Best Hunting Scope | The Top 10

Although most precision rifle shooters always like to talk about the latest and greatest first focal plane, top-tier tactical precision rifle scope, we are often also hunters at heart, and in fact most were hunters before progressing into precision rifle shooting. We also actually get way more inquiries for what is the top recommended hunting scopes for various purposes, so in order to answer the question effectively, and also ensure we not only find for ourselves, but also recommend the best hunting scope, we decided to test out the top products presently available on the market for that purpose, just as you would in the field.

We looks at their specifications and prices compared to one another on paper, and then we have physically personally shot with each and every scope mentioned on this page, and looked through them in varying lighting and weather conditions so as to be able to make an informed decision. Because of the extensive testing and experience we have had with most of the optics manufacturers or agents for the brand listed, we are also to make recommendations not only the the best hunting scopes, but also on the best hunting scope brands that we recommend. These are based on factors like manufacturing location, quality control, materials used, customer service and then after-sales support.

When you are behind your rifle, finally aiming at that trophy buck you have wanted and searched for many years, the last thing you need is to miss the shot or not be able to take it because your scope let you down, so with that dependability and use-case in mind, let us now look through our top recommendations for the best hunting scope for all different purposes and budgets.

Entry Level: For the budget conscious, that still want quality and peace of mind.

Overall, the Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm Rifle Scope is a good option for shooters who are looking for a high-quality, affordable scope with excellent optical performance. It is a good choice for a variety of shooting applications, including hunting, target shooting, and plinking.

Leupold vs Vortex Hunting Scopes

Here are some tips for hunting with a Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40mm:

• Practice with the scope before you go hunting. This will help you get used to the magnification range and the reticle.
• Know your target and what’s beyond it. Make sure you are only shooting at animals that you are legally allowed to shoot, and that you know what’s beyond your target in case you miss.
• Use the right ammunition. Make sure you are using ammunition that is compatible with your rifle and that is effective for the type of game you are hunting.
• Be patient. Hunting is a waiting game, so be patient and don’t get discouraged if you don’t see any animals right away.

The Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40mm is a great scope for hunting. It is versatile, durable, and accurate. With a little practice, you will be able to make quick and accurate shots with this scope.

Here is a comparison of the Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x40mm Rifle Scope and the Vortex Diamondback 3-9x40mm Rifle Scope, which I feel is it’s closest competitor:

Feature	Leupold VX-Freedom	Vortex Diamondback
Magnification range	3-9x	3-9x
Objective lens diameter	40mm	40mm
Eye relief	3.66-4.17 inches	3.9-4.3 inches
Field of view	33.7-13.6 feet at 100 yards	32.2-11.8 feet at 100 yards
Weight	12.2 ounces	13.2 ounces
Price	$399	$349

As you can see, the two scopes are very similar in terms of their specifications. The Leupold VX-Freedom has a slightly wider field of view, but the Vortex Diamondback is a bit lighter. The Leupold VX-Freedom also has a slightly better reputation for build quality. Ultimately, the best scope for you will depend on your individual needs and preferences.

---

Mid Range: Best balance between money and value.

The VX-Freedom is a great option for hunters and shooters who are looking for a reliable and affordable riflescope. It is built to withstand the rigors of the field and offers the performance you need to make accurate shots.

Here are some additional details about the features of the Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x50mm Rifle Scope, 30 mm Tube:

• Advanced Optical System: This system provides superior light transmission, edge-to-edge clarity, and glare reduction.
• Duplex reticle: This reticle is the most popular reticle in the world because it is easy to use and provides a good balance of precision and speed.
• Zero Stop system: This system allows you to return to your zero point quickly and easily, even after making multiple adjustments.
• 100% waterproof and fogproof: This scope is built to withstand the harshest weather conditions.
• Lifetime warranty: Leupold stands behind their products with a lifetime warranty.

Overall, the Leupold VX-Freedom 3-9x50mm Rifle Scope, 30 mm Tube is a great option for hunters and shooters who are looking for a reliable and affordable riflescope. It is built to withstand the rigors of the field and offers the performance you need to make accurate shots.

Overall, the Vortex Viper HS 2.5-10x44mm 30mm Tube is a well-made and feature-rich riflescope that is a great choice for hunters and shooters who demand the best in optical performance.

---

Top of the range: For those that want the best of the best no matter the price

The Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x50mm Rifle Scope is a great choice for hunters and shooters who are looking for a high-quality, versatile scope that will perform in a variety of conditions.

GLASS: The Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x50mm uses HD (High Definition) glass. The Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x50mm uses HD (High Definition) glass.

