Description
Last update on September 25, 2023 // Source: Amazon API
Rifle Scope Product Details
Sun Optics USA Rifle Compact Variable and Fixed Duplex 3-9 x 42 Illuminated Reticle Scope with Rheostat
CS24-3942IRC Features: -1” tube design. -100% Waterproof, shockproof & fogproof. -Precision ground, fully coated optics. -7 Stage rheostat. Magnification: -Medium (approx. 3X – 16X). Usage: -Hunting. Objective Lens Diameter: -31-40Mm. Tube Diameter: -1 Inch. Gun Type: -Handgun. Dimensions: Overall Product Weight: -0.62 Pounds.
Rifle Scope Product Features
1-Inch Tube design compact riflescope
7 stage rheostat
IR Red mil-dot reticle
Precision ground, fully coated optics
100% waterproof, shockproof & fogproof
About the Sun Optics USA Scope Maker
Sun Optics USA is a premium maker for rifle scopes, optics, mounting solutions, and other add-ons used for guns like rifles and long guns. They design and supply their mounts and related products using building materials which are long lasting and durable. This includes the Sun Optics USA Rifle Compact Variable and Fixed Duplex 3-9 x 42 Illuminated Reticle Scope with Rheostat by Sun Optics USA. For additional shooting items, visit their website.
Optic Information
Rifle scopes permit you to exactly align a rifle at various targets by aligning your eye with the target at range. They accomplish this through magnification by making use of a series of lenses within the scope. The scope’s positioning can be dialed in for the consideration of different environmental factors like wind speed and elevation to account for bullet drop.
The scope’s function is to understand exactly where the bullet will land based upon the sight picture you are viewing via the optic as you line up the scope’s crosshair or reticle with the target. A lot of contemporary rifle optics have about 11 parts which are found internally and outside of the scope body. These optic pieces consist of the rifle scope’s body, lenses, windage turrets, objective focus rings, and other elements. See all eleven parts of a scope.
Rifle Optic Varieties
Rifle scopes can be either “first focal plane” or “second focal plane” type of optics. Selecting the finest type of rifle glass is based around what type of shooting you plan on doing.
About First Focal Plane Glass
Focal plane scopes (FFP) include the reticle in front of the zoom lens. These types of scopes are helpful for:
- Quick acquisition, long distance types of shooting
- Shooting situations where calculations are minor
- Experienced shooters who know their target “hold over” as well as “lead” correlations for their firearm
- Shooters who do not mind the reticle is enlarged and uses up more visual sight space than a SFP reticle
Second Focal Plane Scope Details
Second focal plane scopes (SFP) come with the reticle behind the magnification lens. In the FFP example with the SFP scope, the 5x “zoom” 100 yard tick measurement would be 1/5th of the non “zoom” tick measurement.
- Far away types of shooting where shooters have more time to make ballistic estimations
- Shooting where most of the shots occur within much shorter proximities and ranges
- Shooters who prefer a clearer optic picture with less area taken up by the larger size FFP reticle
Ins and Outs of Glass Magnification
The quantity of magnification a scope provides is determined by the size, density, and curvatures of the lenses inside of the rifle scope. The zoom of the scope is the “power” of the scope.
Fixed Power Lens Scopes
A single power rifle optic and scope uses a zoom number designator like 4×32. This suggests the magnification power of the scope is 4x power while the objective lens is 32mm. The magnification of this type of optic can not adjust considering that it is a fixed power scope.
Variable Power Lens Rifle Scope Info
Variable power rifle scopes use enhanced power. The power modification is achieved by using the power ring part of the scope near the rear of the scope by the eye bell.
The Power Level and Range Correlation of Rifle Scopes
Here are some suggested scope power settings and the distances where they can be successfully used. Keep in mind that high magnification optics will not be as effective as lower magnification level scope and optics due to the fact that increased magnification can be a detractor. The same concept goes for longer ranges where the shooter needs to have enough power to see where to properly aim the rifle.
About Lens Coatings
All modern rifle optic lenses are covered in special coatings. There are various types and qualities of coverings. Lens finishing is an essential element of a rifle when considering high end rifle optics and scope systems. The lenses are among the most key pieces of the optic as they are what your eye looks through while sighting a rifle in on the target. The finish on the lenses offers protection to the lens exterior and also helps with anti glare from excess sunlight and color presence.
