Quality hunting scopes are one of the best tools for making sure you consistently hit your target. Every year, rifle scope technology advances to achieve greater accuracy. Use these tips to keep up to date on the newest features that can help you buy just the right scope.

The Basics

Consider these three important questions to help you decide which model of rifle scope best matches your needs:

Your shooting style

Kind of weapon

Features you prefer

As a general rule, longer lenses indicate a more powerful scope than shorter lenses. This is because long lenses are made up of a series of lenses inside the scope, refracting light for greater magnification. A short, low powered rifle scope, on the other hand, has smaller lenses.

Multicoated lenses can increase the scope’s clarity in conditions where there is little light. This can help you more accurately view game during hunts in the early dawn or late evening. This is, of course, the main goal of buying hunting scopes.

The Benefits

Magnification– In thick woods, or in relatively close quarters, a 15-power scope should provide plenty of magnification. Any shot is likely to be within range under these conditions.

If your shots average 75 yards or less, a 4X scope is typically all you need. Keep in mind, if given the opportunity to take a difficult longer shot, a variable magnification scope is your best bet. The 3X to 9X is by far the most popular range of flexible power hunting scopes. When shooting different distances, 3X is for shorter shots under 50 yards, and higher ranges for longer shots of 200 yards or more.

For much longer range shots, there are very high power scopes available that can help you shoot game at distances of 500 yards or more.

Ready, Aim, Fire– Hunting scopes are there to enhance your ability to shoot exactly what you sight in. There are wide ranges of options that offer superior optical performance. Objective lens rifle scopes can be purchased equipped resistant to shock, water, and fog.

Adjustment– An important consideration before purchasing hunting scopes is adjustment. Always buy scopes that can be adjusted for elevation and wind. Make certain the adjustments are detailed enough for your intended purposes.

There are numerous styles of hunting scopes including sniper, spotting, night vision ,and sighting, in addition to pistol, military, and tactical.

Reticles– A reticle, known as the crosshairs, is the image that helps shooters take accurate aim when aligning their shot. To help your decision on which reticle to choose: what type of game are you hunting, what conditions do you face, and last but not least, what is your personal preference.

Some of the most popular brands of hunting scopes include Bushnell, Nikon, and Leupold. There is no shortage of options for reticles; there is even a multi-shot reticle. For instance, Leupold offers series scopes that come in seven different reticles.

There are also reticles geared toward assisting the long-range shooter. The varmint reticle has five aiming points, to optimize the scope to a specific load, rifle, and adjust for wind. The rifle can be sighted in at distances of 100 to 500 yards.

With the great variety of hunting scopes on the market, you have no excuse for missing another shot. Utilize this information to help you determine which rifle scope model is best for you.