How To Add Magnification To A Scope

Today I'm going to prove you lot everything you need to know about scopes.

In fact:

This guide has helped THOUSANDS of people (but like you) cut through complex technical jargon and go straight to the bacon.

And then if yous're trying to detect the all-time rifle telescopic, you lot'll love this guide.

Let's get started.

What is a Riflescope?

A riflescope is pretty much a miniaturized telescope that helps yous shoot more accurately.

With optics, you'll either shoot like John Wick…

…or a Stormtrooper:

The determining factor?

Whether y'all choose the correct scope or not.

For me, choosing the best AR-15 optic was the difference between making dirt clouds and ringing steel.

And to do that, you outset demand to empathise burglarize scopes 101's nearly important topic…

Magnification

What is magnification?

Magnification is how much closer you tin can run into the target compared to the naked centre.

For example, take a expect at this target:

That's how information technology would await without a scope. Hard to see, huh?

That's about to alter when you await through a 9X scope:

See how much closer it is? That's…

Why Magnification Is Then Important?

It helps you 'run across' far away targets.

Buy the wrong amount of magnification and y'all'll bring less meat abode. Nobody wants to make that fault.

However, the right magnification will depend on a few factors. Later on all, the best AR-ten telescopic will look very unlike from the best watch scope. Here'due south…

How to find your magnification (stride-by-stride)

First off, start past looking at the telescopic's championship:

Nikon Buckmaster III Magnification Example

Yous see the first number (or range of numbers)?

Nikon Buckmaster III First Range of Magnification Numbers

That'south your magnification. This number tells y'all how far away your telescopic tin come across. The more magnification you've got, the further you can encounter.

That said, there are two types of scopes…

Fixed vs. Variable Scopes

Fixed scopes are single magnification scopes. Here'southward an example:

(Detect how the scope has only one number.)

In comparison, variable scopes have more than than 1 magnification. Here's an example:

(Notice how the telescopic has a dash with two numbers.)

The difference? Versatility.

However, which one should you choose? Here's the simple answer:

If you chase from a variety of ranges, become with a variable scope — similar the best LPVO. Otherwise, become with a fixed power scope.

Why?

A fixed power telescopic costs less, aims faster, and is ordinarily higher quality than variable ability scopes. But it does come at a cost…

…you tin only use merely ane magnification.

In other words:

You tin only shoot from a specific range rather than a variety of ranges.

The takeaway? Cull a telescopic type based on your range uses.

That'due south it. At present you've selected your scope type, information technology's time to find…

How much magnification do you demand?

This pretty much sums it upwardly:

You'll desire a scope whose magnification matches the range you'll exist using it for, like finding a nine-12x for long range shooting. Or you could read my best long range scopes guide.

But don't worry near choosing a magnification right at present. We'll make that decision together later.

For now, let's talk…

Objective Lens

What is objective lens?

You lot see this lens at the terminate of the scope?

Yeah, that's the objective lens. You might exist wondering…

Why is information technology important?

Scope clarity.

You see, the objective lens is responsible for your rifle scope'due south clarity and brightness.

Merely put: the bigger objective lens you lot have…the better.

But in that location's a hefty cost tag:

The more objective lens you have, the more issues y'all run into like…

Heavier telescopic
Scope Ring Problems
Position Giveaway (due to the sunlight reflecting off the objective lens)

…leading to a ruined hunt.

Then that's the good and bad with objective lens. With all that said…

How to find objective lens?

Start, commencement by looking at the telescopic'due south championship once again:

Do you lot run into the number after the 'X'?

Nikon Buckmaster III Objective Lens Example

That'southward your objective lens. Only…

How much objective diameter do you lot demand?

This should assistance you out:

No matter how big your objective, it won't help you lot encounter with no calorie-free at night. For that, you'll want to check out the best night vision scope.

One time you have your objective lens in-hand, it's fourth dimension to cover…

Rifle Scope Lens Coatings

What is a burglarize scope lens coat?

An invisible glaze that enhances the sight.

Why is information technology important?

It increases clarity and brightness through proprietary coatings that increase light transmission.

