Selecting The Best Optics

Am Shooting Journal ^ | 6/12/20 | T Claycomb III

[w1n1]

We can all boast life lessons that have taught us certain principles. For me, the optics lesson happened years ago. Ed Sweet, the host of Kid Outdoors, and I would take a lot of kids bear hunting. I'd write articles about the hunts and he’d film them for his show. On one of our first hunts we saw 10 bears in two afternoons. Only once did I spot the bear before anyone else.
That's because my partners had good glass. I had an average pair of binoculars and have realized over the years that I had been missing a lot of game. I started a quest to learn more.

Unfortunately, the old saying "you get what you pay for" is never so true as it is in the optics world. When you buy a set, get the best that you can afford and you'll never be sorry. I've heard a lot of people cuss bad optics, but I’ve never seen anyone regret buying good ones.
I thought I knew most of the optic companies out there and had tested products for at least half of them, but then I attended my first SHOT (Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor and Trade) Show years ago. Wow, was I shocked. I bet there were 50 to 75 optic companies on display.

So, who's the best? What makes one better than another? They all look clear and crisp in the store, don't they? So how can you tell which one to buy, and why spend $2,000 on a pair of binoculars when you can buy a pair for $99? Why would you buy a spotting scope instead of just using your binoculars or the scope on your rifle? Well, let's try to get our sights around these questions.

What does it all mean?
On an 8×42, the 8 signifies the power or magnification. The second number, 42, is the objective size. You preferably want your objective size to be four times the power. If it is less than four times, it won’t let in enough light for low-light conditions like dawn or dusk. The problem is, the higher the objective, the heavier the weight. Therein lies our dilemma.

If you're a sedentary hunter, buy a 10×50, but if you're hiking all day, buy a 10×42. I used to recommend 8×42. My thinking was that when you're huffing and puffing up a mountain and throw up anything larger than an 8x, you wouldn't be stable enough to focus. Years ago, however, I realized how much game I was missing, so I now carry a 10x. Read the rest of hunting optics.

[dsc]

“Try a good optic once and you’ll never go back.”

He’s got that right. My son has a scope that makes hitting your target at 300 yards as easy as reaching out and touching something right in front of you.

[Billthedrill]

It was a bad day for me when I realized that “These old eyes don’t see as well as they used to” thing was grimly real. There may be exceptions but I’m not one of them. I don’t have to like it, but I’ll huff the weight rather than miss the shot.

[FamiliarFace]

Hmmm, so if I want to hit that anarchist coming to set fire to my home before he arrives on my front step, what kind of gun with optics should I get?

[dsc]

“Hmmm, so if I want to hit that anarchist coming to set fire to my home before he arrives on my front step, what kind of gun with optics should I get?”

How close do you plan to let him get?

[FamiliarFace]

I’m not sure exactly what the “law” allows for Castle doctrine, but my mailbox is about 75 feet away from my front door as the crow flies. If someone carrying an obvious weapon gets past that, then I know that person isn’t up to any good. I prefer not to allow anyone any closer than 25 feet, but my front porch is only a couple of feet from my front door, and I consider that much too close for my tastes.

[dsc]

You shouldn’t need any fancy optics at those ranges. Certainly not thousands of dollars worth.