An Outdoorsman Reviews The Best Hunting Scopes Under $500
- Dave McGillivray
- Nov 8, 2024
- 12 min read
Updated: Mar 12
I tested the most popular scopes for hunting to help you find the perfect optic for your rifle. Let’s break down the best options under $500.
FYI, Prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. Vortex Optics - Diamondback Tactical (6-24x50) First Focal Plane
Highlight: Extra-low dispersion glass; fully-coated lenses.
Helpful review: This scope 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: $449.00 & FREE Returns
2. Burris - Scout Scope
Highlight: A mid-mounted scope that has a clear sight picture.
Helpful review: 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: $449.99 & FREE Returns
3. Sightmark Wraith - HD 4K (4-32x40) Day/Night Scope
Highlight: High-resolution scope with 4K recording.
Helpful review: 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.
Get it from Amazon now: $499.97 & FREE Returns
4. Vortex Optics - Viper (6.5-20x44) Second Focal Plane
Highlight: Side knobs focus for quick adjustment.
Helpful 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
5. Bushnell - Engage (2.5-10x44) Riflescope
Highlight: Thick and easy-to-see crosshairs.
Helpful review: 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: $404.95 & FREE Returns
6. Leupold - VX-Freedom Series
Highlight: The highest levels of manufacturing.
Helpful review: 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: $299.99 & FREE Returns
7. Vortex Optics - Diamondback (4-12x14) Second Focal Plane
Highlight: Hard anodized finish and shockproof design.
Helpful 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 about 300 bucks 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: $259.00 & FREE Returns
8. Burris - Fullfield II (4.5-14x42) Hunting Scope
Highlight: Focus ability to make the target clear.
Helpful review: 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.
Get it from Amazon now: $199.99 & FREE Returns
9. Sightmark Wraith - 4K Mini Digital Night Vision Riflescope
Highlight: This scope can have profiles saved for different rifles.
Helpful review: This is another space scope made by Sightmark that is new to my mind and has my undivided attention. 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: $799.97 & FREE Returns
10. Vortex Optics - Viper PST Gen I Second Focal Plane Riflescope
Highlight: The illuminated BDC3 reticle makes for fast target acquisition.
Helpful 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.
Get it from Amazon now: $384.99 & FREE Returns