# whats the best scope for hunting under moonlight?



## coyotehunter243 (Mar 4, 2010)

I live in missouri and we can't hunt with lights but can hunt at night with natural light from the moon. So I was wondering what scopes have the best light gathering abillty that's afforadable.


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## bar-d (Feb 3, 2010)

Check out Bushnell Banner Dusk/Dawn in a 3-9 or 4-12x40. They are not top of the line optics but they are capable of gathering more light that your run of the mill economy scopes. I have a 4-12x40 on my .308.


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## coyotehunter243 (Mar 4, 2010)

Thanks a lot I will have to check them out.


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## Turbo (Feb 28, 2010)

I have a Nikon Coyote Special in 4.5x14 40mm and it gathers a great amount of light at night. I would imagine this would be ideal for what you looking to do, and it's reasonably priced. Check out some of the post in hunting gear and look it up, there is some good info it.


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## Cliffy (Mar 7, 2010)

TRY to buy a scope of 3x or less magnification, because the more it magnifies the less light enters unless one buys a $2000 optic. How FAR do you want to SEE in relative darkness? If fifty yards will suffice, a $300 optic should suffice. I have a 4.5x14-40mm Nikon Buckmaster scope, yet I don't consider it a night-shooter even at $240.


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## Cliffy (Mar 7, 2010)

These low-power scopes are best for close-range shooting, in DARK shooting conditions for night-time barely nothing visibile conditions, nothing is better than some substantial light conditions, but when necessary . . . Prices vary widely as one would expect. Shooting in the dark requires extremely reasonable shooting range. If you've tried, you ALREADY know that. 1x scopes are tops. Cliffy, the afternoon shooter requiring substantial brighness.


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## coyotehunter243 (Mar 4, 2010)

Thank you the only question I have is does the cotote specal have the circles or do some. Models have. Full cross hairs? and I will have to try to get a low power scope. I use my 243 for both day and night hunting so I want a scope that will go low powre but also high for long shots during day light. Thanks for the help guys


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## Turbo (Feb 28, 2010)

the Nikon is only a 40mm objective therefore great for both night and day, with no need for a sunshade. It does have the BDC style retical (it has the circles). I have one my Savage Predator 10 .223 that is sighted in at 100yrds and the scope is dead on at 200yrds and 300yrds. I didn't have any problems with keeping tight groups with circle style retical either. It is fully adjustable from 4.5 power to full power at 14, and with the adjustable parlax you can keep the image nice and crisp. it also comes in a 3x9 by 40mm if your interested, but I think you will be better off with the larger scope for predator, deer or whatever hunting your doing. Just my personal opinion.


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## coyotehunter243 (Mar 4, 2010)

Ok thank you that's what I have always wondered about the coyote scope. I'm using my 243 for coyotes only I have a 300 ultra mag for deer. I thouhgt about taking the scope off of it but it cost to much and is to pain fill to sight back in . I have a bushnell 6x18 by 50mm. But I'm gonna look into the coyote scope. Thank you for the help


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## HD56PAN (Apr 10, 2010)

Here in NY I use a 22mag with night vision scope


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## jas41 (Nov 12, 2010)

The best night time scope that i've found is a nikko sterling night eater. there made for night hunting and the are around 200 bucks i have 3 of them now. I have 4-16x44 there like shooting in the daylight.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Hey...go cheap. Red dots work great and can be turned down light wise that is. As long as you can see the critter you are good to go.


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## knapper (Feb 5, 2010)

I would have put my money on a 50 mm objective lens with a 30 mm tube so more light will get through.


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

That too work as my .222 mag is set up that way. I still have problems locating the crosshairs though.


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## RoughNeck (Mar 16, 2010)

After doing alot of night hunting I have found that if your using a nikon scope make sure it has the nikonplex crosshairs way easier to see and also it helps if you practice shooting at night with a spot light


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## On a call (Mar 3, 2010)

Night vision leagal ?


