A Buyer's Guide to Rifle Scopes for Hunting

When looking for a rifle scope keep in mind that there are two basic rules. The first is that you get what you pay for. The second is that you should buy the best that you can afford. When you get into looking for any optics, you can be assured that more expensive means better quality. There is a good reason that Zeiss optics cost much more than Tasco or Bushnell. Higher priced optics will use higher quality glass, have much tighter tolerance levels, and will have a much sharper image. When looking for a scope, there are several things that you should consider. Here are a few considerations for purchasing a rifle scope.

1. Price. As was mentioned before, when buying a scope, you will get what you pay for. Too many hunters will buy an expensive, heirloom quality rifle, and then put a cheap scope on it. That just doesn't make any sense. Your rifle will perform much better if you purchase a scope of higher quality. Plan to buy a scope that will help you become a better shooter. Prices for scopes range from about $40 up to $1000 or more. You certainly don't have to spend tremendous amount of money to get a good scope. Buy what you can afford. Consider Leupold's line of riflescopes. They are all good quality, and they have a wide range of prices available. The VX line of scopes is a great choice, and varies in price from about $199 to $950. Once you have determined how much you can spend on a scope, move on to other characteristics that you would like to consider in a scope.

2. Glass quality and manufacturing process. You will want to buy a scope with multicoated lenses. This is important because it will affect the clarity of the scope, as well as its effectiveness in low light conditions. You want to be able to see your game at those vital early morning, and late evening times. Many scopes, which use a lower quality glass, will have quite a bit of distortion around the edges. This may not be much of a problem when an animal is standing still, but if you are trying to pick up a moving animal, the distortion can make it impossible. There is nothing that is as frustrating as trying to get on target, and not being able to because of a failure in the equipment. This is an area that you can visibly see the benefit of a higher quality scope. Compare scopes at an outdoor store to see if the models you are interested in have high clarity all the way to the edge of the scope (that is, in the entire field of view).

3. Reticle. The reticle is aiming point that you see when you look into the scope, and there are many different options available. You will need to decide on what reticle you want based on what you are hunting, the conditions you will be hunting in, and your own preferences. There are several common options for reticles, any one of which may be suitable for you. For example, the Leupold VX-III series scope is available in seven different reticles. The heavy duplex reticle has heavy wire for about half of the crosshair, and then narrows down to a smaller wire where the crosshairs actually cross. The duplex reticle is similar, only the heavier wire is a bit thinner. The crossing wires are the same size, making pinpoint accuracy possible. The fine plex reticle has the small wires for the whole length of the crosshair. The target dot reticle has the fine wire for the full length of the crosshair, but with a small dot at the aiming point. The illuminated reticle has a small, lit at the aiming point to provide contrast between the reticle itself and the target. The last two reticle possibilities are designed to help the long range shooter. The first is the varmint reticle. This reticle provides 5 aiming points, so that you can tailor your scope to your particular rifle and load. You can sight the rifle in for varying distances from 100 yards to 500 yards. There are also aiming points to help you compensate for wind deflection. The Boone and Crocket reticle is a similar design, only for larger game. It provides 5 aiming points for various distances from 100 to 500 yards as well. As you can see, there are many choices when it comes to reticles. If you plan to be shooting at great distances, one of these last two choices may be what you need. Otherwise, choose one of the previous five reticles, according to your own preference for shooting.

4. Magnification. The magnification of the scope is often one of the first things that a person thinks of. There are so many options available that we cannot even start to list them all! However, you do need to consider how you will be using your scope, and how much magnification you will need. Many people who hunt in tight quarters, or heavy woods, will only use a fixed magnification scope. There is no reason to have a 15 power scope under those conditions, as any shot will be relatively close. A 4X scope is typically all that is needed if your shots will be 75 yards or less. However, if you will have the opportunity to reach out a bit further with your shots, then you will probably want a variable magnification scope. The most popular range of variable power scopes is 3X to 9X, which is commonly shortened to: 3-9X. This flexibility can be a great asset when shooting at different distances. 3X is available for those shorter shots (under 50 yards), and you have higher ranges for longer shots (200 yards or more). Variable power scopes also give you a bit more accuracy when you need to make a more difficult shot. If need be, you can crank up the power on your scope, and lay a tough shot into your game. Higher power scopes are also available, if you either plan to shoot much further distances (500 yards or more), or if you plan to hunt smaller game at relatively long distances. A 15X scope can make it much easier to see, let alone hit, a prairie dog or ground hog at 300 yards.

5. Durability. Durability is particularly important when buying a scope for a magnum rifle, or muzzle loading rifle. The repercussion on these guns can be astounding. A scope must be built to withstand the punishment that can come from these types of rifles. Make sure you purchase a scope that has been tested to withstand the recoil of these guns. Avoid any scopes that were designed for lighter calibers, or smaller bores. Some companies are now labeling scopes specifically for magnum calibers, and muzzleloaders. Make sure to buy enough scope for your rifle, as an inferior scope will have the reticles blown out of it by the recoil of the gun.

6. Aesthetic appeal. Scopes are not designed to match any gun that is available. If you have a stainless steel gun, you can get a stainless steel scope. If you have a high gloss bluing on your rifle, you can get a high gloss scope. Or, you can get a matte finish on your scope, if you think that matches your gun. The truth is, this characteristic is purely aesthetic, and should only be considered after all other criteria are met. However, many guns are a work of art, a thing of beauty. Putting the wrong scope up on top may really detract from your masterpiece. So, buy a scope that matches your gun, and compliments its look and feel.

There are so many different scopes available, it will take quite a bit of time to decide on what you want. But, if you follow these tips, you will have a working list of some great scopes in your price range.