Last updated on February 27th, 2021
If a rifle is the kind of gun you possess, you know you can’t possibly use it without the rifle scope. Rifle is the kind of gun whereby its utility is maximized by long range shootings. If you don’t have the best long range rifle scope for the money for your rifle, you’re not really enjoying its true potential. Having the best scopes for long range shooting doesn’t necessarily have to be a heavy investment. You can research on the best vortex scope for long range shooting and the most expensive rifle scope. However, there are a lot of best long range optics which are great with its distinctive features.
These are great affordable long range scopes for you to have. Read on ahead and find out details about the best rifle scope for the money you can get your hands on right now. We’ll give you details on the best long range scope under 500 along with long range scopes reviews you can check out the features, qualities and other amazing things about best long-distance rifle scopes that are just one click away from being yours!
Leupold Long Range Scopes
Leupold is the one of the best scopes on the market. It’s the most searched brand for long range scopes and offers up to eight times of magnification range for precise long range target engagement. You can count on these to give you unparalleled adjustment level.
For Leopold Long Range Scope Read Related Article: Top 11 Best Long Range Scope for The Money
Nikon Long Range Scopes
Nikon is the world’s leading manufacturer of cameras and other such products. Hence it’s not a surprise to know that Nikon might be offering long range scopes for you.
For Nikon Long Range Scope Read Related Article: Top 11 Best Long Range Scope for The Money
Military Grade Sniper Scopes
There’s no better grade than military grade for any gun and other such products and accessories. If you want to know the best precision rifle scope then you know you don’t need to look further than military grade sniper scopes. You’ll find the best long range shooting scopes reviews for military grade sniper scopes. To know some of the best turret scope for the money that are currently taking the market by storm, read on below to find our top picks!
Best Long Range Rifle Scope for the Money
Here is the list for the top ten the best long range rifle scope. The prices are not a factor in this list hence it doesn’t make it the best cheap long range rifle scope list. However they are good scopes for long range shooting. You can check out the items on this list for the best long range hunting scope and best scopes for long range target shooting or even short range scopes. But to find out about the best long range rifle scope for the money, or to view the list for the best value long range rifle scope, you’ll have to view our top picks below.
Top 8 Best Long Range Rifle Scope for the Money
| # | Preview | Product | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  |
DOWN UNDER OUTDOORS Silicone Rubber Rifle Scope Binocular Cover Sunshade Rain Cap Eye Piece... | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |  |
winbest Hunting AO Hunting Rifle Scope Waterproof, Fogproof and Shockproof (6-24x50mm) | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |  |
PM3.5X40CB Prism Scope, Prismatic Rifle Scope, Long Eye Relief, Wide Angle, Red/Green/Blue... | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |  |
BARSKA New Rifle Scopes (3-9x42mm Rifle Scope Contour) | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |  |
BARSKA New 5-20x50mm Rifle Scope with Trace MOA IR Reticle | Buy on Amazon |
| 6 |  |
Vortex Optics Crossfire II Adjustable Objective, Second Focal Plane, 30mm Tube Riflescopes | Buy on Amazon |
| 7 |  |
LUCID 6-24x50 Rifle Scope | Buy on Amazon |
| 8 |  |
Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical First Focal Plane Riflescopes | Buy on Amazon |
Last update on 2021-10-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
1 . DOWN UNDER OUTDOORS Silicone Rubber Rifle Scope Binocular Cover
Key Features
- No caps or neoprene for instant readiness
- Protection form sun, snow dust and rain
- Experienced hunters designed it
- Minimum clearance required
- Lifetime warrantee
With this long range scope, you will have nothing to open with no crosshairs on target. A simple safety off and squeeze features makes it easier to use and always ready. It is most highly recommended due to its sun, snow, rain and dust protected qualities. Experienced hunters specifically designed this to silently block glare and debris. This simple range scope only needs a gap of 1.5 mm, 1/16th inch between object lens and barrel.
2. Winbest Hunting AO Hunting Rifle Scope Waterproof, Fogproof and Shockproof (6-24x50mm)
Key Features
- Magnification: 6-24x
- Objective lens: 50mm
- Mounting tube: 1 inch
- MOA clicks: 1/8
- Waterproof
- Shockproof
- Fogproof
- Scope caps included
The Winbest Hunting AO Hunting Rifle Scope has a great magnification scale with 50mm objective lens. You only require a one inch mounting tube for this water, shock and fog resilient riflescope. It has quick access magnification zoom ring and is designed for long-range shooting. The Varmint scope provides you with twice the precision thanks to its reticle.