Information technology likewise enhances your scope'due south view. Here are…

The iv different kinds of coatings

Coated: Only one surface of the telescopic is covered with a single layer. Shrek'south option.
Fully-Coated: All your external glass is coated in a unmarried layer. The standard selection.
Multicoated: 1 surface is covered in several layers. Normally used in expensive scopes.
Fully Multicoated: All your scope's external glass is coated in several layers. John Wick's option.

So…

Which coating should you cull?

Go for a fully-coated scope and above.

This is the choice 90% of good scopes employ. However don't stress too much about choosing a lens coating — they don't make up for bad glass quality.

Instead, you should really stress…

Field of View

What is field of view?

This is how much of your surroundings y'all tin can see from left to right.

For example, at 6X you can see everything:

In comparison to the 24X, y'all can only see one thing…

…the target's center.

Do you see the difference? Put another style: the more you lot zoom in, the less field of view y'all'll have. Merely…

Why is it important?

Because y'all want to look out for something called 'tunneling'.

(Non THIS kind of tunnel. Although with a similar result)

Tunneling is when the scope looks like you're through a tunnel every bit you increase the magnification. It's a bad thing.

To empathise what I mean, watch this video:

Did you lot see why it'southward so bad? In case you oasis't, tunneling means the telescopic manufacturer has cut corners and CHEATED y'all out of a (or several) magnifications.

You'll probably end up feeling like:

The moral of the story? Never buy a scope that tunnels…EVER.

Got it? Good, let'due south move onto the next thing…

Scope Reticles

What is a scope reticle?

This is the crosshair you see when you look through a telescopic.

Why is it important?

It makes shooting easier and can even estimate altitude. There are…

3 Main Scope Reticle Types

Duplex: The default telescopic reticle. It's fast and easy to use (swell for beginners).

Mil-Dot: The reticle that estimates the target'southward distance. Used primarily by law enforcement and the military.

BDC: This reticle estimates bullet drop, holdover, and more. It's designed for long-range shooters.

Here are the three scope reticles, side-past-side:

Most popular scope reticles: Duplex, Mil-Dot, BDC Reticle

Now that y'all know the three main types of reticles…

Which reticle should you lot choose?

The respond is merely based on your utilise:

Can't make a decision? Just recollect: the all-time reticle is the one that yous sympathize only like…

MOA vs MRAD

This video demonstrates the divergence in a practical sense:

Let's intermission it downward a little further…

What is MOA?

Minute of bending (MOA) is a common measurement of accuracy. It basically measures 1" per 100 yards. This uses the 'murica imperial arrangement.

On the other hand…

What is MRAD?

Milliradian (MRAD) is a less mutual measurement of accuracy. It measures at 0.36" per 100 yards. This uses the metric measurement arrangement.

And so…

Which adjustment organisation should you choose?

The true answer?

Whatever yous like.

Affair of fact, it doesn't matter. MOA and MRAD are interchangeable simply like miles and kilometers.

However, I'd definitely recommend picking the adjustment arrangement your hunting buddies employ.

And I'thou betting your hunting buddies apply MOA. Why? Because information technology'south unproblematic, popular, and uses familiar American measurements similar inches.

That bated, I'd still highly recommend you call your buddies upward and ask them: "Do y'all utilize MOA or MRAD?"

Whatever answer they give you is the one you choose. A very similar logic applies to…

First Focal Plane vs Second Focal Plane

FFP vs SFP

This picture details the divergence simply:

Rifle Scope First Focal Plane vs. Second Focal Plane Explained

Don't discover the difference? Let me interruption it downward, starting with…

What is the first focal airplane (FFP)?

The scope'southward reticle enlarges every bit you lot increase magnification. Like this:

Although the starting time focal plane riflescope is perfect for long-range, information technology does obscure your view at shorter ranges. In comparison…

What is the 2nd focal aeroplane (SFP)?

The telescopic's reticle remains the aforementioned size regardless of your magnification. Here's an example:

Discover how the 2d focal plane riflescope's reticle doesn't change. What does that mean? SFP DOESN'T obscure your view at any range and information technology's too the cheapest. Yet…

Why is it of import?

To save yourself from a costly (and serious) mistake.

