The 10 Best Rifle Scope For Hunting 2023

A rifle scope is a shooting accessory that is commonly used by marksmen or hunters to locate and aim their target with great precision. It is, therefore, an essential part of every hunter’s gear.

This is also true because it has advantages over the iron sights common to all rifles. The good thing about a rifle scope is that it requires the same basic skills as using the common iron sights.

The only difference is that it comes with a single magnifying component that can be likened to a telescope.

The magnifying lens helps to increase your accuracy especially when firing at long distances.

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1. Nikon P-223 BDC 600 Riflescope

Nikon is one of the well-known sports optics company in the world because of their commitment to innovation and the performance and quality of their products.

It is made with Nikon’s fully multi-coated optics which allows for maximum brightness and light transmission. It features a BDC 600 reticle with open circle aiming points which allows for precise target placement.

The reticle also features harsh marks from 100 to 600 yards for easy viewing and aiming of your target. It is very lightweight (about 1lbs) which makes it very easy to use.

With this rifle scope, you can easily make adjustments because it has a spring loaded instant zero-reset turret. This means it can be easily adjusted and can be used on nearly all rifle types.

With this turret, you can also make a quick hand turn off about a quarter inch at 100 yards. It is your ideal scope for use any time of the day, whether you are hunting or merely shooting paper targets.

It also comes with a short magnification of 4-12×40 which makes it very effective for longer ranges. It is lightweight and can be held in a comfortable position while shooting.

It’s fully multicoated lenses allows for clearer images and light sensitivity. It isn’t cumbersome.

Features at a Glance

• BDC 600 reticle
• 4-12x magnification
• Multicoated optics
• Zero reset turrets.
• Compact and lightweight

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2. UTG 3-12X44 30mm Compact Scope

This rifle scope is durable and is fog-proof, shock and rain proof. Designed for reliability at all times.

The UTG 3-12X44 is a 30mm compact rifle scope that provides great results while being easy to use.

It features lockable and resettable turrets which ensure good precision and consistency while aiming. It also comes with a mil-dot reticle complemented by a 1/4 MOA click adjustment.

This means that your target can be placed and adjusted to suit your position or preference. This power-packed compact rifle scope is an ideal scope, especially for its price. You can comfortably mount it on your rifle or airgun application and you’re good to go.

Another top-notch feature of this product is the integral angle sunshade and quality flip-open lens caps. It also features quick detachable rings. This features will meet all your shooting needs at once.

And that’s not all, it comes with advanced features such as the parallax-free view from as close as 10 yards to infinity and an Illumination Enhancing (IE) in the reticle. All these features make this rifle scope a must-have for all firearms enthusiasts.

Features at a Glance

• 3-12x magnification
• Parallax free view from 10 yards
• Illumination Enhancing (IE) reticle
• Integral angle sunshade and flip open lens cap
• 1/4 MOA click adjustment
• Resettable turrets and quick detachable rings

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3. Nikon P-223 3-9×40 Mate BDC 600

The Nikon P-233 is another durable and compact rifle scope designed to meet your shooting needs. It features a fully multicoated lens that provides extreme brightness and light transmission of up to 98 percent.

It also features the patented Nikon BDC 600 reticle and zero-reset turrets, which makes field adjustment very easy.

Its versatile magnification range makes it an ideal riflescope for hunting and all forms of ballistics.

The 3-9×40 is equipped with the Nikon Spot on ballistic match technology. This feature allows you to discover the exact aiming points on your reticle for your exact ammunition. This goes a long way to increase your precision.

However, this scope may appear blurry in low light conditions especially indoors with artificial light. Just like other Nikon products, it is very lightweight (about 1 lbs ), easy to use and carry around.

Can be mounted on any rifle or firearm and would provide great results. The BDC 600 reticle also provides a unique open circle aiming point with hash marks of 100 to 600 yards.

It’s zero reset turrets quickly gets you zeroed into your target and helps maintain your setting even with the repeated recoil of your firearm. It is also water and fog proof and nitrogen filled.

