Best Rifle Scopes In 2025: Hands-On Testing Of Vortex, Bushnell, Burris And Others
- Gary Anderson
- Jul 6
- 43 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Rifle scopes help you shoot farther and more accurately. I tested the most popular models and picked the best options you can get on Amazon right now.
FYI, Prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Vortex Optics - Diamondback 6-24x50 First Focal Plane
Highlight: Extra-low dispersion glass; fully-coated lenses.
The Vortex Diamondback HP is a First Focal Plane optic. The Diamondback is a mid-range scope and a great buy. The Vortex Diamondback HP is very popular with our friends back east and down South hunting whitetails in a field or from a tree stand. I don't know why white-tail hunters seem to be the biggest fans; maybe Vortex puts more effort into sales for white-tail hunters.
The Diamondback will do fine out west taking the 400-yard shot. The Diamondback is gonna be magic for you. Get bored-sighted, then get out to the range and practice shooting. Pretty soon, it will do everything that you need to do.
The Diamondback HP carries a lot of magnifications with it at 6-24x50 magnification. The big difference is that the objective diameter is smaller than most after Vortex hunting scopes at 50mm. 50mm is a lot more objective than the scopes we all grew up hunting with, and one great thing about a smaller objective is they will fit on any rifle. The Vortex Diamondback HP will also fit on a rifled barrel shotgun. They will fit on the shotgun, but there are better fits for the Diamondback. For the folks that want to put a high-powered scope on an AR platform rifle, this is a good choice as the mounts can be lower and the objective is lower, making the battle rifle work more like it should like it was meant to be in the first place. Being a first focal plane scope, there's a minimal adjustment when moving the magnification. When you increase the magnification, the site picture will not change much.
The Vortex Diamondback and anything that Vortex makes has no problem in bad weather. The standard gun shop joke is that you can hammer a nail with a vortex, and it will keep on working. They build these things to take punishment and keep on performing. The Diamondback is not gonna fog up, it's not gonna lose its zero, the turrets aren't gonna freeze up, and the adjustment rings aren't gonna freeze up. If the scope freezes or does not keep working, you send that back to Vortex, and they'll fix it or replace it with no questions asked.
If I were to rebuy a Vortex Diamondback HP, the one thing I would make sure to do is I would get the illuminated reticle. Mine is just a standard black reticle, and as I get older, that starts to become more of an issue. A green light reticle that I could turn up the brightness and make it easier to see. Especially if I'm using that reticle to adjust for holdover, the scale would be a lot easier to see, especially when you've got buck fever and are wearing glasses. The reticle has a built-in bullet drop compensator, so holdover is made much easier for the shooter.
The horizontal also has lead marks, so moving animals or wind adjustments are in place. Just because the reticle is covered in all of the Terminator-looking stuff, as a shooter, learn how to use the marks and things. All that means is more range time and trigger time; how hard can that be? You're trying to get this hunt taken care of, so it sure would be neat to have that just easier to see.
This is a tremendous and affordable hunting scope. The Diamondback can be an excellent introduction to long-range shooting as the shooter's skill comes up to par with the gun and the optic ability to put rounds where they are aimed. This scope will match any rifle that you put it on, so if you're going to hunt Prairie dogs with the .223 Savage bolt action, you could put it on an AR15 if you feel like it. I've seen prairie dog shooters use an AR with a scope and I have seen prairie dog shooters use a 7mm Magnum. The Vortex Diamondback HP is at home on smaller calibers as well as bigger rifles and takes care of any issues you have or any needs for our rifle optic.
UPDATE:
This scope recently went on my brother-in-law Ruger's Number One rifle. He has this rifle in 7mm-08, and it is a tack driver. So, to go with this tack-driving rifle, we decided to test out the Vortex Diamondback in the First Focal Plane. The long-distance folks will choose a first focal plane scope all day over a second plane scope. For hunters, this truly is not that big of a difference compared to the price tag for the first plane optic. Regarding the Diamondback models from Vortex, the price is not that high, and if anyone is looking to do some long-range shooting, get the first plane option.
The glass in this scope is as clear as a blue sky. The lenses are coated so they do not show aberration or warping along the edge of the glass that some scopes suffer. The objective lens and eyepiece are also coated to resist scratching, which is excellent for a hunting scope.
The adjustment turrets are nice and tight. They turn quickly and will click both audible and tactile (feel it in my fingers), so counting off MOA adjustments is easy. The one hang-up with the Diamondback is it does not have a zero lock. All this means that the shooter will need to pay closer attention when twisting knobs. For distance or target shooters, this is not a thing; for a long-distance hunter who does not have time to double-check the clicks, it may be an issue.
The objective is excellent at 50mm. This keeps a good field of view for the shooter, and the magnification is unreal - 6-24x! I don't know anyone who shoots at that maximum level of magnification. Pulling the trigger would cause so much movement in the field of view that my head would spin. For long-range shooting and at this price, how could anyone go wrong?
Get it from Amazon now: $369.80 & FREE Returns
2. Burris - Scout Scope
Highlight: A mid-mounted scope that has a clear sight picture.
I use a scout scope on a shotgun designed to shoot slugs. The Savage is a bolt-action gun made to shoot sabot slugs. This gun is designed to hunt deer back east, where laws do not allow high-powered shotguns.
The mid-mount allows this shotgun to be shot with both eyes open and follow the game as it moves. At that close range, a shotgun for deer or turkeys will move many feet to yards nearly immediately, and trying to follow that animal with one eye looking through the scope is almost impossible.
The heavy plex reticle is my favorite. The heavy crosshairs allow me to get on target and stay there as the critter moves. The reticle will work as an in-motion range finder if anyone has been taught to use the multi-thickness crosshairs.
The only issue I had mounting this scope on the Savage 20 gauge was getting the mount to work. But all I had to do was look a little harder and use a little ingenuity, and it was mounted and zeroed in about an hour total.
The fantastic warranty is the last thing I want to mention about the Burris optics manufacturer. All heavy hitter scope makers offer the no-questions-asked warranty now, but Burris was the first. I have been told that a Burris scope can be recovered from a fire and sent back, and a new one is in the mail within a week. I don't plan on tossing my gun in the campfire to check this claim out, so I will ask everyone to take my word for it.
Get it from Amazon now: $342.27 & FREE Returns
3. Sightmark Wraith - HD 4K 4-32x40 Day/Night
Highlight: High-resolution scope with 4K recording.
I am not big on space guns or space scopes on my rifles. That does not mean they are not good; it is a struggle for me. This is not a scope but more of a camera that mounts where the optical scope typically sits.
