Top 5 Rifle Scopes For Hunting| Guide Before You Buy

I’ve been told by some of the most experienced long-range shooters we have in our country that your glass should always be twice the cost of your gun. Obviously, people can spend much less and be very effective and accurate hunters. However, most hunting rifles are going to be anywhere from $400-$2,000, but the best ones are around $1,000. If you’re going to spend the money on a top of the line rifle, you mine as well spend the money for the best scope too. Every Leupold, Vortex, and Sig Sauer scope listed below will be good for either mid-range or long-range shooting/hunting. They may not be the most affordable, but they’re all home-run riflescopes that will make you a happy hunter.

Leupold Mark 6 3-18x 44 RFP 34 MM Riflescope W/Illuminated TMR Reticle

The Leupold Mark 6 is the best riflescope I’ve ever seen with features that make hunting easier and more comfortable. Starting with the Front Focal Point (FFP), which magnifies the reticle along with the image in the sight picture. This allows you easily estimate range, regardless of your magnification setting by illuminating the reticles for a precise sight picture. Another great feature is the Mark 4 Dial Illumination control, which displays clear numerical illumination intensity levels for complete domination in the Golden Hour of hunting (last hour of daylight). My favorite feature is the Twilight Max HD Light Management system because it gathers enough light at sundown to give you an additional 30 minutes of hunting. It also eliminates 90% of glare from stray light to provide the most HD sight picture available.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Leupold Mark 6 3-18x 44 RFP 34 MM Riflescope W/Illuminated TMR Reticle?

If you’re going to spend $3,000 on. riflescope, you’d like to know that it’s durable and will last as long as you need it to. Leupold uses their recoil simulation machine, called the Punisher to test the durability of the scope. Each scope is designed to withstand 5,000 impacts from the punisher to simulate 3x the recoil of a .308 rifle. The lens is specifically designed to the highest MilSpec requirements to ensure that you’ll ever have a scratch on your lens. The Mark 6 is 100% water-proof, shock-proof, and fog-proof to work effectively in any environment you’ll ever find yourself in. If all this isn’t enough, the Mark 6 has a 6:1 magnification ratio for mid-range to long-range shooting or hunting applications. There is no doubt in my mind that if you can afford this scope, you’ll never regret it.

Where Can I Buy The Leupold Mark 6 3-18x 44 RFP 34 MM Riflescope W/Illuminated TMR Reticle?

1. Palmetto State Armory
2. Amazon
3. Sport Optics
4. Bass Pro Shops
5. Gun Broker

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Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm Riflescope

The Leupold Mark 5 is built with a lot of the same features as the Mark 6, such as the FFP, Twilight Max HD Light Management system,  and has scratch-resistant lenses. One of the stand-alone features that Mark 5 has is the M1C3 adjustable turret. This turret is designed to give you 1/4 MOA dial with 3 revolutions of travel, a push-button ZeroLock, and a revolution indicator. These features allow the shooter to establish their zero at different magnifications and ensure previous zeros are never lost with the ZeroLock button. It also gives the shooter the ability to dial in the precise windage and elevation based on the illuminated reticle and target. As with every Leupold, the Mark 5 comes with a lifetime guarantee to ie you peace of mind and outstanding customer service.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm Scope?

The Mark 5 is specifically designed to be used in long-range hunting or competition shooting applications. If you’re a hunter in the Rockies or Cascades and need to be able to reach out and touch targets at 800 or more yards, this scope is for you. I love the 35mm main tube because it gives a great 3.5-3.8″ eye relief, so you can quickly and easily gain the perfect sight picture of your target without straining your eyes. The Mark 5 is put through the same stress test as the Mark 6 and is built to last your lifetime. I highly encourage anyone seeking to hunt in rough mountainous conditions to consider this scope.

Where Can I Buy The Leupold Mark 5HD 5-25x56mm Scope?

1. Palmetto State Armory
2. Amazon
3. Sport Optics
4. Cabelas
5. Gun Broker

Leupold VX-6HD 4-24x52mm Riflescope

I know by now you’re probably thinking I’m being paid by Leupold (I wish), but I have used them in the military and hunted with Leupold scopes for years without any issues. The Leupold VX-6HD is built around the patented Custom Dial System (CDS). The CDS is the elevation dials that allow for rapid and accurate elevation adjustments that are specifically matched with your ballistics (ammo quality and caliber). This scope allows you to adjust in a fraction of a second and the ZeroLock system prevents you from accidentally moving the dial too far. The VX-6HD is built with the custom FireDot reticle that is perfect for low-light scenarios, such as the first 15 minutes of sunrise and the last 15 minutes of sunset. The FireDot will blink to let you know that your rifle is not level and you should alter your positioning for a more accurate and safer shot.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Leupold VX-6HD 4-24x52mm Scope?

