What Is the Best Hunting Scope Around?

Click here to see the Best Scopes for Hunting in 2017!

hunting scopesWhether you’re hunting for bears, lions, rhinoceros, moose, elk, coyotes, and any other big game animal or varmint, you need to have the right scope for your hunting needs. There are indeed many scopes to choose from, but which one of them will stand out and truly get the job done? So what’s the best hunting scope?

That’s what this article intends to find out. A good hunting scope should be versatile, which is why many scopes for hunting (and assault rifles like the AR-15) have magnification ranges of 3x to 9x. After all, those are the magnifications that allow you to go scout rifle mode (1x to 4x) or sniping mode (at 9x, although there are high-power scopes that go all the way to 80x available). With that said, here are the top, best-selling hunting scopes you can buy.

Top Hunting Scopes Comparison Table

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The Best Hunting Scopes to Scope Out

  1. Burris 1-4×24 Fullfield TAC30 Illuminated Ballistic CQ 5.56 RiflescopeThe Burris Fullfield TAC30 is a popular and best-selling kind of riflescope that has everything you need when it comes to hunting whatever big or small game prize you wish to back or hang on your home as a trophy of sorts.
Burris 200433-FF Fullfield TAC30 1-4 x 24 with Fastfire II Scope (Black)

Rated 4.7 out of 5 stars from over 31 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

In particular, it has great scout riflescope specs like the magnification range of 1x to 4x and the 24-millimeter objective, making it one of the best hunting scopes. By the way, a scouting rifle is a multipurpose rifle that you can use for CQB (close-quarter battle) military engagements, stealth or guerilla operations, and (of course) mid-range to close-range hunting wherein it’s easy to tell the animal from the foliage thanks to its crystal-clarity and easy target acquirement.

This hunting and scouting riflescope happens to feature quality specs for hunting down even large animals, like its precision-engineered reticle that’s perfect for close tactical application (and when hunting coyotes, foxes, and other varmints, you better be tactical in your approach because they’re as wily as they come).

It’s an overall well-made, great-priced scope with dots that work well enough at 100 yards and beyond due to its heavy reticle that works best at CBQ range but is workable as well when sniping at the mid-range or the furthest range that the 4x magnification can afford you. The dot on the crosshairs is black until you turn on the scope, so it’s always there as well. What more can you ask for?

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  1. Redfield Revenge 6-18x44mm Rifle ScopeThe Redfield Revenge series don’t only make for the best hunting riflescopes around; they’re also used for small-caliber arms and crossbows, as in the case of the Redfield 2.1-7x24mm 115204 Revenge Rifle Scope.
Redfield 115218 Revenge Rifle Scope

Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars from over 16 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

As for the Redfield Revenge 6-18x44mm Rifle Scope, it’s a hunting scope for all the snipers out there who wish to take down their targets from a safe distance. With that in mind, this is probably the best long range hunting scope with 6x to 18x magnification (double the standard 9x) with a 44-millimeter objective. There’s an abundance of short-range to mid-range scopes in this list with 1x to 4x scouting rifle range, but if you wish to use a more long-nosed firearm with big calibers and long-distance shooting capabilities.

If you’re hunting game that only comes out at certain times and you have the patience of a fisherman when it comes to hunting in full stealth, atop a grassy knoll, or some other high place where you can’t be reached, then perhaps this scope is the best scope for you. This is especially true when facing dangerous game that can attack you depending on their decision-making when it comes to their fight-or-flight reflex.

You obviously don’t want to get too close and be mauled. A sniper hunter simply has a better chance of getting his game because he’s hunting guerilla-style, with stealth and intelligence included. Sniping black bears is particularly hard, since it’s hard to pinpoint bear anatomy since it appears as a black or brown blob more often than not.

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  1. Leupold Mark AR MOD 1 3-9x40mm P5 Dial Riflescope, Matte Black, 1-Inch TubeThis scope hits all the marks or targets of what a quality hunting riflescope is all about.
Leupold 115390 Mark AR MOD 1 Riflescope with Mil Dot Reticle, 8.60X Magnification, 3-9x40-Millimeter, Matte Black Finish

Rated 4.6 out of 5 stars from 20 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

From the innovative company that brought us the fogproof, nitrogen-or-argon-filled tube body scope technology comes the Leupold Mark AR MOD 1 3-9x40mm P5 Dial Riflescope, Matte Black, and 1-Inch Tube. This is one of the best scope for ar 15 hunting because it has standard-issue 3x to 9x (actually 8.6x) magnification that covers CQB (Close-Quarter Battle) range, scouting range, and sniper range magnification power. It allows you to zoom into your target so that he’s big enough for you to pinpoint his vitals with your assault rifle, scout rifle, or longshot firearm with ease. It also enables you to lock in exactly where your shot lands. 