This scope is heavy. Think about how it works for a second. It uses an IR (InfraRed) projector, and the camera sees the light in that spectrum. The computer processor then sends that information to the eyepiece, so it is like watching a one-inch TV that sits inches from the shooter's eyeball.
This computer and camera set-up requires batteries to run. I have extra batteries in my pocket to replace if they go dead. I discovered that this thing would burn up the batteries in a hurry. Unlike a true optic, this scope cannot be left in place or used all day. It lasts about two hours or less on four double (AA) batteries. The IR projector looks like a small flashlight that sits on top of the scope and puts out more light so the scope can see in the dark or, as some will say night vision.
The daylight function of this scope is horrible. I don't see this as a deer-hunting scope, but for a feral pig or coyote gun that takes out the problem in the dark, this thing would be awesome until the batteries die.
The "this is so damn cool" factor is beyond excellent! I like this optic for the ability to do things my explicit glass scopes cannot do. My hang-up is that I don't feel good shooting at a target I cannot identify with my own eyes. It would be great if I needed this to defend something, but the hang-up is the battery life.
MY UNCLE'S REVIEW:
This optic can see up to 200 yards in the dark with the IR illuminator (flashlight) and send that information to my eye in 4K. It's the priciest on the least, which is why I ranked it no. 9. Is it worth the money? probably. Depends what you need it for. Remember - this is a night vision riflescope. It's of superb quality - but ask yourself before shelling out that much money: "Do I really need it?" The hang-up with any of the "space scopes" is the need for power to work. I wish for a rechargeable option that brings size and weight to get enough energy to operate the scope for a long time. Maybe someday, the manufacturers of this optic style will use an onboard battery and can plug in an external battery pack that I can carry in my pocket for more prolonged operations. Since the Sightmark uses a processor and camera to make the IR ability, that comes with the ability to record the hunt or night shooting in real-time. I can't think of a time I will use this, but I can think of some very cool things to make happen in the future just because they are cool and I want to do them. When this scope talks about magnification, what is actually happening is a camera zoom. The scope makes a claim for optical zoom and then some digital zoom after that. I had a camcorder once upon a time that did the same thing. The camera can look closer at the target, but the clarity is instantly destroyed. That does not mean the shooter will miss a 600-pound hog, but they will miss a 25-pound raccoon. Eye relief is somewhat of an issue; a different scope base will be needed. All that must be done is get a base that will allow the scope to cantilever rearward, which will be fine. Remember, the eyeball looks at a tiny screen inside the scope's body, so it must be closer to the shooter.
Get it from Amazon now: $479.49 & FREE Returns
4. Vortex Optics - Viper PST Gen II First Focal Plane
Highlight: Super-low dispersion glass for color fidelity and increased resolution.
My absolute favorite rifle optic is the Vortex Razor PST generation 2. I absolutely love this rifle scope; there are many reasons for that. I'm so impressed with the Vortex Razor, and we're going to talk about that and why you really should (or maybe shouldn’t) purchase one of these. I own the Razor HD Gen. 2 (now called the Vortex Razor). I own this and other top-shelf riflescopes and the Razor has left the most significant impression on me. The Razor has variable magnification; I do most of my shooting out here in the West, so I do a lot of cross-canyon shots.
Out here, you may find a deer 100 yards away, and the critter keeps moving until you finally locate it again. Now it's moved another hundred 100 yards, and so you're gonna have to be able to adjust the scope. The perfect scope for me is a 3 to 15 magnification or 3 to 12 magnification. Almost everybody around here uses 3 to 9 power magnification; hunters have been using scopes for hunting deer for… I don't know since guns had scopes on them.
Growing up in a deer-hunting family, we all have 3-9 magnification scopes on the trusty bolt action, and I was no different until I learned about Vortex. My first choice as a young, broke hunter was Leupold, but I wanted to have a car more than a deer rifle scope. As an older and more seasoned hunter (aging like beef jerky), I find myself drawn to Vortex more than any other, like everyone else. The current generation of scope magnification tends to be 3-12 magnification, and now a 50mm objective lens is common; what a time to be a hunter.
The other great thing about the current optics is that even the cheap scopes have good glass, and Vortex has amazing glass. The clarity is right on the money and does not distort (if at all) until I reach the maximum magnification. Let's get specific on the quality of the Vortex Razor. This scope will be crystal clear from 3 power magnification all the way to 15 power magnification. There is zero blurry vision at any point when adjusting the Razor.
I put a Vortex Razor 3-15x50 on my Remington 700 and could not be happier. My brother-in-law put one on his 6.5 Creedmore built on the AR platform, and he loves it. I don't like the high magnification scopes on the AR platform, but that is only my opinion; many people use them on AR platforms and never look back. If I put an optic on an AR rifle I build for myself, I will use one of the fantastic Red Dot optics or a Low Power Variable Optic (LVPO). I may someday use a magnifier with a Red Dot just to see what that magic is all about.
The Vortex Razor is an excellent first-plane focal plane for long-range shooting or hunting. I put this rifle in the lead sled on the range to sight it in, with more to come later, and sandbagged it in the field, shooting at coyotes. I am not going to pack around sandbags hunting deer, I barely like taking the gun, but that seems to be needed, so I suck it up and quit whining. The Vortex Razor has windage and elevation knobs that click into place and stay there.
The Razor also has a side knob for parallax. Behind the parallax knob is the adjustment for the illuminated reticle; think about two knobs in one place, a lot like some adjustments on a modern car. The focus ring is on the back, around the tube, and if this is a hunting rig, get a throw arm to make it fast and easy.
The Vortex Razor reticle is fantastic, and for anyone who doesn't know, the reticle is basically the crosshairs. Around here, we sight rifles in at 100 yards and then use holdover because we're hunting stuff that moves, so you have to get really good and kind of lucky to make the shot. With this reticle, you can figure out the holdover correctly. If you got your scope sighted for 100 yards and the animal walks out of 250 yards, that reticle is your "cheat code," you can use that as your holdover, and you'll be on the bullseye. The one issue is that the reticle on this needs to be daylight-bright. That means that the more sunshine you get outside, the more the reticle washes out. So, the Vortex Razor is more at home as a target scope; however, it's a fantastic hunting scope, but you do have the issue with it washing out in the sun.
Now let me tell you about the sighting-in embarrassment moments. After bore-sighting in my shop, I took the Remington and Vortex Razor to the range. When I got there and opened my shooting bag, I brought a whopping 25 bullets because I didn't remember buying some ammo. Good boresighting got me shooting on paper, and four rounds after that, I hit the two-inch ring until I ran out of bullets. With about half an hour's worth of effort into it, it's a perfect fit to put a Vortex Razor on a bolt-action Remington 700. The Vortex Razor is a full-size scope; to me, that scope goes on a bolt-action rifle.
