Scope queries

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Scope queries

Post by Squiddy » 29 Jun 2016, 7:53 am

I recently purchased a Bushnell 6-24x50 Elite Tactical for long distance target shooting, having weighed it heavily against the Vortex PST and other similar priced scopes $1200-1400.

I ended up with the Bushnell as its made in Japan with Japanese glass and felt solid. Went with the BTR Mil Illuminated as I wanted the mil hash marks without all the other confusing crap (I know everyone loves the G2). Not to mention it was $200 cheaper and covered the cost of the rings.

Looking at them side by side - if the PST and the Bushy have the same magnification specs, so why is the Vortex so much bigger? The bell on it is at least 2" longer? Does the shorter bell affect performance of the scope?

I also have sunshade envy - the Bushnell only came with a 2" sunshade, though as I understand it this is standard even on their more expensive scopes these days.
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Re: Scope queries

Post by Wes » 05 Jul 2016, 12:02 pm

Depends on a dozen different things in the design and what the primary focus is.

A scope isn't just a piece of glass at the front and back obviously. You've got the objective assembly, reticle plane, reversal assembly, aperture plane, ocular assembly etc. Depending on whether it's fixed or variable scope and the magnification range this could be anywhere from 5 to 15 lenses through it.

They all need to align and be within working distances of each other, and whether the primary objective for designwas physical size, magnification, light transmission, blah blah blah will all dictate how things need to be arranged and therefore the space (length) they occupy.
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Re: Scope queries

Post by Wes » 05 Jul 2016, 12:05 pm

Couldn't find a picture of a scope, this is a camera lens, same deal...

lense.jpg
lens internal assembly
lense.jpg (29.67 KiB) Viewed 2131 times
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Re: Scope queries

Post by Squiddy » 05 Jul 2016, 12:16 pm

So within a Vortex are there more lenses or is the distance between the lenses and extended bell housing just bigger? What concerns me is that the Vortex glass would outperform the bushy at distance.

I will admit though - it is a far better looking scope than the Bushnell.
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Re: Scope queries

Post by deye243 » 09 Jul 2016, 12:33 am

Squiddy wrote:So within a Vortex are there more lenses or is the distance between the lenses and extended bell housing just bigger? What concerns me is that the Vortex glass would outperform the bushy at distance.

I will admit though - it is a far better looking scope than the Bushnell.


might be better looking but it is way behind on performance i had a pst and hslr and both were a pos

and the reason i went nightforce he will be a happy camper with the bushnell it has glass in a way

better league
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Re: Scope queries

Post by Wes » 14 Jul 2016, 4:30 pm

Squiddy wrote:So within a Vortex are there more lenses or is the distance between the lenses and extended bell housing just bigger? What concerns me is that the Vortex glass would outperform the bushy at distance.


I don't have any technical data on the Vortex or the Bushnell so couldn't say, my response above was really just general information for your understanding in answer to your "why is the Vortex so much bigger" question.

This is getting more academic than practical but here it is anyway (short answer is go stick one of the scopes to your eye and see which looks best :lol:).

Which has better "performance" though depends on design objectives and constraints.

e.g. larger front elements gather more light than smaller ones, a longer body allows for a longer focal length (more zoom) than a shorter one. All well and good, but, larger elements are larger (duh) and heavier, and lenses designed for longer focal lengths cannot focus at shorter ones... Great to look at distant things in low light, difficult to carry around and use to observe close or mid-range objects of surveying a wide area.

Smaller elements gather less light but benefit in size and weight, intending to focus on shorter lengths allows for a smaller build but restricts possible magnification... Great for carrying all day while you bust bunnies during the day, useless to see into the distance or through the gloom.

Once you're talking about actual scopes and not just design principles size alone basically means nothing.

What you see comes down to lens quality, quantity, arrangement, size, substrate and a handful of other factors not even touched on here.

A scope could be bigger because they are striving for more light gathering or increased magnification, or it could be bigger because to make it easier (cheaper to build) to build.

A smaller objective lense of better quality glass may gather more light than a larger one.

A shorter scope with a better designed lens arrangement may zoom further than a longer one.

High quality plastic may provide a better picture than low quality glass.

And 50 other theoretical this vs that scenarios we could come up with...

About the only thing you can get of a piece of paper to say one lense is better than another is light transmission.

Everything else you need to find a few that fit your purpose, hold them to your eye and see for yourself.
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