Features at a Glance

• BDC 600 reticle
• Fully multi-coated lens
• 3-9x magnification
• Zero reset turrets
• Water and fog proof

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4. Nikon P-223 3×32 Matte BDC Carbine

This is yet another Nikon super efficient riflescope with features to suit your desired shooting needs. It is uniquely designed for excellent sighting speed and superior long-range accuracy.

It also features a fully multi-coated lens that provides extreme brightness and light transmission of up to 98 percent from dawn to dusk. It is a compact design riflescope.

Hence, it is ideal specifically for shorter rifles or firearms. Just like all Nikon riflescopes, the 3×32 is optimized for use with Nikon Spot On Ballistic Match Technology.

This feature allows you to discover all the aiming points on your reticle for your exact ammunition. It features a BDC carbine reticle, which is efficient for aiming targets very quickly and more accurately whether in close range or as far as 600 yards.

Its consistent eye relief keeps your brows and eyes in general safe even when using heavy recoil cartridges. This new BDC carbine reticle provides a unique 200 yards crosshair and harsh marks at 400 and 600 yards.

It’s zero reset turrets allow for quick and easy adjustment, with maintained setting even with heavy recoil. Just like other Nikon rifles, it is also fog proof and waterproof. This unique compact design weighs about 12 ounces.

Features at a Glance

• BDC carbine reticle
• 3-32x magnification
• Fully multi-coated lens
• Zero reset turrets
• Compact and lightweight design
• Waterproof and fog proof

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5. Bushnell Optics FFP Illuminated BTR-1 BDC Reticle Riflescope

The Bushnell Optics FFP is a beautifully designed rifle scope with durability that is built to last and literally stand the test of time.

It is designed with lots of amazing features to make your hunting easy and enjoyable. This high-performance rifle scope provides maximum reliability and accuracy for shooting in all scenarios.

This product features an illuminated BDC reticle designed for use with 5.5f rounds. The BDC provides for accurate ranging and aiming of up to 600 meters.

The Bushnell AR features a Throwdown PCL lever which makes lighting power changes quicker and easier.

It also features fully multi-coated optics for extreme brightness. Loaded with Nitrogen to remove every ounce of internal moisture and also sealed to prevent entry of dust or moisture.

This unique riflescope is made from high-quality aluminum alloy. In addition to being water and fog proof, it is also rustproof and can, therefore, stand the test of time.

This product is designed with high-quality optics that provides an amazing HD clarity and outstanding low light performance. It’s also very lightweight and weighs about 1lbs.

Features at a Glance

• Fully multi-coated optics with HD clarity
• Made from high-quality aluminum alloy
• Throwdown PCL lever
• Outstanding low light performance
• Waterproof, fog proof and rust proof

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6. Nikon Prostaff 3-9×40 Riflescope

This is a compact Nikon riflescope with a 3-9x magnification and a 40mm objective lens. It is designed for high performance, accurate and precise aiming even over long distances.

It is made from durable aluminum, very lightweight and compact design to suit your shooting needs. It is an ideal rifle scope for hunting as it is packed with features designed for good performance even in low light conditions.

The Nikon pro staff features a fully multicoated optical system for extreme brightness which transmits up to 98 percent of available light. This makes it ideal for twilight hunting.

It also features a zero reset turret with a spring-loaded adjustment knob for easy and quicker field adjustments. Just like other Nikon riflescopes, it is equipped with the BDC reticle and quick focus eyepiece for precise aiming of a target and accurate shooting.

It is fog proof, waterproof, Nitrogen filled and O-ring sealed to prevent entry of dust or moisture.

This product is also very lightweight and weighs about 1lbs. It can be easily mounted on your firearm and provides for high shooting performance.

Features at a Glance

• 3-9x magnification
• Nitrogen filled and O-ring sealed
• Multi-coated optical lens
• BDC reticle
• Good low light performance
• Lightweight and compact
• Waterproof and fog proof

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7. Vortex Optics Strike Fire 2 Red/Green Dot Sight

The Strike fire 2 is a versatile and reliable riflescope for all shooting conditions. It is especially ideal for shooters who want a quality red dot sight at an affordable price.

It features a sleek rear-facing control for easy adjustment and power control. This riflescope automatically returns to the last dot intensity used whenever it is powered up.