I put it on a Remington700 in 7mm magnum, figuring it's a fantastic gun to shoot way the heck out there. One good thing about the Vortex Razor is that it has a revolution counter. The revolution counters do just that. They counted how many times I turned the turrets when dialing in the scope for precision; for other scopes, I would have to count my clicks as I turned the knobs. It's easy to use this scope for precision work; it's like cheating. It takes some of that remembering and guesswork out, which is great when you're nervous and focusing strictly on reading mirages and trying to read the wind and all that stuff. Along with many other high-quality scopes, the Razor has a zero stop. A zero-stop sounds very impressive. All that means is when you get your rifle zeroed, you set it to zero so you can twist those knobs all you want, then twist it back to zero, and you're right back to where it was before.
When it comes to the Vortex Razor, would I buy another one? I've bought three of them so far, so I would definitely buy another if I could get a good deal on one. But if you're looking to upgrade your scope and can afford the Vortex Razor, make sure to take advantage of every car payment to buy a rifle scope. Save up for it; when it's easy to buy it, get it, and you will love it forever.
Get it from Amazon now: $899.12 & FREE Returns
5. Vortex Optics - Viper 6.5-20x44 Second Focal Plane
Highlight: Side knobs focus for quick adjustment.
OK, everyone, let's talk about one of my latest builds, a .300 Win mag, and I decided to get a Vortex Viper scope. I picked one up in a 2nd focal plane, and I was trying to decide if I would shell out the money for a Leupold or if I should stick with the Vortex brand. Obviously, I decided to get the Viper. The fact that an extra 1500 bucks stayed in my checkbook put the Leupold back on the shelf for right now. I mounted this Vortex Viper on the 300 Win mag a Savage Model 10 (if anybody cares to know). I got it boresighted in the shop, sold a kidney on the black market to buy ammo, and went to the range. I hammered 100 rounds from that bolt action gun, I should add that includes everyone who went that day, I don't know if I am that level of tough to shoot that much magnum rifle in one range visit.
When I shop for super clear scope, I always compare it to my all-time favorite Nikon rifle scope. The Viper glass is just as clear, even more so than my Nikon scope. Nikon does not make rifle scopes anymore; they focus on camera gear and stuff like that, and it is a shame to lose that player in the rifle scope game. Everything about the Viper works like a champ. Every review and claim to brag about their Vortex Viper is correct, but you can't get anything better.
While browsing for scopes, I saw an entry in the Vortex FAQ, and someone asked: can I paint this scope?" I never considered this a question to ask, so my interest was piqued. Some want to do the entire camouflage thing, including barrel, stock, and optic. Vortex stated that painting the scope would not void the warranty. I don't know why it would; it's just painted on the outside of it. Some manufacturers say if you paint their scope, you own it forever, and they won't warranty it. Vortex doesn't have an issue with it.
I mounted the Viper with a Vortex one-piece mount (sold separately). If available for the rifle mount, the one-piece mount should be used to mount anything, especially a large body scope on a high-recoil rifle. The solid block will prevent the rings from twisting during the scope mounting. It will also help keep the scope on target during heavy recoil, like a 300 Win mag.
The Vortex Viper has a massive magnification range of 6.5-20 magnification power! Talk about reaching out and touching something, the magnification gets into the crazy zone. The turrets are not exposed and have knurled caps making it easy enough to adjust in the field if you find that necessary. All the shooter has to do for turret adjustment is unscrew the cap, and move the crosshairs with a coin or the screwdriver blade on the multi-tool I know everyone has in their hunting kit. The Viper does have an exposed parallax knob on the side, so that adjustment is quick and easy, and you are going to need it; more on that in a minute. The rear body magnification ring has a built-in throw arm of sorts, it is more like a ridge, but at least it has one.
The crosshairs or reticle if you care, could be a little darker; I find them to be a little thin. Mine Vortex Viper reticle is not illuminated; if I had an illuminated reticle that may be a difference maker. The reticle does have a dead-on bullet drop compensator making this an amazing long-distance scope. As I zoom in the magnification the crosshairs don't cover up anything on the target, and that's a great feature of thin crosshairs and non-illuminated reticles.
The Vortex Viper has a pretty short eye relief. You will need the parallax adjustment often, or at least I do. What about short-eye relief? What that means is the shooter's eye must be relatively close to the rear of the scope to get a good sight picture. When mounting this on a heavy recoil rifle, like a 300 Win Mag, the recoil is going to drive that scope back at your eyebrow like it's pissed off at ya. When this happens, and everyone has done it or will do it soon, the scope will return and give you the “scope bite” right over the top of your eyebrow. Lucky for me, I had a ball cap on that day. I think that's the reason it didn't cut me over my eyebrow, but it felt like it did. I would tell folks thinking about mounting this on a high-recoiling rifle they may want to look into another Vortex scope with more eye relief.
MY COUSIN'S REVIEW:
This is the best hunting scope on the market, especially at an affordable price. This scope is built like the over-thousand-dollar scopes. The differences are not readily noticeable unless I can line up the whole lot and spend hours looking through them all at different targets, times of day, distances, etc.
The adjustment turrets do have an "easy zero" feature. The knobs click with a quality feel and sound. The knobs feel as good as any of the higher-priced scopes I have owned and reviewed in the past. The easy zero feature works like a dream and is easy to use. I had to get my zero set, pull the turret out, and return to zero. From there, I can adjust up or to the sides, whatever the case, and all I have to do is return the knob to zero, and I am right back to where I started.
The tube is 30mm, which allows lots of room to adjust the reticle and allow much light to enter the scope and send information to the shooter's eye. The objective lens is 50mm and allows for lots of light. It also has a good view, which is perfect for hunting. The magnification is massive; it starts at 6x power and adjusts to 20x power. I don't know if I will ever need a 20x power magnification, but I always like to try it to see the bullet hit the target in real-time. I have this scope mounted on my 6.5x55 Swedish Mauser, a blast from the past turned into a modern shooter initially designed by a genius, Carl Gustav.
Again, make sure to use high-quality scope mounts. Do not skimp on this part of the total firing platform. Also, ensure that the mounts will allow the objective housing to clear the gun barrel by a healthy margin. If the objective is resting on the barrel, the recoil will impact the scope and may screw up the reticle zero. The scope will not break; if it does for some unknown reason, Vortex will replace it without question, but accuracy will suffer.
