It wasn’t until the 1920s that telescopic instruments used as aiming devices began to be widely accepted in the United States, but since then scopes have become the primary means of aiming rifles. In fact, they have become so popular and there are so many choices, it is difficult to decide which to buy.
Optics Buying Guide
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Raising the Bar with the Vortex Razor Gen III 1-10x
Published: March 29, 2020 { 5 comments }When the situation calls for shooting the same gun up close or hundreds of yards out, the Vortex Razor Gen III 1-10x has the features to allow top performance at either end of the spectrum. The 10 power gives that little extra to make things possible at greater distances.
5000 Yards! Vortex FURY HD 5000 Laser Rangefinder: Seeing Is Believing
Published: November 9, 2019 { 2 comments }The Vortex Fury HD 5000 is a compact unit that offers a crisp, clear view for spotting and evaluating game or targets and a powerful, fast rangefinder to determine a precise range to those targets. Two fantastic tools in one small package.
NIGHTFORCE NX8 1-8- Full Review
Published: October 4, 2019 { 6 comments }The little 1-8x is a scope that really can get the job done.
Leupold VX-5HD 4-20×52 Review
Published: June 12, 2019 { 2 comments }The Leupold VX-5HD 4-20×52 tracked with 99.8 percent accuracy in elevation and 99.2 percent in windage on our tall target test. It has a 34mm tube, a locking ZL2 elevation turret with zero stop, side focus and a throw lever, and weighs 23.3 ounces. Leupold now also sells a VX-5HD Gen 2 4-20×52. Specs and [...]
Optics Buying Guide: Do You Get What You Pay For With Scopes?
Published: October 7, 2016 { 17 comments }There are some common rules of thumb about matching rifle and scope quality, but the 1:1 ratio is close enough. Hey, it’s even OK to drop down to 50% of the rifle price if you need to. The point is this: don’t buy a nice rifle and stick a cheap gun show scope on it.
Optics Buying Guide: Big Scopes
Published: September 30, 2016 { 3 comments }So why would you want or need a very high magnification scope? There are two related reasons. You might need to see and hit a reasonably-sized target at very long range, or you might need to be able to see and hit a much smaller target at shorter ranges.
Optics Buying Guide: AR-15 Optics and Scopes
Published: September 19, 2016 { 15 comments }Matching the seemingly infinite number of AR rifles on the market is a multitude of suitable optics. Red dots, holographic sights, fixed-power scopes and variable-power scopes fill the shelves, so how do you choose? Let’s take a look at some factors to consider, then we’ll discuss some pros and cons of some of the common categories of AR-15 optics.
Optics Buying Guide: Holographic and Red Dot Optics
Published: September 12, 2016 { 14 comments }In this episode of the optics buying guide, we’re going to get a little bit geeky, but still practical, about the different types of “red dots” and how one might use them.
Optics Buying Guide: Using A Laser Rangefinding Scope
Published: September 6, 2016 { 2 comments }THE SERIES Part 1: Optics Buying Guide: Iron Sights, Red Dots, and Scopes Part 2: Optics Buying Guide: Top Must-Know Terms for Picking the Right Scope Part 3: Optics Buying Guide: Scope Mounts Part 4: Optics Buying Guide: How To Properly Zero Your Scope Part 5: Optics Buying Guide: Finding Your Range with a Scope Reticle Part [...]