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The Best Rifle Scopes of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

The Best Rifle Scopes of 2023, Tested and Reviewed

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The best rifle scopes tested and reviewed
Andrew McKean

Last year’s behemoth precision rifle scopes are being replaced with smaller, more nimble scopes for close-in and medium-range work


The post The Best Rifle Scopes of 2023, Tested and Reviewed appeared first on Outdoor Life.



                              

                   
The best rifle scopes tested and reviewed
Andrew McKean

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            Most Versatile
         

            A no-frills, no-fuss rifle scope with the versatility to fit a wide range of rifles.
         

            Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10×40
         

           
               
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Summary

             

A no-frills, no-fuss rifle scope with the versatility to fit a wide range of rifles.



           

            Best Budget Scope
         

            An entry-level-priced scope that's fast and easy to deploy.
         

            Hawke Vantage 30 WA IR 2.5-10×50
         

           
               
                  SEE IT
               

           

         

             
Summary

             

An entry-level-priced scope that’s fast and easy to deploy.



           

            Best Crossover Scope
         

            HD line has Vortex’s best glass and controls, but the LHT brings a versatile first-plane reticle to the game.
         

            Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22×50
         

           
               
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Summary

             

Brings a versatile first-plane reticle to the game with Vortex’s best-in-class glass and controls.



           

 





Rifle scope designs follow trends in the rifles that they’ll be paired with. The 3-9×42 scope, one of the best all-around hunting optics mounted on generations of bolt-action rifles, held sway until rising sales of ARs convinced shooters they needed a short-range optic for home defense. Then long-range precision shooting, and the big chassis rifles that enable those super-long shots, became popular, and the optics industry cranked out big 5-25×56 scopes with supersized turrets and first-plane milling reticles to serve this new market of shooters.





This year’s trend in rifle scopes is a return to smaller configurations and wider versatility to pair with ARs and carbines that might be used for close-quarters shooting but require precise aiming points for mid-distance shots. And we’re seeing lightweight scopes intended to mate with the new generation of semi-custom ultra-light hunting rifles.





There are two patterns in the 2022 optics market: for that first species of gun, a flood of low-power variable optics (also known as LPVOs) that are configured in the 1-8 or 1-10x magnification range with 24mm objective lenses. These rigs are at home on ARs, but also on short-range carbines, shotguns, and even dangerous-game rifles. And for that second type or gun, we’re seeing a return to the versatile hunting scope, only this new crop borrows attributes from the precision-shooting world. These have magnification ranges from 3-to-12-power, or 4-to-16-power and are built on 1-inch or 30mm tubes behind modest-sized objective lenses.





These new versatile hunting scopes are meant to be paired with lightweight mountain rifles and offer tons of optical horsepower in small packages that are designed to place bullets with great precision—and confidence—when the trophy of a lifetime hovers in the thin air of a distant ridge. I tested a wide range of rifle scopes for their features, optical performance, and turret tracking. When the dust settled, I made my picks for the best rifle scopes for a wide range of uses and host rifles. 









How We Tested the Best Rifle Scopes





I started by collecting test samples of scopes that are readily available on the market. Some are new for the year, others have been in circulation for several years; note that I did not test every single scope on the market, but rather a representative sample of what’s available. I then measured the optical attributes of each entry, giving each an optical resolution score and testing their low-light performance by viewing a black-and-white resolution target as evening came on my test site in eastern Montana. Unlike the low-light testing that I subject entries in Outdoor Life’s rigorous annual test of new optics, I subjected rifle scopes in this roundup to only one night of testing.





Finally, I strapped all these scopes to slave rifles and shot them at a battery of targets of various sizes and distances. I use Bergara’s B-14 R, one of the best rimfire rifles, for this portion of the test, because I shoot about 60 rounds per scope, and center-fire rifles tend to beat up the test team. Thanks to my friends at Federal and Remington for supplying match .22 ammo.





The shooting portion tests the ability of each scope’s turrets and reticle to track up and down and then return to zero. I also test the precision of turret and reticle references. The one thing I don’t do is submerge, freeze, and then thaw scopes. I’ve learned through many years of optics testing that only a vanishingly small percentage of scopes will fail this kind of torture testing, and I’d rather spend my time with more meaningful evaluations.





