Rifle Scopes Preventing fogging of scopes

F

fish30114

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Nov 14, 2010
391
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54
Canton Georgia
#1
First off, I searched under a couple different headings, and got back such a myriad of matches, in which none of the first 15 in all cases had anything to do with my question....

I am wondering what you mission critical guys do to prevent scope fogging, especially in really cold weather--sub freezing, maybe even sub-zero.

I had a bad experience in Kansas recently, and although I didn't like doing it, to solve the problem, I poured enough diet coke on the ocular lens that I could wipe it off with a napkin and was able to get a site picture and execute. If I had just a bottle of water (as I typically do) maybe it would have worked also--I wonder.....cleaned the hell out of my scope when I got back to camp, and the adjustable objective works fine...but I didn't like that whole process
confused.gif


I like to set up all my rigs so they can operate in any environment I might end up in, so I always use 'dry' lubes at any point on my rifle, including the bolt of course....

SO, I'm simply looking for intel on how to help eliminate the issue pre-emptively, and what the best field expedient method to manage it IF it occurs is.

Thanks for any feedback
 
#3
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

i have used anti fog for glasses u can get it at the eye store or even cvs and maybe walmart.

i forget the name but it comes in a small plastic jar and its a green paste i used it alot on paintball masks and even on some scopes it is safe to use and works well. ill try to get a name for u.
 
#7
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fish301</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I poured enough diet coke on the ocular lens that I could wipe it off with a napkin</div></div>


Wait.....

What?
 
#11
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fish301</div><div class="ubbcode-body">First off, I searched under a couple different headings, and got back such a myriad of matches, in which none of the first 15 in all cases had anything to do with my question....

I wondering what you mission critical guys do to prevent scope fogging, especially in really cold weather--sub freezing, maybe even sub-zero.

I had a bad experience in Kansas recently, and although I didn't like doing it, to solve the problem, I poured enough diet coke on the ocular lens that I could wipe it off with a napkin and was able to get a site picture and execute. If I had just a bottle of water (as I typically do) maybe it would have worked also--I wonder.....cleaned the hell out of my scope when I got back to camp, and the adjustable objective works fine...but I didn't like that whole process
confused.gif


I like to set up all my rigs so they can operate in any environment I might end up in, so I always use 'dry' lubes at any point on my rifle, including the bolt of course....

SO, I'm simply looking for intel on how to help eliminate the issue pre-emptively, and what the best field expedient method to manage it IF it occurs is.

Thanks for any feedback </div></div>

Buy a scope with fog-proof coatings.
 
#12
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: eleaf</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: fish301</div><div class="ubbcode-body">First off, I searched under a couple different headings, and got back such a myriad of matches, in which none of the first 15 in all cases had anything to do with my question....

I wondering what you mission critical guys do to prevent scope fogging, especially in really cold weather--sub freezing, maybe even sub-zero.

I had a bad experience in Kansas recently, and although I didn't like doing it, to solve the problem, I poured enough diet coke on the ocular lens that I could wipe it off with a napkin and was able to get a site picture and execute. If I had just a bottle of water (as I typically do) maybe it would have worked also--I wonder.....cleaned the hell out of my scope when I got back to camp, and the adjustable objective works fine...but I didn't like that whole process
confused.gif


I like to set up all my rigs so they can operate in any environment I might end up in, so I always use 'dry' lubes at any point on my rifle, including the bolt of course....

SO, I'm simply looking for intel on how to help eliminate the issue pre-emptively, and what the best field expedient method to manage it IF it occurs is.

Thanks for any feedback </div></div>

Buy a scope with fog-proof coatings. </div></div>

and then don't spray any fog proof coatings onto it.
 
#13
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

Hmmm, well I don't know for sure first off, but I presume that all my scopes have 'fogproof' coatings. The particular scope in question is a 2 year old Swarovski. My scope mfgs are all Swaro, Zeiss/Zeiss Conquest/S&B and Nightforce. I have had my NF's do the same thing. I am guessing that my excited heavy breathing caused condensation on the lens, that then froze--it was sub-zero that day, and yeah the only thing I had that I felt would clear the lens was the Diet Coke, well hell--it worked.....and no, I was not gonna piss on my scope--even if I could have!
 
#15
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

A couple of years back, at one of the ASC matches, a front came through and swung the temperature about 30 degrees in as few minutes. It rained, and snowed in one sitting then went to mid 60s... every single scope on the line fogged nothing you can do about it, they all fogged from the inside too. None were immune to the wild weather. You can try, but why, it is what it is. A small lens cleaning kit is the best you can do, Zeiss has a great one they include with their scopes. Spray, cloths, lens paper...

