Redfield Scopes Tips

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What's so special about Redfield scopes?

Redfield Widefield Scope

Redfield scopes are distinguished by their oval ocular and objective lenses (wider than they are tall). Widefield design really works. Widefield scopes do have a wider than normal field of view and they allow a low mounting position on most rifles.

Their field of view is approximately 30% greater than similar scopes, and that can matter in the woods, or when trying to track running game. It allows for faster target acquisition, particularly at close range. This can, of course, be a life saving advantage if suddenly confronted by a charging animal.

There is no doubt that a rifle with a low mounted scope handles faster and better than the same rifle wearing a scope in a high mount. A low mount makes it easier for the shooter to quickly align his or her eye with the scope, and allows a firmer contact between cheek and stock comb for more accurate shooting.

   
What should I consider when buying a scope?

Narrowing your scope

The type of scope you purchase depends on what you want to do. Before you invest in a scope, you need to ask yourself a few questions.

1.What type of firearm do you hunt with?

• Centerfire - standard/ big game
• Dangerous game rifle
• Slug Gun
• Rimfire
• Centerfire - varmint
• Muzzleloader
• Turkey Gun
• Handgun

2. What type of territory do you normally hunt in?

• Dense cover/forested
• Open country
• Mountainous

3. Do you hunt during extreme low light conditions?

*Now that you have a better idea, you can go on the hunt for a scope with greater confidence and precision.

   
Is tube size important?

Tube Size

Contrary to what some people say, tube size is important, at least as far as riflescopes are concerned.

Tube size is the diameter of the main body of the rifle scope, and it's a very important measurement. The American standard is a 1 - inch tube; the European standard is a 30mm tube. You need to know which your scope is, so that you can purchase the correct ring size to mount it to your rifle.

   
How do I install Redfield style rings?

Installing Redfield Style Rings

Redfield style of rings feature a dovetail machined into the ring bottom and a corresponding slot machined into the base. The ring is assembled and placed into the slot and rotated 90 degrees. Gunsmiths use a 1 inch steel bar to turn the ring into position. Do not use the scope to turn the ring into place! The torque to turn the ring into place may warp the scope body. The scope is a precision instrument which has its internalcomponents machined and aligned to a very high degree of precision.

It is advisable to leave the bottom ring half in place in the base. If you rotate it out of the base and put it back in more than once it will begin to loosen up and may not firmly hold the scope in position any longer.

If you do feel your ring is getting a little loose in the base you can apply a little dab of epoxy glue to the mating surfaces of the ring and base, reinstall the ring and then leave it alone. As long as you do not take the ring out of the base it will hold just fine

   
What role do weight and bulk play in choosing a scope?

Bulky or Not?

First off, you have to understand that with hunting optics, most things are a trade off. For example, many of the finest optics are so bulky and heavy that they affect the balance and aesthetics of the rifle.

A large objective lens allows for a brighter image in low light, but must be mounted well above the bore line, requiring the shooter to lift his head off of the stock. That is not conducive to accurate shooting. This is a disadvantage Redfield has managed to overcome with its low-profile oval objective design. On the other hand, an objective lens that is too small places the scope low on the rifle for a good cheek weld on the stock, but can be too dark at high magnification with fading light—yet another trade-off.

   
What is an Aspherical lens System?

Aspherical Lens System

The Aspherical Lens System was originally used only in expensive binoculars and cameras because it couldn't take the pounding of rifle recoil. It ensures that the image in the scope appears flat and that the edges of the image are as bright as the center.

Aspherical lenses also increase the field of view, yet also offer a greater distance of eye relief.

   
What is the Twilight Factor?

The Twilight Factor

Unlike the old Twilight Zone, the Twilight Factor is how scopemeisters state the light-gathering ability of a scope.Take out your calculators and follow the formula to get to the Twilight factor:

First you multiply the size of the objective lens by the magnification power, then find the square root of the result.(See, I told you you'd need a calculator.) For example, the twilight factor on a variable power scope set on 10X with a 40mm objective lens is 20.
Why? Because 10 x 40 is 400 and the square root of 400 is (anybody?) 20.

The twilight factor is a purely mathematical equation that doesn't take into consideration the quality of the lens nor the coatings. So, you can leave your calculator at home when trying to decide on a new scope.

   
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Jolyn Wells-Moran