DrMike
Ballistician
- Nov 8, 2006
- 37,160
- 5,609
Well, I made it to the range at 0 dark thirty this morning. I wanted to test several scopes for light transmission at first light. The sun doesn't peek over the eastern hills until around 8:50 at the present. The range is in a valley, so the actual full sun is somewhat later than at other sites. At 7:30, it was still quite dark. I set up to test three scopes at that time. I had a Kahles 3-9 X 42, a VX6 2-12 X 42 and a Swarovski Z6 1.7-10 X 42. I first set the power ring at the highest setting for each scope, focusing on brush at 600 yards. I could clearly make out the smallest branches with the Swarovski, and I could see the larger branches with the VX6 and the Kahles. I then, posted the USAF 1951 Optics resolution test chart at 100 yards. In the dim light, I was able to clearly see the resolution -2/4 with the VX6 at 12 power. With the Kahles set at 9 power, I could define resolution -2/6. With the Swarovski set at 10 power, I could clearly define -1/1 at that time. Clearly, the Swarovski proved superior in that early light to either of the other scopes. The Kahles trumped the VX6. After the sun was up, even in the shade, the scopes were indistinguishable in terms of their resolution at ~600 yards. I like the VX6 a lot, and I like the Kahles even better, but I am positively delighted with the Swarovski.