The VX model is incredibly versatile due to its light-weight frame and incredible features. A 24x magnification allows you to target animals up to 1,000 yards with an incredibly clear and precise sight picture. The 3.7″ eye relief will give you added safety from smashing your eye socket on the scope (something most us have done once). You can get this scope for less than $2,000 at Amazon and get your scope within a couple of days. The Guard-Ion Hydrophobic Lens Coating is completely scratch-resistant, fingerprint-resistant, and sheds water and dirt to always provide the most precise picture when you need it.

Where Can I Buy The Leupold VX-6HD 4-24x52mm Scope?

1. Amazon
2. Sport Optics
3. Cabelas
4. Gun Broker

Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II First Focal Plane Riflescope

If I didn’t already own a Leupold, the Vortex Razor HD Gen II would be a front runner as my primary hunting riflescope. It’s specifically designed to be the most rugged scope on the market with the capability of handling the wear and tear from hiking in the mountains or dense forests looking for game. The Razor HD Gen II is built with an HD optical system that ensures that every color on the spectrum is displayed clearly and precisely. It will block out all stray light and automatically adjust to the light around you for a clear HD picture every time you need it. Vortex uses a Plasma Tech Cutting tool for a maximum protective coating on the lens and scope to increase durability and reliability. The Micro-adjust zero setting allows you to set an infinite amount of zero settings without losing previous zeros.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II 4.5-27x56mm Scope?

The Vortex Razor HD Gen II provides you with one of the most durable riflescopes ever made with their patented Erector Tube System design. Vortex uses the highest aircraft-grade aluminum with anti-galling properties to ensure the scope can handle anything you can throw at it. The Micro-adjust turret settings are an incredible feature that allows you to zero your rifle at dozens of distances, without losing your zero for previous zeros. For example, if you want to zero your rifle at 100 yards, 500 yards, 700 yards, and 1000 yards, you can do so with the Vortex turret system. For just under $2,000, this scope will get you everything you ever thought you needed and much more.

Where Can I Buy The Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II 4.5-27x56mm Scope?

1. Palmetto State Armory
2. Amazon
3. Bass Pro Shops
4. Gun Broker

Sig Sauer Tango 6 3-18x 44mm FFP Illuminated Reticle scope

Sig Sauer is one of my all-time favorites gun manufacturing companies, but I honestly have never heard of anyone using their scopes until I saw my Brother-In-Law’s Tango 6.  My first thought was, “I’m sure it’s good because it’s a Sig”, but I never could have guessed how much effort and technology they put into this scope. The first feature that sets them apart is the Ballistic Data Xchange (BDX). The BDX is a combination of the Kilo BDX Range Finder, the riflescope, and your smartphone. Once you download the Sig App, you put your BDX rangefinder into the app and connect it to your riflescope. Once this is done, you can look through your scope and it will automatically give you a distance on your smartphone and adjust the reticle to find the best elevation and windage settings for your environment. This feature alone is worth $1,000 for me, but SIg also created dozens of other features to ensure this is one of the best scopes you’ll ever own.

Specs

Why Should I Buy The Sig Sauer Tango 6 3-18x 44mm FFP Illuminated Reticle scope?

Besides the incredible technology of the BDX, the Sig Sauer Tango 6 is built with the incredible Sig ballistic Turret (SBT). The SBT is a laser-etched elevation dial that uses inputs such as, bullet specifications, ballistic coefficient, muzzle velocity, elevation, and other environmental factors to calculate bullet drop over distance. The SBT ensures you’re shooting accurately at any range without guessing and potentially missing a shot of a lifetime. The LevelPlex digital anti-cant system notifies you if you’re scope is canted and your shot is not as solid by displaying a cant indicator inside the scope. This feature allows you to adjust the cant of the scope within +/- 0.5° of accuracy for a more optimal shot and an increased chance of successful hunt.

Where Can I Buy Sig Sauer Tango 6 3-18x 44mm FFP Illuminated Reticle scope?

1. Amazon
2. Palmetto State Armory
3. Gun Broker

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