Mar 04, 2024

Guide to choosing the right rifle scope

Choosing the right rifle scope can be tricky, but making the right choice can give you an extremely high return and accuracy! Here at Game-On, we have something for everyone! Whether you're a beginner or an expert, going hunting, playing airsoft or just target shooting! In this guide, we'll go through the different specifications of a rifle scope so you know what to look for and what you need. We will also explain what red dot sights and laser sights are and what they're used for.

You might just be wondering which rifle scope is the best? It's not that simple, because it all depends on what you're going to use it for and how much you're willing to pay. But good news, we have most of them! Confused when looking at the different ones? No wonder, there are incredibly many different elements and specifications in a rifle scope.So it's no wonder one can get a bit confused when choosing the right one! But we've gathered everything you need to know in a guide!

Things to consider when buying a rifle scope

The main question is obviously what you're going to use the rifle scope for, but other things to note are the distance from the target, are you going to use it during the day with a lot of light? Dusk or night? How much money you are planning/have the ability to spend is also important to think about because you can get rifle scopes in all price ranges. Do you have a powerful recoil on your weapon? Rifle scopes have different degrees of shock resistance, so that's an important factor to consider. Scopes that don't withstand shock will quickly become worn and inaccurate. Do you need to be able to reset the sight and determine the distance? Then you should look for a rifle scope with click turrets. You will then see adjustment options on the gear wheel at the top center. Otherwise, we go through the main specifications below.

Magnification

You can choose between fixed and variable magnification. For beginners, we recommend fixed magnification. It offers better reliability and is easy to use. That means you choose a scope with, for example, 3x magnification. With variable magnification, you can choose magnification ranging from 3x to 25x. This obviously gives you more options regarding how far away you can be from the target, but it can also make the shot more difficult, as it will reduce how much light enters the scope and thus limit the field of view.

Objective Diameter

This tells us how much light enters. The higher the diameter, the more light comes in. For use in twilight or a place with low light, anything over 50 mm is recommended. For daylight use, anything from 24 mm is common.

Reticle

Here at Game-On, we have scopes with many different reticles, also called crosshairs. A very common crosshair and Mil-Dot. The red dot in the middle is meant to make it easier to hit the target even in twilight.

There are many variants, all with the same purpose - to hit the target. But with slightly different approaches.

Some crosshairs are First Focal Plane (FFP) which means that the size of the crosshair remains unchanged even if you zoom in. When you zoom in, you will then zoom in on the reticle as well.

Parallax adjustment vs fixed

Some scopes have adjustments for parallax, meaning you can set the number of meters you are from the target. This way, you will get the clearest sight picture and the least possible deviation between the aiming point and the impact point.This is only necessary for high precision, but of course, it's fun to have and it will help with accuracy! Most of the scopes we have are parallax fixed.

Red Dot Sight and Laser Sight

Red dot sights are not used much for hunting and precision shooting as they are non-magnifying. However, they are widely used in airsoft games because they allow for quicker target acquisition, and you can keep both eyes open. This makes it easier to hit moving opponents or those who are close by. A laser sight is usually a red or green laser that beams towards what you're aiming at. It's not used much for hunting or airsoft games, but it's quite fun for target shooting. Just be aware that it should not be shone directly into the eyes of either humans or animals, and it's strictly forbidden to shine it at aircraft.All our red dot sights can be found here and all our laser sights here.

Scope for pistol and revolver

It's not just rifles that can have scopes! Several pistols and revolvers come with rails that you can attach scopes to. The most important thing when choosing a scope for a pistol and revolver is to pick one that has long "Eye relief". Eye relief allows you to hold the scope further away from your eye and still have a clear sight picture. Most scopes are designed to be used with rifles and therefore have short eye relief.

All our scopes can be found here! If you're still unsure, we're more than willing to help you choose the right one! Send us an email at post@game-on.no with any questions you might have.