Scope diameter
I am in the market for a new scope(s). I have narrowed my search down to the Bushnell Elite 4200 series - either the 4-16X40mmSF (30mm diameter tube - ?), or the 4-16X50mmSF (one inch diameter tube - ?). Most retailers/sellers do not list the tube diameter when listing these scopes and I am not sure how it will effect things. I recently read an article that said the one inch tube raises your site line and requires a higher cheek rest position that could ultimately effect a persons shooting performance. Can anyone shed some light on this subject for me. Thank you.
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Incidently, I am looking to mount these scopes on a 270 WSSM (deer hunting), a 6MM (varmint hunting), a 308 (deer hunting), and/or a 223 (varmint hunting). For the varmint rifles woud it be to my advantage to go to the 6-24X40mm or 50mm, or even, the 8-32X40mm or 50mm? Thanks. 0 -
Welcome to the Forum,I have some pistol scopes that are 30mm. I'll never buy one inch tubes if I can get the scope I want in 30mm. [^] 0 -
Thanks for the advice and letting me know your choice of preference, but how does the tube diameter effect things? ie. Does it improve light transmission? 0 -
Look carefully at the specs of the scope you want, and compare interior glass to the same makers 1" scopes. If the internal glass is not larger, and it often is not, there is no light transmission advantage to the larger diameter scope. 1" scopes have been standerd here for decades. 30mm was standard in Europe. Selling 30mm here is largely a marketing decision. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by pjd5503
I am in the market for a new scope(s). I have narrowed my search down to the Bushnell Elite 4200 series - either the 4-16X40mmSF (30mm diameter tube - ?), or the 4-16X50mmSF (one inch diameter tube - ?). Most retailers/sellers do not list the tube diameter when listing these scopes and I am not sure how it will effect things. I recently read an article that said the one inch tube raises your site line and requires a higher cheek rest position that could ultimately effect a persons shooting performance. Can anyone shed some light on this subject for me. Thank you.
First of all, the last time I checked 30mm (ie 1.18 inches) was greater in diameter than one inch (ie 25.4mm).
So unless I'm missing something here, all else being equal, its the 30mm tube that will raise your sight line.
By how much? Well, assuming identical height mounts (which we actually should NOT assume, see below) the 30 mm would raise your line of sight by half the difference in diameter or 2.3 mm.
As comparison, a US nickel is about 1.95 mm thick.
In your case, the more important factor isn't the diameter of the tube, its the diameter of the objective lens, since that's probably going to be the true limiting factor controlling how low you can get the scope to your gun. Ideally, you want to get the scope down as low as possible to the gun bore to prevent offset errors from gun cant, and other issues.
Here the 50mm exit lens on the 1 inch scope might require a (5mm) higher mount than the 40mm lens on the 30mm scope.
All that said, theoretical concerns about what "might" disturb a sight picture are a lot less interesting than practical reality that happens when you place YOUR actual cheek on your actual gun with an actual scope and sight mount.
For all you know, you may WANT a slighly higher setup to work with your particular anatomy or gun design.
Also, there is more to it than just the scope. The height of your gun's comb and the scope mount are factors too. Each of these are potentially adjustable, with you selecting higher/lower scope rings, or adding an additional cheekrest to your gun to raise up your eye.
As to what magnification you use, that's going to depend on what range you're going to be shooting at. Unless you think you're NEVER going to take a close range shot, a scope with a lowest magnification of 8x may be a bit much.0 -
I used to have 40 mm scopes... After buying a bushnell elite 4200 4x16x50 I'll never buy another 40 scope again. In low light I can see better with the 50 than with my eye, with the 40 in low light I can see better with my eye. The 50 has a bigger "picture". I used the scope on my Bar 300...a5x15x50 bushnell on my black powder. The RainGuard is amazing!!! I also have a 5x22x50 30 mm NightForce scope on my Rem. 300; I luv it , but I wish it had the RainGuard. U will luv any of the bushnell elite scopes... In the daylight I don't think having the 40 would hurt u any. 0 -
quote:Originally posted by pjd5503
Thanks for the advice and letting me know your choice of preference, but how does the tube diameter effect things? ie. Does it improve light transmission?
No.
The biggest factors influencing image brightness are objective lens diameter and quality of the lenses and coatings.
Diameter of the internal lenses barely matters at all. And note that as mentioned by He-Dog, some of the manufacturers so-called 30mm scopes use the exact same lenses as the 1-inch scopes.
There are three advantages to a 30mm tube, and one of them is really more theoretical than practical.
-Being wider, a 30mm tube is potentially physically stronger than 1" tube. In practice, you're probably never going to actually beat your scope to the point where the greater tube strength is going to come into play.
-Next, its a little easier for the manufacturers to physically build a 30mm tube, since there is more working room in there.
-The biggest real-world advantage to a 30mm tube is just that it potentially has more adjustment range in windage and elevation than a 1-incher. Useful *IF* you like to shoot at really long ranges and need to take advantage of it.0 -
quote:Originally posted by beantownshootah
-The biggest real-world advantage to a 30mm tube is just that it potentially has more adjustment range in windage and elevation than a 1-incher. Useful *IF* you like to shoot at really long ranges and need to take advantage of it.
Lets quote this, because everyone is getting off topic here. This is the only advantage of a 30mm scope tube over a 1" scope tube.0 -
I do not like 30 mm scopes, they are too big and heavy. 0
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