Here are some additional details about the features of the Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x50mm Rifle Scope:

• Magnification range: The 3x to 18x magnification range gives you the flexibility to use the scope for a variety of applications, from close-range hunting to long-range target shooting.
• Professional-Grade Optical System: The Professional-Grade Optical System provides outstanding light transmission and image clarity. This is important for hunting in low-light conditions or for target shooting at long distances.
• CDS-ZL2 Zero Lock elevation dial: The CDS-ZL2 Zero Lock elevation dial allows you to quickly and easily make adjustments to the scope’s elevation. This is important for making precise shots at long distances.
• In-scope electronic reticle level: The in-scope electronic reticle level helps you to ensure that your scope is level, which is important for making accurate shots.
• Removable throw lever: The removable throw lever allows you to quickly and easily change the magnification of the scope.
• 100% waterproof and fogproof: The scope is 100% waterproof and fogproof, which means that it can be used in any weather conditions.
• Made in the USA: The scope is made in the USA, which ensures that it meets the highest quality standards.

Overall, the Leupold VX-6HD 3-18x50mm Rifle Scope is a high-quality, versatile scope that is perfect for a variety of hunting and shooting applications. It features a wide magnification range, outstanding light transmission, and a variety of other features that make it a great choice for serious hunters and shooters.

GLASS: The Zeiss Conquest V6 3-18x50mm uses SCHOTT® FL (Fluoride) glass. The Conquest V6 also features Zeiss’s proprietary T* coating. T* coating is a multi-layer coating that is applied to the lenses of the scope. This coating helps to improve light transmission and reduce glare, resulting in brighter and more contrasty images.

GLASS: The NightForce NX8 2.5-20x50mm SFP uses Extra-low Dispersion (ED) glass. The NX8 also features NightForce’s proprietary XR™ (extra-rigid) retention system. This system helps to ensure that the scope’s internal components are properly aligned, resulting in even greater image clarity, and also prevents the lenses from moving when the scope is bumped or dropped, therefore preventing a possible zero-shift. One of the reasons for Nightforce’s reputation for durability and dependability.

Why buy a Nightforce scope? Well, there are basically three reasons, one is image and just overall quality of the product, number two is durability and number three is tracking. When it comes to quality, a lot of the design and manufacturing work that Nightforce does is done right here in the US, if there are components or optics that are made overseas and brought to the US, everything gets touched and triple-checked here in the States. Nightforce is very aggressive about quality control, which is a very comforting thing before you spend your money.

The number two reason, is durability and the way Nightforce achieves that, is they are one of the few optics companies that bed their lenses, and not just objective lenses but also the lens that’s carrying the reticle. What that means is epoxy bedding, so when a lens gets put in the housing the housing gets put in the scope they apply epoxy to where that lens sits or mounts in the scope, which means that lens is almost never going to move. If you run the risk of your rifle falling over, which they do all the time number, which is the number one cause of point of impact shift is through lens movement. So with Nightforce bedding all those lenses in there, although making it a pain in the butt to work on, but if your rifle would fall, know that chances are that the lenses didn’t shift and you still have your rifle zero. So durability is a big thing and that’s probably one of the prime considerations for buying a Nightforce scope for the rough and tumble of hunting.

The third main reason for choosing Nightforce, is their tracking, because they burnish their turrets by hand marrying up the threads, it is very precise and Nightforce has become known in the industry for having very reliable tracking.

What to consider when buying a Hunting Scope

FFP vs SFP for Hunting

On this debate, the number one point to remember, is what you will be using the scope for the most. A very important thing to remember is with a second focal plane scope, the reticle always stays the same size so when you get down in those lower magnifications you have a huge field of view combined with an easily visible reticle and it’s fast and easy for hunters hunters to acquire the target and fire in a very short time-frame. The trade off of the second focal plane reticle is if you’re not at max magnification and you want to hold off for wind or up for bullet drop without dialing, it can get a little bit complicated as the distance between the subtends differ depending on the magnification you are at. A first focal plane reticle has the advantage of regardless of what magnification you are at, that reticle is always going to subtend correctly, so even if you’re at 2/3 of your max magnification your reticle holds be right for the wind or the drop. The downside is that at low magnification that reticle gets a little bit hard to see and very fine.

Right off the bat, considering hunting conditions, how you need to be able to acquire and take a shot quickly under pressure no matter the zoom, a SFP rifle scope will be better suited for hunting. There is however a few cases where a FFP rifle scope is better suited for hunting, and that is mostly for long range hunting. Where you have more time to take the shot, as often the animals do not even know you are there, you have to make even more sure of the wind and bullet drop, as those have a significantly larger impact the further your bullet has to travel. Also with long range hunting, often the animal being so far away, you benefit from a very fine reticle, as the animal is very small inside your scope as it is so far away, so exact shot placement is easier with a finer reticle or center dot.

How much should you spend on a hunting scope?

A general rule of thumb in terms of how much you should be spending on a rifle scope, although it varies, I always say spend as much as you can afford. A good guideline that I would say, is whatever the cost of your rifle is if you’re buying a $500 rifle, you should spend at least half of that on a scope, so around $250. If you can afford more and you can spend one to one it is even better. The better glass you have, the better performance you’ll have and most likely the best longevity out of that scope.