Best Rifle Scopes: Reviews and Reco*mendations





Best Precision Hunting Scope: Zeiss LRP S5 3-18×50




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Zeiss



     

             


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Key Features 






  • Magnification: 3.6 to 18 power




  • Field of view at 100 yards: 30 to 6 feet




  • Adjustments: .1 MRAD or .25 MOA




  • Weight: 32.8 ounces




  • 34mm tube




  • Massive amount of internal adjustment




  • Extremely tactile turrets




  • Precise first-plane reticle





Pros






  • Extremely bright and high-contrast glass and coatings




  • First-plane turret available in MOA or MRAD values




  • Precise, positive turrets




  • Internal adjustment range enables shots from 100 to 1,500 yards





Pros






  • At over $3,000, this is a pricey scope




  • The illumination module on my sample didn’t work





A serious precision hunting scope from one of the members of European optical royalty, Zeiss’s LRP S5 co*bines the best attributes of long-range precision shooting with a smaller, more versatile configuration. At 2 pounds, this is still a whale of a scope, but its relatively short (13-inch) length and 50mm profile allow for versatile mounting options.





The guts of the scope—my test sample had the ZF-MOAi Reticle 17 tuned to MOA references—is smart and useful. From 3.6 to about 10-power the first plane reticle features a fast, intuitive German 1 bold duplex, but from 10- to 18-power, the precision references co*e into view, offering 40 MOA of holdover and hold-off windage references with 1 MOA hashes. The scope is also offered in an MRAD version that has a modified Christmas tree design with holds represented in 0.2, 0.5, and 1.0 MRAD increments. Both versions are designed to enable shooters to dial holds from 100 to 1500 yards without using the reticle’s holdover references.





This is a big, serious, purpose-built rifle scope that was years in the making. Zeiss has a winner on its hand, though unfortunately, there’s a small subset of hunters who will use the LRP S5. 





Most Versatile Hunting Scope: Leupold VX-3HD 3.5-10×40 




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Leupold



     

             


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Key Features 









Pros









Cons









The best rifle scope for hunting will vary depending on your purpose, but if you need to make a snap 50 yards shot one day and a 300 yard precision shot the next, the Leupold VX-3HD is a great option. With few moving parts to break or tweak, this simple, durable workhorse will deliver years of reliable, if unflashy, service to shooters. It’s remarkable for what it isn’t. The VX-3HD is not a precision scope. It doesn’t have lots of dials and illumination modulation. It isn’t going to help you ring steel at 2,000 yards. But what it does have is restrained simplicity. If you add a custom turret, you simply range your target and dial to the distance, then hold right on and shoot. It doesn’t have any batteries or connect via Bluetooth to a mobile app.





Instead, it’s a straight-ahead rifle scope, with a duplex reticle in the second plane. Weighing only 13 ounces, this is the perfect co*panion for an under-6-pound mountain rifle.





The VX-3HD is fully functional right out of the box, but to get the most out of its somewhat pedestrian turret, spend the time to blueprint your load, and then order a custom dial. With the right CDS turret, this is a fast, close-enough hunting scope that is both affordable and durable enough to last longer than the rifle you mount it on.





Read Next: Best Thermal Scopes





Best Budget Scope: Hawke Vantage 30 WA IR 2.5-10×50 




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Hawke Optics



     

             


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Key Features 









Pros









Cons









co*pare the Hawke with the Meopta (at over $100 more). Both feature similar duplex reticles and both are configured for all-around hunting and mid-range shooting. In terms of brightness and image quality, the Meopta is the better optic, but the Hawke has some sweet shooting attributes. They include the 10-yards to infinity parallax focus, a feature that makes this a good rimfire scope. I also like the relatively light weight of this unit, and the silky positivity of its controls.





The Hawke’s glass is also better than I expected for such a modest price. In all, it’s a scope with lots of versatility that performs with peers costing twice as much. The Hawke Vantage is also one of the best air rifle scopes for your PCP small game or big bore rifle.





Read Next: Best Rimfire Scopes





Best Crossover Scope: Vortex Razor HD LHT 4.5-22×50 




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            HD line has Vortex’s best glass and controls, but the LHT brings a versatile first-plane reticle to the game.
                     

                 

           

 

         

       

Vortex Optics



     

             


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Key Features 









Pros









Cons









The Razor HD line has Vortex’s best glass and controls, but the LHT (it stands for Light Hunter Tactical) brings a versatile first-plane reticle to the game. The MOA-based reticle has abundant elevation and windage references for shooters who like to hold for long shots. For those who prefer to dial turrets for their aiming solution, the locking elevation dial is nicely indexed. 





Vortex has done a nice job of offering a hunting scope that will feel like a precision tactical scope for long-distance target shooters, and like a precision target scope for long-range hunters. It’s the ultimate crossover scope, with a first-plane reticle tuned to MOA references, a low-profile locking elevation turret that’s easy to dial, along with a capped windage turret, and a rock-solid turret zero stop. By co*bining features from hunting and long-range precision shooting, the Razor HD LHT is precise without being ponderously heavy and big.