That's because:

The first focal airplane costs more than money AND it obscures your short-range view while the second focal aeroplane doesn't obscure your view.

That said…

Which focal plane should you choose?

This might help:

First Focal Plane vs Second Focal Plane Explained

With your proper focal plane in-paw, it's time to observe solid…

Rifle Scope Turrets

What are windage and elevation turrets?

They're knobs responsible for your telescopic'south vertical and horizontal adjustments.

Each click (or adjustment) is measured in either MOA or MRAD (from before). Hither are…

The different kinds of turrets:

Windage Turret: Knob that adjusts your telescopic'south aim left to correct. Here's how it looks:

Height Turret: Knob that adjusts your scope's aim superlative to bottom. Hither's a picture:

Parallax Adjustment Turret: An optional 3rd knob that eliminates parallax. Nosotros'll cover parallax in just a flake. But for now…

Why are turrets important?

They're responsible for zeroing — or the LITERAL 'accuracy' of your telescopic.

In simple terms:

Spiral your turrets up and you won't hit Annihilation. Here's how to avoid that past learning…

What to look for in turrets:

There are iii things:

Reliable Turrets: This tells you lot the reliability of the turrets. Y'all find this in the product description and comments.
An aural "click" sound: This lets you lot know if yous've adapted. This is usually mentioned in the comments.
Repeatability: This ways the scope adjusts immediately. Although it's not that important, it is an indication of high-quality turrets.

And that's all in that location is to information technology. At present that you've got solid turrets, it's time to get some solid…

Eye Relief

What is heart relief?

The distance between your eye and the scope'south ocular lens (front lens) you can go on while having full visibility of the scope'due south view.

Here's an example:

A visual representation of Eye Relief - the distance between your eyes and ocular lens

Why is information technology of import?

Exercise you know who Mad Eye Moody is?

He's a guy from Harry Potter that rocks a mad looking middle patch.

Take ya' heard the Real story of how he got it?

He got bit in the eye…by a telescopic.

The reason? He didn't take enough eye relief.

As a result, he had to stone that heart patch for the rest of his dreadful life. Even Mad Eye Moody himself regrets cheaping out on a scope.

Don't brand his mistake. Save yourself by investing in proper eye relief.

Here's how much eye relief you need:

Aim for at to the lowest degree iii.5 – 4 inches of centre relief.

If your rifle kicks like a donkey, go for even more than center relief. Simple enough.

Let's movement onto…

Parallax Aligning

What is parallax in a scope?

Information technology's when your telescopic reticle kind of bobs around with your head movement.

Why is it important?

Left unchecked, scope parallax leads to blurriness and ultimately missed shots.

Not good.

How to fix it? At that place are…

3 ways scopes right parallax

Parallax Adjustment Turret: This is a third turret knob (from earlier) that adjusts parallax.
Factory-Set: Parallax adjustment is automatically built-in by the manufacturer. It's usually ready at about l yards to 100 yards.
Adjustable Objective (AO): This is a ring on the scope that yous twist to kill parallax.

This video offers a few more pro tips:

And so, past now it's time to decide…

Which parallax correction method should you choose?

Believe it or not, all the aforementioned methods Kill parallax.

Nevertheless, if you're looking for the 'easiest' parallax adjustment — you should go for Factory-set. Luckily, most scopes present are manufacturing plant-set, so zippo to stress about.

And if your scope isn't…don't worry about it too much. Just make sure your scope can eliminate parallax.

After that, it's fourth dimension to…

Cull a Scope Shooting Range

Short-Range

This is up to 100 yards. Let's breakup your…

Uses

Yous probably use your scope for habitation defense, hunting small game (or varmints), plinking, or maybe even some tactical use.

If so, the md orders a…

Magnification & Objective

Between 1 – 4x and an objective lens between 28mm & under.

Alternatively, you tin opt-in for either a…

Red dot vs Holographic vs Reflex

Here'south the truth about these sights:

Crimson dot, holographic, and reflex are However thing — they're red dot sights. Seriously. They just have a few slight differences between them.

Allow me explain, starting with…

Holographic Sights

The holographic sight is a rectangular ruby-red dot that'due south extremely accurate and precise.

