Anyone have experience with Illuminated Reticles for leopard? Any type better than another?

I like the old Kiss principle...I don't want any battery operated nothing on my rifle or any thing else other than a straight sight..I have used on a bit on a borrowed rifle, wasn't impressed with the gimmick...If it ain't broke don't fix it...I am satisfied with the status quo...

Go for it!

Even if the batteries go dead, or the illuminator breaks - you've still got the same reticle available as in a non-illuminated scope.

As to which one is better, well they all look about the same, and all came out about the same time... they probably all employ the same or very similar technology.

dogcat
check out the post "leopard rifle".
After looking at Ziess, Schmidt & Bender, and Leupold, I chose the Swarovski 1.5-6x42 with the circle dot reticle. I have been very happy with it.

Dogcat,
Used one last July with PH John Sharp. He used a red light over bait, my Leupold scope with the lighted reticle made a big difference in seeing the cat. 1 shot and the leopard was down and out. So yes, I BELIEVE in Illumated reticle.
BobGA

I use one of those mini Holo sights for all low light/night shooting. Your leopard will almost certainly be either at first/last light if not actually in the dark. Tritium/Illuminated/Red dot- I like.

I'm a strong believer in the illuminated reticle, the battery ones not the bushnell firefly. The bushnell only lasts for about 15 or 20 minutes. The battery ones last for hours. I've shot probably over 20 head of game because of the red dot. for some reason or another I'm always running into things just about dark. In fact my 200# leopard that I shot 2 years ago, wouldn't have been gotten without the red dot.

I used a Trijicon 3-9X40 with tritium illuminated post reticle (red triangle) on leopard hunts in Zim in '01 and '02. I ended up taking a nice leopard on the '02 hunt.

I also tried their 1.25-4X24 scope with the same reticle, but I could not see the leopard with that scope. I changed to the larger scope, set it on 6X and Bob's your uncle.

The tritium has the virtue of pretty much always being there since it has a half-life of 12+ years.

My opinion after using an illuminated reticle scope for whitetail deer and leopard is they are worth the money.

jim

dogcat

I have both Zeiss and Schmidt+Bender illuminated reticules on my rifles. They are great for early dawn and late evening when the cross hairs disappear on the target. The trick is too keep the dot dim or you will only see the red dot.

On my 1.5-5X20mm Leupold I had Premier Reticles install a German N°1 reticle. What surprised me about the reticle is that in low light it changes color from totally black to black with a gold line running though it which allows easy pick up in low light. No batteries necessary.

Poor Ray....he just doesn't realize that, unlike the old illuminated reticles in his day that used kerosene for illumination, the new ones are wonders of modern chemistry and good batteries.

quote:

Originally posted by DB Bill:
Poor Ray....he just doesn't realize that, unlike the old illuminated reticles in his day that used kerosene for illumination, the new ones are wonders of modern chemistry and good batteries.

That far back, I think it was actually called "coal oil"...

pre-kerosene

quote:

Originally posted by new_guy:

quote:

Originally posted by DB Bill:
Poor Ray....he just doesn't realize that, unlike the old illuminated reticles in his day that used kerosene for illumination, the new ones are wonders of modern chemistry and good batteries.

That far back, I think it was actually called "coal oil"...

pre-kerosene

I'm afraid you're both wrong. That far back in time, an illuminated reticle was when lightning flashed in the sky at night, and thus you could see your reticle for a split second.

At Ray's advanced age I don't know if he could pass a physical that required him to "see lightning and hear thunder".

No. For Ray, an illuminated reticle is a white rock thrown in the moonlight.