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Binoculars vs scope
#7506125
05/07/19 03:00 AM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,209
wp75169
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This is spin of thoughts I had in another thread. It’s simple. If you was going to make your first purchase of truly high end optics would be a scope or binoculars first? My money is invested in scopes but have yet to be willing to spend more than $300 on binoculars. I have also never been hunting where I had to glass for animals and stalk them unless I was with a guide so I haven’t had a purpose for the binoculars. At least in my mind.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7506134
05/07/19 03:09 AM
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Joined: Mar 2012
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Cleric
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Really a loaded question. Depends on what you are hunting.
I would say binos if you are doing a lot of glassing. If you are hunting over a feeder I would say scope.
But it just depends on which one you think you will use more in the hunt
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7506137
05/07/19 03:11 AM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 16,741
68rustbucket
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7506278
05/07/19 12:57 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,164
J.G.
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A rifle scope can double as an observation optic.
A dedicated observation optic cannot double as a rifle scope.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7506300
05/07/19 01:20 PM
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Joined: Jun 2015
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Jgraider
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Binos. An SWFA 3-9x $500 rifle scope will allow you to kill deer or bang stee all day long , especially when you're a stand hunter. I'm not much of one, so I use binos 10x's as much as any rifle scope when hunting. Using your rifle scope to find game is a bad idea IMO.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7506312
05/07/19 01:40 PM
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Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 3,791
Wytex
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Binos, good ones work almost as well as a spotting scope. I agree on not using your rifle scope as a spotting scope. Spotting scopes comes into play of you're spotting at long distances, we use ours for spotting mule deer and antelope in open country and are able to locate and evaluate if a stalk is in order from a mile or more away. We've never even taken our spotter down to Texas for a hunt, but the binos are invaluable. If you hunt west Texas or the open plains a spotter would be great to have, otherwise good binos would be the way to go.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7506436
05/07/19 03:52 PM
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 12,209
wp75169
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As of right now the longest line of sight that I hunt regularly is 700 yards. The higher end Bushnells that I have can clearly identify any animal at that range. No doubt if the line of sight went further I would be looking for better glass.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: J.G.]
#7506488
05/07/19 04:50 PM
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Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 6,328
onlysmith&wesson
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A rifle scope can double as an observation optic.
A dedicated observation optic cannot double as a rifle scope. This. You can loose a great animal as you go from bino's to your rifle.
An unethical shot is one you take, that you know you shouldn't.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7506521
05/07/19 05:35 PM
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Joined: Apr 2017
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duckhunter175
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I spend more time behind my binos than my rifle scope. Especially if you are putting them up on a tripod for hours at a time quality binos makes a huge difference.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7507101
05/08/19 12:25 PM
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Joined: May 2017
Posts: 5,192
Smokey Bear
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This is spin of thoughts I had in another thread. It’s simple. If you was going to make your first purchase of truly high end optics would be a scope or binoculars first? My money is invested in scopes but have yet to be willing to spend more than $300 on binoculars. I have also never been hunting where I had to glass for animals and stalk them unless I was with a guide so I haven’t had a purpose for the binoculars. At least in my mind. It depends on your useage if your only buying one. If you are glassing for animals, binoculars. If it is for range use, scope. Edited to add: I bought several high end scopes before my first high end binocular. If I had to do it over, I would purchase the high end binoculars first for my usage.
Last edited by Smokey Bear; 05/08/19 12:54 PM.
Smokey Bear---Lone Star State.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7507281
05/08/19 03:30 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 60,429
BOBO the Clown
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If you are setting in a blind restricted to only a 45 degree 200 yard FOV/shooting window.... I’d still go with the bino’s
If you loose a deer because of the time it took to switch over so be it. In actuality that’s how you miss or make a bad shot, Not too many shooters are disciplined enough to have an effective pop shot. I’d be the first to say I would miss because I know I need more then a second or two to get settled and go through shot sequence
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: BOBO the Clown]
#7507300
05/08/19 03:52 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 19,650
Pitchfork Predator
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If you are setting in a blind restricted to only a 45 degree 200 yard FOV/shooting window.... I’d still go with the bino’s
If you loose a deer because of the time it took to switch over so be it. In actuality that’s how you miss or make a bad shot, Not too many shooters are disciplined enough to have an effective pop shot. I’d be the first to say I would miss because I know I need more then a second or two to get settled and go through shot sequence I agree. I wish I would of invested in quality glass many years sooner than I did. Many hunters never see what’s out in view of them because of low quality binos. I have some very nice long range tactical scopes. I enjoy them but learned I would rather have a light weight quality glass mil dot reticle about 15x on the top end of magnification range. I don’t take shots more than 400 yards on most big game animals and usually don’t have time to dial for elevation.
Last edited by Pitchfork Predator; 05/08/19 03:53 PM.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7507318
05/08/19 04:25 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 4,563
patriot07
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You can get some really nice binos for not much more than $300. Look for the older Cabelas Meopta-made binos (Euro I think is the Cabelas model name, but they say Meopta on the binos themselves). They are Meostars for a highly discounted price. I got a pair for $450 awhile back of 10x42, and they're stupidly good for that money. You have to be up in the Swaro/Leica money before you get anything better, and while it is better, you'd really have to hunt a ton for it to be worth the extra $ IMHO.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7507367
05/08/19 05:14 PM
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 267
AZ_Hunter_2000
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Buy high(er) end binoculars that cover the bulk of your hunting. You'll get far more use out of them than a rifle scope. Can always put them on a tripod to cover extended glassing sessions.