It is a high-performance riflescope with tons of unique amazing features for your safety and satisfaction. This product comes with a CR2 battery and a 30mm one-piece tube.

These features allow for unlimited eye relief and longer battery life. It also features a 6 hours auto shut down which helps to maximize the battery life. With its Night Vision mode, it is excellent for all low light conditions.

Allows for precise and accurate aiming and quick shooting even with very heavy recoil. It’s very easy to use, fast and very effective.

It features a parallax free design that allows you to shoot rapidly even with two eyes open. It is waterproof, fog proof and O-ring sealed to prevent dust and moisture from getting in.

It is also lightweight (1lbs) and Nitrogen purged. This compact riflescope is very effective and versatile and is, therefore, an ideal rifle accessory to have around.

Features at a Glance

• CR2 battery and 6-hour auto shut down
• Oak vortex branded baseball hat
• Red/Green light switch
• Parallax free design
• Waterproof and fog proof optics

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8. Nikon ProStaff Rimfire with BDC Reticle

The optical system transmits up to 98 percent of available light, which allows for extreme brightness in twilight conditions. It also features the zero reset turrets for easy field adjustments.

This product is equipped with BDC reticle with unique see-through ballistic circles that allow for long-range shooting. Very lightweight and compact weighing about 13 ounces.

It also features a quick focus eyepiece for easy and adjustable focus. Just like other Nikon riflescopes, it is waterproof and fog proof, Nitrogen filled and O-ring sealed.

Features at a Glance

• Fully multicoated optics
• 3-9×40 magnification
• Zero reset turrets
• Quick focus eyepiece
• BDC reticle

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9. NIKON M-223 BDC 600 8489 3-12x42SF Riflescope

High-performance BDC 600 reticle and ultra clear coat optical system that provides a unique open circle aiming point for shooting and harsh marks from up to 600 yards.

It also allows for clear target pictures and light transmission of up to 92 percent. It also features an impressive 4x zoom range and 4″ of constant non-critical eye relief.

It’s zero-reset turrets and smooth zoom control allows for easy and simplified field adjustment and magnification. It is made from lightweight alloy and has an inbuilt 20 MOA incline to maximize elevation for long range shooting.

Features at a Glance

• BDC 600 reticle and matte finish
• 3-12x magnification
• 4 – 3.7 inches eye relief
• 3.36 – 8.4 ft. FOV at 100 yards
• 1/4 MOA adjustment graduation
• 50 yards to infinity parallax setting
• Water proof, shock proof, and fog proof

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10. FSI Sniper 6-24x50mm Scope

The FSI Sniper riflescope with front AO adjustment is really solid and it comes with extended sunshade and Heavy Duty Ring Mount.

With it awesome magnification abilities of 6x to 24x magnification, it is one of the best scopes to use for long-range shooting,

Giving you accuracy and precision from as far as 500 yards. This is scope is fairly heavy, with a weight of 26.2 ounces and a length of 6” making it very handy and adding weight to your rifle.

Speaking of ruggedness, the FSI Sniper 6-24x50mm Scope is built with T6 aircraft-grade aluminum and therefore can endure the recoil of a .50 caliber BMG rifle. There are just a few problems though;

The FSI Sniper 6-24x50mm Scope has a limited capability in light gathering for a 50mm lens, which makes vision through it not so great. Also, it is coupled with a 1” tube, which makes it difficult to stay tightly fitted on most rifles.

Features at a Glance

• Multicoated optics with mil-dot reticle
• Elevation adjustment
• Superior shock resistant
• 6-24x magnification

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Benefits Of Rifle Scope

Using a rifle scope helps to indicate the exact location of your target. Magnifying your target not only allows you to shoot more accurately but also increases overall safety. This is because you will be able to see the target clearly and possibly what lies behind it.

Using the rifle scope has a lot of advantages over using the traditional iron sights. Apart from magnification, it also allows you to take full advantage of modern rifles and cartridges available in the market today.

Also, it is a lot easier to learn to shoot with a rifle scope because it enables you to place a more precise shot on target. This unique accessory has now become a must-have for all hunters and masks men.