3. PM3.5X40CB, Prism Scope, Prismatic Rifle Scope, Long Eye Relief, Wide Angle
Key Features
- Wide angle
- Illumination: red, green and blue
- MOA click: ¼
- Compact design
- Built-in double side rails
- Integral pictanny mount
- Robust platform
You can count on this product to give you precision and good value for windage and elevation adjustment. It was built on proven robust platforms and is completely sealed with nitrogen filling. On top of that it’s also shock proof, fog proof and rain proof making it an ideal riflescope to purchase. Easy to acquire reticle makes it snappy on follow up shots.
4. BARSKA New Rifle Scopes (3-9x42mm Rifle Scope Contour)
Key Features
- 1 inch tube
- Illuminated dual color
- 30/30 reticle
- Mounting rings
- Fully coated
- 3-9×42 Contour riflescope
- Windage and elevation turrets
This riflescope is the perfect fusion of performance and innovation. It has unmatched durability, dependability and workmanship while being a compact riflescope. It comes in dual illuminated reticle color and you can also adjust the brightness. On top of that it is also waterproof, fog proof and shockproof.
5. BARSKA New 5-20x50mm Rifle Scope with Trace MOA IR Reticle
Key Features
- Magnification: 5-20x
- Objective lens: 50mm
- Illumination: red/green
- Windage turrets
- Waterproof, shockproof, fogproof
You won’t regret the purchase of this riflescope because its magnification feature gives you a four-time zoom ratio which is perfect for precise long-range shooting. It has five levels of brightness with zero reset elevation. Along with being waterproof, shockproof and fog proof you should go for this riflescope right away!
Long range scope capabilities are right up there with the best
• Red and green illuminated reticle makes it easy to acquire targets
• Waterproofing, shockproofing, and fog proof seal is top-tier
6. Vortex Optics Crossfire II 6-24×50 AO
Key Features
- 6-24x Variable zoom for long-range shots
- BDC reticle style is really easy to use
- Fully adjustable objective eliminates parallax completely
- Proprietary lens coating improves durability and HD clarity
- Finger reset turrets are foolishly easy to adjust
The guys over at Vortex Optics have totally changed the long-range rifle scope game in major way by offering top-tier quality glass at almost unbelievably affordable price points – the perfect combination when you’re looking to do some long-range shooting on a budget.
This brand is absolutely beloved by hunters out West that have to track elk, mountain goats, and sheep all over the place (and then shoot them at long-range), but these rifle scopes are starting to catch on with competition shooters and hunters that are looking to take shorter range shots, too.
The Crossfire II is the second generation of this model, and one that is probably the most popular in the entire Vortex stable for longer distance shots.
It offers a variable zoom of between 6-24x, more than enough to get you out to 600 yards to 700 yards (and then some) without fear of inaccurate shots.
There is a lot of eye relief built into the scope as well, helping them to get a solid cheek weld on your stock before you touch off a round that has to travel quite a ways to get to its target.
That makes for much more comfortable feeling, much more consistent shooting, and generally just a better day on the range or out hunting.
The quality of the glass from Vortex is also top-notch which is why this company has made such major inroads of late. Coated to protect the lenses from scratches, dents, dings, and fogging up, it’s a high-performing piece of gear that you are really going to love.
The BDC reticle helps you calculate bullet drop compensation (which is why it’s called BDC in the first place) pretty quickly and on-the-fly. The reticle itself is situated on the second focal plane, which is a really smart design choice that allows you to maintain the same reticle size even when you start to change magnification levels.
All of this is really new, really exciting, and really innovative stuff from the folks over at Vortex.
7. LUCID Optics Advantage 6-24x50mm
Key Features
- 6-24x Variable zoom
- Easy, hand adjustable turrets
- Proprietary lens coating material on lenses for 92% light transmission
- Super lightweight body construction, classic sniper scope style design
- Matte finish throughout to dramatically reduce glare and glint
This is very much a sniper scope with a vintage feel and look about it, though it is absolutely jampacked to the gills with a lot of high-end features and a lot of really cool innovations.
