Top 3 Hunting Scopes From Crimson Trace

There are so many hunting scopes out there that it can be very difficult to determine which one is good for you and which one is more smoke than fire. I’ve owned multiple lasers and AR optics from Crimson Trace and have not been disappointed in any of them.

Crimson Trace is one of those companies that have found a way to offer rifle scopes at an affordable price and still maintain the quality that we need as hunters. This blog is dedicated to the 3 rifle scopes that I would hunt whitetail deer with and trust to ensure my freezer is full for the winter months. 

Why Should I Choose Crimson Trace Riflescopes?

When choosing to do business with a company, I believe it’s always important to do your research on who they are and what kind of reputation they have in the industry. Most people know Crimson Trace through their lasers or AR optics. However, many shooters I talk to haven’t even seen their hunting scopes because so much of the market attention is dedicated to Leupold and Vortex Optics. 

When I consider a scope, I look for a few must-haves before I’m willing to drop hundreds or even thousands of dollars. First, the scope must be able to handle being dropped from waist level and not bust to pieces if it accidentally is banged against a tree. All Crimson Trace riflescopes are not only drop-tested in the field before being put into the market, but they’re thoroughly tested before and after transportation. There are not many areas of the country that you can hunt where you don’t have to drive on a dirt road or a bumpy rocky road up a hill or mountain. Crimson Trace scopes are able to keep their zero and remain stable inside the mount through all those bumps up and down the mountain.

Secondly, If a scope can’t handle the extreme temperatures of the Rocky Mountains or the extreme heat and humidity of the valleys out east, then there is no point in buying one. Crimson Trace field tests all of their scopes in the dead of winter to ensure their scopes will perform in sub-freezing temps along with temps above 100 degrees. Crimson Trace achieves this goal by using a very stringent process called, thermal cycling, which alternates the manufacturing process with extreme heat and cold to build the strongest possible material. The best part about Crimson Trace scopes is they guarantee their products for life or offer a return if it stops working (must not be the owner’s fault, such as running it over or throwing it off a mountain). 

Thirdly, If a scope can’t handle the vibration and recoil of a high-powered hunting rifle, then you’re never going to want to use it. Crimson Trace ensures that their scopes will be able to absorb and deflect that recoil to ensure your scope never loses its zero and maintains its integrity in the mount. Each of the hunting scopes below will be able to handle the recoil of the highest caliber rifles you’re hunting with, from a 30-06 to a 7mm Remington Magnum. 

Finally, I check to make sure that my scopes can handle inclement weather from rain and snow to sleet and extreme humidity. Out here in Virginia, the humidity is unbearable at times, even in early whitetail season. It sometimes feels like every spec of dirt, grass, oil, or animal blood is going to stick to you like you’re wearing full-body velcro suits. If my scope can’t handle all the different fluids and grit from my environment, I won’t use it. Crimson Trace scopes are tested in these humid conditions to ensure they won’t corrode or get bogged down in the water. For the reasons I’ve listed above, Crimson Trace makes perfect sense for anyone wanting to hunt but doesn’t want to spend thousands on a scope. 

1. Brushline Pro 6-24×50 BDC Scope

All Crimson Trace hunting scopes use a special coating, called the Maximum Optical Clarity (MOC) coating to accommodate low light situations. The MOC coating will ensure you’re good to go during the golden hour of light (one hour before sunrise and one hour of light left). The last thing you want is a 12-point buck walking out to feed right before bed and you can’t get a shot because the sun sends a glare through your glass as someone hits you in the face with a flashlight beam. The MOC coating on all hunting optics will allow you to take that buck down with your final chance.

Why would I choose the Brushline Pro 6x24x50 Bullet Drop Compensator (BDC) as the number 1 scope? For me, it’s about versatility because I’m fortunate to hunt in Montana, Idaho, Colorado, Wyoming, Virginia, and Ohio. I need a scope that is going to give me the highest probability of making any shot from 100 yards to 400 yards without losing confidence in my success. In my opinion, the Crimson Trace BDC is the easiest for me to use because I suck at math and the reticles allow me to make instant adjustments.

This scope is a little too much for 50-yard shots, but if you could only afford one scope and want to be able to hunt at ranges around 400-600 yards, this is the scope for you. The original crosshair is already zeroed in for you at 100 yards, shooting with a .308 Winchester with a 150 Grain bullet. The knarled grip allows you to make adjustments, even if you have winter gloves, by having a textured turn knob that doesn’t have to be gripped very hard. This is the best option to hunting over the longer, open ranges of the Rockies and prairies of the midwest. 

Specs

2. Brushline Pro 2.5-10×42 BDC Scope

Most hunters out here in Virginia and even in Ohio (where I hunt with my brother), most hunters have a 3×9 magnification rifle scope. In Virginia, most of the hunting has to be done in dense forests with very short windows to shoot through. Most of my shots in the national forests are 30-150 yards and even then everything must line up perfectly for a clear shot. The reason I like the 2.5×10 magnification is it gives me more clarity when at each setting. For example, a 3×9 scope will generally give you 27 times the magnification of the normal size, while the 5×10 magnification is 50 times the normal size. The difference between 3 and 5x magnification isn’t much, except it provides a clearer sight picture, without distorting the image. 

As with all 3 of these hunting scopes, the Brushline Pro 2.5×10 BDC scope features a second focal plane, which means the reticle stays the same, regardless of the magnification. I don’t know many hunters that would want to use a first focal plane when hunting because it’s more difficult to make adjustments on the fly. In my opinion, it makes more sense to go with a 5×10 magnification than a 3×9, unless you’re only tree-stand hunting. The BDC reticle is the same for all 3 rifle scopes so it can’t get much easier to use, especially in low light conditions. 

Specs

3. Brushline Pro 4-12×40 BDC Predator

The Brushline Pro Predator is the only scope with the open diamond in the center to account for moving predators around you. This scope would not only be perfect for your AR-15, but it would be for any kind of daytime predator hunting. The vertical hold-over mark inside the reticle allows the hunter to make rapid changes in his/her line of sight if an animal is closing in on you. With traditional scopes, you’d have to come off your glass, but the 3.5" eye relief provides enough space between your eye and the scope to keep you on target, even if distance changes. 

Hunting out here every year in the Appalachian Mountains, I’ve learned that if I’m hunting in the forests, I’ll be lucky to get a clear 50-yard shot. The Predator Scope gives me the ability to take a 50-yard shot (A on the reticle) with a guaranteed 1.25" MOA. At 50 yards on any animal bigger than a Raccoon, that’s a kill and harvested animal for your family. This scope allows the shooter to make instant adjustments from moving prey, without taking your eye off the glass. I keep a cheat sheet of the Predator reticle distance, marked by letters A-I. During deer season, if I’m in a tree stand, there are times where I have to make very subtle and quick adjustments to get an open angle for a clear shot through the trees. The Predator reticle gives me a better chance to acquire my target as quickly as possible. 

Specs

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