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## coyotehunter243 (Mar 4, 2010)

No I wish they was legal. In missouri all we are allowed is the natural light which sucks! Lol! But its the law so that's what I got to do, I got a bushnells banner and it seams real good for the price.


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## El Gato Loco (Jan 15, 2010)

Turbo said:


> I have a Nikon Coyote Special in 4.5x14 40mm and it gathers a great amount of light at night. I would imagine this would be ideal for what you looking to do, and it's reasonably priced. Check out some of the post in hunting gear and look it up, there is some good info it.


Have you tried your coyote special at night without a light? I ask because I have 2 of them and haven't experimented without light yet. I honestly didn't think it would be that great in extreme low light conditions. It's fine for me under a spotlight though. You know we're spoiled and don't have to worry about that pesky "moonlight" here in TX.


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## SWAMPBUCK10PT (Apr 5, 2010)

*2 1/2 x 10 x 5o vortex crossfire, crosshair lighted center red dot 11 lite settings-----on sale $159.00 shipped-optic best buy---the best night time scope for the money-my-2 cents---sb
*


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## Furtaker (Dec 11, 2010)

I would just send the money and get a leupold. I have tried a lot of scopes but the glass in the Leupold is hard to beat. You can go to gunbroker.com and pick up a used Leupold cheap if you watch the items every day. The thing about buying a used Leupold is they have a lifetime warranty and dont ask question. On a good moon lit night it's like it was day light. Save up and send the money, optics at night are one of the most important tools. They come in fast and a lot of times you need to find them in your scope fast.


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## coyotehunter243 (Mar 4, 2010)

One day I'd like to have a leupold but unfortunately I don't have that kind of budget yet I would like to have one oneday though.


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## Guest (Jan 8, 2012)

i know im a little late weighing in, but I shoot a Millett 4x16x56 with a 30 mm tube mounted on top of a custom build AR. i would have put a "better" scope on top, but after if got started, i found that the Millett far exceeded my expectations for night hunting, as well as accuracy/ Im from texas, and we can use lights, but it picks up a lot of light even without it. hope this helps someone, even if you have already put something on your gun. Good hunting.


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## Antlerz22 (Apr 18, 2011)

Late as well, also look into the Pentax lightseekers they are high midrange priced but have excellent light transmission. Most importantly some scope mfgs post their light gathering capabilities in a percent. The nikon CS is around 92% if I remember correctly. There are some scopes with 97% which is almost perfect. So definitely budget has a lot to do with it. If you go with published percent rates you know what you're getting. If not then you have to physically take the scope outside and look through it at dusk and see and compare to comparable scopes as well. Thats how I settled on my pentax, it was as good as the kahles, swarovski, and zeiss--the kicker there was the high dollar scopes had 56mm objectives, whereas the pentax had a 42mm---BUT to the human eye there was no difference in brightness. So I bought the pentax, however the numbers on light gathering from the high end scopes was only slightly higher--something your eye could never detect--so why pay 1300$ apx where a 500$ scope will do the same. And my field of view was as good as well. So also look at field of view, its something a lot of people never consider when buying a scope. In a nutshell--put all the scopes you are considering on the lowest power, then on high; what you want to see is a WIDER view at any given power. A better scope will offer a wider view and because of this it also translates into better light gathering.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

yote!! said:


> i know im a little late weighing in, but I shoot a Millett 4x16x56 with a 30 mm tube mounted on top of a custom build AR. i would have put a "better" scope on top, but after if got started, i found that the Millett far exceeded my expectations for night hunting, as well as accuracy/ Im from texas, and we can use lights, but it picks up a lot of light even without it. hope this helps someone, even if you have already put something on your gun. Good hunting.


Welcome to the forum Yote !


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## Guest (Jan 9, 2012)

thanks youngdon!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Enjoy yourself here Yote, There is a wealth of information hidden away here. If you have questions just post up.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Everything you ever wanted to know about riflescopes.

http://www.opticsplanet.net/how-to-choose-riflescope.html#ch08


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## fr3db3ar (Aug 6, 2011)

can the old starlights still be found? I know they used them in Nam.


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