Choosing the right rifle scope is similar to going through the maze. With the number of options available with hard to read the technical specification, you may easily be lost in that maze.
That’s why I am going to tell you what you need to look for and whatnot. If you are looking for vortex optics for sale, this is the last buying guide you will need!
Consider the Reason You Are Buying
Are you hitting targets, hunting, or just carrying a self-defense weapon? When you fire at goals, how far from where do you usually aim? Distance is the biggest thing to worry about right now. How much do you really need to see to meet your common goals?
If you protect a large piece of ground, a range may slow you down and get in the way of self-defense.
Think about where you are hunting and what you are hunting. New England’s small game hunters won’t need to zoom past 10x, as dense forests are likely to make it pointless, but it might take a little more scope for those chasing big game out west.
Choose the Glass
You get what you pay for when it comes to glass; don’t expect incredible feats from cheap products. Choosing an optic with extra-low-dispersion glass (or equivalent) is desirable because it minimizes color fringing, thereby increasing picture sharpness, contrast, and color fidelity.
Often, make sure the lenses are completely multi-coated for optimum brightness and light transfer, and they can also have a hydrophobic lens coating to speed up moisture recovery from the surfaces of the outer lens.
How Much Magnification Needed
It is the part where 99 percent of people screw up. Either they go for too much magnification or too little. This is strongly contingent on the use of the rifle. If you are mainly using your rifle for small game or homestead security (> 100 yards), then aim with 1-4x magnification.
Pro Tip: Go for a scope with fixed control. It will make it quicker for your short-range encounters.
If you use your weapon mostly for shooting big game in woods or mountains (> 200 yards), then go for a 5-8x magnification. Or, if you are a sniper (200+ yards) who targets in plains or deserts, then aim with 9-12x magnification. Pretty easy, right?
Eye Relief
Eye relief applies to the comfortable distance from your eye where you can keep your riflescope and can still see the whole image. Dependent on the magnification, the eye relief of a riflescope varies.
The greater the eye relief on a riflescope, the better, as it not only helps you to spot your target quicker but also lowers the risk of the riflescope injuring the eye if the rifle recoils.
Lens Coating
To minimize the amount of light that is wasted when it is transferred to your eye via the riflescope, most rifle scopes have special coatings on their lenses. As it moves through the riflescope, these coatings decrease the dispersion and absorption of light.
It results in lighter touching your eye and increasing the sharpness and clarity of the picture you see. I suggest picking multicoated vortex lenses, despite an increase in cost.