The MIL of the Leupold Mark AR MOD 1 3-9x40mm P5 Dial Riflescope is impressive enough to control the accuracy of your shot with pinpoint precision, particularly when it comes to making your windage and elevation adjustments to avoid gravity and air resistance from ruining your shooting attempts. It’s an excellent big game scope that can go long range or engage the animal in CQB as well as spot him hiding among foliage at scout range with a click of the button. Its objective lens size is also wide enough to allow for maximum light transmission every time (plus the lenses inside the scope are multicoated to make this all possible), which is important since the higher your magnification, the less light your scope receives. 

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  1. Trinity Force 3-9×42 Redcon-1 Scope ComboIf you’d rather use your skill than your bait to make your big game vulnerable to your gun as you get the drop on him, whether it’s a lion, rhino, bear, moose, or elk, then you should definitely give the Trinity Force 3-9×42 Redcon-1 Scope a shot.
Trinity Force 3-9x42 Redcon-1 Scope Combo, Black, P4 Sniper/Red, Green, Blue Illum. SP4S3942RGBH

Rated 4 out of 5 stars from 7 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

Is the Trinity Force 3-9×42 Redcon-1 Scope Combo the best ar 15 scope for hunting? It’s certainly worthy of the title. It has many of the same specs as the Leupold Mark AR, only this time it has a bigger objective diameter. Furthermore, it’s an expert scope when it comes to target acquisition regardless of the lighting conditions thanks to its Tri-Illumination Reticle that ensures straightforward target acquisition in any ambient light level.

Not only that, it also sports a built-in sunshade that reduces glare, nitrogen purging (introduced by rival Leupold and is now the modern scope standard) to ensure that it is fogproof and waterproof, built-in quick detach base, and simple installation and removal (it’s practically a plug-and-play kind of device in its ease of mounting). As for its accuracy, you’ll always get a clear shot at your bear, rhino, or lion with its windage and elevation turrets that are quickly adjustable and easy to calibrate. You can compensate for the pull of gravity and the wind resistance at the snap of your fingers. You have full control, so if you’re a decent marksman, you can actually mitigate the chances of you missing even against a fast-moving target, like antelope.

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  1. Nikon P-223 3×32 BDC Carbine RiflescopeWhat else can be said about theNikon P-223 3×32 BDC Carbine Riflescope aside from the fact that it’s affordably great?
Nikon P-223 3-9x40 Mate BDC 600

Rated 4.8 out of 5 stars from over 450 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

It’s so dependable at such a low price you’d swear it costs even higher than its actual discounted price or even its list price. It showcases quality specs you’d expect from high-end scopes present in a scope that costs like a low-grade one. It’s definitely the best hunting scope for the money, hands down. Many hunters love buying the Nikon P-223 so much you’d swear it’s a variable scope capable of so many magnification modes. The fact that it can deliver scouting riflescope perfection at a fixed 3x only further shines the light on its overall excellence as a scout rifle.

If you don’t want to go hunting with bait or spring traps to get your big game or if you want to outsmart the varmint you’re trying to bag (especially if it’s a wily fox or coyote used to hiding and thinking like a predator at the same time), then this up-close-and-personal scout riflescope is the best scope for your hunting needs. What’s more, it’s a Nikon, which means you’re assured of a generous and consistent eye relief, precision¼-MOA zero-reset turrets that are hand-turn tactical-style with positive click reticle adjustments, Nikon-quality maximum light transmission from its propriety multicoated lenses as well as a BDC (Bullet Drop Compensation) reticle that’s easy to adjust in accordance to distance and how much gravity affects the trajectory of your bullet the further away the target is from you. 

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  1. Trijicon ACOG 4×32 Scope w/ Red Illumination Doughnut Reticle BAC-M16 / AR15The Trijicon ACOG 4×32 Scope w/ Red Illumination Doughnut Reticle is a Trijicon ACOG or Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight.
Acog 4 X 32 Scope Center Illuminated Doughnut .223 Ballistic Reticle, Red

Rated 5 out of 5 stars from 2 customers. Click the image for prices and customer reviews!

If you’re a hunter and you’re engaging against a wild animal, you need to have tactical stealth on your side to be able to eliminate your game before he counterattacks or flees due to the fight-or-flight reflex all animals have. This is also the best scope for best scope for night hunting due to its illuminated reticle and lenses that maximize light transmission in dim lighting conditions, like after dawn or dusk as well as within the cusp of twilight and under moonlight. This is the combat-proven type of scope that operates battery-free.

At any rate, the military-grade gun scope that’s even being used to deal with targets that can fire back can certainly help you get the drop on any big game, whether it’s a bear or an elk.

It’s also renowned for its accuracy and intuitiveness of usage. In hunting terms, the Trijicon ACOG 4×32 Scope w/ Red Illumination Doughnut Reticle offers scout-range fixed 4x magnification for mid-range and long-range engagements (mostly mid-range hidden or camouflaged shooting) and can be put to use for many an AR-15 and BAC-M16 firearms (the guns of choice when it comes to hunting).

