles for some reason.

Have you looked at any of the Leupold drop evals on this forum?

 

[madcalfe]

I have never seen a Jim Shockey hunt where one of his Leupold scopes failed him and if they did he sure as shit would have aired it because he don't cover up bullshit. His hunts are among the most rugged there are and ones 99% of hunters will never see. If Leupolds survive what he puts his rifle thru they can't be all that bad. BTW, he also uses CA rifles to pretty good effect including long range. Seems many RS hate Leupold and CA rifles for some reason. Jim sure likes them! At the price point, you can't expect the Leupold to be as rugged as a Nightforce until you get to the upper end....but their glass quality is better.

LMFAO there 100% is aired videos of him missing his shot while using a Leopold scope and him scratching his head on how he missed, pretty sure it was a sheep hunt.....
and him using Leupold and CA rifles doesn't have to do with him liking them its called sponsorship.
Yes VX5HD is almost the perfect scope I've had one. it also went tits up when it wouldn't track properly and this was just from regular dialing not even a drop. CA rifles get a bad rep cause of their quality control issues and there just not worth how much they want for them. The stocks suck, its a crap shoot if the barrel is a shooter and the action is meh.