A 6-24x magnification long-range sniper scope, you’ll be able to reach out and touch targets at distances of between 600 yards and 800 yards without a lot of trouble. You’ll also be able to go out to a thousand yards – if you have to – though reaching beyond that becomes a bit more of a challenge with the limitations of this scope.
The eye relief here is fantastic, offering between 3.25 inches and 4.25 inches depending on how you have your settings dialed in for zoom. You can play around with different configurations to get better eye relief to maintain a solid cheek well, too.
The glass here isn’t quite as nice as what you would expect from somebody like Leupold or Vortex but it is the next best thing.
There’s adjustments for parallax that range from between 15 yards and infinity, and thanks to the proprietary material that has been applied to the lenses you get 92% light transmission – even in lowlight situations.
Adjustable turrets are really easy to deal with in the field without having to breakout any tools to get the job done. This means you’re able to quickly re-zero your rifle on-the-fly, accounting for windage and elevation without having to mess around with any other tools or accessories.
The solid click, click, click that they make as they move around the target lets you know that each adjustment has been made. It takes the guesswork out of fine-tuning your rifle which is always necessary at longer ranges.
8. Vortex Optics Diamondback 6-24×50
Key Features
- Fast focusing eye relief is a treat to use in action
- The reticle actually etched onto the glass produces more consistent and stable sight picture
- Proprietary Vortex glass lens coating has been applied to this scope, improving low light transmission while pardoning and protecting the glass
- Parallax, windage, and elevation turrets are 100% toolless and can be adjusted in the field without much difficulty
- One of the best affordable price points
Another great long-distance rifle scope from the people over at Vortex, the Diamondback is a super long-range scope that offers variable zoom settings between 6-24x with a 50 mm objective lens.
Vortex engineers have also included a low dispersion glass throughout the scope itself, producing a clearer and cleaner sight picture that is going to be almost impossible to find anywhere else – especially at this price point.
The reticle itself has been attached directly onto the glass to provide for a better picture as well, improving stability and accuracy, but also allowing for enhanced hashmarks that help you better account for bullet drop at extreme distances.
Manufactured out of aircraft grade aluminum material, guaranteed to work in every weather condition imaginable, and making parallax adjustments almost unbelievably easy, there really is a lot to fall in love with when it comes to this particular rifle scope.
Like all of the other Vortex long-range optics out there, you get amazing eye relief with this parti-cular model.
The Diamondback helps you keep your eye away from the rifle scope to maintain peripheral vision when necessary, but it also guarantees that you aren’t going to get a surprise shiner when you are really reaching out to longer ranges with high caliber rifles.
Follow-up shots are relatively easy to make with this rifle scope, especially if you use the proprietary Vortex scope mounting rings that are available from the company as well. Designed to work with Picatinny and Weaver style rails, as well as more traditional rails, getting this new scope on your rifle isn’t going to take much work.
The Ultimate Long Range Rifle Scope Buying Guide
Regardless of whether or not you are looking to buy a long-range rifle scope to do a bit of hunting for compete for a Wimbledon Cup, there are a number of different things you have to zero in on to match the right scope to your rifle.
Today there are more high-quality rifle scopes available than ever before, with more manufacturers making quality products than any other time in firearms history.
At the same time, because of this flood of products, sifting through your options won’t be as simple or straightforward as many expect.
Combine that with aggressive marketing and advertising campaigns with companies promising the moon and the stars when it comes to their scopes and it’s not difficult to become discouraged during your search.
That’s where this detailed guide comes in, though.
Use this buying guide to inform your decisions moving forward and you’ll have a much easier time finding a quality long-range rifle scope than you would have otherwise.
These core elements are essential in a quality piece of glass on your rifle, and as long as you check as many boxes below as possible you should be good to go!
Let’s jump right in.
Glass Type
Glass type is a major piece of the puzzle when it comes to finding a quality range scope or a quality hunting scope.
Luckily, the problem of rifle scopes being made with poor quality glass has pretty much become a problem of the past (for the most part).
Modern manufacturing practices have significantly improved over the years, making the production of high quality, crystal clear, and easy magnifying glass a whole lot easier than it ever was previously.
This has resulted in some of the best range scope options ever made, even at budget price points.
