Guns & Ammo Sept 2010 "Gun Notes" page 24 by Craig Boddington made me think a bit about 1 inch tubes and 30 MM tubes...However ...I would first like to say that Foxpro51 already made comment once that he did prefer the European 30 MM objective lens VS the American 1 inch tubes or objective lens since they were a better scope for shooting..Now that I read the comments of Craig Boddington I can see why Foxpro51 prefers the 30 MM Tube over the 1 inch tube...
The article above however revealed that the 30MM objective lens gathers more light then the 1 inch objective lens.. So....as nighttime predator callers and using a rifle...We should use a 30 MM scope more then a 1 inch tube for nighttime shooting. Mr. Boddington did say that the 30 MM objective lens does come with illuminated reticle's too..So this also would be better yet...Now understand in Europe the American concept of "shooting Hours" is unknown. Artificial lights are illegal, but if you can see it, you can shoot it in Europe. Hence why Europeans like the 30 MM objective lens tubes..
So how much bigger is a 30 MM compared to a 1 inch scope objective lens?
I always like to do this when I'm bored...Take a calbier and calculate what it would be in MM or MM to U. S. Caliber designation too.. I do like to use the 6MM = .243 cal as my data how to find what MM is:
6MM = .243 Cal bullet
.243 Divided by 6 MM = .0405
,0405 then = 1 MM
Back to scopes
30 MM X .0405 (1MM) = 1.215 inches Minus 1.0 inch American tube.
So the 30 MM Scope tube is .215 inches larger then our 1 inch scope tubes..
No wonder it gathers more light ...it's 1/5 + more then an regular American 1 inch scope objective lens.
When us predator hunters buy a scope for low light condition we might want to find which scope companies make the 30 MM tubes and which have the illuminated dot too?
Mr. Boddington referenced The German made Doctor 2.5-10x50 MM with lighted recticle as best and brightest lighted scope.
This post is to kind of make you think about 30MM vs 1 inch scopes.. ...A nighttime predator hunter might want to have a 30 MM instead of a 1 inch objective lens..