In South Texas with the high temps and high humidity anything in the A/C will fog when you walk out the door, including all my high end camera equipment. So when I know I will use my cameras I leave them out in a plastic bins to stay acclimatized to the conditions. The vault is better on the conditions than the A/C...

But it all fogs under the right conditions.
 
#17
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

Lowlight has it right.

There really is no cure for fog. At most all you can do is to minimize your risk for it.

Fog happens when the temperature changes drastically and moisture clings to an object to help release its energy. Think of your ice tea on a hot summer day. They only thing you can do is get your equipment to be the same temp and the air around it. Like Lowlight said "acclimatize," or acclimate.

For hunting I usually leave my rifle outside awhile before a hunt. Sometimes I leave it in my truck over night. This usually works. From there on I try not to breath on it. Nothing can mess up a good shot on a deer like fog from your hot breath.

On the fog proof sprays, I've used a lot of them and they never have seemed to work for me. I've tried them in paintball goggles, scuba goggles, truck windows, and a few others. You may be better off pouring coke on it... Although it wouldn't be my first choice.
 
#18
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

Yes, but the anti fog cloths help. I believe it is glycerine. I know from ski googles. True, in extreme conditions, even glycerine wont work very well. What it does is make the surface wet. Fog doesnt collect on water. Some distortion, but not too bad, better than fog. Try it.
 
#20
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

Don't know about a Scope lens, but when it comes goggles I use for snowboarding and dirt biking I have used toothpaste. Rub some toothpaste on your goggles, wipe clean, good to go. I don't know why or how it works. My friend was cleaning his goggles with toothpaste on the way to the mountain and when I asked why, he said to keep the lenses from fogging. I tried it out and it seemed to work that day, so I usually do it on my goggles before rides and I never seem to have much of a fog issue.

Just food for thought.
 
#21
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

Keep an old bar of soap. and try this in the bath room. rub the little bar of soap over the mirror and wipe it clean take a hot shower the mirror will not fog. got tired of trying to shave with a fogged mirror it works very well and works well on scopes. the tooth past thing is along the same lines
 
#22
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GGN</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Keep an old bar of soap. and try this in the bath room. rub the little bar of soap over the mirror and wipe it clean take a hot shower the mirror will not fog. got tired of trying to shave with a fogged mirror it works very well and works well on scopes. the tooth past thing is along the same lines </div></div>

I've done this on my sunglasses, eyeglasses, and helmet shield for a while now. Dish liquid works as well. I just smear it on the lense, let it sit for a minute or two and dry, and buff it off. Never tried it on a scope though.

I'd be afraid to use tooth paste in fear that it may be abrasive.
 
#23
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

Nothing totaly stops fogging. One of the best solutions I have found is to mix windex and a little dawn dish liquid and spray it on the lens. and do not wipe it off just let it dry on the lens. It is not perfectly clear but better than fog. Dawn in water seems to work just about as good. This is what I use on my boats windows when they start fogging but it needs to be sprayed on fairly often.
 
#24
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: DEMjunior</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Don't know about a Scope lens, but when it comes goggles I use for snowboarding and dirt biking I have used toothpaste. Rub some toothpaste on your goggles, wipe clean, good to go. I don't know why or how it works. My friend was cleaning his goggles with toothpaste on the way to the mountain and when I asked why, he said to keep the lenses from fogging. I tried it out and it seemed to work that day, so I usually do it on my goggles before rides and I never seem to have much of a fog issue.

Just food for thought. </div></div>

Most toothpaste has abrasives.
 
#26
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

I would not use tooth paste for reason stated above but little bar of zest when you go to replace it with a new bar works well. Wipe on and buff off with a spare lens cloth, used on many things. Sure there are many ways this works best for me. see many use similar methods
 
#27
Re: Preventing fogging of scopes

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Lowlight</div><div class="ubbcode-body">A couple of years back, at one of the ASC matches, a front came through and swung the temperature about 30 degrees in as few minutes. It rained, and snowed in one sitting then went to mid 60s... every single scope on the line fogged nothing you can do about it, they all fogged from the inside too. None were immune to the wild weather. You can try, but why, it is what it is. A small lens cleaning kit is the best you can do, Zeiss has a great one they include with their scopes. Spray, cloths, lens paper...

In South Texas with the high temps and high humidity anything in the A/C will fog when you walk out the door, including all my high end camera equipment. So when I know I will use my cameras I leave them out in a plastic bins to stay acclimatized to the conditions. The vault is better on the conditions than the A/C...

But it all fogs under the right conditions.

</div></div>


I remember that like it was yesterday...that was pretty incredible...and everyone and their gear were steaming right after that...crazy stuff goes on up there.

I tried the spit trick on goggles before and it worked well...

JB
 
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