Get it from Amazon now: $499.00 & FREE Returns
6. Bushnell - Engage 2.5-10x44
Highlight: Thick and easy-to-see crosshairs.
The scope I have to review from Bushnell is 2.5x10x44mm. I chose this scope power for a precision rifle I built in .22 LR just to do it. I used an old bolt-action Marlin with a 10-round removable box magazine. I found it very rewarding to tune the bolt and bolt face to as close to perfection as possible with the parts available for this old rifle.
I tend to leave this scope at the 2.5x low-end power setting, and at times, I move it to the 4x power to feel good. The scope is very clear with the low power setting, and the rifle movements are not so wild when I look through the optic.
The turrets adjust without tools. I reach up and turn them with my fingertips. After the turrets are turned and set, they lock into place, a very nice feature. I like this feature for setting my zero, and then I can't bump the reticle by accident or by branches when I carry it through the trees.
The lens coatings keep the sight picture clear and clean when looking through the glass and at the target. Bushnell has also made a specific coating to keep the lenses free of damage. The EXO coating works on a molecular level to repel water, dirt, oil, and brush.
Get it from Amazon now: $199.99 & FREE Returns
7. Vortex Optics - Venom 5-25x56 First Focal Plane
Highlight: Gives amazingly accurate holds at any magnification.
To say the Vortex Venom has an excellent scope is a massive understatement. It is straightforward to use. The glass is magnificent and may be one of Vortex's best-performing optics. The scope body is well made, and it will bring some heft. This may not be a scope that you want to put on a deer rifle that you'll have to pack for a while. This is more for one you will put into a position and hold it there. If you're gonna go into some long-range hunting you can steady the rifle on a bipod, tripod, or even a lead sled at the range.
I know that weight issue because I put one of these on a Winchester Model 70 Featherlight in 30.06 with a wood stock. I am curious to know what kind of feathers Winchester is comparing this to. Carry this around for a few hours, and it feels more like a Stoneweight Model 70. There is nothing featherlight anymore when I put this Vortex Venom on that rifle. The body of the Venom has thick wall construction, so much so that this scope will add 2.2 pounds to the gun's weight. This added weight is great to help tame recoil, but hell on a hunter packing this around all day. This weight may also test the quality of your rifle carry bag. Ensure you only buy high-quality gear for carrying around a precision rifle, that goes for carry cases and slings.
Let's talk about the exposed and well-marked adjustment turrets. The turrets are stiff to turn; they will exactly click into space. They're not quick adjusting, like I wanted for a hunting rifle, more for taking time to nail a shot perfectly. Another thing about the turrets is the many markings, which are excellent for exactness. They are too hard to see for a hunting adjustment due to the many tiny markings. I can't think of a better, more affordable precision rifle optic. The Viper has a feature built into the turrets called RevStop Zero System, this is a built-in feature that allows fast and accurate return to settings on the turrets.
The First Focal Plane Vortex Viper has a magnification of 5-25x power. I think I can see Nevada from the range some days. The objective lens is a huge 56mm. I can see nearly the entire range through the scope. The tube is 34mm, which means it needs 34mm rings to mount it. It also means there is a ton of room to adjust for elevation. The large tube allows more light to reach the shooter's eye and makes shooting all day very comfortable. The Viper also has a side-mounted parallax knob to make the scope fit the shooter. The one thing Vortex did not do is put a better rear tube magnification throw lever on the magnification ring. It's a simple fix; they included it in the kit, and all I had to do was put it on. It is strange that with everything else they put into this scope, that is the one thing they left out of built-in options.
The lenses are coated with Vortex XD Optical System, which removes chromatic aberration and gives the sight picture a clear and undistorted view from edge to edge. What the heck is Chromatic Aberration? That basically means lens flare, or the sight picture looking like a different color as the light passes through the curve of the lenses. The lenses are also protected from harm by a coating called Armortek. Armortek protects not only against scratches but oil as well.
Get it from Amazon now: $448.84 & FREE Returns
8. Leupold - VX-Freedom 3-9x40
Highlight: The highest levels of manufacturing.
Leupold has always been the pinnacle to me regarding rifle scopes. I have never found a scope, in my experience, that can outperform Leupold products when evenly matched.
Leupold has the Freedom line of optics that fit affordable and lightweight purposes. Most of these scopes in the past were heavy, which comes from the quality of materials and glass they are made from. Leupold has taken feedback from the shooter world and has adjusted their manufacturing processes to make things smaller and lighter.
The turrets adjust by removing the caps and then turning the slotted screws like the old-school hunting scopes have always used. Like many other scopes, the magnification ring sits right in front of the eyepiece.
The historical superpower of Leupold has always been the glass they use. Even with a smaller 40mm objective lens, the clarity will perform or outperform more expensive manufacturers. The coatings used are an industry example everyone aspires to copy.
The magnification will adjust down to 1.5x power. This is amazing for shooting at targets that are close or if a shooter has an issue with muzzle movement and wants to reduce the amount of "wiggle" in the sight picture. The magnification adjustment ring moves smooth as butter. It seems to have zero drag, but it is not a loose and sloppy fit. Nothing made by Leupold has anything less than a perfect fit.
This scope allows hunting rifles to wear one of these optics for less than 500 bucks, which is new to me. I am excited to get one mounted on my AR10 in Winchester .308 to see what that rifle can do with some quality optics sitting on top.
Get it from Amazon now: $364.99 & FREE Returns
9. Vortex Optics - Diamondback 4-12x14 Second Focal Plane
Highlight: Hard anodized finish and shockproof design.
This Vortex Diamondback is a Second Focal Plane (SFP) and does not carry the HP suffix. For everyone who doesn't know the difference between the first focal plane and 2nd focal plane, it is straightforward: when you adjust the magnification on a second focal plane, it will affect the sight picture; that's the primary difference maker. If an SFP Diamondback is going to be used on a deer or elk rifle, I don't think you're gonna have a whole lot of issues with the 2nd focal plane. If you're gonna set up to shoot, say, coyotes way out there; you know, 600 meters away you might have a problem especially as the coyote keeps moving. If you keep adjusting the magnification, you'll have more challenges staying on target with that second focal plane.
As a hunting rifle optic, I don't see a considerable difference in the price tag for a first focal versus a second focal. If you find one of the Diamondbacks on sale and it's too good to pass up, get it. Don't worry too much about the focal planes. If you find both on sale and the difference is a small amount of money, I'd go for the first focal. If it's too big of a gap to jump, I would stick with the 2nd focal plane and get an illuminated reticle. If you keep your eyes on the ads, you might find the Vortex Diamondback in a second focal plane on sale at times for 199 to 229 bucks, maybe 250 bucks. The Vortex Diamondback will sit proudly on any rifle.