All the same, you’ll still want to make sure that the glass you are investing in is:
• Crystal clear
• Strong and durable
• Properly protected
• Allows for maximum light
• Has minimum parallax and distortion
Clarity is king whenever you are talking about shooting at extremely long distance. After all, if you cannot see your target clearly you’re going to have a tough time hitting it in the first place!
Most glass today on long distance scopes is that such a high quality that it feels like you aren’t looking through glass at all!
That is the kind of rifle scope for long range shooting that you want to get your hands on!
Glass should also be manufactured to be strong and durable, capable of handling the vicious and violent recoil of large caliber rifles without distorting the actual optics themselves.
There’s a lot of force that’s going to be sent through that rifle scope every time you touch the trigger.
High quality glass will not shift and will not lose its zero, whereas low quality glass may come apart altogether in the moment of truth!
The best way to make sure that your new scope has high quality glass is to purchase only from top-tier manufacturers.
Companies like Leopold, Swarovski, Schmidt and Bender, Zeiss, and Vortex all have fantastic scope glass – but they also sell glass to other manufacturers for use in near rifle scopes as well.
That’s a sneaky little “inside secret” in the rifle scope industry that can help you save a bundle of money.
Magnification Power
You will obviously need a rifle scope with a reasonable magnification range to hit targets at distances above 300 yards with any real consistency – but a lot of long-range shooters that are new to the game almost obsessive over extreme magnification power, never realizing that they may be hindering themselves along the way.
Believe it or not, extreme magnification ranges on your rifle can actually handicap a long range shooter.
We are talking about rifle scopes that have magnifications that stretch out to 40x or even 50x (anything beyond that turns into a bit more of a spotting scope than anything else).
With those kinds of magnifications you’re only ever going to be able to shoot at longer ranges as you won’t be able to acquire targets inside of the scope that ranges shorter than 700 to 800 yards.
Like we mentioned earlier, if you have a rifle built exclusively for shooting long-range competitions for hunting and know you won’t ever be taking a shot under 700 yards, maybe that 40x fixed scope make sense for you.
If you want in that situation, though, and want to invest in a quality rifle scope that can be used in a wide variety of applications, you’ll want something with a little less magnification and a little more variability.
Today’s top long distance shooting experts recommend a magnification power of 16x (at minimum).
Some of the best in the competition world, absolutely amazing long range shooter experts, like something with 25x in the tube – so long as they also have the ability to variably adjust that magnification down to say 6x or 8x without much difficulty, too.
It’s not a bad idea to tinker around with different magnification levels before you settle on just one.
If you have the opportunity to try a couple of different rifle scopes before you have to commit to just one on your rifle permanently it’s not a bad idea to do exactly that.
You’ll be able to get a feel for the difference between 16x and 25x magnification in the real world, and if you compare that to a fixed 40x scope you’ll know exactly how much of a handicap that extra magnification can be!
Focal Plane
You as a long distance shooting enthusiast should know that you have to deal with two different categories of focal plane as you look through your new rifle scope.
Scopes designed with a front focal plane are going to have reticles that actually change size as your magnification level changes. Scopes designed with a second focal plane are going to have reticles that remain the same size no matter what your magnification level is set at.
Front focal optics are usually more popular with long distance shooters than second focal plane options, if only because your dots and your hashmarks are going to maintain the same distance from one another as your reticle sizes along your magnification level.
This means everything stays 1 MIL or 1 MOA apart no matter what, maintaining that uniformity you’ll need to make shots consistently and reliably as you manipulate the magnification of your new rifle scope.
With a second focal plane option, though, these dots and hashmarks do not maintain that consistency. You have to do some mental gymnastics (and mathematics) to figure out exactly where your shots are going to land every time you adjust your magnification.
Stick to front focal scopes, especially if you’re new!
Scope Body
The scope body of your new rifle scope should be high quality, durable, and made from a (relatively) lightweight material that can withstand the violence of recoil as well as everything else you’ll end up putting your rifle through.
Today’s modern rifle scopes are almost always built from a single piece of aircraft grade aluminum, at least those that are worth owning are made with this approach.
This material is super strong, incredibly durable, and highly resistant to all kinds of issues that plagued steel scopes in the past.
You won’t have to worry about humidity and atmosphere issues with single piece of aluminum options as much as you might have previously, and you won’t have to worry about rust or corrosion problems with aluminum, either.
