Recommend illuminated scope?

[harmonic]

The rifle is a Ruger mini 30 capable of minute of pie pan at 100 yards. I want an illuminated scope (maybe 3x9) for low light/night conditions but that would also suffice in daylight. (I understand that some illuminated reticles are hard to see in daylight.)

It's not a big budget project, obviously, so maybe something by Bushnell or Tasco? How reliable are these? Recommendations?

thanx.

 

[shuter]

Harmonic, check out

the new Weaver Classic Extreme 1.5-4.5X. These are illuminated, 30mm with fast focus eyepiece and adjustment knobs that are resettable to zero with no tools. I just put one on my .450 Bushmaster, and love it.

These are Japanese made, and feel very solid. Clear optics, too. Doesn't appear to be a problem in seeing the lit reticle in daylight, either.

They also make it in 2.5-10X, but I don't think a "minute of pie plan" gun needs this much magnification.

Oh, and I got the 1.5-4.5X for $440. That's very inexpensive for a 30mm lit reticle scope.

Good luck,

see ya

 

[black bear]

BSA have the Cat Eye with illuminated reticle, but the scope is BIG and will be out of place in the petite mini 14.

I also have the Leupold 1 1/2 to 5 with Illuminated reticle, this is a great scope and I have set up a Remington 7400 carbine for bear hunting with this scope, but the price is high.





I also have the 3 1/2 to 10 Leupold with Ill Reticle, but the scope is also big and expensive.

Perhaps you can still get one of the discontinued Busnell banner 1 1/2 to 6x with Lite Site, I have several of them in guns and they are great.
The scope is small and inexpensive.

good luck
Black Bear

 

[harmonic]

black bear: "Perhaps you can still get one of the discontinued Busnell banner 1 1/2 to 6x with Lite Site"

Hi blackie.

Here's what's still available from Bushnell:

Bushnell 3-9x40 Banner Dusk & Dawn Scope

It's going for $90 from swfa riflescopes.

http://www.swfa.com/pc-7290-183-bushnell-3-9x40-banner-dusk-dawn-scope.aspx

What do you think? That's a bit less than I'm comfortable spending on a scope, but if you recommend, I'd think about it.

 

[.41Dave]

Unless you are willing to spend a substantial amount of money, say $400+, an illuminated reticle is just a gimmick. The purpose of an illuminated reticle is to allow you to see the crosshairs in very low light conditions, but it is useless if you cannot also see the target. And you are not very likely to be able to see the target through a cheap scope if it is dark enough to actually need the illuminated reticle. IMHO, you are better off spending the money that would go into an illuminated reticle on a higher quality scope in the first place.

 

[black bear]

Armonic,
I am not familiar with that particular model, the one I have in 3x9 is the Lite Site that had only one setting for the red dot, this model you show me have a rheostat to increment the illumination of the cross hairs as needed.

I have that kind of scope (with rheostat), in the 3 1/2 to 10 by 50 mm Leupold and in a 1 1/2 to 5 Leupold

I don't know how good the $90 Banner is, but I will not hesitate to buy one as I always have received top notch service from Bushnell, if I were to hunt only during legal USA hours (where high quality optics for looking at night is not needed)

Spending money for quality optics to hunt at night, but unable to see the black crosshair is to me, foolish.
I use the 3 1/2 to 10x 50 mm leupold with Ill reticle for those chores that require shooting at night (coyote hunting, wild pig, etc) and the Leupold 1 1/2 to 5 Ill reticle (on top of my 7400) when hunting for bear in the dark timber during legal hours.

If the money you are going to spend on the hunt is considerable, maybe buying a high quality Leupold with Illuminated reticle will be a good move.

Best regards
Black Bear

 

[Gustav]

The Leupold is top notch and worth the extra money you can use it for a lifetime if it is taken care of.

One other option you may want to look at is the Trijicon TR 21 scope for the ballistics and capabilities of your rifle it would be a good match, the hard part is finding a good deal on one.

 

[FDC]

the new Weaver Classic Extreme 1.5-4.5X. These are illuminated, 30mm with fast focus eyepiece and adjustment knobs that are resettable to zero with no tools. I just put one on my .450 Bushmaster, and love it.

Shuter, I haven't seen too many reviews on this scope. It looks like a decent, budget, illuminated, variable scope for my M4gery. Have you seen any reviews, or can you answer a couple of questions for me. I'm leaning towards the German #4 reticle.

1. any major issues during bright sun?

2. How does the reticle look with the illum off? Is there a black dot, or just the cross hairs?

3. Any issues with battery life so far?

4. Anything else you might have would be helpful. I saw your range report with the .450 Bushmaster--nice!!!

Thanks

 

[Clipper]

It never fails, you ask about inexpensive optics for shooting tin cans and such, and the scope snobs insist you gotta have at least $300.00 worth of scope. Sportsman's Guide probably has an illuminated 3-9 that will work fine on a light recoiling rifle like yours for under $100.00. I bought my B.E.C. 3-12X44 A.O. illum. scope on sale for $80.00 delivered. I used it on a M-70 in 25WSSM without problems. Sold the rifle, but I kept that scope for my uber-accurate 10-22 project. A bit heavy, but a solid scope