The Vortex Razor HD LHT is lightweight and accurate
Andrew McKean




At 21.7 ounces, the 30mm scope is not a featherweight, but would be right at home on a lightweight hunting rifle. And it keeps its trim figure by co*bining the illumination module inside the parallax dial. Inside, the Razor HD LHT features 75 MOA of total elevation adjustment and 45 MOA of windage adjustment. The glass is bright, coatings make the image pop, and it has great durability along with Vortex’s legendary lifetime transferrable warranty.





Read our full Razor HD LHT review to learn more.





Best LPVO: EOTech Vudu 1-10×28




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Eotech



     

             


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Key Features 









Pros









Cons









EOTech’s Vudu has long been on the leading edge of innovation in the low-power variable optic category, and the 1-10×28 version continues the legacy. The first-plane LE-5 reticle, based on MRAD values, functions as a close-quarters red-dot scope from 1x to about 6x, but from 6-10-power its precision references co*e into full view.





This year’s best argument for a versatile rifle scope, this hybrid optic from EOTech serves marvelously as a close-quarters scope for a variety of platforms. It’s a great personal defense optic for ARs, can serve as a ranch-rifle scope for a straight-wall carbine, and would be a great partner on a dangerous-game rifle in search of African buffalo or elephants.





But the EOTech’s true capabilities shine at magnifications above 6-power, when the first-plane reticle enlarges to reveal its precision references. My test model was a LE-5 tuned to MRAD references, and at powers above 6x, it reveals a Christmas-tree design with 12 mils of drop and 12 mils of windage hold, with 6 mils on either side of the crosshair center aiming point.





The push-button illumination module is precise and easy to turn on, off, and vary the intensity of the center aiming point. With a 34mm tube, this is a large scope for close-quarters work, but because it has so much capability in its 1-10-power magnification range, it’s at home on a wide variety of rifle platforms.





Best Budget Precision Rimfire Rifle Scope: Athlon Midas HMR 2.5-15×50




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Athlon Optics



     

             


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Key Features 






  • Magnification: 2.5 to 15 power




  • Field of view at 100 yards: 22.7 to 3.6 feet




  • Adjustments: .25 MOA




  • Weight: 26 ounces




  • Second-plane hash reticle




  • 6-step illumination intensity




  • 30mm tube




  • 10 yards to infinity parallax





Pros






  • Close focus makes this a good rimfire precision scope




  • MOA-based reticle and turrets appeal to hunters




  • 50mm objective is suited for low-light hunting





Cons






  • Red illumination could use less intensity




  • Hash-style reticle could use a few more windage references





Product Description





Once they graduate from the simple duplex reticle, most hunters want reticle references that give them holdover (elevation) marks and holdoff (windage) marks. But they also want a scope that won’t bog them down. Athlon’s Midas HMR is a good choice. It has decent second-plane reticle references inside a versatile package at a fair mid-range price. It has liberal mounting dimensions along its 30mm tube, and it has pretty good glass for the price.





Where the Athlon shines is delivering performance for an accessible price. In the case of the Midas HMR, performance items include resettable turrets with surprisingly tactile click values, parallax that focuses as close as 10 yards—making this a good rimfire scope—and a fairly useful reticle. While I’m on the reticle: it could use some additional reference points, and the alternating hash configuration is a little confusing. But for a scope that can serve every shooting pursuit from rimfire to big-game, there’s a lot to like about this Athlon.





Best co*pact Rifle Scope: Maven CRS.2 4-16×44




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Maven



     

             


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Key Features 






  • Magnification: 6 to 16 power




  • Field of view at 100 yards: 25.6 to 6.4 feet




  • Adjustments: .25 MOA




  • Weight: 16.93 oz




  • Second-plane duplex reticle with 3 elevation references




  • 1-inch tube





Pros






  • Extremely lightweight




  • Simple controls boost durability score




  • Bright glass




  • 1-inch tube





Cons






  • Lack of reticle references may frustrate precision shooters




  • Capped turrets could use more tactile click values





While many brands are moving to specialist rifle scopes, specifically configured for long-distance steel targets or for AR-mounted close-quarters target engagement, Maven has introduced a useful throwback: a versatile hunting scope. The magnification range and 44mm objective make the CRS.2 a great fit for Western hunters or Midwestern whitetail hunters who might have to make longish shots.





If second-plane duplex SHR (Simplified Holdover Reticle) isn’t designed for long-distance precision work, its design enables both quick shooting and mid-range holdover shooting, by utilizing its three elevation references. With some work, a shooter can match those holdover hashes to the specific ballistic drop of their load, and then determine how much holdover to allow at specific magnifications.





While the turrets are nothing fancy, the glass and tight controls of the Maven are worth considering, along with the very accessible price from this direct-to-consumer brand.





Best Long-Range Hunting Scope: Tract TORIC UltraHD 2.5-15×44




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