Single piece bodies also eliminate a lot of the “scope flex” problems that plague multi component scopes. No matter how well-built or how recoil tolerant multi piece scopes are they inevitably wiggle free as recoil shakes your rifle.
That’s a recipe for disaster, especially if your scope comes apart when you need it most.
No, stick to single piece aluminum scopes that have been treated with a protective lens coating (like an anodizing, for example) and you won’t have much to worry about at all.
Reticle Type
The only thing more personal to a long range shooter than how they have their trigger control group set up is the type of long-range reticle they choose when shooting at extreme distances.
Shooters have absolutely no shortage of options to pick and choose from when it comes to reticle configurations.
In fact, it feels like new reticle designs are being introduced to the market on a daily basis with no slowdown whatsoever!
Finding a reticle that works for you is really going to come down to trying different scopes, trying different reticles, and shooting (a lot) at longer ranges to find something that you are happy and consistent with.
The overwhelming majority of top-tier marksmen end up settling on relatively simple and uncluttered reticle options more often than not, though.
A lot like the standard MIL style reticle used in the military, though some have also adopted the MOA style reticle that is particularly popular with USMC marksmen.
One thing to focus on here, above all else, is making sure that you have hashmarks and dots that are spread both vertically and horizontally at either MIL or MOA intervals.
This kind of radical is going to allow you to hold over for both windage and elevation without having to play around with your turrets. That’s a big piece of the puzzle shooting at longer ranges when you may have to account for a gust of wind in the middle of your trigger pull routine.
Learning how to use your reticle style will take a little bit of time, but it’s something that you’ll get better at with just a bit of practice.
There are plenty of YouTube tutorials out there to teach you how to make the most of different reticle styles, and if you don’t have the budget to tinker with different rifle scopes it’s not a bad idea to see these sort of side-by-side comparisons (done by experts, course) to help make your decision.
Bullet drop compensator reticle options have become quite popular in the last few years, though they are starting to be left behind by serious long range shooters more often than not these days.
These kinds of compensator reticle choices work well on rifles that have affected ranges out to say 800 yards or so, but any further than that and they become really unreliable.
On top of that, there’s just not enough room on the vertical post to account for any more drop when you get beyond 800 yards!
The other thing you’ll want to double check is that your turrets adjustments lineup with your reticle style.
For one reason or another (we are really not sure why) some manufacturers like to ship their scopes with a MIL dot reticle and MOA adjustments on the turret. That over complicates things in a big way, and you’ll want to avoid that headache altogether if possible.
Stick to your traditional MIL or MOA style reticle and you’ll have a lot less to worry about!
Mounting System
It wasn’t all that long ago that finding the right rifle scope for your firearm set up inevitably came down to the mounting system that a particular scope used.
Luckily for us, though, those days are gone for good with the introduction of the Picatinny and Weaver style rails.
These rails totally transformed the firearms world from top to bottom when they were first introduced, creating truly universal mounting systems that simplify things dramatically.
Sure, you still need to get your hands on quality rings that will secure your rifle scope to your rail system – but that’s a whole lot easier to do than finding a mounting plate for your scope that works with your rifle receiver.
Whether you go with Picatinny or Weaver style rails makes no difference, but you do need to be sure that the scope you are selecting has rings that will fit with the system that you choose.
It’s not a bad idea to purchase rings made specifically for your rifle scope straight from the scope manufacturer, either.
Yes, there are aftermarket options out there that are (usually) less expensive – but why put together a precision rifle like this and then cheap out on the components that connect your optics to your rifle in the first place?
It just doesn’t make sense!
Also, follow directions when it comes time to tighten and tension your scope rings.
Plenty of people have over tightened their scope rings and caused components to “pop” when the rifle recoiled, and just as many have under tightened their scope rings and wrecked their optics when the rifle fired, too.
Other Factors Worth Thinking About
For starters, it’s not a bad idea to think about the overall weight of your rifle scope before you attach it to your firearm.
Now you might not care how much your glass weighs if you are going to be firing prone or from a bench in a tournament setting 99% of the time.
But if you are lugging that rifle around the woods (especially in mountainous regions, going after elk for example) it’s going to make a huge difference at the end of the day.
You’ll also want to think about investing in specialty rifle scopes for really large caliber long-range shooting. We are talking about .50 caliber rifles here, but anything north of a .308 might require a rifle scope that is a little beefier.