Despite Internet myth, low cost binoculars are not as good as high(er) end binoculars. Unless you hunt over a well manicured lawn, you will miss animals inside 700 yards with low cost binoculars; you will not miss as many with high(er) quality binoculars.
Never use a rifle scope to glass. Been on the receiving end of idiots doing that multiple times. If they are stupid enough to put their crosshairs on another hunter then they are stupid enough to have a round chambered and their finger on the trigger.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7507368
05/08/19 05:14 PM
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 7,759
snake oil
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If you care about score then good binos are a must....
"You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas".
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7507375
05/08/19 05:19 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,536
redchevy
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Interesting read,
Before I go public land out west ill have both. Right now the majority of my hunting is stand hunting over senderos. Feeder at 100+/- yards and corned senderos to 300 or so yards.
Right now non high end optics accomplish both relatively easily. I have chose to delve into upper end scopes first as I have started shooting longer range targets.
It's hell eatin em live
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: patriot07]
#7507382
05/08/19 05:27 PM
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Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 8,433
freerange
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As others have said (and it usually applies to most topics on any of these forums) it really makes a huge difference in how, where, etc you hunt. Its rarely "one size fits all" and its really true on a question like yours. Its a very good question by the way. You stated you do very little long range glassing and spot and stalk so maybe the higher end binos aren't important. Personally, I do a whole lot of long range glassing and anyone in that situation I would definitely recommend getting the best binos your budget allows. As compared to high end scopes, ive never used them and don't really see the need since I never plan to shoot more than 300 yards(and that's really pushing my range.) Since some mentioned spotting scopes ill say that I don't go anywhere without mine but as I said I do a lot of long range glassing/spotting. May be getting off topic but recently bought a Nikon P1000 camera that zooms way more than most if not all spotting scopes. Havent played with it much yet but there are situations where a person could use a superzoom cam instead of a spotter. Bottom line, in your situation I don't think ide spend big money on either type optic. My 2cents.
At some point in life its time to quit chasing the pot of gold and just enjoy the rainbow. FR Keep your gratitude higher than your expectations. RWH
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: J.G.]
#7507390
05/08/19 05:31 PM
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Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 9,908
unclebubba
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A rifle scope can double as an observation optic.
A dedicated observation optic cannot double as a rifle scope. On private land, this is true. On private land you should know who is hunting and where, so you have little chance of pointing your rifle at a fellow hunter. On public land, I would consider this a BIG no-no.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7507393
05/08/19 05:32 PM
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 5,918
Jgraider
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As patriot mentioned, you don't have to spend a fortune nowadays to get an optically superb bino. $500 glass today is better than anything made 20+ years ago. I cannot see anything through my 10x50SV's that I can't see equally as well through a $500 used Tract Toric UHD. If you are a stand hunter primarily, a guy would be schocked as to how good an Athlon Midas 8x42 is.....amazed actually. It is at least as good as a Viper HD or BX4 McKinley.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: unclebubba]
#7507398
05/08/19 05:34 PM
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Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 5,918
Jgraider
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A rifle scope can double as an observation optic.
A dedicated observation optic cannot double as a rifle scope. On private land, this is true. On private land you should know who is hunting and where, so you have little chance of pointing your rifle at a fellow hunter. On public land, I would consider this a BIG no-no. Besides the fact that you can glass for hours using two eyeballs and not just one.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7507407
05/08/19 05:40 PM
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 15,695
603Country
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Speaking from experience, whichever you buy first can or will cause a problem in certain situations. I went with the high dollar binocs first. It was great for glassing deer, but in dim light I couldn’t find the deer in the scope that I had seen in the binocs. Frustrating. It only happened a couple of times, but it cost me a shot at a few nice bucks.
Sooo, I think I’d buy the good scope first, and some decent affordable binocs. I hunt with Leica binocs, but at the house we use Nikon for watching critters in the yard. The Nikons work fine. We have 4 sets in the house.
Not my monkeys, not my circus...
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: unclebubba]
#7507652
05/08/19 10:11 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 41,164
J.G.
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A rifle scope can double as an observation optic.
A dedicated observation optic cannot double as a rifle scope. On private land, this is true. On private land you should know who is hunting and where, so you have little chance of pointing your rifle at a fellow hunter. On public land, I would consider this a BIG no-no. I hunt private land. And the one week a year, there is a group of us, we are scattered over 10 sections. The public land I hunt is for prairie dogs, and there is no one else around, as far as the eye can see. Two of us stay in the rifle scope all day long, then bounce a laser as needed. And the once again gun safety topic. Bolt open, or bolt handle lifted, booger hook off the bang button.
800 Yard Steel Range Precision Rifle Instruction Memberships and Classes Available
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7508517
05/09/19 08:59 PM
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Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 1,539
okstatefan
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I'll admit that I've never had a high-end quality binocular, but I have had some pretty dang crappy ones.
My current binos are a used Leupold BX3 Mojave 10x42. They work pretty well for me.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: wp75169]
#7529469
06/07/19 08:01 PM
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Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 27,091
Nogalus Prairie
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The advantages of quality binoculars for hunting are too numerous to list. Glassing with a scope is ridiculous for any number of reasons. It’s dangerous, cumbersome, tiring, and just plain not practical.
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.
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Re: Binoculars vs scope
[Re: Nogalus Prairie]
#7529491
06/07/19 08:47 PM
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Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 7,759
snake oil
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The advantages of quality binoculars for hunting are too numerous to list. Glassing with a scope is ridiculous for any number of reasons. It’s dangerous, cumbersome, tiring, and just plain not practical.
This x100
"You may all go to hell and I will go to Texas".
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