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What would you say is more important (if you had to choose) between a quality scope, or quality pair of binos? I have a basic vortex diamondback setup, scope and binos. I may have an opportunity to buy a custom rifle package that includes a Zeiss victory HT scope, but the cost will stretch me a bit and I won't be able to justify(wife) the purchase of nicer binos for a few years. Appreciate your thoughts
Scope is what you shoot with, in saying that you may not even find them with shit binos. Tough call.
What type of hunting do you do?
If I could start again I wouldve bought the best binos I could afford. Nothing wrong with having a mean scope either
Depends what country you’re hunting too, if you’re the tops, open terrain or hunting rabbits on farm land etc, binos will be more important as you can sneak closer with a shit scope but you can’t shoot what you haven’t spotted
Binoculars are top priority for me , they don’t have to be the best of the best , but clarity and low light performance are a must .
If you cant find an animal ( it amazes me how many animals people walk past without seeing) then your flash scope will only ever be used on paper targets . To be a successful hunter you first have to find the animals, your binoculars are ten times more useful in this task than your scope .
Binos
Personally I'd put more money into the scope as that ultimately, is what seals the deal, especially when repeated and accurate dialling are required. There is the argument that you spend the majority of your time glassing and they are right however, you don't aim with your binos and a quality scope that will maintain zero and dial (if that's your thing) are essential. Just my opinion, either way you will have a quality bit of kit that will last whichever way you decide to go.
Yes and then you spot an animal at dusk through the awesome binos, then get behind the not so awesome scope and 'what'!! where is it :DQuote:
Originally Posted by Sakoswarosorted
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Originally Posted by Ryan_Songhurst
Both statements made for open scrub/tops hunting. Binos are next to useless in thick bush.Quote:
Originally Posted by Ground Control
If in open country let the binos do the work, the better the quality glass the less eye strain you get and better at spotting of animals dawn and dusk as well as farther distance without having that milky hazzy look.
Short range bush stalking just about any low magnification will scope will work.
Spotting animals with only a rifle scope is a pain in the arse if doing lots of it.
All depends on the type of country you hunt in, if it’s open country I would say Binos. Any scope that holds it’s zero will do the business once you have found what your hunting, even if it means stalking in a bit closer.
I have a couple of productive spots I go to. One is up a river and is pretty close quarter, sightlines no more than 200m, the other is tussock tops, long sightlines. Generally just deer, but I am keen to go after some tahr and chamois too. If I sell my current rifle setup and spend a grand I will be getting a better rifle, a much better scope and a weekend guided tahr hunt. If I just spend that grand on a better pair of binos they won't nearly the same quality as the scope.
So are scopesQuote:
Originally Posted by Gibo
I wanted that victory too HahaQuote:
Originally Posted by CamFlatt
Binos for me. A really good pair will find you more game, especially in low light. Plenty of good enough scopes out there until you can upgrade later.
As Gibbo says, it a bit of a toss up. Good binos find stuff that a less good scope can’t see. Good scope finds less stuff due to field of view and the fact that scanning through a rifle scope is less easy than binos, you are likely to do less looking.
The Vortex Diamondback bino's are very good optically. You'd be surprised at how good they are when compared to more expensive bino's. I'd go with the money on the scope based on what you have.
My thinking is that if I had the money I would upgrade the binos first. However for a $1000 investment I will get a custom rifle that I know is a shooter, a MUCH better scope, and a weekend guided tahr hunt with a guy that has been guiding for 40 years. I think that far outweighs simply spending a grand on new binos, that won't be bear the same quality as the new scope
Yeah honestly, if you're not struggling with your binos now e.g. They're actually doing the job you need - Comfortable glassing for a few hours with them, not struggling to pick up animals that you know are there (Not the "There must be something here somewhere" type, but the "Just under that bluff beside the slip" type), then I'd say they'll still treat you fine for a few years yet.
You may not get that peak definition for counting the points on a stag across the valley, but you'll still be able to find the actual animal to begin with just fine.
Depends on your type of hunting too. I used to think that my middle of the road binos were sweet as and did as good a job as anything would, then I was sitting up a ski field access road one afternoon, bright daylight and spotted a hind standing in the open on a slip (using ELs) , she was pretty far off so I ranged her and she was 2200yds away. I had no intention of going over there but I had my old binos in my truck so decided it was a good chance for a comparison. Got them out and I literally couldnt see her, the view still looked fine to me but there just wasnt the same definition there and I couldnt pick her up, the only way I knew she was there was because I could see her through my swaros. Now if that had been a week long roar trip and that hind had been the stag of a lifetime and I didnt have decent binos, I would have never known it was there.Quote:
Originally Posted by StrikerNZ
I use the same Diamondback binos, as others have said they are actually pretty bloody good optically, in many cases that ive done side by side tests with other binos 3-4 times the money, the Diamond backs are better, and that was echoed by the owners of the more expensive binos too.
Most of my hunting it long range stuff these days, some of the places i hunt (including a trip this last weekend) i was spotting deer at 1500 to 2000 yards away no problem with them and my eyes are far from perfect.
You could easily spend $1000 or a bit more and end up with binos that were no better than what you have now. You'd need to spend 3 to 4K to see any big improvement over what you have to be honest.
Binos for me. A great scope wont make an ordinary rifle shoot better so match them for quality. The only really important matter is being able to see game and shoot in poor light / darkness
That sounds like a screamer of a deal, Id jump on that. You'll upgrade both at some point but might as well jump on the deal.Quote:
Originally Posted by CamFlatt
Also FWIW i still use the diamondbacks and have spotted and shot a bunch of animals with them, although Im not hunting south island big country though. If you want a cheap way to improve how many animals you are seeing with the binos throw em on a tripod. Makes a world of difference. Alpha glass is mean but plenty of deer shot without it
Tough one, both equally as important. Ive had good scopes longer then Ive had good binos (only just upgraded to a pair of leica's). I still spotted animals with my cheaper binos but I could never have made some of the shots I'm doing without the better scope.
I went ahead and bought the rifle/scope package. I'll have to stick with my Diamondbacks for a while longer :)
Yeah i have no plans to spend any considerable time glassing with the scope. I like sitting comfortably, and its pretty hard to hold a rifle up for any sustained length of time. At least way less comfortable than binos :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Mauser308
So what rig did you get.
Attachment 120423Quote:
Originally Posted by tikka
Lightweight 7mm08 rifle made by Match Grade Arms out of Houston USA about 10 years ago, based on a Howa 1500 action, with a Timney trigger and a full barrel Gun Works suppressor, with a Zeiss Victory HT 2.5-10 x 50 BT dial up scope. Cost $4300 to build, plus scope on top. Picking it up this avo :)
That's a sweet rig mate, you've gotta be stoked with that!
If you buy a quality set of binos you have and use them for decades. You only buy one pair. Scopes you normally buy more of or change to suit your rifle. You don't need to do that with binos.
Mate I'm absolutely stoked! I'm am amping to get it out for a shoot! It's so beautifully balanced, and is so light. Going to the range tomorrow, then out for an overnight hunt Sunday night. Can't waitQuote:
Originally Posted by Frodo
I use an older set of Swarovski SLC 8x30s, a great little set of binos which I haven’t felt the need to upgrade. My scopes are more mid-range (leupold vx2/vx3, zeiss conquest) but I’ve never had any issues at low light of spotting game with the binos but not being able to see it through the scope.
But I’m not a long range shooter, I can see those guys requiring tier one glass for both scope and binos when the light is rapidly fading
