But the problem with a large objective lens is you have to use a higher scope mount, which can put the scope too far above the gun , making it uncomfortable, and inaccurate to shoot . You will find that you will shoot better, if your cheek is firmly against the stock, so your head becomes part of the gun. This is very important especially when shooting heavier caliber guns. When you fire the gun ,you want not only your shoulder and upper body to move with the recoil , but also you head , which should move with unison with the gun as it recoils , thus maintaining the distance your eye is from the scope .The last thing you want is your head hovering off the stock to see through a scope with a high mount , because now you are in danger of the scope recoiling into your eye , possible causing serious injury ,totally ruining a hunting trip, which I have witnessed on a few occasions, not a pleasant experience!!!The folks at Leupold have solved that issue with their brand new scope the VX Model.
Hunting Tips To Make You A Better Hunter - Lloyd Kimmen
Ever been out hunting for deer during the gun season, and the sun has just set, and the light is fading quickly, suddenly you see movement? And in the low light you see the form of a deer perhaps 60-80 yards away, but you can’t tell if it’s a buck or a doe? Heck, you would have a hard time even hitting it, let alone hitting it right where you want.
My answer is simple, since it has such a large objective lens, (due to the large magnification), I mean this is a big varmint type scope, when you turn it down to 4 X, even when it is so dark I can hardly see the deer, through the scope I can see all the details, what it’s doing, if it has horns, etc..As due to the huge size of the objective lens, it gobbles up what ever light is available, and magnifies the image, so you can make a clean, accurate shot with confidence, and besides if there is plenty of light, I can crank up the magnification, to 9 or 12X, and if you have a solid rest, you can almost see the exact hair you want to hit.
I compared the Leupold to every other brand I have, and I got to say , the amount of detail the I see low light from this scope compared to the rest of them is remarkable , I mean some of the scopes were so dark at dusk , it was hard for me to see my 3-D archery deer target at 150 yards , looking through the Leupold scope I could see the individual weeds at that range!!!!
So if your in the market for a scope, remember sometimes even an expensive brand, won’t allow you to see the target better in low light, or in the bright light of the store, see if they will let you take a few different scopes out back, behind the store, in the late evening, and compare them, always buy the biggest objective lens scope that you can afford, it will make you ”Become a Better Hunter”.
This novel scope has the big objective lens , but it can be used with a low scope mount , as the Objective lens end of the scope actually has a contoured notch in the housing, which allows the scope to be mounted lower than if it were perfectly round. Now you have the best of both worlds, you can have a very large objective lens, and the scope can still be mounted low to the gun , so accuracy and comfort are not compromised . I tested out the Leupold 3-9 X 56MM Vari - powered VXL, the scope is crystal clear, and unbelievable in low light, and the range finder crosshairs is an added bonus, I used it on my test rifle a 308 caliber Browning A-bolt with the Boss system. The scope performed flawlessly, holding zero through many hunting trips and numerous extreme(snowy and muddy) rides on my Bombardier Quad at 65 plus MPH. The neoprene scope sleeve that comes with the Leupold protects it well, and easily slips off and into your pocket.
If you use open sights, you know what I mean, you feel a little uncomfortable taking the shot, because your sight is hard to see, and the deer even harder, even with a 4X scope it was almost impossible to make the shot. This happened to me a long time ago, until I figured out what the problem was. You see all 4X scopes are not created equal, let me explain. What you see with the human eye in low light and what you can see through a rifle scope in the same light are 2 very different things. Although you benefit from the magnification of a rifle scope, there is a trade off. As you increase the magnification on a variable power scope, say a 3-9X, you actually lose some brightness, so the scope is brighter in low light at 3X, than it is at 9X. So basically you can see the animal better in low light at 3X,than at 9X.But , that is only part of the reason, the light gathering characteristics of any rifle scope , depends on the objective lens of the scope , which would be the end opposite that you look through. So, although you have 2 different makes or brands of scopes, that are both 3-9 X power, the one with the greater objective lens, will gather more light, all other things being equal, and allow you to see your target better in low light, than the one with the smaller objective lens. On both my 12 gauge slug gun and my .308 rifle I have Burris 4-16 X variable Rifle scopes on both. I know what you’re going to say,”What the heck do you need a 4-16X scope on a slug gun for?”