The Vortex Diamondback I put on my Dad's old 30.06 is a second focal plane. The magnification adjusts from 4 to 12 power and it has a 40mm objective. I put that on his deer rifle a while back so it is a bit older thus the 40mm objective. Just to make a point to the shooters that may not know, suppose you can get a bigger objective lens, why would anyone want to do that, especially if it costs more? A bigger objective is going to have a more extensive field of view, and it's going to "gather more light." To put it simply, it's just a better scope; however, it's also a bigger size scope. Dad’s with the 40mm fits in the scabbard that he had on his old four-wheeler; no problems at all.
The turret knobs, to this day, are easy to click. They're easy to turn, snap right in, and hold adjustments. The glass is crystal clear and gives an impressive view when looked through. The lenses are multi-coated for crisp and clean images. Here is a great part of using a Vortex product, even though it's old, the Vortex warranty is in effect for the life of the scope. That is one of the reasons you buy Vortex: the guarantee no matter what you do that, it's going to be fixed or replaced, as well as the amount of value that comes with the price tag cannot be beaten.
MY UNCLE'S REVIEW:
I think this is the perfect hunting rifle scope. I say this boldly because the quality for the price cannot be beaten. The magnification and objective sizes are in the sweet spot for a big-game hunting scope.
The Diamondback is the second focal plane, and increasing the magnification does cause some minor issues, but that is not a big deal for a hunter who has practiced more than once at the range. The Vortex glass is among the best on the planet, and the lens coatings are top-notch.
The adjustment turrets are nice and sharp, clicking into place with a solid feel. They will not move unless I reach up and turn them on purpose. The magnification ring moves smoothly and gives me a high-quality feel when adjusting. This scope should cost twice as much as it does.
The material this scope is made of is an aircraft aluminum tube, and the finish is hard anodized, so it will not scratch easily. The quality and caliber of this scope for the price blows my mind. I reluctantly put one of these on the deer rifle my grandfather gave me when I was 16. I carried that gun forever with the Tasco scope when he handed it to me. That is how impressed I am with this scope. That is not a comparison to the Tasco; it is a nod to Vortex for making a scope I would break from tradition to add to my deer rifle.
Get it from Amazon now: $229.46 & FREE Returns
10. Vortex Optics - Viper PST Gen I Second Focal Plane Riflescope
Highlight: The illuminated BDC3 reticle makes for fast target acquisition.
Let me start off by saying that adjusting the magnification will change the sight picture, and the shooter must reestablish the site picture. Now, for a hunter, that's not that big of a deal, but for a precision shooter or a shooter in a hurry (moving target) that is shooting from one distance to another, that may become a hindrance. It is not as dramatic of an issue as the increase in price tag for a first focal plane rifle scope can be; however, that's up to the shooter and how thick their wallet is.
My overall review of the Viper PST is positive. The scope's absolutely worth the money; it comes off the shelf or from Amazon at about 500 bucks. That price tag is steeped for a lower end of Vortex scopes. Prices for Vortex scopes are a little high; that is a point I will concede. I've seen a lot of reviews and talked to shooters in person about the Viper PST. It’s fully coated optics to minimize glare and other vision disturbances. The 50mm objective gives a good field of view. The magnification ability is 4-24x; this is amazing for a scope that costs about 500 bucks. The one thing I must stop doing with my Viper PST is dialing it up to 24x magnification and acting like I am that caliber of a shooter. When I turn the magnification up that high, it looks like a seizure is happening through the eyepiece; every breath or finger movement is also magnified 24x.
The reticle is etched into glass and will be good and clear for the life of this scope, and as a Vortex scope, the life will be forever. The reticle is illuminated to help with low light times. The scope has a side-mounted parallax knob to make the scope fit the shooter in every way. What about the tube? It’s 30mm, giving a full view of the target. It is sealed with o-rings and filled with nitrogen to keep the outside world out and provide a clear view inside.
The Stike Eagle has a rear focus ring that needs a throw arm to make quick focusing adjustments. The throw arm is a simple add-on, and it can be purchased from Vortex and added to the order. Throw arms are also available on Amazon and others that will fit, and they're simple to install.
All that is needed is to measure the focus ring, order the right fitting throw arm, and then put it on. The focus rings on the back (I mean of the tube) can be hard to get to and may move the rifle significantly. A throw arm utilizes leverage, making a tight-fitting focus ring smooth and straightforward. Any rifle scope I own that uses a rear focus ring has a throw arm installed. The only scopes I own that do not use the throw arm are the scopes that have a side focus knob.
The number one thing the Vortex failed with the Viper PST is scope covers. Of all things to drop the ball on, including its scope covers, the only issue I have heard about is that they sometimes need to fit correctly. What all the reviews and personal experience tell me is the scope covers are going to be loose. Loose scope covers on the range are annoying and quickly removed and set aside. In the field hunting with loose scope covers, you may lose them. Loose scope covers are more of a pain to deal with than they are worth, so remove and replace them with another maker's scope covers. Covers are simple to find and cost about 20 bucks.
I paid quite a lot for my Viper PST and feel that I ripped off Vortex for the quality I have on my rifle right now. I have this scope on an old 308 caliber Winchester Model 70, among others, and it is an excellent coyote hunting machine. With the ability to zoom up to 24x magnification, I have more scope than a rifle, to be honest. If I get good enough, I will shoot a 24x magnification scope someday and not just look like a seizure in the eyepiece.
MY BROTHER'S REVIEW:
A lot of shooters get one of these low-power variable optics as a way to replace a red dot or holographic sight. What happens is many shooters are sad when they realize this is actually an optical scope and behave that way.
The eye box works like a scope. That means the eyeball must be right behind the scope, looking through a tube. A holographic or red dot sight is made to look through the glass without the tube. If a shooter needs rapid target acquisition, use the red dot-style sights. If more precision shooting is required, use the low-power scope. The 1x power is a valid setting and a clear and good-sight picture. From 1-4x magnification, it works like a dream as a scope. The higher the magnification, the closer or smaller the eye box will be, which is universal in scope.
The reticle is made for distance and close-up targets. A BDC reticle is made to help calculate bullet drop as the range gets longer. When shooting across the room or down the hallway, the BDC3 reticle makes things confusing and blurry. I wish this scope could use a simple illuminated dot or even the dot in a circle style rather than the BDC.