It’s also effective when it comes to bear hunting specifically because it’s trusted in engaging against one of nature’s scariest predators to roam the earth. It can even be used in military applications, so what more during hunting expeditions where the animals can’t shoot you back?

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  1. Trijicon ACOG 6×48 Machine Gun Rifle Scope w/ Chevron (Horseshoe) BAC includes M14913 Rail and TA75 Adapter with FREE Gerber Suspension Multi-PlierHere’s another proud Trijicon ACOG addition in the list. The entry above in regards to the Trijicon ACOG 4×32 Scope w/ Red Illumination Doughnut Reticle showcased all the reasons why an ACOG is excellent for mid-range hunting with long-range applications at even that magnification for the true marksmen of the sport of hunting.
Acog 6 X 48 Scope Dual Illuminated Chevron .308 Ballistic Reticle

Rated 4.1 out of 5 stars from 3 customers. Click the image for prices and reviews!

The Trijicon ACOG 6×48 Machine Gun Rifle Scope is also one of the best hunting rifle scopes because it’s a complete package all its own, with Chevron reticle, an M14913 Rail, a TA75 Adapter, and a FREE Gerber Suspension Multi-Plier.Furthermore, since it’s within scouting scope range, you can even engage the likes of lions and bears from up close.

This Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight has everything you’d expect from a gun of its type, from its multiple additions that make it more like a scope kit than a standalone scope product to its 6x fixed magnification that keeps things simple and in one setting that’s perfect for long-range to stealthy mid-range engagement as far as the multifaceted scouting rifle concept is concerned.

It has a wide 48-millimeter objective and excellent field of view as well to make it easier to shoot moving (or fleeing) targets, like a varmint that spotted you at the last second. Depending on what gun you have, you can go with the M14913 Rail or TA75 Adapter. As for the Gerber Suspension Multi-Plier, it’s an open-frame multi-tool with spring-loaded pliers that’s useful for the mounting and maintenance of the scope. 

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  1. Leupold VX-2 1-4x20mm Rifle ScopeIf you want to keep things nice and simple with your AR-15 hunting rifle, then you can’t go wrong with the Leupold VX-2 1-4x20mm Rifle Scope.
Leupold 110793 VX-2 Rifle Scope

Rated 5 out of 5 stars from 8 customers. Click the image for prices and customer reviews!

It’s a great hunting assistant with scouting riflescope range. It’s specifically an effective bear hunter scope that assured you of pinpoint accuracy, which is needed because bears lack a defined shoulder blade. This candidate for best scope for hunting allows you to know where the bear’s spine stops because of the product’s illumination-maximizing and extra clear lenses, 1x to 4x magnification, and 20-millimeter objective lens size, and the ability to immediately acquire your target at a glance, thus ensuring you’ll get a kill shot or at least wound the animal so that you can finish it off easier.

Just remember to aim low and slightly forward when shooing at a bear, particularly at the center of his chest. At any rate, the Leupold VX-2 1-4x20mm Rifle Scope is a super-effective scout rifle and assault rifle type of scope that won’t let you down. They’re highly recommended all over the Internet and hunting circles because they’re made in the USA, and you can acquire decent specs without having to resort to paying crazy prices.

It’s not a true 1x magnification, though; it’s more like 1.5x to 1.75x. At very close ranges, it’s crystal clear (which is exactly what you want when it comes to hunting stealthily with a scout rifle). If you don’t want to deal with batteries and get a quality crosshair scope, then this is the hunting you should get.

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Verdict

Many reputable manufacturers offer a variety of scope you can buy on the market. However, choosing the right one remains a daunting task all the same. The scopes here are some of the most popular on the web and at online stores. They’re veritable best sellers with positive ratings from real hunters and marksmen. However, more often than not, your choice for scopes boils down to personal choice. Do you want to engage varmints with a mid-range scouting rifle that has long-range capabilities but is deadly accurate when it comes to CQB? What about a balanced 3x to 9x scope that you can use for sniping without going overboard with the parallax issues and the magnification (since many hunters agree that 9x is enough)? There are loads of scopes here you can choose from to fulfill your every need and then some.

Your scope will be one of the biggest factors in your shooting accuracy, because they have all the specs you need in order to hunt for bears with bait or moose during or after mating season. You definitely need something of the scouting riflescope variety in terms of dealing with a coyote because they’re usually as smart as a hunter since they’re in the middle of the food chain and have experience in avoiding predators and thinking like a predator since they do have animals they prey on themselves. You have a better chance of getting a drop at a varmint with a varmint scope or an ACOG with scouting rifle range as far as maintaining mid-range engagement and stealth is concerned. You should have the right zoom and scopes with plenty of multicoated lenses for maximum light transmission as well.

Click here to see the Best Scopes for Hunting in 2017!