The bang-up function?

You can fifty-fifty keep both eyes open. It's no wonder the military uses information technology.

But, it has one major flaw:

It's costly.

EOTech owns the patent on the holographic sight design, so they monopolized the holographic sight market place.

Equally a result, they charge artillery and legs for holo sights. From my feel, I wouldn't recommend an EOTech holographic unless you lot have astigmatism.

If you do have astigmatism (or see blurry red dots), check out my best red dots for astigmatism.

Otherwise, invest in a…

Reflex Sight

Reflex sights are the OG cherry-red dot.

Y'all get…

Ease-of-apply
UNLIMITED eye relief
Can go along BOTH eyes open
Don't crave batteries (on some models)

…all at the same time!

Merely in that location'south a drawback with reflex sights…they don't zoom.

However, for brusque-range encounters y'all don't demand a zoomed in sight.

That said, do I recommend it?

Definitely.

Later on all, it's inexpensive and tin can be used alongside a rifle telescopic like this:

It also lasts for YEARS without worrying about battery life. If you're interested in buying 1, cheque out my best pistol red dot sights buyer'due south guide.

With all that said, if you However need a magnified red dot, then you need a…

Prism Sight

This is a magnified carmine dot.

You get…

Ease-of-employ
Fast
Increased Accuracy
Operates batteryless (due to the etched reticle option)

…an all-in-1 short range package.

Only there's a take hold of:

The eye relief isn't unlimited. It'southward too a bit bigger than the other cerise dot types. However, it still contains Enough of eye relief while remaining relatively meaty.

So at that place you have it folks: the 4 pinnacle close-range options to cull from. But one terminal burning question on your listen remains…

Does my rifle qualify as 'short-range'?

Fair question.

From my research (and experimentation), these are the 3 most mutual brusque-range rifles/calibers:

#1: AR-fifteen Rifles

The AR-xv falls underneath the short-range (and medium-range) category. If yous're looking for the best AR pistol sight, check out my guide.

#two: Rimfire Rifles

Rimfire are a short-to-medium cartridge. For scope recommendations, check out my 2 guides on rimfires cartridges: all-time scope for 22LR and best 17 HMR telescopic reviews.

#3: Pistol Caliber Carbines

These are rifles that use pistol ammo. Some examples: CZ Scorpion EVO, Kel-Tec Sub 2000, HK USC and more. Use a red dot scope for these.

Speaking of recommendations, here are some mostly…

Skilful Short-Range Scope Recommendations

Chief Arms Archetype Series 1-4×24
Barska i-4×28 IR Hunting Scope
UTG 3-9X32
Bushnell Bays TRS-25
EOTECH EXPS2
Vortex Eyes SPARC

Now that we've covered the short-range, information technology's time to discuss…

Medium-Range

This means ranges up to 200 yards. Hither'southward the breakdown, starting with…

Utilize

You're either one of ii things:

A big game hunter (similar white-tailed deer hunting)…

…or a target shooter. You also probably chase in forests or mountains.

Either mode, y'all'll demand a…

Magnification & Objective

Betwixt v – 8x and an objective lens between thirty – 44mm.

Alternatively, you can use an ACOG for medium-range, however, that's an expensive alternative.

Instead, go a scope. However, earlier we do, you might be wondering…

Does my rifle authorize as 'medium-range'?

From my experience, the 2 most normally used medium-range rifles are:

#1: AR-15

The AR-15 and M1A falls underneath the short and medium-range category. It'south personally my favorite domicile defense rifle, particularly when I pair information technology with the best AR-15 dark vision telescopic.

#2: Rimfire Rifles

You're probably using your rimfire cartridge for varmint hunting. If so, check out my 22LR and 17 HMR telescopic guide.

If you don't run across your rifle hither and your rifle qualifies as medium-range, then here are some…

Skilful Medium-Range Scope Recommendations

Primary Arms Argent Serial ane-6×24
Nikon P-223 3-9×40
Vortex Eyes Viper PST Gen II 1-6×24
Trijicon 1-half-dozen×24 VCOG

With medium-range covered, information technology'southward time for the terminal range…

Long-Range

This is defined every bit 200 yards and up. Hither'south probably your…

Employ

You lot're a sniper.

