Sunshades: useful or not?

[birddog]

Folks-

I'm getting a new scope soon (Zeiss conquest 6.5-20 x 50 w/ Rapid Z varmint reticle). I'm wondering if I should spend an extra $30 to get the sunshade? I've never had a sunshade before, so not sure what they actually help with? I do plan to hunt p-dogs with this rig.

Do you leave your sun shade on the scope 100% of the time (even if it is cloudy), or do you only put it on for sunny days?

I'm looking to get a scope coat as well and wondering if I should include the length of the shade when ordering the scope coat.

Thanks for any advice.

Birddog

[Hotshot]

I use sun shades when I'm pd shooting for two reasons. If you face the sun a shade will keep the reflection off the front lens and at times heat waves coming off your barrel can mess up the focus.

[Captqc]

Yup! What Hotshot said, also I leave mine on all of the time. Gary

[futuretrades]

i have a sun shade on my 204. makes a lot of difference out in the field, shooting squirrels. shade is always on the 204.i don't have one on my 223, but am going to order one for it also. IMO spend the money now, and you will have it.

[race4hills]

birddog,

You not even notice the shade being on the scope. Shooting pdogs is best on bright sunny days and it cut down on glare and eye strain. Along with what Hotshot and Captqc said it also help protect the front lens. I have a Zeiss 6.5-20 scope and the sunshade is 2 1/2" long and the scope is 15" long if you need to know for the scope coat.

[Rick in Oregon]

birddog: The above posters have all given you good advice. I use sunshades on all my varmint scopes for the reasons they gave. Here's one more thing to consider:

You'll want to protect the front objective lens of the scope in the field, especially when cleaning. When a brush exits the bore carrying solvent, the aerosol spray can easily come back on the breeze and coat your front lens with the muck...not good.

You may want to consider ditching the Scope Coat idea, and try the Butler Creek flip-up scope caps. They stay on the scope all the time, will not get lost like a Scope Coat can (it can also fall into the dirt, weeds, get stickers on it, get stepped on....), and if you use the flip-caps, you can put your come-up charts or drop info on the inside of the ocular (eyepiece) cap, and have your data handy at all times.

Our military all use these Butler Creek caps also, if that has any significance for you. They work very well and seal the lens against dust, rain, snow, etc., and deploy almost instantly. If you use a long sunshade, you'll have a "tube sock" for a cover using a Scope Coat too....just more things to consider. The flip-caps will not tear over time either. Also consider if using target turrets, the Scope Coat will usually not fit over them.

Here's one of my typical varmint rifle setups (Sako M75 Varmint in 204R) using the flip-caps and a come-up chart:



Can you imagine what the Scope Coat would look like for a long sunshade on this rifle?



Not too practical me thinks.

I use the flip caps on all my hunting rifles, varmint rifles, target rifles, and have no complaints in all the time I've used them. Just one more thing to consider....

[birddog]

Thanks guys. Great advice as always. I've ordered the sun shade and will add butler creek flip up caps to my order.

thanks again,

birddog

[cracker]

I never used sunshades b-4. now I only take them off at night when coyote calling. I lip sqeeked two coyotes in three years ago while deer hunting and dropped the first one while thinking I was going to get my first double the second one ran into the sun and I could not find it in the scope due to the glare of the sun. Belive me that if i could due it over that $30 bucks would come out of my pocket in a heart beat. spend the money and never look back.
Sportingly
Cracker