Scoping my BBS .44 Mag Carbine???

[Rangerhgm]

I got my BBS Carbine last week and plan on using it for deer hunting here in Ohio. Most of my shots would be in the range of 30-60 yard with a rare possibility of up to a 75-100 yard shot, but those would be very few and far between.

I would love to use open or peep sights, but but the old eye sight just won't handle them.....so I'm researching scopes.

Since the carbine is so small, I want to keep the scope small & light.....I think probably a 4xor 5x max power is all I would need.

I don't want to break the bank, but I don't want something I'll regret getting.

I was looking at these 2 and got prices, for comparison, from Optics Planet:

Leupold VX-Freedom 1.5-4x20 (199.99)
Leupold VX-3i 1.5-5x20 (399.99)

The Freedom is more in my price range, but I'm willing to spend a little more if the quality warrants it.

Anyone have any experience with either of these 2....or other scope suggestions welcomed?

Thanks

[North Country Gal]

The Freedom is a new series and I haven't had one in my hands, yet, to inspect. I do have a couple of the 1.5-5x 3i scopes, though, and would love to get a couple more. Great optics. I do understand about being on a tight budget, though. I'm sure the Freedom would get the job done if you couldn't swing the 3i. Love those Leupold low power scopes for being trim and traditional when just about every other brand is going for that tactical look.

[JEBar]

Nikon's Buckmasters II 3-9x40 BDC is a really nice hunting scope .... Amazon list it for $116 ===> https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Buckmaster ... B00SMX8RIE ....

[Yornoc3]

I saw some Leupold scopes on sale in a recent Natchez Shooters Supply catalog. I think the VX II 1-4x20 was around $250.00. I have that model, and also a couple VX 3 1.75-5x20; there's very little difference in optical quality. When Leupold upgraded their lines a few years ago, the old Vari-X 3 became the VX II, the VX 3 was the new upgraded model. Now the "new upgrade" is the VX-3i. They're all good .

[Todddanger]

I have the Leupold Vari-XII on my brass frame 45/70. It shoots better than I can. I had the same scope on an 1895 Marlin and never had any problems with it.

[DAVIDF]

I have the Leupold VX-R 1.25-4x20mm that has the Firedot reticle. It is crystal clear and I love the red dot. I have a slight stigmatism and this red dot is perfectly clear. I don't quite get that clarity on my Aimpoint.

I have not handled one of the scopes from the Freedom line. I would recommend can handling one and compare the clarity to the VX-3i if you can at all. But, I am happy that I spent the money on my VX-R and I can't imagine that you wouldn't be happy with the VX-3i.

[Henry88]

I'm just thinking that since so much of deer hunting are those extreme low lighting shots, would you want something a little larger than 20mm?

Of course you guys that use them know...............

[North Country Gal]

Rangerhgm, I just got back from our local shop. They had just received the new Freedom 1.5-4x and I gave it a thorough inspection. Bottom line was that I was very impressed with the optics. Actually very close to what I have on my 3i 1.5-5x. For the asking price right around $200 it is a no brainer. Heck, I bought it and took it home with me. Now I have to decide which carbine gets it.

[North Country Gal]

I'm just thinking that since so much of deer hunting are those extreme low lighting shots, would you want something a little larger than 20mm?

Of course you guys that use them know...............

Tha's a common misconception on objective size. The amount of light transmitted to your eye is a function of BOTH objective size AND magnification being used (as well as ones quality and lens coatings, but to keep it simple, we'll just talk about the above two). As magnification goes up, image brightness goes down, so the only way to compensate for the loss of brightness is to increase objective size. This is a basic law of optics. No exceptions.

At 1.5x, a scope with a 20mm objective is already transmitting more light than the average human eye can use. At 3x, a 20mm objective is right there at the max brightness for what a typical younger set of eyes can use. As we age, though, the pupils of our eyes don't open as wide as when they were younger, so for most of us oldsters, going larger on objective size is a waste past a certain point. I'm now at a point where 4x with a 20mm objective is all my eyes can handle as far as brightness. Going to a 30m objective at 4x gains me nothing for brightness. Just gets me a bigger scope.

A simple formula to express all this is exit pupil. It can be used with any optical instrument. Exit pupil is the width of the beam of light being transmitted through an optic. To determine exit pupil size, simply divide objective size by magnification. For our 20mm scope set at 1.5x, we have an exit pupil size of 13.3. If we set that scope to 3x, we have an exit pupil size of 6.6mm. If we set that 20mm scope to 4x, we have an exit pupil of 5mm

The largest exit pupil a young person can use as far as image brightness is 7mm because the pupil of the human eye opens to a max of 7mm. An older person like me is now about at a 5mm exit pupil because my pupils now open to a max of 5mm. For me, then, that 20m scope set at 4x is delivering all the exit pupil size my eye can use.

[Cofisher]

NCG, thank you for sharing your knowledge. Again, I learn here often.

[North Country Gal]

One more point and I'll shut up. (One of my past jobs was as an optics consultant.)

In order for the pupils of our eyes to open to that maximum of 7mm, they must be first be exposed to full darkness for a full 30 minutes. (I'm an astronomer and we astronomers know this all too well.) If you're out hunting when there's still enough light to see a deer and shoot, legally, there's still enough light present to keep your eyes from reaching that 7mm maximum. In those situations, a scope with an objective and magnification combo of 4 or 5mm on the exit pupil is still delivering all the light you can use.

[North Country Gal]

Okay, I lied. One more point.

As I mentioned, earlier, it's more than just objective size and magnification. Lens quality, glass types and lens coatings greatly affect image quality, especially in low light and what percentage of potential light is being transmitted for a given exit pupil size. Take a cheap scope and an expensive scope of the same size and compare them under low light conditions. You will definitely see a difference, not just in brightness, but also detail and contrast.

[Rangerhgm]

I just ordered a Leupold VX-Freedom 1.5-4x20

Thanks for all the replies and help

[Rangerhgm]

Rangerhgm, I just got back from our local shop. They had just received the new Freedom 1.5-4x and I gave it a thorough inspection. Bottom line was that I was very impressed with the optics. Actually very close to what I have on my 3i 1.5-5x. For the asking price right around $200 it is a no brainer. Heck, I bought it and took it home with me. Now I have to decide which carbine gets it.

HaHa.....thanks for your help

[Rangerhgm]

Got my Leupold VX-Freedom scope last night and got it mounted this morning. Weaver 63B mount and Leupold Rifleman rings.....couldn't be more pleased.

I'd really like to get it bore sighted and get it to the range, but the weather isn't cooperating.....60 degrees yesterday, and sleet and snow today.

20180320_132437.jpg

[North Country Gal]

Looks good. Haven't decided which gun gets ours. Nice problem to have.

[JEBar]

your rifle and scope look great and my bet is they will perform well .... looking forward to your range and use reports

[ESquared]

Got my Leupold VX-Freedom scope last night and got it mounted this morning. Weaver 63B mount and Leupold Rifleman rings.....couldn't be more pleased.

I'd really like to get it bore sighted and get it to the range, but the weather isn't cooperating.....60 degrees yesterday, and sleet and snow today.

20180320_132437.jpg

Wondering how this has worked out for you (or NCG, for that matter). This is now officially on my "very short list" of candidates for my BBS .357.

Any updates?

[Lyman]

That scope looks great on your gun Rangerhgm. Great choice!
NCG Thank You for your wealth of knowledge! I think I learn something with your every post.

[ESquared]

Based on this thread and other posts from NCG and lots of other research, I ordered my VX Freedom on Friday. We should all compare notes....