I am not sure where to post this so please move it if needed. I am deer hunting with my 30 30 14 inch ported contender. I have a Weaver 2.5 x 8 scope on it. This setup shoots great under normal light but I have problems seeing anything the first few and last few minutes of legal shooting light. Sometimes the scope blackouts and sometimes I just can not see the cross hairs. Am I missing something or is this just normal for a handgun in low light. I am not trying to be able to shoot before or after legal light but I do not want to give up the most productive time for hunting deer here. I thought about putt ing a rifle scope on either my 223 or 30 30 contender for this time of day shooting. Any words of wisdom will be listened to. Thanks

Sounds like scope quality to me.

RH 1954 -

I originally (1995) setup my 358JDJ Contender with a Simmons variable scope. Like you I had no issues until it was at first or last light near total blackout. I now use either Burris or Leupold and have no issues with blackout at low light conditions.

B..

What pistol scopes are good in low light?

Ernie do you have any suggestions?

I use leupold variable scopes and find them better at distance in low light then my own eyes or a red-dot.

IMHO the dividing line between cheap and expensive optics is low light performance. I have yet to see a cheap optic of any sort perform well in low light situations. Also IMHO every pistol scope besides the leupold that I have used is cheap. I would expect the fixed scopes to perform better then the variable at comparable power.

In MN, we can hunt 30 min before and after sun rise and set. Where we hunt, ~50% of the deer are seen in those periods before or after sun rise and set. We also hunt in a bowl surrounded by trees and hills, so it gets dark fast. I had no problem shooting a doe at ~15 min past sun set with the leupold scope @ 60 yards, but had a bugger of a time shooting a buck the weekend before @100 yards with a red-dot at a similar time.

I never had the issue because i didnt kill one that close to dark where i hunted. If it were a ?few minutes? id live with it probably lol.

When you stretch the distance from the eye to the scope you are going to lose some light, as well as FOV. I went to a rifle scope on my 7-30 barrel to help with these issues.

Rod, does your 7=30 have a break on it?

+I've used 3-12X BPlexes shooting crop damage deer by the moonlight and nothing else, BUT on 3X. Lower power lets more light in.

No it doesn't have a brake. The scope does have fairly forgiving eye relief tho, about 6" at 3x.

Have you tried using the scope on the lowest setting?

The only problem I have had with low light is when the sun rises or sets 5 or 7 o'clock from the direction the scope facing. For a few minutes the scope is washed out. Usually it is in the first or last light. Once the sun comes up a little bit more all is good. I don't have that problem if I am hunting and facing any other direction.

It happens on both Burris 2x7 or 3x12 scopes that I have

Could easily shoot this morning at 7:30 with scope or aimpoint. Well before the sun cleared the ridge. If its too dark to shoot they win that round,and I'm good with that.

Seems like Zee mounted a Vortex Scout Scope on his CVA .243. Check with him ... it might be an option for you.

RedHawk 1954 I had one of my older Burris 2.5-7 scopes die last year. Burris replaced it with a NEW 2-7 Plex. You can see through it in low light on 2X. It is much clearer than my older Burris scopes. The Duplex Reticle stands out well also in low light.

I have a couple of the 30mm MatchDot II sights that have a 2 MOA Dot Size option. In low light the 2 MOA Dot set on 1 on the Brightness Dial does not bloom bad. I can see through it in very low light, and also get on target.

My brother has the same 2-8 Weaver scope on a Contender barrel. I was checking it out a while back. Best that I remember the Reticle did not stand out very well in low light.

I have no experience with new Leupold pistol scopes, but I have no doubt they are very clear in low light.

Bob

The guys here have it covered, IMHO. Basically, scope quality is the most important, then use it on the lower powers. And pay attention to the scope lens sizing; theoretically the larger diameter the better the light transmission (again though, QUALITY).

I experienced the phenomenon of how scope power affects light transmission when sighting on my doe antelope a few weeks ago: I was using a Leupold 2.5X8 on my 6.5 JDJ Contender, and it was approx. 15 minutes after sunset. At 8 power it was too dark to see the crosshairs, so I turned it down to 5 or 6 and I was able to put a one shot kill bullet through her.

Halloween Doe