Leupold 3x9x40 vs 3x9x50.

[DaveTN]

@Carlos, that was 4 years ago. Which route did you end up going?

 

[Carlos]

@Carlos, that was 4 years ago. Which route did you end up going?

I went with the 50mm on 2 of my rifles.

 

[Snake]

I went with the 50mm on 2 of my rifles.

I'll opt for the 50 mm everytime ..now with that said paying a few dollars more for the same scope manufacturer that is . Buying a lower quality to just get the 50 I wouldn't do . But that said I found once the Pro 50 Simmons I believe on sale for $99 ...still have one on an CVA Apollo . Had one on my Ruger for a while until I found my 3×9 Leupold 50mm.. Some guns may not set well with that large of an optic but it changed my Ruger into a killing machine .

 

[SSlater]

Personally, I'd rather have a 40 with a 30mm tube.

 

[knightrider]

Expounding on what Snake just posted, in case it was missed or misunderstood.
I use the 50mm, and I promise I get several more minutes of shooting light at the most critical time of the hunt.
Across years of hunting, would you pay a few bucks for an extra 5 minutes of vision?

The larger field of view lets in more light.
I understand the law reads 30 minutes after sunset, but
1) I'm not going to split hairs over 2 or 3 minutes, and
2) sometimes weather or clouds causes your "shooting light" to end 20 minutes after sunset, but a good scope overcomes that adversity.

Extend your hunt.

Nope, the end of legal light is the end of legal light!!! I can see with a 33 way past legal light! Cut off is legal light not when you can no longer see, its not splitting hairs its legal or poaching, pretty simple

 

[Wiley]

This week I took possession of a like new Leupold XV-IIc 3-9x40 and a like new VX-II 3-9x50, both gloss from back in the day without a mark on them. I can't advise on the OP situation but these sho is purty!!!

One will likely go on the NIB from 1978 Remington 742 .308 that I picked up today. It's been a GREAT week!

 

[tickweed]

50mm.

 

[PillsburyDoughboy]

I'd opt for the larger tube 30mm vs 1 inch rather than the objective. You will actually get better light transmission with the larger tube. For me I can't look through a real low scope anyway.

Depends,

Depends on the manufacturer and if they are truly using 30MM lens in a 30MM tube. Many use 1 inch lens in a 30MM tube.

30mm tube's really tend to allow for more clicks when adjustments on dialing if it's properly manufactured.

Research ur 30MM tubes carefully before buying one to ensure your getting what you think you are paying for.

As far as some of the comments of weight of 40MM v 50MM OBJ size it all comes down to the platform you are mounting it on.

If you are mounting it on a featherweight or sporter weight rifle in the 5.5 lbs to 7.5 lbs class then a 50MM makes zero sense.

It just throws off the natural balance of the rifle. It also requires higher mounts and sporter stocks and featherweight stocks generally speaking don't give proper comb height to allow for the higher mounts without some sort of crude padding to the stock or some sort of custom stock. Just stop trying to justifying it for the couple of min of shooting light and put that 50mm on the proper platform.

If your talking about a bean field rifle or sniper class rifle then weight and balance really does not matter at that point. Might as well go to a 56MM at this point and go for !