
The more magnification you have, the less light you get to your eyepiece. Manufacturers measure light transmission differently, sometimes for specific wavelengths to boost their numbers. You have to take light transmission figures with a grain of salt. Anything above 95% is considered great, and most scopes are around 90%, give or take a bit. The best a scope can hope to offer in light transmission is about a theoretical 98%, which only the very finest (read expensive) scopes can hope to approach. Scopes transmit available light through the lenses to your eye, always losing a bit in the process. Scopes don't gather light, as most people think, although the term "light gathering ability" has become accepted jargon. Light Transmission and Eye Relief Explained You can read more about scope numbers here. In a lot of cases, a versatile scope means that you can use one optic for multiple applications instead of buying another one. You would describe this scope as a "three to nine by forty." The larger the magnification range, the more you will pay, but it makes for a more versatile scope. This is a variable scope because you can adjust the magnification of the scope from three to nine, stopping anywhere in between. The forty (40) is the objective lens diameter in millimeters. The 9 means nine power, or nine times (9x) closer than it appears with your naked eye. This means that the image you see through the scope appears three times (3x) closer than it does with your naked eye. In a 3-9x40 scope, the 3 means three power, or 3x. What Do the Numbers Mean on a Rifle Scope? You can always shoot far with low power, or have time to turn the scope up, but you can't shoot close with high power because your field of view (FOV) and exit pupil are too small. Just as those bold Navy pilots, it's prudent to know how low a scope goes, not how high.

TRANSMIT LIGHT PATCH
If that power happens to be five or six, many times your deer appears as a hairy patch through your scope, your field of view is so narrow you can't find him, or it's so dark you can't make him out. Your scope on a whitetail rifle should almost always be kept at its lowest power. Not only does higher magnification subtract from your exit pupil size and available light, but the low end of a high magnification scope is much too high to take a very close shot. Our best-rated riflescopes have quality attributes that can be relied on.
TRANSMIT LIGHT HOW TO
You have enough to do without troubling over how to work your scope. If you aren't experienced enough to know why you want these upgraded features, then you're just adding a more complicated and less-reliable optic to your firearm. Bells and whistles like giant turrets and bubble levels are often a waste, particularly in lower-priced models. We have a wide selection of 3-9x scopes for sale if you want to take a look at available options.Ī major percentage of people now want to choose scopes for whitetail deer with top magnifications of fourteen, or twenty, or even more. Three power is low enough, with a large enough exit pupil and field of view for close shots in most applications, and nine power gives you plenty of magnification for longer shots. But you need the right tool for the job.Ī 3-9x scope, specifically a 3-9x40 scope, is considered one of the best scopes for deer hunting, and for good reason. Square main tubes? Have enough people phone. Manufacturers will make anything they think enough people want. Bullets go faster and optics magnify more because they sell better. "More" does not mean you can shoot any farther. Overpowered calibers and high-magnification scopes account for more missed and wounded game than standard loads with appropriate scopes. Cartridges and scopes get more powerful annually, and uninformed marksmen often use these combinations for whitetail deer where almost all shots are well under a hundred yards. Magnumitis sinks its ugly claws into greater numbers of hunters every year. You don't use a seven-ounce claw hammer to pound in sixteen penny nails or a baby sledge hammer for finishing nails. In this guide, we'll break down some important features and specifications to consider while you shop for the perfect riflescope. Novice shooters may be overwhelmed by the vast selection of scopes on the market. It's much easier to learn to shoot with a scope than iron sights, and since most rifle scopes also magnify, your target appears closer which enables you to place a more precise shot With a scope, you simply have to line up your crosshairs (reticle) with your target.

With metallic sights, you are required to line up the rear sight with the front sight and your target. Aiming through a scope or a red dot sight completely eliminates one-third of the complexity of lining up iron sights. There's a great reason for this: simplicity. Not just rifles, but shotguns and handguns as well. These days, most firearm enthusiasts use some kind of optical sighting device on most of their guns.
