1-6x24 scope for deer

[Koda]

I'm thinking of buying a new scope for a brush gun for deer and looking at something like the Vortex Optics Strike Eagle 1-6 x 24 AR-BDC Reticle

My main concerned are of course, I want a scope that doesn't fog up and is quality enough to last for years of hard use.

I've never owned a Vortex before but I hear good things about them. Before I pull the trigger (pun intended) I'd like to learn a little more... my questions.
1) does Vortex it fog up in cold rainy weather? How long does the "no fog" last?
2) quality of vortex?
3) Im still open to other brands, anything out there in this price range (or less) worth considering?

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[coyote223]

As someone who loves to hunt deer in the rain, Butler Creek Scope Caps are your best defense against fogging. Keep them closed until you need to shoot, scope will be clear and ready.

Been looking at the strike eagle myself, waiting for more reviews,,,

 

[edslhead]

Here's an interesting observation on the Strike Eagle.

https://www.northwestfirearms.com/t...del-again-i-dont-like-it.209451/#post-1355841

 

[Koda]

Here's an interesting observation on the Strike Eagle.

https://www.northwestfirearms.com/t...del-again-i-dont-like-it.209451/#post-1355841

This is good to know. I liked that AR style reticle idea for hunting but fine point shooting was too thick. Since I was thinking of a deer/brush gun I like the idea of the center halo for hunting.

As someone who loves to hunt deer in the rain, Butler Creek Scope Caps are your best defense against fogging. Keep them closed until you need to shoot, scope will be clear and ready.

the only thing I dont like about those caps is they pop open easily when bumped and make little noise when they do.

 

[The Heretic]

Suggestion - check out Scout Scopes.

 

[Twodogs]

I played with the strike eagle at sportsmans, Didn't really like it for close range low powered use like I would use a red dot for, I don't know if the 24mm ojc would bring in much light in dark timber.
still might buy one to put on my blaster AR-15.

 

[tarster]

I bought the 1-4x diamondback for my 300blk out, the glass is a bit cheap in the diamondbacks, but the strikefire definitely has much better glass in it, I have a vortex viper pst 6.5-24 on my main rifle and its excellent quality glass. maybe not quite as nice as high end Leopold, but your not paying 1500 for a scope your paying 700, and they have a no bs warranty on their stuff.. best warranty in the business for me.

 

[eldbillbo]

I'm thinking of buying a new scope for a brush gun for deer and looking at something like the Vortex Optics Strike Eagle 1-6 x 24 AR-BDC Reticle

My main concerned are of course, I want a scope that doesn't fog up and is quality enough to last for years of hard use.

I've never owned a Vortex before but I hear good things about them. Before I pull the trigger (pun intended) I'd like to learn a little more... my questions.
1) does Vortex it fog up in cold rainy weather? How long does the "no fog" last?
2) quality of vortex?
3) Im still open to other brands, anything out there in this price range (or less) worth considering?

 

[eldbillbo]

I have never heard of them having a anti fog coating to their lens like the Bushnell Rain guard . there are products on the market to reduce fogging .

I think 1x6 is a excellent choice for Western Oregon even eastern hunting Sometimes going though the nasty thick forest of Western Oregon you don't have time to find the deer in the scope at 3x or above and having a 1x with a red dot in the center can get a vital centered in the scope a lot faster than a the traditional 3x9 in the thickets.

and having that 6x because Hunting western is also about watching tree lines around clear cuts and you need that extra magnification. I never felt 4x was enough

 

[Koda]

good advice. Eldbillbo, that almost exactly what I want this scope for.

I'm curious what are the products on the market that reduce fogging on scopes?

Titsonritz, agree I will buy a green reticle if I have a choice.

 

[eldbillbo]

I actually have a bushnell elite 4200 with rain guard for my cold weather hunting rifle and it works pretty good. you might look into Fog zero .

 

[eldbillbo]

Go with the green reticle, red blends to easily against brown.

I kind of laughed when I read this. Its funny I have read discussions in the past about using red or green dot for hunting scopes and how many guys say that green will blend in with the trees.
so many times i wonder why they are hunting trees.