If a hunter is shooting at close distances, this is the scope. The turrets are fingertip adjustable, along with the side-mounted focus knob. I don't think many hunters will move the turrets, especially when shooting at 4x power, but that side-mounted focus knob is terrific. Having the ability to change focus as an animal moves or as I am scoping to find the target again, this option makes it one of my favorites. The high-quality build and materials that Vortex uses in everything it makes are more than evident in this scope. The glass is clear and bright, the illumination works perfectly in dim and dark areas, and the reticle is excellent without illumination for daytime shooting.
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11. Burris - Fullfield II 4.5-14x42
Highlight: Focus ability to make the target clear.
I needed to replace the scope on my Dad's deer rifle, and this one seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I have always been impressed by Burris, and now I kind of have one. My Dad's rifle is a Springfield that weighs about 300 lbs. I don't know what this gun is made of, but it is heavy. So I was happy to find a great scope that saves on weight.
The standard hunting scope around here is 3-9x40mm. I have seen larger scopes come with the new guns, but all of us old-timers wearing a wooden stock use the 3-9x. I don't know why that is the case, but it seems to fit in my neck of the woods. The Burris looks like it was born on the rifle; it just looks right. And it's actually 4.5x-14x-42mm.
The glass is clear, and the coating makes it perform in every situation I can get into. The adjustments are covered and turned by a slotted adjuster. The magnification ring by the eyepiece moves smoothly and is tight still. For my Dad, the ring is a little stiff and rigid to move, so I will be ordering a throw lever and screwing it on the scope. The focus ring is on the objective and will get a perfect sight picture, but it is not as fast as other focus knobs. However, the result is an ideal view.
The mount itself is the one thing to make sure of when mounting a scope. Do not go the cheap route. When a scope mount is put on a rifle and the optic bolted in, I can try to wiggle the scope, and it will feel good. I cannot feel the tiny amount of movement that results in poor performance. The rifle's recoil will move the scope body, which will, in turn, move the crosshairs.
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12. Bushnell - Banner 3-9X40 Dusk/Dawn
Highlight: Stunning HD gives great clarity and quality optics.
I mean, I never write reviews, so let that be clear that that’s how much I love this thing. This is the sixth time I’ve bought this model of scope, and I mainly use it as a mount on my deer rifles. I just can’t say more good things.
When my vision started declining (hello old age), I started swapping out scopes after cheaper models I was using weren’t cutting it anymore. Seeing in low light conditions became a struggle, enough so that I was missing out on some valuable hunting time between dawn and dusk. I tried a lot of different kinds and without a doubt, these Bushnell Banners are the best I’ve had.
Not only do they add clarity to my hunting, but the entire process becomes more enjoyable and I can hunt longer–I don’t need to head home when the sun starts to set. Using these, I can see the hair on a whitetail deer from like fifty yards out. They’re super durable too, never had any issues with it losing zero when I use it.
The accuracy of the adjustments is just awesome. When I make four clicks up and four clicks right, and then I reverse it, it goes back to the exact same original spot. I used to spend over two hundred dollars on scopes and never got that kind of consistency. Really can’t recommend it enough!
MY NEIGHBOR’S REVIEW:
I tested this out on an annual hunt me and my buddies go out on every year, and it was a great opportunity to compare my model to theirs. Long story short, my scope beat all the other models out, specifically when it was darker out, or the lighting conditions were more dim. Mainly around dusk and dawn. Found that half my buddies couldn’t see a thing with their scopes then. I think I convinced all of them to go out and buy one of these haha. Definitely recommend this model. Since you can only legally hunt deer half an hour before sunrise and after sunset, I really don’t think there’s a point to spending more on a scope unless you're shooting beyond the three hundred yard mark.
UPDATE:
For the price, this scope went above and beyond what I expected of it. I mounted it on my Marlin 30-30 right before deer season kicked off, and I had it sighted at a hundred yards in just four rounds. I ended up putting another hundred rounds through it at the range that same day, and it held zero perfectly.
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13. CVLIFE - EagleTalon LPVO 1-6X24
Highlight: Illuminated BDC with tiny red dots at crosshairs makes precision target shooting possible.
This may be the perfect carbine scope. Especially if that carbine is a hunting gun, the reticle is thin and stays out of the way when trying to get a shot at prairie dogs.
The variable magnification in this scope will allow me to shoot things right in front of me or at point blank range when I set the magnification ring to 1x power magnification. When I dial that ring up to 6x power magnification, I am good to shoot beer cans on end at 100 yards all day long or until I run out of ammo. The reticle is thin, the center cross hairs are thin, and the outer part of the hairs are thick, like the old world hunting reticles. The very center of the crosshairs has a tiny red dot. The illuminated dot makes my eye track directly into the middle of the lens, and I come on target faster.
What I like most about this reticle is that it will work when the battery is dead or the red dot washes out in bright daylight. This reticle seems like the old days for old guys like me, and I am very comfortable using it. The reticle has a Bullet Drop Compensator, or BDC, a built-in way to adjust elevation. When the BDC is available, holding over-shooting feels like cheating. I have mine as a 5.56 BDC. They also make one in 7.62 for the AR10 guns.
The main body tube is 30mm, and the eyepiece is 35mm. This makes it very friendly and easy to use and allows me to pick up my target quickly. The reticle has exposed adjustment knobs that will allow me to twist the knobs when I feel the need to try and dial the scope in without using hold over. The knobs can be locked down, to keep them from getting turned when I don’t notice. That is why hunting scopes have covered adjustments, so the twigs and scrub oak can't get the scope aim off.
This scope claims to have a waterproof rating, but I did not throw it in the tub because I forgot to do that part of the testing. The main body is O-ring sealed and filled with gas, so the scope should never fog up. The lenses are coated to help with scratch resistance and fighting glare from bright sunshine.
My scope came with an excellent cantilever scope mount to hold the 30mm tube and clamps tightly onto the picatinny rail on the upper, and it was mounted. After a few minutes in the shop with the laser bore sighter, I was ready to go to the range. I set the target at the end of the 100-yard range, put myself in a folding chair, and got to work.
I shot about 200 rounds at the bullseye target and found that the scope and carbine were shooting around a two-inch group. I spent a few minutes double checking the screws and found that three had backed off a little, so out came the range tools and they were tightened and back to the bench. After tightening everything again, the groups tightened up to about an inch multiple times, and I felt good about that.
The battery is one of the coin-looking units and fits into the O-ring sealed compartment with almost zero effort. As I said, if this scope has a dead battery, the reticle will still be the same and will work no matter what happens with the illumination. The illumination has six brightness settings, and the dot only gets brighter, not bigger, like others I have used. The brightness dial is on the left side of the scope, and that is where the battery housing is also located.
