SCOPE TEST RESULTS FROM an OPTICS LAB.. a MUST READ

[308TIKKA]

http://www.huntchat.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=37531

Swedish magazine Vapentidningen no 6/2004 has printed a consumer lab test for riflescopes suitable for hunting at dusk/dawn.
Their conclusion is that the German/Austrian scopes are by far the best, but the leap from the cheaper US scopes are smaller today than it was at the last test 7 years ago.
Aerotech Telub lab did the scientific testing using spektrofotometers, broad spectral lamps and kolliminators.

The scopes were tested for field of sight, eye relief, "tube effect", ergonomy, click adjustment accuracy, impact change with change of magnification, sharpness and contrast, light transmission, reflexes, twilight performance.
Here's a bit more on the test. unfortunately the scope selection was somewhat limited. And please not that the test was geared towards scopes for post hunting in dark autumn evenings.
The test and description of the test criterias runs over 10 typed pages, so there’s a bit too much work to translate all of that and post them on this forum However, I will post the scoring scales.


Field of view at 100m
0-5m 0 points
5-6m 1 point
6-7m 2 points
7m+ 3 points

Eye relief
0-6cm 0 points
6-8cm 1 point
8-10 2 points
10+ 3 points

Tube effect
Sight picture severly disturbed by tube effect at all magnifications: 0 points
Sight picture severly disturbed at lowest magnification, disturbed at highest: 1 point
Sight picture distusturbed at all magnifications: 2 points
Sight picture disturbed only at lowest magnification: 3 points
Sight picture not disturbed: 4 points

Ergonomy
Magnification ring turns smooth and even: 1 point
Possible to read magnification marking in the dark: 1 point
Quick and smooth focusing: 1 point
Possible to click scope without tools: 1 point
Click adjustment easy to feel: 1 point
Good markings on all adjustments: 1 point
Indication of scope center: 1 point

Sight adjustment
Click adjustment deviation in percent
100-50% 0 points
50-20% 1 point
20-5% 2 points
5-1% 3 points
0% 4 points

Adjustment range at 100m
0-50cm 0 points
50-100cm 1 point
100-200cm 2 points
200-300cm 3 points
300cm+ 4 points

Change of impact with magnification at 100m
5cm+ 0 points
5-1cm 1 point
1cm- 2points
Nil 3points

Resolution and contrast
Field testing, can/cannot see various targets, details and colours under equal conditions and settings
Resolution 0-10 points
Contrast 0-10 points

Anti reflex
Under equal conditions and settings with light source facing the objective

Lenses
Not able to see through scope: 0 points
Sight picture is white, difficult to aim: 1 point
Sight picture is white, but aiming possible: 2 points
Sight picture a little white: 3 points
Sight picture good, but without contrast or colour: 4 points
Sight picture not affected: 5 points

Reticule
Not able to use the reticule: 0 points
Severe shadows and reflexes on it: 1 point
Shadows and reflexes on it: 2 points
A little shiny: 3 points
Sharp but mis-coloured: 4 points
Sharp and black: 5 points

Light transmission at 500-550 nm (twilight light)
Please note that scopes can transmit other wavelengt light better

0-10% 0 points
10-30% 1 point
30-40% 2 points
40-50% 3 points
50-60% 4 points
60-70% 5 points
70-80% 6 points
80-85% 7 points
85-90% 8 points
90-95% 9 points
95-100% 10 points

Twilight performance
Light were progressively reduced and scopes where excluded when it was no longer possible to determine target/crosshairs. Lighted reticules were not used. Scopes where used at all magnifications. Scopes where scored 0 to 10 points according to how little light it was possible to use it in.

Scopes tested:
BSA big cat 3,5-10x42
Burris fullfield II 3,5-10x50
Bushnell elite 4200 2,5-10x40
Docter 3-12x56
Kahles cb 3-12x56
Leupold XIII 3.5-10x50
Meopta artemis 2000 3-12x50
Meopta artemis 3000 3-12x56
Micro Dot 2.5-10x56
Nickel gerhardt 3-12x56
Nightforce np1 3.5-15x56
OXO ontario 3-9x56
Pecar 4-10x56
S&B Zenith 2.5-10x56
S&B 2.5-10x56
Shirstone Gold 4-12x58
Shirstone Gold 3-10x56
Swarovski Habict 2.5-10x56
Tasco Titan 3-12x52
Trijicon accupoint 2.5-10x56
Zeiss diavari z 3-12x56
Zeiss varipoint v 3-12x56
Zeiss diavari v 3-12x56
A short summary of the results below.

Scope name
B resolution (max 10)
C colour & contrast (max 10)
D anti-reflex (max 5+5)
E light transmission (max 10)
F twilight performance (max 10)
G overall test result (including all test results, not just the ones I've printed. Max possible 78)

Remember, this is a lab test, not some testers subjective opinion.