This all tracks back to the time the recoil forces that are going to be applied to your rifle scope when you touch the trigger.
A cheap, flimsy, poorly made rifle scope on a .50 caliber receiver is going to detonate into tiny little pieces the first time that the bolt comes back.
Something solid, though, will stand up to that violence time and time again without ever losing its zero.
FAQs
What Is the Best Scope for 1000 Yard Shooting?
Long-range shooters know all about the old adage “buy once, cry once”.
It’s no secret that it’s next to impossible to find high quality long-range rifles and shooting accessories at budget prices.
That’s just not the way that these finely tuned pieces of equipment are priced.
Until recently, anyway.
The Vortex Optics Diamondback 6-24x50 has turned a number of industry paradigms on its head ever since it was first released.
Featuring top-tier construction materials, some of the best glass available at this price, and a lot of the “creature features” long-range shooters are looking for in a new rifle scope, there’s not a lot to dislike when it comes to this piece of hardware.
Seriously, it stacks up favorably against riflescopes that cost two or three times as much.
This isn’t something you’re going to find on the market every day.
Initial Impressions
The first thing you’ll notice about this Vortex Optics rifle scope is that it looks pretty simple and straightforward, maybe even a little bit unremarkable.
Peek “under the hood”, though and you’ll see what makes this so special.
Let’s start with the turrets on this scope.
A little bit on the aggressive side of things with plenty of bite to manipulate with gloved hands, there’s a lot of positive detent and audible clicking that goes on as you adjust your scope.
This instant feedback makes it a whole lot easier to gauge the adjustments that you are making on-the-fly without having to pull yourself off of the eyepiece altogether.
The magnification adjustment ring is even easier to get your fingers on. It has a smooth motion operation that adjusts with very little effort across the entirety of the magnification power range.
Build quality is solid, fit and finish is what you would expect from a high-end rifle scope, and everything just sort of feels premium across the board.
Tracking
When you are shooting at longer ranges you need to know that your rifle scope is going to track with a high degree of precision.
Any sloppiness in this department is going to throw your adjustments off completely, renderings you next to useless as a marksman if you have to spin any of the turrets.
Thankfully this has become less of a problem with today’s high-end manufacturing approach, and an adjustment of 10 MOA on the turret is actually going to result in an internal adjustment of EXACTLY 10 MOA with the Vortex Diamondback.
The tracking on this scope is spectacular and you’ll be able to shoot type groups at range without a whole lot of extra effort.
Final Verdict
At the end of the day, it’s almost unbelievable to see how well this rifle scope performs in real world situations at ranges that stretch well beyond the 500 yard marker.
As highlighted earlier, this really is a relatively inexpensive rifle scope that can compete with optics that cost two or three times as much.
The price tag is never going to be a hurdle with this scope, that’s for sure.
Sure, there are some flashier and fancier high-end optics out there that might provide you with a little bit more accuracy at long distance – especially when you start to poke out beyond a thousand yards.
But it’s hard to pass up on everything this offers while saving you money to buy more ammo!
What Kind of Scope Do I Need for 1000 Yard Shooting?
When you get right down to it, finding a scope to shoot accurately at 1000 yards – and beyond – is always going to be a pretty involved process.
Yes, there have been long-range shooters that have enjoyed some real consistency at a thousand yards or more than 70 years in the shooting world, many of them with scopes that most of us wouldn’t even dream of slapping on our rifle these days.
But with all of the major technological advances in optic technology and riflescopes specifically we are dealing with a problem of too many riflescopes to choose from as opposed to too few!
You are reading that right.
The biggest barrier to finding the right 1000+ yard rifle scope isn’t going to be that there are too few worthwhile on the market right now, but that there are so many – and zeroing in on the right one for you and your budget will be harder because of that.
Focus on the key criteria we highlight below, however, and you’ll be able to navigate your options a lot easier.
Quality Glass
The most important piece of the puzzle when you are buying a new long-range rifle scope is the quality of the glass that you are investing in to begin with.
Quality glass is absolutely everything.
It’s the only thing that every other component cannot make up for.
If you’re starting with a rifle scope with poor quality glass and a low-level objective lens than you are starting directly behind the eight ball.
Luckily, though, you’re not going to find too terribly many 1000+ yard specific riflescopes available today that are made with low quality glass.
