On Glass: Scope Selection
- Samuel Schmitt
- Dec 14, 2024
- 10 min read
Updated: Jan 14
Few things in life vary in price as much as rifle scopes. Cheap no-name optics can be purchased for as little as $30, while high-end models from premium manufacturers routinely cost around $4000 - $5000. Even if we toss out the Temu and Bently-esque options, the price range of models from brands like Vortex or Leupold can range from a couple hundred dollars to three thousand or more. What is the justification for these wild swings in price from the same company and what should a new shooter start with?
There’s no such thing as a perfect scope for all applications. What follows is a breakdown of where to start and what to look for when buying an optic for a beginner long-range rifle build. We’ll look at what features you need, what features are nice to have, and some solid entry-level options at three different price ranges.
Magnification Range
The vast majority of modern optics feature adjustable magnification within a certain range, such as 3-9x, 4-16x, or 5-25x. On these scopes, you can change how much “zoom” or magnification the scope is providing, like when you zoom in on your phone’s camera.
There are pros and cons to having more magnification. All other things being equal, higher magnification scopes are larger and heavier than similar scopes of lower magnification.
Also, the more you increase your magnification the smaller you make your field of view. This means that if you have too much magnification on your scope, you can miss important details or have difficulty locating your target once you look down your optic (this is called getting “lost in the optic”).
Another downside to super high magnification optics is that with budget options, the more you increase the magnification of an optic, the more the imperfections of the glass come into play, making deficiencies like light transmission and image clarity more noticeable. This isn’t the end of the world for something like a hunting optic. But in a long-range rifle optic, where you may be spending longer amounts of time on glass, it can be much more apparent.
How much magnification you want depends on how far you routinely plan on shooting. A good rule of thumb is 2x for each 100 yards you plan on shooting. This isn’t to say that you can’t make 18x work at 1000 yards, just that having 2x per 100 yards makes seeing impacts or misses a bit easier. That said, in my experience, a higher-end optic with clearer glass at 18x is usually preferable to a lower-quality optic at 30x.
TLDR: Try to get 2x per 100 yards you want to routinely shoot. 4-18x-ish and 5-25x-ish are great ranges for us to consider.
FFP vs SFP
On a first focal plane (FFP) scope, the reticle will give you accurate MOA or MIL measurements across the entire magnification range of the scope, meaning you can use the reticle to make adjustments at 4x or 16x. On a second focal plane (SFP) scope, the reticle will only give you accurate readings at one specific magnification, usually the highest magnification that the scope has.
A SFP scope isn’t without merit in some circumstances (such as an LPVO or a hunting scope) but for our purposes in a long-range scope, we’re after a FFP scope.
TLDR: Get a FFP scope.
MOA vs MIL
There’s a full breakdown of MOA vs MIL and how it plays into scope selection here, but unless you’re on a team of shooters that run MOA scopes, get a MIL scope.
TLDR: Get a MIL scope.
Parallax
In the simplest possible terms, what manufacturers call adjustable parallax is essentially how you set the distance your scope is focusing at. The scope is like a traditional camera lens. Traditional lenses can only focus at one distance at a time. Everything not at that distance will be out of focus. The parallax knob is how you change that focus.
Somewhere out there, an optical engineer is critiquing this explanation, and they’re absolutely right, but we’re trying to break this down the simplest possible terms, so if you want to learn exactly how parallax works, google is your friend. 😊
If you’re coming from the AR-15 world, you’re probably used to scopes that don’t have adjustable parallax. Most LPVO’s (scopes designed to have a very low-end magnification, like a 1-6x Sig Tango 6T), have fixed parallax (or focus) set to 150-200 yards(ish). That’s perfectly fine for LPVO’s, but on a long-range rifle build, we want adjustable parallax because it impacts the level of precision the scope is capable of at certain distances and reduces strain on our eyes. Remember, we’ll be spending more time behind this optic than the AR-15 or hunting crowd is used to.
