When you’re going out to hunt, or just picking up your rifle to pop some distance targets in the back yard, you’re going to want a scope. Scopes are amazing little pieces of simple technology. Some of them are just two pieces of glass fitted into a piece of cheap aluminum, but if you find a good one you’re going to be practically drowning in versatility.
A good scope increases your performance in low-light conditions by expanding the amount of light directed towards your eyes, and magnifies your surroundings in a crisp resolution with anti-glare lenses, and turns your 22lr rifle into a tool you can be proud to call your own.
If you’re having trouble sorting through all of the scopes out there on Amazon, we can help you out. After a while, all of the options start to blend together. Do you want the argon or the nitrogen? Does that even matter?
Clear your mind, imagine your perfect scope, and we’ll dig it up for you!
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The Leupold VX is what you’d call an old reliable. Looking through this scope you’ll be greeted by your standard duplex reticle. This model comes with Leupold’s classic 1962 design. It’s stood the test of time for a reason. The thick outer ring of this reticle is easy to focus your eye on as soon as you pull the scope to your eye, and the thin wire-like crosshairs are delicate yet assertive enough to allow for long-range target acquisition. It comes with a finger click ¼ MOA for simple and intuitive adjustments. You’re not going to be fussing with fine-tuning the zoom with this one. The Leupold is designed to reduce your time spent lining up the shot, letting you focus on your timing.
It’s light and sturdy because it’s made from aircraft-grade aluminum, so when you add it to your favorite rifle you’re not going to find yourself having to readjust to the new weight too much. Like we said, reliable. Finding accessories for the Leupold is as easy and being familiar with the Leupold catalog. If you know what you’re looking for, you’ll find it, and it’ll fit. Need a flip-up cap? No problem. This is the kind of scope you buy once and may never need to replace.
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[amazon box=”B07CMLB4K9″]
The Nikon P-tactical scope is sleek on the outside, and robust on the inside. If you’re going hunting, and you want distance clearly laid out for you so you can account for bullet drop and windage, then this is the scope for you. The BDC 600 reticle is one of the most unique reticles out there. The open circle aiming points leave nothing obscured from your view, and the hash marks from 100 to 600 yards make accuracy an easy target the very first time you take your shot.
The one-inch body tube is easy to handle, if you’re sick of cumbersome scopes, then look no further than this Nikon scope. It’s built with elevated windage and elevation turrets that are spring-loaded so you can compensate for everything you can think of without having to wrestle with your brain, and as soon as you’re done you can reset the scope with a simple press.
It’s easy on the eyes in every sense. This is a sleek looking scope, and it offers constant and generous eye relief. You can stay out there all day without worrying about straining your peepers or constantly having to switch back and forth between your good eye and your well-rested eye.
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The Vortex Optics Crossfire comes with the Vortex Dead-Hold reticle. The hash marks here make accounting for distance easy without cluttering your field of view. The eye relief here is ample as well, so you’re not going to be straining with a lens that’s right on your face.
The lenses here are treated with an anti-reflective coating, so no matter what angle you find yourself shotting from, you’re not going to have to fight tooth and nail with the sun, so find your favorite spot, and settle in for the long haul knowing you’re not suddenly going to find yourself blinded by nature.
The turrets on this scope are capped nicely, so if you’ve got it packed away in a bag, you’re not going to be scratching things up. These capped turrets have a nice click to them so adjustments are easy and predictable without having to take your eye away from the scope.
The inside of the scope has been purged with nitrogen and sealed up tight with a quality o-ring to give you long-lasting waterproof and fog-proof performance.
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The AR Optics from Bushnell is heavy, but every ounce of that weight is well earned. First of all, it’s heavy-duty. It’s built to take a beating (not that you should be beating it around), all of the time you’re spending with it out in the field you’re bound to drop it or bang it up against something, but this bad boy is the definition of shockproof. If you don’t believe us, toss it around for a while, and you’ll be pretty surprised by how well it holds up.
The lenses are fully treated, we’re talking rain guard as well as multiple layers of anti-reflective coating. On the second focal plane we’ll find a modest, but helpful reticle. The hash marks here are a quartet of tasteful unobtrusive dots that disappear into the rest of the reticle if you don’t find yourself needing to use them. If you do, however, need to make a tricky precise shot, you’ve got side parallax adjustments that are easily accessible and easy to fine-tune.
This scope also features a throw-down power change lever for another layer of customization, allowing you to set the scope to two different heights, so you’re never really going to have a bad time with this scope.
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The first thing you’ll notice about the Simmons Truplex is the way it looks. This is a simple scope that draws you in without having to be too flashy about it. The red accent around the turret on top is an excellent touch.
The second thing that you’ll notice about this scope is its four-inch deep eye relief. This is an amazing distance for quick target acquisition. Four inches from your eye is such a nice and natural distance for your eye to focus on. You could stare through this all day without tiring your eyes out even a little bit. The Trueplex reticle is nothing to write home about, but simple is best, sometimes. You’re not going to be getting any distance hashes, but if you’re pretty experienced and you’re looking for a simple scope that will allow you to draw and fire without having to fiddle with a bunch of junk, then you’ll be in good company with this scope.