When speaking about long range shooting or precision rifle shooting, the rule is different, there you realize with the correct setup and reloading, almost any rifle can be made super accurate, the difference there comes down to how good you can see, adjust and correct, so the scope is what matters there. For competition rifles, my rule of thumb is, buy the best scope you can afford, and then a rifle with the money that is left over.

Hunting Scope Turrets

Tall target turrets are more suited to long range hunting shots or target shots of 300 yards or more, where exact yardage adjustment is needed. When you are hiking or trekking through deep brush and over rough terrain on a deer hunt, tall target turrets can get snagged or caught adjusting your zero off, so for most general hunting conditions, you are better suited to a hunting scope with capped turrets, so the zero is safe from accidental adjustment.

Hunting Scope Magnification Range

When it comes to most hunting scenario where animals are harder to spot and need to be spotted and acquired in the scope much faster, field of view is just as important as magnification. So although many new shooters want to buy a scope that can zoom into 20x or more, they sacrifice field of view with such a scope.

If you are a hunter hunting in thick brush with fast close range shots, field of view at the lowest magnification settings is much more important than being able to zoom in far, so then consider a scope with a minimum of 1x, 2x or 3x magnification at the minimum range. Whereas a long range or stalk hunter that shoots animals at longer ranges, and takes his time to shoots them from a dead-rest without the animal even knowing about the hunter, then a higher power magnification scope will work better for you. One of the most popular scope magnification ranges for general hunting is something around the 3-9×40 range.

With most walk and stalk hunting, you are going to want to have your scope set on a low magnification setting, and only use increased magnification when absolutely necessary, because what happens is if you’re taking a shot at 50 yards and you zoom it in or at hundred yards and you zoom it into 9 power, you’re only seeing a small portion of that animal. So then if you shoot and you miss, the recoil isn’t going to allow you to recover enough with it zoomed in to see if you actually missed the head and also you’re not going to be able to make a proper follow-up shot if you’re zoomed all the way in. You may also want to make another shot so you’re going to want a bigger field of view so that you can see if you missed, you can see where the animal went and at the very least you can easily make a follow-up shot also.

Hunting Scope Low Light Performance

For most hunting scopes, you will want a decent sized objective, because that helps gather more light. The objective lens is the front lens of the scope, the one pointing away from the shooter, and this is where the light transmission comes into the scope. It is directly proportional. A larger objective lens lets more light enter into the scope. The scope tube also has an effect on that, because a bigger scope tube, allows more of the light entering the scope through the objective lens, to pass through the scope to the eye of the hunter.

Hunting Scope Weight

If you are hiking around the hunt with your rifle on your back, every bit of extra weight gets multiplied and felt in your shoulders and arms when carrying your rifle and gear. So every ounce of weight saved is worth it. A sleek, lightweight, low-profile scope that doesn’t add much weight to your total rifle setup is ideally what you are after for a hunting scope.

So if your are hunting where you need an extremely light scope in a very light rifle package, like when you’re going after sheep or goats in the high country and every ounce or gram counts.

Scope image quality

When hunting, image quality is a very important consideration in a hunting scope for various reasons. Hunts often last from just before dawn until after dusk, and although animals are seen and shot anytime between those, animals are most active and visible right around sunrise and sunset, so in fact, those two times during the day when the lighting conditions are the worst or toughest to see in, is when you are most likely going to find the biggest deer or animals to hunt. You hear many people when talking about the clarity, brightness and light transmission of a scope, that the differences are only really noticeable during dusk or dawn times. Well, as those are the times that the biggest and smartest animals are the most active, it would mean that for a a hunting scope, those noticeable differences become more important. So it is important to buy the best glass quality hunting scope you can afford. As you do not want the record buck standing there, right in front of you, but you cannot take the shot because the sun is coming from the front and you cannot see the animal through your scope.

Hunting Scope Glass

ED and HD glass are both types of optical glass that are designed to improve image clarity and resolution in rifle scopes. However, there are some key differences between the two types of glass.

ED glass, or extra-low dispersion glass, is a type of optical glass that has been specifically designed to minimize chromatic aberration. Chromatic aberration is a type of optical distortion that causes colors to appear blurred or out of focus. ED glass helps to reduce this distortion, resulting in images that are sharper and more color-accurate.

HD glass, or high definition glass, is a type of optical glass that has been specifically designed to improve image clarity and resolution. HD glass is made with a special manufacturing process that results in less distortion and chromatic aberration. This means that images are sharper and more detailed, even at high magnifications.

In general, ED glass is considered to be a higher-quality type of glass than HD glass. This is because ED glass is specifically designed to minimize chromatic aberration, which can be a major source of image distortion. However, HD glass can also provide excellent image clarity and resolution, and it is often more affordable than ED glass.

Ultimately, the best type of glass for a rifle scope depends on the shooter’s individual needs and preferences. If image clarity and resolution are the most important factors, then ED glass is the best choice. However, if affordability is a major consideration, then HD glass may be a better option.