Different scopes have different parallax ranges. Think of these as minimums, because all will have an “infinity” setting for things at extreme distances. Most scopes bottom out at 50ish yards, but if you want to use this scope on a .22lr trainer as well as your long-range set-up, then be sure to look for a scope that can set parallax down to 35 yards or lower.
TLDR: We want adjustable parallax/ side focus in a long-range rifle scope.
Reticle Type
Scope manufacturers provide a dizzying array of reticles for buyers to choose from. There is no right or wrong answer. Christmas tree reticles were the rage for a long time, with manufacturers packing more and more features into their reticles, such as lead indicators, wind dots, and ranging brackets. Some of these things are great to have, but they all take up visual space that draws your eye away from the target and your aiming point.
The theory behind a Christmas tree reticle is that it allows you to “hold over” (aim above the target instead of dialing to make a faster hit at range) and “hold wind” (aim to the left or right of the target to account for wind conditions) at the same time to make faster hits. This is a nice feature to have and I’ve used it under time pressure, but I dial for elevation (use the turret on my scope) and hold for wind for 80% of the shots I take, so there’s debate about how necessary it is.
Some top-level shooters, especially military snipers, swear by reticles like the Tremor 3 or the H59. In a tactical setting, especially against an opponent who can detect and counter laser range finders, some of the features can provide a crucial advantage. On the flip side, many high-level competitors have begun to move back to a more traditional two-plane crosshair with MIL indicators cut into them. By decluttering the reticle, they remove visual distractions and allow themselves to spot the trace and impact of the bullet more clearly to make fast corrections on target.
For a new long-range shooter, my opinion is that it’s not worth overthinking this or paying extra for a special reticle. I ran an H59 reticle for several years until I realized that I never used ¾ of the features it was providing. I simplified to a PR2 MIL reticle last season and am MUCH happier with the more minimalist reticle that still offers me the holdover capability of a “Christmas tree”. The CCH reticle is also good, but again, don’t overthink this – pick something that looks good to you and run it for a year to get used to it. If you like a Treamor 3 and find value in the extra cost, excellent! If you prefer a super simple MIL reticle – get to work with it. Get some reps in with what you pick and make adjustments down the road.
TLDR: A basic Christmas is a good place to start for a new long-range shooter.
Reticle Illumination
If you’re coming from a background in shooting AR-15’s, you may think that having an illuminated reticle is a must on long-range optics. I thought this for several years until I realized that I had shot more than a dozen matches and 40+ practice sessions without ever once using my scope’s illumination. Unlike for LPVO’s, in long-range optics, illumination is unnecessary at best and distracting at worst for most lighting conditions. There is a small window of lighting at the beginning and end of each day where it can be helpful, but I’ve personally never been in a situation where it was necessary.
TLDR: For a long-range optic, illumination is nice to have, but not necessary.
Glass Quality
Glass quality is one of the hardest to quantify features of a scope. Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most important. Different scopes will have different flavors of glass quality. Some will provide a very clear image, but the color contrast will be slightly off or have a tint to it. Others will be exceptionally bright, but not crisp and clear. Some will have some level of distortion (or fishbowling) at the edges of the image. There are lots of different ways of quantifying glass quality, but reading about them is no substitute for looking through an optic and deciding for yourself. At the end of the day, a lot of it comes down to personal preference. It never hurts to look through different optics at the shop or on a range day, but unfortunately, the differences in the glass won’t be very apparent until you get into adverse conditions – rain, fog, twilight, etc.
The good news is scopes hold their value fairly well and it’s not too hard to get 70-80% of your money back selling it used if you wind up wanting to upgrade to different glass later. I have firsthand experience with most of the scopes listed below, and any will be good enough to get you started.
Glass quality is one of the things that you will see MOST affected by the price bracket of a scope. On paper, a $1,000 Vortex Viper may have almost identical specs to a $2,700 Vortex Razor Gen III, but if you look through each for an extended time, you will notice the difference. That difference won’t make the difference between a hit and a miss in 95% of situations, but nice glass is certainly nice to have.