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14. UTG - BugBuster 3-9X32 RGB
Highlight: Most commonly used along with airsoft assault rifles.
I mounted this baby on my factory Bushmaster without any modifications to the original weapon. I mainly got it to replace a red dot sight that I freaking detested. When I used it last week, I managed to zero it at the fifty yard mark and I hit all fifteen of my shots, and I even got the smaller pieces after my first few shots.
When I went out on the longer ranges, I found that for one hundred yards, I only needed to adjust one mil left. I ended up skipping two hundred yards and jumped straight to the three hundred mark, and that was where I got to really test it out. Without using any data on this scope, I guessed the mils based on my .308’s MOA dope and found that using Monarch 55 grain ammo at seven bucks a box, I judged I had about five shots to locate the target, then another five to test out the repeatability. I wasn’t far off, and after a few minor tweaks, I hit five out of five shots at both the three hundred and four hundred yard mark.
When I got to five hundred, I hit three out of five. But I only missed the first two and landed the last three, so there’s that.
At the three hundred yard mark, I adjusted up four point one mils, at four hundred yard, I put it up to eight mils. At five hundred, I went to thirteen mils, and I still had some room to spare in the scope. Overall, the whole experience took like less than half an hour, and I did all of this based on a fifty yard zero, using the cheapest ammo available haha.
The red dot of this rifle really annoyed me, and I couldn’t even get the clay at fifty yards, and now I rarely miss it!!! Also, it’s way cheaper to shoot than my .308 (granted I still do use that for those longer one thousand yard shots). I love the eye relief at about the three times power, but it does get a bit on the tight side when it hits nine times.
PRO-TIP:
You can collapse the stock halfway and that helps to make it consistent.
OVERALL:
So what’s the bottom line you ask? If I haven’t made that clear, yet, I freaking love this scope haha! For the price, you’re not gonna find much better. This baby is proof that you don’t need to spend a massive fortune so you can successfully shoot long distances. I like this baby soooo much. Bet you will too.
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15. Vortex Optics - Crossfire II 30mm-Tube Second Focal Plane
Highlight: Battery powered illumination increases visibility in low light conditions.
I finally found the perfect rifle scope after searching seriously forever. It’s everything I’ve been looking for and the best part is that it’s actually something I can afford and fits into my budget!
Before I got this, I had a Bushnell, but honestly it just didn’t live up to what I expected it to. It’s super smooth and sleek and I love how easy it is to use the focus and the zoom control and focus. The illumination control has eleven different settings right near the eyepiece. I also love that I can see the crosshairs inside, and even when it’s dark out I can still see the red center dot which helps me land my target better.
About ninety percent of the time I used the six illumination setting, and doing that, the battery lasts about three days. The clarity is awesome, even with different power settings. Hands down, it’s the most versatile scope I’ve ever owned, and I seriously can’t wait to take it out on the range. I doubt it will have issues, but I ordered it through Amazon, and I know their customer service is solid.
UPDATE:
Woooo! Took it to the range and can’t say enough good things about this baby. Mounted on my Tavor and it was spot on, even up to a hundred yards. I did have to adjust it at the two hundred and three hundred mark, but honestly it was so easy to use. Really can’t complain. Love this thing. A steal if you ask me. Do it! You won’t regret it.
Get it from Amazon now: $169.00 & FREE Returns
16. UUQ Prism - 4x32 Red/Green/Blue
Highlight: Compatibility with 20mm weaver and ⅜ inch dovetail rails.
Before we get into the details, let me start off by sharing two important details: First, I got this scope at a pretty solid discount in exchange for writing a full review, so I wanna be honest with that right out the gate. And second, I didn’t technically need another scope, I already have a few of them for my rifles, but I really enjoy testing out new gear so I can find great values for good prices.
I consider myself a pretty seasoned hunter, and I’ve definitely seen my fair share of poor quality scopes. I’m usually the go to for friends who are just getting into hunting, so I do like to test this stuff out so I can give solid recs to newbies or those who are on a budget.
I’ll be honest, I didn’t have high expectations for this scope, thinking it would be just another one of those cheap, plastic tactical gadgets that have pretty much a limited use. And then I actually tried it out, and man, this scope is solid. And I don’t say that lightly. This scope is legit solid.
GLASS:
That being said, if you're looking for superior glass quality you won’t necessarily find it at this price point. But for a budget scope with solid glass for the cost, yeah, this is pretty impressive. It’s not gonna be a high end prism scope, but it’s not really marketed as such. For a budget tool, yeah this definitely ranks the top. For less than a hundred bucks, the quality of the glass is definitely clear. There’s pretty good contrast and focus, and yeah, there’s a bit of distortion around the edges that kind of creates this fish eye effect, but it's not something you’re really gonna notice unless you really focus on it. With 4x magnification, it does the trick for the price.
EYE RELIEF:
I’d say that the eye relief hovers around three inches, and I think it works pretty well for a .223, but it could also work good for even heavier calibers on an AR. Probably not for 458 or .500 though. The eye box isn't as forgiving as red dots I’ve tested on other models, but I like that it’s magnified. Take that for what you will.
RETICLE:
I like this reticle a lot. Because it’s a prism scope, the reticle is essentially etched in the glass and it lights up, meaning that you can still use it even if the battery dies. There’s hold over marks out to four hundred yards, and they’re small but helpful when you’re focusing on those targets that are further away. The reticle lights up in three different colors–red, blue, and green–and I like the blue, because it’s the most subtle, but that’s probably more a personal choice.
ADJUSTMENT:
The adjustments on this are pretty straightforward for the most part, and they have small knobs, and just a heads up, you’ll probably need a dime or a small tool to actually adjust the knob. The clicks are fairly solid and from testing it out, I’d say they’re accurate. A lot of pricier scopes don’t even have that. I’d also say that there’s a good amount of internal adjustment so you can get on the target quickly.
DURABILITY:
I tested about thirty rounds yesterday and it held zero, which was awesome. Not necessarily a torture test, but budget scopes have failed at less. The durability wasn't necessarily designed for a shotgun, so yeah, I’m not gonna test it on that. Use it on the tools it’s meant for and you’ll find that it works. I reached out to the manufacturer out of curiosity and was actually surprised when they got back to me and told me to try it out on a shotgun using slugs for deer and see how it works. In other words, they’re confident in the durability of this thing. Just keep in mind that at the end of the day it’s a prismatic scope, there’s a solid, yet simple, erector that holds zero. Pretty happy with it if you ask me.