HD Versus ED Rifle Scope Lens Coatings
Some scope manufacturers also use “HD” or high-definition lens finishings which use different techniques, aspects, polarizations, and chemicals to draw out separate colors and viewable definition through the lens. Some scope manufacturers use “HD” to refer to “ED” to signify the lens has extra-low dispersion glass.
Single Scope Lens Covering Versus Multi-Coating
Different optic lenses can also have different coverings used to them. All lenses generally have at least some type of treatment or finishing used to them before they are used in a rifle scope or optic.
This lens treatment can safeguard the lens from scratches while decreasing glare and other less beneficial things experienced in the shooting environment while sighting in with the scope. The quality of a single coated lens depends on the scope producer and how much you paid for it.
Some scope manufacturers likewise make it a point to specify if their optic lenses are covered or “multi” coated. This implies the lens has had several treatments applied to the surfaces. If a lens gets multiple treatments, it can show that a producer is taking multiple steps to fight various environmental aspects like an anti-glare finishing, a scratch resistant anti-abrasion coating, followed by a hydrophilic finishing. This also doesn’t always suggest the multi-coated lens is much better than a single layered lens. Being “better” is dependent on the manufacturer’s lens treatment technology and the quality of products used in creating the rifle glass.
Anti-water Covering for Rifle Glass
Water on a lens doesn’t help with keeping a clear sight picture through a scope at all. Lots of top of the line and military grade optic makers will coat their lenses with a hydrophobic or hydrophilic finishing which is water repellent.
Options for Installing Optics on Firearms
Installing solutions for scopes come in a couple of choices. There are the standard scope rings which are separately installed to the optic and one-piece mounts which cradle the scope. These various kinds of mounts also typically are made in quick release versions which use throw levers which enable rifle shooters to quickly mount and remove the optics.
Hex Key Rifle Scope Ring Mounts
Basic, clamp style mounting scope rings use hex head screws to mount to the flattop design Picatinny scope mounting rails on rifles. These varieties of scope mounts use a pair of detached rings to support the scope, and are made from 7075 T6 billet aluminum which are developed for far away precision shooting. This type of scope mount is good for rifles which are in need of a resilient, rock solid mount which will not move regardless of just how much the scope is moved about or abuse the rifle takes. These are the type of mounts you should have for a dedicated optics setup on a far away hunting or tournament long gun that will pretty much never need to be altered or recalibrated. Blue 242 Loctite threadlocker can also be used to protect against the hex screw threads from wiggling out after they are mounted securely in position. An example of these rings are the 30mm type made by the Vortex Optics company. The set usually costs around $200 USD
Rifle Scope Mounting Solutions with Quick-Release Cantilever Rings
These types of quick-release rifle scope mounts can be used to rapidly connect and take off a scope from a rifle before reattaching it to a different rifle. Several scopes can also be switched out if they all use a similar design mount. These types of mounts come in handy for long guns which are carried a lot, to swap out the optic from the rifle for protecting the scope, or for optics which are used between multiple rifles or are situationally focused.
Info Around Rifle Scope Tube Sealing and Gas Purging
Moisture inside your rifle scope can mess up a day of shooting and your pricey optic by triggering fogging and making residue within the scope’s tube. A lot of scopes prevent humidity from going into the scope tube with a system of sealing O-rings which are waterproof. Normally, these scopes can be immersed under 20 or 30 feet of water before the water pressure can force moisture past the O-rings. This should be plenty of moisture prevention for standard use rifles for hunting and sporting purposes, unless you plan on taking your rifle on a boat and are concerned about the optic still performing if it falls overboard and you can still recover the firearm.
Gas Purged Rifle Glass Tubes
Another element of preventing the buildup of moisture inside of the rifle scope’s tube is filling the tube with a gas like nitrogen. Since this area is currently taken up by the gas, the optic is less affected by temperature level changes and pressure differences from the outside environment which might possibly enable water vapor to permeate in around the seals to fill the void which would otherwise exist. These are good qualities of a decent rifle scope to seek out.