Y'all do precision long range shooting in really open landscapes (like fields)…

…or yous might do competitive long-range competitions.

With either selection, you need a large helping of…

Magnification & Objective

Betwixt 9 – 12x and an objective lens between 50mm & upwardly. You can merely employ a long range scope for this job.

That said, y'all still may take one large question on your mind…

Does my rifle qualify as 'long-range'?

For long-range, there's only one burglarize type that comes to mind…

#i: Bolt Activeness Rifles

These rifles use massive cartridges. Some examples of these are: Ruger Precision burglarize, Browning X-commodities, and Remington 700.

Use but larger magnification scopes (9X+) for these kind of rifles.

Speaking of rifle scopes, hither are the…

All-time Precision Riflescopes

Vortex Optics Strike Eagle iv-24×l
Vortex Optics Viper HS-T 6-24×50
Leupold VX-3i LRP 8.5-25×fifty

And at present for the final (and neglected) apply…

Target Shooting

There's no defined yardage for this considering of your…

Apply

There's no mystery. You either use your rifle solely for target shooting…

…or plinking.

Either fashion, there's no one right answer for…

Magnification & Objective

Because let's face information technology:

Y'all can shoot from ANY range while y'all're target shooting. For that, I highly recommend choosing a magnification based on your personal use.

This table might aid you determine:

After you've decided on a range, information technology's time to notice out…

How much to Spend on a Rifle Scope?

This is the #1 question I become asked.

My usual answer?

Spend up to half of what the rifle costs itself.

For example, if you bought your Mini 14 for about $1000, consider spending upwardly to $500 on the best mini 14 scope. And that's for a reason.

Recollect about it:

On a hunting trip, what's the LAST thing you lot want to break on a rifle? Also the rifle (or ammo) itself, it would be the scope.

I've been on so many failed hunts where one of my hunting buddies scopes unexpectedly blew out on them.

The cause? They followed Mr. Krabs philosophy on a rifle scope…and cheaped out.

Because of their costly mistake, they ruined their hunting trail. And that's exactly why I Exercise Non recommend cheaping out on a scope.

Instead:

Invest up to one-half of your rifle cost on a quality scope. Believe me…it will pay itself over SEVERAL FOLD in the hereafter.

How to Mountain a Scope

Scope Basics? Check.

Found your best rifle telescopic? Bank check.

Now it's time to put your scope on your rifle. To do that, I'yard going to show you how.

Read on…

How do yous mountain a scope on your rifle?

This process used to be easy…before people made mounting a scope a freaking ROCKET Scientific discipline.

Nowadays, it's 'required' to accept a complete shop of the latest sci-fi gadgets just to throw a scope on your rifle.

And I'thousand gonna be honest…that's nonsense.

The average person doesn't have the fourth dimension (or coin) to do that. Then I looked for the easiest (and cheapest) fashion to properly mount a scope.

This video was the answer. Here's what you'll need for the video:

Torque Style Screwdriver (For screwing)
Scope
Scope Base (if needed)
Scope Rings (if needed). If you do demand some, read my best scope rings guide.
Cardboard Box (for DIY gun vise unless you own a real gun vise)

After you lot've got the proper supplies, spotter this video:

Once you've watched the video and successfully mounted your scope, it's time to figure out…

How To Sight In A Telescopic

Now it's time to make your scope authentic. Earlier we can do that, we get-go take to define…

What is zeroing?

This is where you align your burglarize telescopic with your rifle. That manner, you lot can accurately hit whatever you're looking at.

Why is it important?

Without a proper nil, you'll join the Stormtroopers' accurateness club…

…missing everything yous try to shoot all because y'all didn't know one affair:

How do you lot cipher a rifle scope?

Sentry this video:

Afterward yous've watched the video and zeroed your scope, the natural next thing to ask is…

How to Clean a Burglarize Scope

You don't need to exist Consuela from Family unit Guy to clean your telescopic.