Even the budget companies have really stepped up their game, producing much better optics with much higher quality glass than ever before without charging and arm and a leg.
Not only that, but these manufacturers are also employing engineers that are finding ways to squeeze better optical performance out of their riflescopes than ever before, too.
Larger objective lenses are being used for high performance in low light conditions, variable zoom options are better now than ever before, and the proprietary coating materials added to these lenses protect them from dirt, dust, debris (and everything else) better, too.
Even still, it’s not a bad idea to look into the reputation that the rifle scope manufacturer you are considering has when it comes to the caliber of their glass.
Some companies (like Leupold, for example) have legendary reputations for high quality glass and most unimpeachable track records for producing top-tier long-range rifle scopes.
Other companies (like Bushnell) can be a little more hit or miss with their glass, depending on how much you spend and whether or not quality control was really on the ball when that scope was made.
Parallax
You don’t really have to worry about parallax when you are shooting at closer ranges, mostly because low magnification scopes really don’t have parallax problems to begin with.
As soon as you start to push out to longer ranges, though – anything north of 600 yards, really – parallax is going to begin to come into play.
The basic principle of parallax is pretty simple and straightforward; it’s really nothing more than an optical illusion that gets worse as magnification levels get higher – messing up your line of sight at longer and longer ranges.
Most (if not all) of the truly high quality long-range rifle scopes available today include parallax turrets that allow you to overcome this issue with a couple of minute adjustments.
Those that do not have parallax turrets have parallax rings (opposite of the magnification rating) to make these kinds of adjustments, and any long-range scope that does not include these capabilities should be avoided at all costs.
Magnification Between 18x-25x
A long-range rifle scope isn’t going to be worth much if it doesn’t have enough magnification to get you out to 1000 yards or so, which is why you need to make sure that your new glass has enough range to meet your goals.
A good range for most long distance shooters is between 18x and 25x.
This gives you plenty of magnification to spot your targets downrange without making you completely useless that shorter ranges, too – though start getting out past a thousand yards with a 25x and things are going to get a little blurry.
There are certainly some long-range shooters that loved fixed magnification scopes on their dedicated tournament rifles, sometimes opting for 40x magnification or more so that they feel like they are right up on their target.
If you are going to be building a rifle specifically for long-range competition for long-range shots that might not be a bad direction to go in.
On the other hand, if you want to be able to be effective at all kinds of ranges – and not just at the extreme distances 40x demands – a variable magnification with a lower top end is probably a smarter choice.
There’s a lot more versatility and value in that kind of rifle scope to be sure.
Reticle Choice is Personal
It would be really nice if there was a “one-size-fits-all” kind of long-range reticle that you could pick and stick to, universal “fits everyone” kind of reticle that just made sense for every long-distance shot.
But there isn’t.
No, reticle choices are incredibly personal and you’re probably going to want to tinker around with a couple of different formats and a couple of different options before you settle on just one.
Some people like to use Mil spec reticles or MOA reticles, whereas other shooters like to use MOAR reticles or illuminated reticles.
The important thing here is to find something that you are comfortable with and (more importantly) something that you are consistent with.
The overwhelming majority of popular long-range rifle scope options today include evenly spaced markings for bullet drop, windage, and elevation along the horizontal and vertical axis of a reticle – and those can be very useful when you’re looking to make a long-range shot.
Turret Style is Be Personal, Too
Turret styles and configurations are pretty universal across the board, but the feel of different turrets, how they click and how they spin, and how accurate they are as you make adjustments all comes down to personal preference as well.
Find something that you can feel confident in, something you can adjust with your eyes closed, and something that will hold a dope or zero without much trouble and you’ll be off to the races!
What is the Best Hunting Scope for the Money?
As far as the best hunting scope for the money goes, that’s probably going to be an award that goes to the Winbest Hunting AO rifle scope.
Capable, well constructed, and with a variable zoom level that stretches between 6x and 24x (all with an objective lens of 50 mm for plenty of light in low light shooting conditions), this is a great rifle scope when you’re shooting at distances between 300 yards and 800 yards or more.
Obviously, if you’re going to be taking these kinds of shots you’re going to need all the help you can get to place your bullet accurately. This scope helps out in a couple of different ways.
For starters, the quality of the glass is fantastic.
