Optics Question

I bought a 3x9x50 Nikon off a buddy that was too good a price to pass up.. All my other scopes are 40mm.. What is the main advantage of the 50mm? More light gathering?, More field of view?? Trying to decided what gun to put it on..

My wife has one on her 30-06 and loves it , it gathers a bit more light at dawn and dusk than the 40mm

It should gather more light and have a bigger fov at higher powers.
It's really personal preferance. Some 40mm scopes gather more light than 50mm scopes.

The 50 has more area for the existing light to strike and be gathered into the scope, but, and it is a big but, the quality of the scope internals determine how much of the gathered light actually gets transmitted through to the eye.

Well said SingingRiver.

+1 agree with above.

Thanks..

The larger objective allows more light at higher powers. The objective divided by the power is the exit pupil.
Plenty of information to be found by googling it.

http://www.shootingtimes.com/optics/opticpupil_061907/

However, quality of the scope is going to have a lot to do with light and clarity. I have a 44mm Zeiss Conquest and I'm more and more amazed every time I take it in the woods because of the light it gathers at dark.

I've heard it said that the human eye cannot really process any more than a good 40 mm can provide...That said...most of my scope purchases are 50's....I've bought into the marketing hype as well

mine are 56mm
They gather light very well, on a full moon night ive blasted some critters with them.

Like said tho, the internals is the biggest key.. i had a cheap 60mm and it wasnt worth a flip compared to my 56mm Millett.