Who makes the best low light condition 3-9x40 scope in the 3 to 400 dollar range? The Zeiss Conquest seems like a candidate but it's hard to tell much under the flourescent lights of a gun store.

I'd just make sure it's fully multi-coated and go from there. Most in that price range will be pretty good. If low-light at 9x was important I might opt for a 50mm to get the exit pupil larger.

[ 08-19-2003, 06:17: Message edited by: steve y ]

Optics is a well-understood technology, and no manufacturer has a "secret recipe" that lets them make a scope that others cannot duplicate.

The thing that limits your ability to spot a deer at twilight is NOT the size of the objective lens, or the light transmission percentage, under practically all real-world conditions.

The thing that DOES limit your ability to spot a deer at twilight is signal to noise ratio, or contrast. Light that is scattered in the scope tube covers shadow detail, i.e., limits contrast.

Get the store to let you take a scope outside, just before sunset. Pick a target across the parking lot, a few degrees away from the sun, in the shade. Have your buddy hold his hand so the objective lens is shaded, then have him remove it, so the off-axis sunlight is scattered in the tube. If you don't see a big change in the light level of your target, the scope does a good job of suppressing scattered light, and you'll be able to see deer at twilight.

I find the conquest to have the best lenses and coatings in it's price range.It is also very rugged as even my 338x8mmremmag has not had any problems holding zero.I would avoid 50mm scopes as they have to be mounted too high for a proper cheek position on the stock and they do not fit in saddle scabbards if you ever go on a horseback hunt.

Steve,

I am not familiar with field use on the Zeiss or some of the other German scopes. I look at them like a do a BMW, Nice car but not worth it in my book; To much " trying to impress the Jones's".

I still think a good old Leupold 3 x 9 is fine. I deviated once off of that path and got a Nikon scope. While it is a good scope, give me the Leupold any day. I can see better thru the Leupold.

Not intentionally trying to star a "scope wars" in here. Zeiss and the others are great scopes. I just don't see much that beat a Leupold Var X 2 in my book. Even their own Vari X 3 I think is overpriced for what I can use it for.

For economy scopes I have a affinity to the Weaver straight 4 and 6 powers. Course antiques like me also hunt with Round Nose bullets. So ask any guy who is into the new " high tech" stuff, what does Seafire know? He even uses Round Nose bullets!!!! He doesn't even see the need for a magnum!!!!

In the range you spoke of, I like the Leupold variX III 3.5-10. The Zeiss is a very nice piece of glass, but it seems like you're looking down a pipe compared to the Leupold. If low light is the most important criteria, I'd get the heavy duplex reticle on the leupold.

Gabe

I second what seafire said. In saying that if I had the cash I suppose I would own them, but I don't have any money and I reckon the Vari X 11 leupolds are pretty hard to beat for good allround value.

No fault found here. My first big game rifle had a Vari-x II 3x9. Took many whitetails with that rig, but after 10 years I couldn't figure why I needed so much magnification. I put a Vari-X II 2x7 and found the perfect big game scope.(IMO)

I'm now a 1-4x and 2x7 man, except for the 9.5 oz. Leupold compact 3x9, and I'd wouldn't have that if they made their compact 2x7 in matte.

I'm no great fan of 50mm, and I never thought about scabbards because 9x are somewhat in the varmint power range for me. The objections about ring height I share entirely, especially for factory-stocked rifles.

Personally I've yet to find game with my binoculars and certainly not with my eye that I couldn't then find in my $300 scope at dawn or dusk to make the shot. Since you should not be glassing with your scope it need not be your best piece of optical gear, IMO.

To answer your question......I would have to tip my hat to the Nikon Monarch given your requirements. It has 95% light transmission. I have several of the 3-9x40's. I use them to hunt predators and hogs in very low/no light conditions. The Nikon, Vari X-III, and Elite 4200 are all pretty close though. The Zeiss does not have the light gathering ability of the Nikon, but the folks that have them like them. I don't have first hand knowledge of them. Clear as mud??????

Good Hunting,

Bob

Any top rated scope, Leupold VariXIII, Zeiss, Bushnell Elite 4200, etc. will work. The big thing to remember is one looses the reticle before loosing too much of the image. So buy one with a Heavy Duplex, or any of the special low light reticles like the #4, or 4a.
Zeiss Conquest apparently come with a slightly heavier reticle than the standard Leupold Duplex.
Any good 6X will work as well, like the 6X36 Leupold. I've got two 6X42 Leupolds that work under all twilight conditions. The 4a equipped one works on all but the darkest nights. E