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Bushnell has Rainguard, why doesn't anybody else?

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19 January 2006, 19:56
Sergeant_Sabre
Bushnell has Rainguard, why doesn't anybody else?
Bushnell's Rainguard coating has been standard on thier elite scopes for a few years now. From what anectodal reports I have heard, it works as advertised.

Why has no other manufacturer added a similar coating to thier scopes?

I see Leupold has something called Raincoat, but isn't that another lens that you have to buy that screws on to each end of your scope?

What am I missing here?
19 January 2006, 20:30
Rick 0311
Do you wear rain gear when it isn’t raining?

Perhaps the philosophy is similar when it comes to coatings on lenses, since any coating is going to degrade the image to some degree why have it on there all the time when it isn’t needed.
19 January 2006, 20:53
Dutch
There are other manufacturers that have their version of "hydrophobic" coatings. The new Simmons and Redfields come to mind. FWIW, Dutch.


Life's too short to hunt with an ugly dog.
20 January 2006, 05:30
wrongtarget
Others do, Simmons do now and S&Ws have a similar coating called RainShield.

http://www.gunaccessories.com/SWOptics/RifleScopes.asp
22 January 2006, 07:54
Big Bore Boar Hunter
Leupold has a screw on rain guard as an accessory.

John
24 January 2006, 18:15
Reloader
quote:
Leupold has a screw on rain guard as an accessory.


Yes they do and they are darn proud of them too. Absolutely ridiculous how much they charge for some of their ad-ons. I don't think I'll ever go w/ Leupie again. I'd rather spend my $ on Zeiss or Nikon and get more bang for the buck.

Reloader
24 January 2006, 21:30
Rick 0311
quote:
Originally posted by Reloader:
quote:
Leupold has a screw on rain guard as an accessory.


Yes they do and they are darn proud of them too. Absolutely ridiculous how much they charge for some of their ad-ons. I don't think I'll ever go w/ Leupie again. I'd rather spend my $ on Zeiss or Nikon and get more bang for the buck.

Reloader


Personally, I think I would rather have a screw on “rain protector†that I could easily replace when the coating starts wearing off rather than have to send my scope back to the factory to get it re-coated.

Rain proof coatings reduce the amount of light passing through the lens and it is silly to have that feature as a permanent part of the system unless you use your rifle in nothing but rainy weather.

Like I said earlier, do you wear a rain coat when its sunny...or sun glasses at night?
24 January 2006, 23:59
Stonecreek
quote:

Like I said earlier, do you wear a rain coat when its sunny...or sun glasses at night?


Rick, I think that some of our compatriots here on AR wear a raincoat all of the time -- particularly useful when they're flashing pre-pubescent children on the playground.

If someone really likes to add more light-stiffling gunk to their scope lenses they can go down to the hardware or auto supply and buy some of that slop to smear on that will shed water. I'd prefer to either snap on a removable cover, or better, just wipe away the water drops periodically.
25 January 2006, 01:57
Rick 0311
quote:
Originally posted by Stonecreek:
quote:

Like I said earlier, do you wear a rain coat when its sunny...or sun glasses at night?


Rick, I think that some of our compatriots here on AR wear a raincoat all of the time -- particularly useful when they're flashing pre-pubescent children on the playground.

If someone really likes to add more light-stiffling gunk to their scope lenses they can go down to the hardware or auto supply and buy some of that slop to smear on that will shed water. I'd prefer to either snap on a removable cover, or better, just wipe away the water drops periodically.


35mm photography has been one of my hobbies for a long time and I was always taught that you don’t put ANYTHING in front of, or on, a lens unless there is a definite need and a specific intended purpose for it.

Granted, camera film is far more sensitive to the light coming through the lens than the human eye is...but optics are optics and the same rules apply for all of them when it comes to the laws of the physics of light, and their care and cleaning.