Instead, apply this simple hack that I'm going to share with you on…

How to clean scope lens (the Like shooting fish in a barrel way)

The fact is this:

Scopes are waterproof, fogproof and shockproof. In other words: they're DESIGNED to take a chirapsia.

A few smudges of dirt and debris WON'T kill your scope. But something that will are…

…gun cleaning solvents and powders.

These 2 ingredients volition wreak HAVOC on your scope, damaging your lens and causing irreparable damage — Fifty-fifty if you wipe them off immediately.

The solution? Throw on some quality Lens Caps.

Here are 3 good choices:

Butler'southward Flip-Open Covers
Monstrum Flip-Upwardly Lens Caps
Vortex Flip Open Lens Caps

Then, after you've gotten yourself some caps, make sure to practise this i affair as little as possible:

Impact your telescopic with your hand.

This is the FASTEST mode to dirty your telescopic. The reason? Whenever there'south whatever unwanted smudge (or clay), you'll use your dirty shirt. This causes scratches.

Instead, use a microfiber cloth for unwelcome smudges and a lens pen for unwanted debris and dirt. With that…

How often should yous clean your gun scope?

The final answer?

When it gets dirty (duh).

All the same, with proper flip-opens covers and keeping your bare DIRTY easily away from your telescopic, you lot'll continue your scope prestine for years.

In fact, you might not accept to worry nearly cleaning for a very LONG fourth dimension. With that out of the way, it'due south time for the terminal question…

How to Maintain a Riflescope

This part is directly-forrad. For…

Basic Maintenance

Just brand sure yous audit your scope after each hunt.

For example, after a day of hunting with my best 30-06 scope, I inspect it from acme to bottom.

Any corrosion, cracks, or external issues should be IMMEDIATELY resolved by contacting the manufacturer. Most scopes are covered with peachy warranties.

That aside (along with the tips in a higher place), the final affair you lot have to worry about is…

Storing a Riflescope

Before you place your riflescope in your dehumidified gun prophylactic, make sure you wrap it in a solid scope cover…and you're golden.

Speaking of existence golden, here'south a recap of everything we've learned then far explained in manifestly english language…

Rifle Scopes Glossary

Magnification & Objective

Magnification: The zoom of a scope in comparison to the naked eye.
Fixed Power Telescopic: Scopes with merely a single magnification. (Ex: 3X)
Variable Power Scope: Scopes with more than than ane magnification. (Ex: 3-9X)
Objective Lens: The lens at the end of the telescopic (opposite of your middle), responsible for effulgence and clarity.

Lens Coating

Coated: Only one surface of the scope is covered with a single layer.
Fully-Coated: All your external drinking glass is coated in a single layer.
Multicoated: One surface is covered in several layers.
Fully Multicoated: All your scope's external glass is coated in several layers.

Scope Reticles

Field of View: How much you can run into from left to right. As you zoom in, your field of view closes.
Duplex: The default scope reticle. It's fast and easy to utilise.
Mildot: The reticle that estimates the target's altitude. Used primarily by law enforcement and the armed forces.
BDC: This reticle estimates bullet drop, holdover, and more. Information technology's designed for long-range shooters.
Kickoff Focal Airplane: The scope'due south reticle zooms in as you lot increase magnification. This obscures your view at brusk-range.
2d Focal Plane: The scope's reticle remains the same regardless of your magnification. It doesn't obscure your view and it's the cheapest.

Burglarize Scope Turrets

Windage Turrets: The left and right aligning.
Elevation Turrets: The up and down adjustment.
Parallax Aligning Turret: This turret eliminates parallax. Information technology's only included on some scopes.

Eye Relief & Parallax

Eye Relief: The distance between the back of the scope's glass to your middle while maintaining view of the scope'due south reticle and view.
Parallax: Your telescopic'southward reticle bobs around with your caput motility. This leads to missed shots if left unchecked.

Carmine Dots

Holographic Sight: A rectangular red dot that works well for people with astigmatism.
Astigmatism: You run into blurry red dots due to a vision problem.
Reflex Sight: An average red dot that's ideal for everyone (except for people with astigmatism).
Prism Sight: A magnified cerise dot that'due south a bit bigger than other reddish dots.