When it comes to hunting or precision shooting, having the right rifle scope can make all the difference in your success. However, for beginners, navigating the world of rifle scopes can be overwhelming. With so many options available, it’s easy to fall into common traps that can lead to wasted money and poor performance in the field.
Whether you’re preparing for your first hunt or upgrading your gear, understanding the most frequent mistakes made by new buyers is crucial. This guide will help you avoid costly errors and ensure that you invest in a scope that matches your needs and enhances your shooting experience. Let’s dive into the ten most common pitfalls to steer clear of when purchasing a rifle scope.
Mistake 1: Buying a Rifle Scope Before Choosing a Firearm
A rifle scope is an accessory that complements a firearm. Many hunters and shooters can perform well in hunting or shooting activities even without a scope. Therefore, if you haven’t yet decided which firearm to purchase, there’s no need to rush into buying a rifle scope.
When you visit a gun shop, you’ll notice that many firearms come with standard rifle scopes. These scopes may be basic in style, but they are well-calibrated and can effectively meet the basic needs of the firearm. Once you become familiar with how the rifle scope pairs with the firearm, particularly understanding the limits of your firearm’s shooting capabilities, you can opt for an upgraded scope to further enhance the firearm’s performance.
Mistake 2: Blindly Pursuing High Magnification
High magnification does not necessarily equate to a better user experience—in fact, the two are often inversely related. Higher magnification results in a narrower field of view, and magnifies the effects of breathing and heartbeat on aiming. Additionally, low-quality rifle scopes can produce dim and blurry images at high magnifications.
For novice hunters and shooters, starting with a magnification of 3x or 4x is more appropriate. For example, most entry-level models from various brands are 3-9x or 4-12/14x. If the budget allows, one can choose a scope with a higher magnification range, such as 3-18x or 4-24x, to gradually adjust to the shooting experience from low magnification to higher magnification.
Mistake 3: Ignoring Key Metric: Overall Light Transmission Rate
When purchasing a rifle scope, the overall light transmission rate is a crucial factor to consider. It’s worth taking the time to test this in person. The difference between a scope with 85% light transmission and one with 90% can be quite significant when viewed with the naked eye.
Imagine this scenario: during twilight, your rifle scope (with 85% light transmission) can no longer distinguish a target near the bushes, while your friend’s scope (with 90% light transmission) easily spots and hits the target. This sense of frustration is something you definitely want to avoid.
Mistake 4: Ignoring the Weight and Size of the Scope
Don’t pair a “giant” scope with your compact rifle, such as a rifle scope with a 56mm objective lens. This combination will make searching for prey in the field cumbersome, and the imbalance in overall weight is another important consideration. Start with a rifle scope with a 40mm or 44mm objective lens, and gradually build up your arm strength. Only when you’re comfortable should you consider switching to the larger models.
Mistake 5: Eye Relief: A Useless Metric?
Many people use a rifle scope the same way they would use a spotting scope, only to end up with a painful hit to the eye socket from the recoil. I definitely don’t want this to happen to you. The key is to choose a rifle scope with adequate eye relief based on the recoil of your firearm.
For firearms, especially large-caliber rifles, it’s recommended to choose a scope with at least 80mm of eye relief. For air rifles, since the recoil is lighter, you can opt for a scope with shorter eye relief, or even add a buffer eye shield to completely cover your eye and reduce glare interference.
Mistake 6: Do You Need a Christmas Tree Reticle?
Can a complex reticle give you superpowers? I’m not sure, but when you first use a rifle scope, no matter how much mental preparation or theoretical study you’ve done, your initial reaction to a “Christmas tree” reticle, filled with dense lines and numbers, might be a loss of direction. The mental pressure can be overwhelming, and you may even lose the ability to focus on your target because of the complexity of the reticle.
The right choice is a clear crosshair or a classic duplex reticle—this simple design allows you to focus on the thrill of locking onto your target with ease.
Mistake 7: Reticle Illumination: Is Brighter Always Better?
Almost all reticles are made with dark lines, which generally work well. However, during twilight or when aiming at a target in the bushes, these dark lines can blend into the background, making it difficult to identify the target. This is when an illuminated reticle becomes necessary.
The question is, does brighter always mean better? The answer is no.
The ideal reticle illumination is like a lighthouse—it lights up the center or a few key lines, allowing you to accurately lock onto the target, rather than turning the entire scope into a “flashlight.”
Mistake 8: Does Brightness Relate to Tube Diameter?
Many people mistakenly correlate the brightness of a rifle scope with its tube diameter, imagining that a larger diameter allows “more light” to flow through, like water through a wider pipe. This analogy seems intuitive and visual, which is why many fall into this misconception.
In reality, with properly designed light paths, the light passes through the objective lens, refracts, and is transmitted through a small internal lens within the scope tube before entering the eyepiece and reaching the eye. The diameter of the tube (1 inch, 30mm, 34mm, or larger) actually affects the range of adjustment angles inside the scope—these angles are the limits we can achieve when performing ballistic and windage compensation.
Therefore, tube diameter is related to the scope’s ability to adjust for bullet drop and wind drift, but not to its brightness. For brightness, you should focus on the overall light transmission rate and the exit pupil diameter (ideally close to 7mm).
Mistake 9: Durability of Rifle Scopes
Rifle scopes are manufactured to withstand a certain level of shock, but the standards for durability can vary. For instance, the shock resistance required for firearm rifles differs from that for airguns (especially spring-powered airguns). A rifle scope designed for firearms may not be suitable for use with a spring airgun, and vice versa.
At Foreseen Optics, we receive numerous rifle scopes for repairs every year due to improper pairing with firearms. It is important to pay attention to this aspect before making a purchase. Be sure to inform your retailer about the brand and type of your firearm, and they will provide guidance on the right scope for your needs. You can also opt for high-strength rifle scopes that are suitable for any type of firearm, but this typically comes with additional costs.
Mistake 10: Taking Care of Your Rifle Scope
Avoid using your rifle scope for unconventional purposes, such as prying open bottle caps or using it as a hammer. The side impacts that occur from such actions can be more damaging than those from vertical impacts. Additionally, frequent disassembly and reassembly can cause wear and tear. After each use, store your scope in a cool, dry environment along with your firearm. This is the best way to prolong the life of your rifle scope and ensure it continues performing optimally.
Lastly, We Hope You Find the Perfect Rifle Scope for Yourself and Enjoy the Thrill of Precision Shooting!
