Illuminated reticles - necessary feature?

[chronoblip]

Hey all, wanted to trawl for opinions on a topic that's held up at least one of my builds.

Does my magnified optic really need an illuminated reticle?

There is a noteworthy shift in the budget required for illuminated reticles, and both how and how well they function can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where, in low or faltering light, having some amount of illumination can help ensure a shot is taken properly.

When it comes to punching paper, this doesn't seem to be as big of a deal versus hunting, where animals can be most active at dawn and dusk, but are there scenarios where paper or steel still benefit from illumination?

I'd love to hear whether it's a feature you seek, ignore, etc.

 

[ONE-TEN]

Nope. Not necessary at all! Non-illuminated reticle wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me. Quite frankly, I never even use the illumination unless I’m just messing around.

They are just fun, and just about every scope now is illuminated.

 

[CoalCrackerAl]

I have scopes with it. Have not needed it yet on rifles. Cross bow yes i have used it.

 

[american_fusilier]

I have it on 3 or 4 scopes. I never use it on any of them.

 

[SevenFan]

I have it on 3 or 4 scopes. I never use it on any of them.

Me neither.

 

[CFJunkie]

I have the illuminated reticle feature on 4 scopes with fine target reticles and have only used that feature a hand-full of times in the very early morning on very dull winter days when I couldn't be sure that I was seeing the reticle target dot. When I did, the target dot became a bit larger than I prefer.
I could have easily have waited a few minutes for the the morning light to brighten, but I was impatient, as always.

I have since taken the batteries out of those scopes so they won't corrode. Haven't needed the feature anyway.
None of my hunting scopes have that feature.

 

[NF1E]

I have a few that work well on poorly lit days determining the center of a black X dot. Nice to have but not necessary most of the time. Whatta Hobby!

 

[Txhillbilly]

I look at Illuminated reticles like 4 wheel drive. It's better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Most of my scopes have illuminated reticles, but it's not a deal breaker depending on what the scopes main use will be.
Kind of like Zero stops, the only scopes that I actually set them on are on the rifles that I use for long range work.

 

[SevenFan]

I have since taken the batteries out of those scopes so they won't corrode. Haven't needed the feature anyway.
None of my hunting scopes have that feature.

Great idea, need to do that for mine as well!

 

[Paddyd]

Hey all, wanted to trawl for opinions on a topic that's held up at least one of my builds.

Does my magnified optic really need an illuminated reticle?

There is a noteworthy shift in the budget required for illuminated reticles, and both how and how well they function can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. However, it's not hard to imagine a scenario where, in low or faltering light, having some amount of illumination can help ensure a shot is taken properly.

When it comes to punching paper, this doesn't seem to be as big of a deal versus hunting, where animals can be most active at dawn and dusk, but are there scenarios where paper or steel still benefit from illumination?

I'd love to hear whether it's a feature you seek, ignore, etc.

Ive had a Vortex Viper for about 6 or 8 yrs and NEVER have turned it on. Totally a waste that they could have used the money to improve the lenses or something else.

 

[pdog06]

Have them but never had to use them on my rifles. However I could see the need if I were hunting and needed it for a near dark shot opportunity. I do use them on my crossbow and have a light for the sight on my compound for the same reason.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

Absolutely a needed feature on my predator rigs. The Savage model 25 in my avatar has a Hawke Endurance 30MM tube/50MM Obj.....it has an illuminated dot. It was the best night hunting optic I found. I bought two more for my 204 and 243 predator rigs.

Non illuminated reticles are ok, but harder to see even with the red kill light on the predator. With a illuminated dot you could keep the predator in the light halo, put the dot on predator and boom.

 

[CFJunkie]

I wonder why none of my hunting scopes have those illuminated reticle features, but my NightForce 8-32x56mm and 12-42x56mm Benchrest target models do.
Target scopes don't need illuminated reticles and hunting scopes, especially night hunting scopes do.

 

[chronoblip]

I wonder if this dynamic has something to do with it...

Folks probably don't want to get caught up at the same price point without a feature?!?!

Either way, the split is interesting. I wonder how this might change in "christmas tree" versus "traditional" style reticles.

I mean, who doesn't want their christmas tree lit, right?

 

[NF1E]

I wonder if this dynamic has something to do with it...

View attachment 738

Folks probably don't want to get caught up at the same price point without a feature?!?!

Either way, the split is interesting. I wonder how this might change in "christmas tree" versus "traditional" style reticles.

I mean, who doesn't want their christmas tree lit, right?

My preference is a simple FTD reticle and the illumination comes in handy for sure. Whatta Hobby!

 

[CFJunkie]

Illuminate a Christmas tree reticle and you probably won't see anything but Christmas lights. Forget about seeing the target.
From my few attempts at using a simple illuminated reticle, it works on simple reticles where the target dot is barely illuminated as long as the intensity is down. If the intensity is too high, the target dot seems to expand and you don't see much behind the illuminated dot.
If the reticle is a cluttered Christmas tree, I doubt you would see anything but red glow and the intended target would be overwhelmed with red lighting.

 

[NF1E]

Yep, set the illumination dot at lowest setting and it gives me a great picture on the 1/4" aiming dots that I use. Whatta Hobby1