It does indeed blend in with trees but once its on a deer it will stand out a little better but unless someone one is slightly blind to red red still stands out fine at least for me it does or I am just used to it from so many years of using red i bought a green once and I didn't like it so used to seeing red

 

[Koda]

eldbillbo, thanks for the tip on the Fog Zero.

 

[Joe13]

Nothing beats a scout scope for a brush gun IMO. Fastest acquisition of a target and brush guns generally don't shoot past 150 yards.

I put a leupold fx-II 4x on mine and love the thing. Plus it's life time warrentied.

 

[thorborg]

As someone who loves to hunt deer in the rain, Butler Creek Scope Caps are your best defense against fogging. Keep them closed until you need to shoot, scope will be clear and ready.
,,

I use butler creek but only because there are few choices. They are noisy so I have to help then open to avoid the click and I've had two snap off at the hinge in freezing weather so bring a backup set.
For nearly forty years I used the same two (molded around steel disks) rubber disks held on by thick rubber bands and attached to the scope base with lighter rubber bands. When you flick the near disk both silently fall off to the side. but now the rubbers old age has rendered them useless. sadly I can find no equivalent cover assemblies available.

 

[Joe13]

I use butler creek but only because there are few choices. They are noisy so I have to help then open to avoid the click and I've had two snap off at the hinge in freezing weather so bring a backup set.
For nearly forty years I used the same two (molded around steel disks) rubber disks held on by thick rubber bands and attached to the scope base with lighter rubber bands. When you flick the near disk both silently fall off to the side. but now the rubbers old age has rendered them useless. sadly I can find no equivalent cover assemblies available.

What sounds exactly like what you described came in the box with my leupold gold ring scope.

 

[thorborg]

What sounds exactly like what you described came in the box with my leupold gold ring scope.

Mine is a Leupold 2-7 gold ring circa 1976

 

[Koda]

I use butler creek but only because there are few choices. They are noisy so I have to help then open to avoid the click and I've had two snap off at the hinge in freezing weather so bring a backup set.
For nearly forty years I used the same two (molded around steel disks) rubber disks held on by thick rubber bands and attached to the scope base with lighter rubber bands. When you flick the near disk both silently fall off to the side. but now the rubbers old age has rendered them useless. sadly I can find no equivalent cover assemblies available.

agree about the flip up caps, too noisy and fragile....


I use the same rubberband style covers you describe... works great. Mine are so old now I had to modify it with a simple rubberband... still works great. I cant find an exact replacement, but the desing is still sold perhaps if I Google hard enough I could find something more specific but these are easy to find and buy......

the style is called a "bikini scope cover"

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/290696/butler-creek-rifle-scope-cover-bikini-style

 

[erudne]

A 24mm Obj. lens is far too small in low light. I once had a shot at a buck I could clearly see in my 40mm Ziess glasses but w/my 32mm Buriss scope all I could see was a blur and so I passed on the shot, very disapointed

 

[eldbillbo]

A 24mm Obj. lens is far too small in low light. I once had a shot at a buck I could clearly see in my 40mm Ziess glasses but w/my 32mm Buriss scope all I could see was a blur and so I passed on the shot, very disapointed

You bring up a good point that should be noted by the OP. Quality glass on a 24 is going to be important. If you go with cheap glass this will cut your hunting time maybe only by minutes but those minutes count since the deer get more active at low light. I get almost a extra half hour in the morning and evening with my Accupoint and almost the same out of my elite 4200 and out of one of my friends leupolds but I have been with friends and have used lesser scopes my self and they can can't see a thing once it starts to get dusk and I can still see every thing with my accupoint Its night and day what quality glass can do vs lower end glass.

I remember the first Year I used my accupoint 3x9x40 I and a buddy was watching a clear cut as dusk and my friend with a bushnell trophy 3x9x40 said he was ready to go cause he could not see anything and I said I can see fine so he took a look in my accupoint and said wow how does it do that?

I had another year where I spotted some elk on a opposite hillside 459 yards away. It was dusk I was using a lesser scope I can't recall what it was many moons ago. I lost sight bulls antlers in the trees the and he was surrounded by cows but I Looked through my friends Leupold and I could see the antlers.

So I would suggest to make sure your 1x6 has quality enough glass to at least measure up to a average 3x9 . I owned a vortex PST x1x4 once it was pretty bright but I never used it in a dusk situation.