TLDR: Get as high-quality glass as you can afford, but don’t sweat it if you can’t afford the best on the market. Mid-level scopes of today have glass that’s on par with the best glass of a couple of decades ago, so don’t overthink it.
Our shopping list:
Based on the above, we want a scope that has:
First Focal Plane (FFP)
MIL
A magnification range with at least 18-25x on the top end
Adjustable parallax / side focus
A basic Christmas tree reticle
As good of quality glass that we can afford within our budget
In addition to these specs, we also want a scope that has a good manufacturer warranty and durability because good glass isn’t cheap and you deserve to be able to use your optic without fear of not being able to repair or replace it if problems arise.
With those requirements in line, let’s look at a few options at three different price brackets.
$1000 and under
Some of the best entry-level options for scopes are in the $1500 range, but if you can’t go that high, there are a couple under $1000 that can help get you started. On paper, these will have a lot of the same options as more expensive options – where they give ground is in glass quality and long-term durability. On flip side is both companies have good warranties (Vortex’s warranty in particular is outstanding), so if problems do pop up, you can get them fixed.
Between the two, I’d rank the vortex slightly higher due to somewhat better glass and turrets combined with an exceptional warranty. The Athalon has a better price tag and slightly better magnification range.
Good magnification range
Good reticle
Good price
Outstanding warranty
Moderate glass quality
Good magnification range
Decent reticle
Good price
Good warranty
Lackluster turrets
Not the greatest glass or durability
$1600 and under
If your budget allows, this is the sweet spot for optics to learn long-range on. These optics will provide plenty of capability, durability, and clarity while you learn and if you want to upgrade down the road to something high-end once you get a feel for what features you want, they should provide adequate resale value to help you do so.
Both the below optics essentially provide 80% of the capability of their respective higher-end brothers for roughly 60% of the cost. Neither will hold you back. Of the two, the MK4HD is my top choice with truly outstanding glass quality and a very lightweight package. The Viper is an older model, but it’s also a little less expensive and still has Vortex’s outstanding warranty.
By many accounts, there are several other good options at this price range from companies like Nightforce, Sig, and Burris, but I have personal experience with these two options and can vouch for them.
Very good reticle (one of my favorites)
Excellent glass (arguably the best at this price)
Very good warranty
Very lightweight
Okay turrets
Lackluster magnification range
No illumination
Decent reticle
Good price
Outstanding warranty
Okay glass
Okay turrets
$3000 and under
At this price range, you have access to optics that you’ll see on a lot of top-level competitor guns on the PRS and NRL circuit. If you have a large enough budget, you can get one of these two to learn on and grow into it over the years to come. Yes, you can spend more money than this, but for 99% of shooters, I wouldn’t recommend doing that when you’re first starting.
The MK5HD is the current optic I run on my NRL hunter rifle, and I find the features, especially glass clarity and color transmission to be ideal for those matches where the targets are often hidden in the background and shadows. By contrast, the Razor has significantly more magnification range. Both are run by professional PRS and NRL shooters with lots of wins under their belts, so it’s tough to go wrong with either.
Pick #1 Leupold MK5HD 5-25x FFP PR-2 MIL
Very good reticle (one of my favorites)
Excellent glass
Very good warranty
Lightweight
Durable
Good turrets (though windage is a little weird)
35mm tube which can make finding rings and mounts a chore
Vortex Razor Gen III 6-36x56 EBR-7D MIL
Outstanding magnification
Great parallax range
Outstanding warranty
Good reticle selection
Good glass
Big and heavy
Okay turrets
Wrap up
We’re living in a bit of a golden age of rifle optics. If you have a model you love – that’s great! If you’re looking to get started in long-range rifle shooting, the above represents a solid place to start. As always, send us a note or give us a call if you have any questions!
Comments