You’ll get a lot of extra light brought in through that objective lens we mentioned a second ago (useful when you need to pull the trigger just after shooting light opens or just before shooting light closes each day), but you also get an HD picture every time you peer through your scope, too.
Secondly, the variable zoom configuration here helps you get low enough to take closer range shots without rendering your scope and your rifle useless.
One of the bigger challenges with long-range rifle scopes designed to really “reach out” to a target is that they aren’t all that effective at closer ranges. Most of the time that’s because of over magnification.
That’s not going to be a problem here.
This rifle can be quickly adjusted (not just with magnification but with your windage and elevation turrets, too) so that you always take a confident shot.
Lastly, the build quality of the Winbest Hunting AO is solid enough that you can run it through the woods without worrying about it getting beaten up or falling apart along the way.
There aren’t a lot of precision rifle scopes that you can treat as sloppily as you can treat this one without them coming out of zero or falling out of dope.
That’s just not going to be a problem with this choice.
Combine all of that with a solid price point, good warranty, and the ability to easily mount it on a wide variety of firearms and you've got a real winner on your hands here!
What Should I Look for in a Long Range Scope?
If you are serious about getting your hands on the best long-range rifle scope, there are a couple of key considerations you need to zero in on above all else.
Fixed or Variable?
For starters, you need to decide whether or not you are going to move forward with a variable scope for a fixed magnification scope.
A lot of this is going to be dependent upon what you are going to be shooting with this rifle and what kind of distances you are going to be reaching out to (on a consistent basis).
Fixed magnification scopes are considerably rarer than variable magnification options, just because they offer less variety, less adjustability, and less flexibility.
At the same time, if you are only ever going to be shooting in the same spot – or at the same distances – a fixed scope is going to save you a lot of time, a lot of money, and a lot of setup on a regular basis.
Magnification Power
The next key consideration you have to zero in on is the magnification power of your new scope.
Your ability to magnify your targets effectively (and clearly) is going to heavily influence your accuracy.
If you can bring a target 600 yards away into a field-of-view that feels like it is right in front of your rifle barrel, the odds are pretty good you’re going to send rounds downrange that are highly accurate.
If, on the other hand, you’re trying to hit targets that are 800 yards to a thousand yard-s in the distance with a scope that only offers two or three times magnification the chances are you’re going to be missing – and missing by a lot!
As a general rule, scopes with a magnification rating of between 2x and 4x are generally going to be good for out to about 150 yards or so. A lot of rimfire scopes fit into this category pretty well, helping you to use your 22 Long Rifle a little more effectively than you might have been able to with iron sights alone.
Those kinds of scopes, though, are not going to help you even a little bit when you are shooting at longer ranges.
No, at a minimum you’re going to want a variable powered scope that offers 3-9x magnification and likely something that provides even more magnification than that.
This kind of scope can be useful out to about 300 yards or so, with a crystal clear sight picture (as long as you get your hands on a quality model from a reputable manufacturer, anyway).
High-powered scopes with extreme magnification are useful when you are talking about poking out to 800 yards or beyond. 12-25x or higher magnification levels are more than enough to give you the accuracy that you are after, but your effectiveness at closer ranges disappear completely when you start to talk about magnification like this.
Eye Relief
Eye relief is another big piece of the puzzle that you’ll want to get right when you are looking at longer-range rifle scopes.
This is going to determine how far your eyeball needs to be from the actual ocular lens itself to get a clear sight picture, and it’s different for everyone and for every rifle.
When you’re talking about long-range rifles (.308 caliber and above) that are going to kick like a dinosaur when you touch off a round you want to make sure that your relief isn’t going to have you millimeters away from the scope itself when the cartridge goes off.
That’s going to send the scope kicking right back in your face, busting out your orbital bone, and generally causing a nasty little shiner.
It’s happened to plenty of people in the past (and it’s probably going to keep happening to people in the future).
Square away your relief ahead of time, though, and you’ll be able to avoid those kinds of issues.
Final Verdict
We’ve covered some of the best long range scopes for the money and given you various top lists you can consider and choose from.
We hope our review will hep you choose the right long range scope for your needs.
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Alain is Cartbig’s managing editor, in charge of the research, production and editing of all content.
He has a BA in Journalism from Cornell University and is passionate about photography and technology.
He loves travelling but he lacks orientation so he never leaves home without his GPS. Really.