BSA Big cat 3,5-10x: B3 C3 D5 E6 F3 G44
BURRIS FULLFIELD II 3,5-10X: B10 C7 D6 E9 F7 G58
DOCTER 3-12X: B7 C8 D8 E8 F7 G60
KAHLES CB 3-12: B6 C8 D8 E9 F8 G62
LEUPOLD VXIII 3,5-10X:B7 C7 D8 E8 F6 G60
MEOPTA ARTEMIS 3000 3-12X: B7 C7 D7 E7 F7 G57
MEOPTA ARTEMIS 2000 3-12X: B6 C7 D7 E7 F6 G55
MICRO DOT 2,3-10X: B7 C6 D7 E8 F7 G58
NICKEL GERHARDT 3-12X: B9 C8 D8 E9 F9 G66
NIGHTFORCE NP1 3,5-15X: B9 C6 D9 E8 F7 G60
OXO ONTARIO 3-9X: B3 C3 D4 E6 F2 G39
PECAR 4-10X: B5 C6 D6 E8 F5 G46
SCHMIDT UND BENDER ZENITH 2,5-10X: B7 C8 D9 E9 F9 G65
SCHMIDT UND BENDER 2,5-10X: B9 C8 D8 E9 F9 G66
SHIRSTONE GOLD 4-12X: B5 C5 D5 E7 F5 G47
SWAROVSKI HABICT 3-12X: B9 C9 D8 E9 F10 G68
TASCO TITAN 3-12X: B5 C6 D6 E7 F4 G49
TRIJICON ACCUPOINT 2,5-10X: B8 C6 D8 E9 F8 G64
ZEISS DIAVARI Z T 3-12X: B10 C10 D10 E9 F10 G72
ZEISS VARIPOINT V 3-12X: B9 C10 D10 E9 F9 G70
ZEISS DIAVARI V 3-12X: B10 C10 D10 E9 F10 G73

[dave375hh]

There are many ways to slant the outcome of a test like this. Notice that Weaver,  Bushnell, and Nikon were not tested And they were the winners in a test from about three years ago. The Weaver Grand Slam was the overall winner of that test. Notice to that lower grades of Domestic scopes are used. Given the level of the european scopes tested the Leupold should have been an LPS or a MK4 not a VXIII(and was the VXIII a New series or an old one?). The Burris tested was a fullfield why not a Signature Or Black Diamond. They didn't mess with the test they rigged the entrants from the start.

   The new Mustang and John Force's race car are both Mustangs but it's not too hard to figure out which one would win a drag race.

[Graybeard]

Yup I agree, they biased the tests in favor of the European scopes from the get go  :eek:  by eliminating the top end competition that might have out scored them and still cost half as much or less. Besides they spell words funny.  :-D

[308TIKKA]

most regard the Bushnell elite 4200 as on par with the nikon monarch and weaver grand slam in brightness.
while i agree with you that they didnt use the USA's best, i think the elite 4200 is one of our best and I DO SEE Nightforce in their as well, which is highly regarded for optics

[Double D]

Test might be biased towards the type of hunting they do..

I remember back in the late 80's when I had a gunsmithing operation in a sporting goods store.  The got in on a Zeiss buyers program and brought in a long line of Zeiss scopes and binocular.   absolutely fabulous optics. big price tag.

We sold out the entire inventory in no time  After hunting season we had 100% return on the rifle scopes and a very high return on binoculars.  They could not stand up to the wet cold rain of Oregon hunting. Every single scope leaked or fogged.  One guy in particular stands  out in my memory. He came in with some buddies and made fun of them buying those cheap Tasco World Class scopes.  Later when he brought in the fogged up Zeiss he exchanged it for a Tasco World Class. He said not one of his buddies had a problem.  What good is superior optics if they are all fogged up.

[Donaldo]

Speaking of Tasco world class, does anyone have experience with them.  I am most interested in the 6-24 or 8-32 variables.  I have a couple of the Simmons ATV's that cost less than $100 and am very happy with both.  One on a 223, other on 243.  If they were comparable to the ATV I would consider one.  From what I gather, the older World Class were pretty good scopes, don't know about the new ones.  Seems I have heard the new ones are no where as good as the old ones.  Anyone?

[Graybeard]

Speaking of Tasco world class, does anyone have experience with them. I am most interested in the 6-24 or 8-32 variables. I have a couple of the Simmons ATV's that cost less than $100 and am very happy with both. One on a 223, other on 243. If they were comparable to the ATV I would consider one. From what I gather, the older World Class were pretty good scopes, don't know about the new ones. Seems I have heard the new ones are no where as good as the old ones. Anyone?

Those older WC scopes before the fall of Tasco really were good scopes. They had excellent optics and mechanically were sound. Coatings were not as good as top of line scopes are but they were good. Well worth the money they cost. I never had an 8-32 as that's just more magnification that I feel I'd ever be able to use. Heck I wasn't even able to use 24X on the 6-24 past about 9:00 AM here and even after a five shot group mirage sure had the target dancing at 24X.

If the scope is still in good shape otherwise you'd not go wrong buying one if you run across it. If Bushnell could and would bring back that exact scope with maybe a wee bit better coatings these days it would be a serious threat to many of the better known scopes.

[SHANE CLARK]

they now claim the titan over their wc.

[Donaldo]

I think they still have it.....It is called the Elite 4200 now. :roll:

[jeff]

I still like my Lyman STS's and B&L 4000's.

Haven't seen anything that would make me want to change out.

Then again, I'm still going with the same girl since 1964.   When you get something that fits your needs, why change?

[Graybeard]

Then again, I'm still going with the same girl since 1964. When you get something that fits your needs, why change?

Me too. I reckon we're both so ornery no one else would put up with us any how.  

[Donaldo]

Jeff,
How old is your B&L 4000 and what power?