This is true especially if you want to take full advantage of the two hunting prime times effectively.

What Should Look?

It is a must-have accessory for all gunmen or firearm enthusiasts. It comfortably replaces the traditional iron sights with great efficiency.
On this note, the iron sights have become less common. Shooting with rifle scope generally allows you to clearly see and aim your targets more precisely.

However, there are a vast number of rifle scopes available in the market today with different features and specifications, so it is easy to be overwhelmed by them.

Depending on your intended rifle use, this section will help to examine the things you need to consider before you go ahead and choose a rifle scope.

Type of Rifle Scope

There are various kinds of rifle scope which are generally placed in two categories; the variable and fixed rifle scope. The variable scopes are more common and more useful in magnification of the target.

This is because you can adjust the magnification on variable rifle scopes. The fixed scopes, on the other hand, are only recommended for certain types of firearms because you cannot adjust the optical magnification.

Magnification

Before going ahead to pay for the best rifle scope, you would want to find out how much magnification it has and if it is commensurate with what you need. The magnification level of the rifle scope will determine its usefulness.

It is true that most firearm enthusiasts will opt for higher magnification. However, it is very important to note that lower magnifications (4x or 6x) are smaller and will allow for faster and more precise shooting whereas higher magnifications (10x or 16x and above) will be larger, expensive, difficult to use from unsupported positions but will allow for great target resolution.

Hence, you should consider the functions that are more important to you.

Size

The size of the lens should also be carefully considered when getting a rifle scope. A good objective lens will account for brighter and clearer images of your target.

Hence, you may have a good magnification scope, but you also require a good lens if you want to see your target clearly.

A large objective lens is better to achieve optimal brightness and clarity. However, large lenses are heavier than small ones and can affect the balance of your rifle.

Twilight factor

The twilight factor is the measurement of the efficiency of the rifle scope in low light conditions. Knowing that the hunting prime times are early in the morning and in the evenings, these times are associated with low light.

If you’re getting a rifle scope for your hunt, you should, however, consider the twilight factor as this will ensure the efficiency of your rifle scope. A good rifle scope should be able to function effectively even in low light conditions.

Hence, the larger the twilight factor, the more usable the scope will be in twilight conditions.

Budget

After determining the features you need, the next thing is to find a rifle scope that fits into your budget. Today the scope market is large and highly competitive so you can have various options and prices.

Other things to note are the reticle, scope adjustment, and the parallax. These features are all very essential to the proper functioning of the rifle scope and hence it’s performance. In the end, the scope you choose will depend on your shooting needs and personal preference.

Keeps In Mind For Buying Best Long Range Rifle Scope

Nearly every modern rifle is equipped with rails for mounting accessories and optics. The choice in optics specifically is a very important one as it is the portal through which the target is viewed downrange.

During the most important moments of a hunting trip, your scope is at play. Riflescopes come in as many varieties as there are rifles. Picking the best one depends on what type of hunting or target shooting the gun owner is participating in.

It also heavily depends on the gun that the scope is being mounted on. You would not mount a scope that has ultra-high magnification on a .22LR used for hunting rabbits. You would mount it on the deer rifle that you are using to shoot from much further away.

There are several components to a scope and all need to be taken into account in reviewing which ones are the best. The first aspect is the eye relief. This is a distance between your eye and the actual scope itself.

This is an important feature as if it is too little; you will be met by a ring-shaped cut around your eye as the scope smashes into your face.

The final point we will look at is the reticle. This is the targeting visual that is displayed when peering through the scope. The plain crosshairs, so called because they used to be made from horsehairs, is the most basic of reticles, but they can rapidly become complex and overwhelming.

Windage markings, distance calculators, and even Carioles compensation are available on high-end scopes.

Final Verdict

A riflescope is a must have firearm or rifle accessory. Getting the best product for your firearm and shooting needs may be a hassle as a vast number of products abound.

However, before you set out to pay for a scope you should check out the numbers and be sure the features are good enough for you.

Sources

• https://science.howstuffworks.com/telescope.htm
• http://www.6mmbr.com/parallax.html
• https://www.gunsamerica.com/blog/mil-dot-made-easy/

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