OTHER FEATURES:
I really enjoy the fiber optic sight on the top; it’s a nice touch if you ask me. Def a handy feature if you’re planning to use it for quick target acquisition on a shotgun or even a 300 Blackout. I’ll be honest, I haven’t had it long enough to test out its longer term durability, but I’d say it seems pretty solid for what you’re paying for it. If UUQ added struts to the fiber optic, it’d probably help it stay in the spot for a little bit longer. Battery life is pretty good if you ask me. I found that out because I actually left the scope on overnight haha and yet still worked the next day, which actually surprised me.
BOTTOM LINE:
Overall, what are my thoughts? I’d say it’s worth it. It’s a solid value, especially if you're looking for a scope with that budget mindset. Sure, there’s gonna be better scopes out there, but you’re gonna spend twice as much, and for under a hundred bucks, I really don’t think you can get better than this.
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17. Monstrum - Guardian AO 3-9x40
Highlight: Three to nine times magnification is adjustable, allowing targeting up to five hundred yards and beyond.
After looking at the reviews on the Monstrom, I figured that for this price point, I’d probably get an optic that wasn’t too great in the quality of the components. I mean, it’s pretty much cheaper than buying a solid box of good ammo haha. I figured best I’d get it for one use, and worst case, I’d just reuse it for parts.
The build quality surprised me at first. It all just looked solid and felt good–including the adjustment points and the tolerances on the tube. Even the mount was awesome. Yeah, the optic is kinda heavier than the specs, but only by a few ounces. I really expected the glass to be poor, but the clarity was surprisingly clear. Yeah, you’re gonna get sharper clarity if you spend more, but for the price, it was solid. I mean I didn’t think I could have something like this for under sixty bucks haha. Granted I had low expectations, but still. I will say that the reticule is on the basic side and the instruction booklet lacked info on the mils appropriate caliber.
You’re not gonna get a real FFP rangefinder on this. It’s budget for a reason, but honestly for the price it’s still really good! The AO dial allowed me an estimate between the distance to the target mainly by judging the optical sharpness. Didn’t expect that to be on this because again, it’s cheap, so it was a nice plus.
The glass is realllllly good. It gives a pretty good range calculation, too and it offers really solid visual acuity, which is saying a lot considering the magnification is at nine times. You’re getting every cent out of this thing.
When I tested it out at the range, I began at a hundred yards and missed the papervat min magnification. I ultimately ended up rotating the windage dials and the elevation one unit each and lo and behold–missed again. After a few more twists, I finally hit the paper. In other words, you may have to play around with this to figure it out, but once you do, it gets the job done.
After a few more shots after a full mount, I managed to get the actual feel of the reticle mils, and I pulled to fifty yards and discovered zero in three shots. Back at a hundred yards, I got a solid zero after I figured out the system adjustments. 100 and was able to get a good zero after learning the system and adjustments.
The eye relief definitely went above my expectations. Def excellent. I also found that the recoil was pretty much non-existent. The optic probably held zero across two hundred shots throughout the day.
Honestly, I just can’t say it enough: a scope at this price range probably shouldn’t have this level of accuracy and quality haha. Sure, it’s not a high end two grand piece of equipment, but by far, it’s better than my five hundred dollars scopes. Never ended up in my box of parts and have definitely used it more than once! You won’t regret spending fifty bucks on this haha. Do it. You’ll thank me later.
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18. CVLIFE - Red/Green 6-24x50
Highlight: Adjustable objective lens offers sharp target image and solid range estimation.
Wow, really can’t say this enough. Love this thing. Ignore the negative reviews, folks. I’m glad I did. The part about it being blurry? Sure, it can be when you’re adjusting the focus, but it takes a second to find the good spot. At its shortest and farthest setting, I managed to get a crystal clear view.
I also had no issue adjusting the focus and zoom at the distances in between. It has 3 knobs to adjust it which is cool, one for zoom, and two for focus. The second focus on is close to your eyes and unscrews a little, so maybe the blurry comments were because people didn’t figure that part out, I dunno. But I didn't have that issue once I figured it out.
A little more effort, but honestly, not a problem with the tool at all. I like that there’s a green and red light feature. It comes with cross hairs, but the lights mainly just reflect so you can see better in different light conditions. Oh, and if the battery dies, it still is good! And works!
Super durable build quality, and if I hadn’t known the price, I’d say it was probably closer to three or four hundred bucks–definitely not only sixty! So how does it work with recoil? Yep! And it definitely holds zero.
Sure, I could spend more bucks on a fancy scope, but I’d much rather put most of my money toward a quality gun, instead of spending all this money on a scope that’s the same price as my gun. If the gun is good enough, then you won’t have any problems with this, because for real, it does the job and it works. The magnification alone is worth the price. Ten out of ten!
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19. Simmons Truplex - 8-Point 3-9x50
Highlight: Fog-proof and waterproof with an endless preset range starting at fifty yards.
First things first…I’d recommend getting new rings if you purchase this. The included rings don't work with the OEM Ruger rail, and I got this specifically for my Ruger 10/22. It’s super clear and crisp when you look through it. I’d say that the eye relief could probably be a tiny bit better, but honestly you get what you pay for, and if you ask me, this is worth it.
You’ll need a screwdriver to alter the elevation or windage. Overall, it’s about performance, and that’s where this thing shines. No lie, I think I shot my best grouping at twenty five yards, like ever. Really just an overall great budget scope, but just remember to get those rings.
MY FRIEND’S REVIEW:
For those wanting something for general plinking or to hunt rabbits, this is a great rimfire scope. Love how the glass is bright and clear. Cross hairs are solid, and a good thickness, def the kind you need for hunting. You’ll def have all the zoom you’ll need for backyard plinking. It’s not the long-range type of target scope that you might use for long distance rim fire competitions. But... for sub one hundred yard shots you wanna play with in the backyard for those pesky squirrels or rabbits in your garden, then this is it. If you want separate parallax adjustment, mil dots, or those sort of things, then this is prob not for you. It’s budget, so I’d recommend it if that's your goal to save up the dollars. Know the limitations and you won’t be disappointed. Really just a great affordable scope. Can’t recommend enough.
UPDATE:
With the included rings, I used them on two of my guns and had zero issues. This 3rd scope went on my Marlin 60 with the included rings. This is my third scope, and the first two lasted like seven years with no issues. Only once, I lost zero and it definitely wasn't the scope's fault…literally, the gun fell from my truck hood lol. As with any screw on any weapon, it’s probably a good idea to take some extra effort with some blue loctite. You’ll thank me later. Sure, if you have money to spend on a high end scope, do it. But honestly, I like saving my money and this still gets the job done.
Get it from Amazon now: $81.95 & FREE Returns