The lenses are treated with their Hydryshield coating so if you’re caught out in the rain you’ll be good to go. The entire scope is also waterproof, fog proof, and shockproof, so it’ll keep up with you no matter how rough you are.
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The Monstrum rifle scope looks the part. This is a rugged piece of equipment. For all of its visual bluster, It manages to keep its weight underneath a pound, which is great considering how versatile this scope is, and the durability is excellent.
The adjustable 3-9 times zoom will have you easily peering at targets around five hundred yards away. You read that right, we’re talking five football field’s worth of clarity and precision. The adjustable objective lens eliminates parallax and range estimation if that’s something you struggle with when you’re lining up distant shots or just don’t have to have to deal with them.
It’s machined from 6061-grade aluminum, it’s unified one-piece mount design is how it achieves such a light weight while retaining its rigidity, and a detachable throw lever allows for smooth adjustment of the magnification range. That throw lever is also an easy way to shed a little weight on this scope.
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The Nikon Prostaff is similar to the P-tactical. It’s easy to handle, deceptively simple, and machined to give you an easy time out in the woods. The slender airplane grade aluminum is rugged, so you’re going to be getting your money’s worth out of this thing.
The lenses are treated and water and fog proof. The eye relief is a cool 3 inches consistently, meaning you’re always going to be able to pop this scope up to your eye without having to try too hard to find a focal point. It has similar zero-reset turrets and satisfying ¼ MOA adjustments. The BDC reticle is easy to use, especially if you’ve got an active target in your sights.
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Athlon Optics prides itself on creating affordable scopes that exceed the quality you’d expect from similar competitors in its price range. Strapping this scope to your rifle for the first time will leave you thinking you accidentally received a much more expensive model.
The build quality is excellent and the clear well-machined lenses are treated multi-coated just like lenses on pricier scopes, so you’re not going to have to worry about being blinded by the sun or missing out on a great hunt just because the rain started rolling in. The scope is purged with nitrogen just like more expensive scopes, keeping internal moisture low and preventing it from fogging up on the inside.
Just treat this scope with respect and don’t expect it to keep up with the absolute top of the line highest caliber rifles, and you’re going to have a blast with this scope.
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The illuminated reticle on this scope pulls a fun little magic trick. It’s situated on the first focal plane, unlike a lot of other reticles, but it remains accurate throughout all of the several magnification settings this scope offers. Sighting with this scope is great for small game hunting and target shooting alike.
This scope is incredibly sturdy. It’s built with 6061T6 aircraft-grade aluminum, and purged, not with nitrogen, but with argon. You’re going to be dealing with even less moisture and even more impact resistance than you’ll see on most scopes out on the market right now. The lenses on this scope even come coated in their proprietary XPL coating to repel dirt as well as water.
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[amazon box=”B000GU67VU”]
This scope might stick out to you. All of the other scopes on this list are black. This silver scope is just too good to exempt from our list. It’s a light single piece tube that’s easy to handle, and it looks great with any rifle you can throw at it. The silver color doesn’t mean it’s going to be slick and unwieldy, though. This scope has sure-grip rubber surfaces, so you’re not going to be slipping and sliding all over the scope while adjusting for your shot.
The lenses are fully coated and clear as day. The field of view is grand, and the TruPlex reticle leaves your eyes unobstructed while you scan the horizon.
This is a simple scope, but it does all of its jobs well. If you’re looking for something nice to add to your rifle without having too many options bogging down your shot, this scope will fit your needs just right.
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Nikon has spent decades figuring out how to master any kind of shot whether it’s with a rimfire rifle or a camera. They’ve taken the lenses in their cameras and all of the impossible intricacies you need to master bending light, and packed it into a scope that’s comfortable, simple, and gets the job done right
The Nikon P-tactical scope wins our number one spot for that alone, but the incredibly clear lenses grant incredible light transmission, and easy to use turrets help as well. If you’re plinking off varmints in the distance or trying to nail some big game, the quality of life in this high-quality scope will reduce the friction between you and the perfect shot. This rimfire scope might be a touch on the heavy side, but it’s lighter than a lot of scopes with similar offerings, and the weight isn’t wasted anywhere on the scope. It’s useful and precise, and you’ll love adding it to your collection. Frankly, it’s the best scope for your money.
Bonus tip: Learn how to (and how not to) use a bullet drop compensation scope with this video!
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Riley Draper is a writer and entrepreneur from Chattanooga, Tennessee. As a world traveler, he has been to more than fifty countries and hiked some of the most elusive trails in the world. He is the co-founder of WeCounsel Solutions and has published work in both national and global outlets, including the Times Free Press, Patch, and Healthcare Global. When he’s not writing, he’s probably on a hiking trip or climbing in the mountains.
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