How to Shop for a Rifle Scope

A rifle scope, which is a telescopic sight designed to improve your aim when firing a weapon, may come in many different sizes and magnification ratings, as well as crosshair types. When you shop for a scope, you will need to choose the one that is the best fit for your existing rifle, and the best fit for how you plan to use it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Rifle

Shop for a Rifle Scope

1. Determine how powerful you want your rifle scope to be, which will depend upon what kind of hunting you prefer, of if you use your rifle for target practice. Scopes are generally categorized by the diameter of their lens (in mm) and their optical magnifying power. For instance, a 10x40 scope will magnify images 10 times, and have a lens diameter of 40 mm. Larger lens diameters are often preferred because they let more light in, making it easier to see the target.
2. Choose which type of crosshairs (or reticles) you prefer for your scope. You can pick a scope with fine crosshairs, or with a circle or dot at the center. Or you may opt for more modern and complex reticles that help you adjust for distance, bullet drop and wind direction.
3. Consider a rifle scope with a parallax compensation feature, which allows the reticles to line up properly with the target even as your head tilts slightly. You can choose from an adjustable objective, or AO lens, where the outside lens is adjusted to compensate for parallax variations, or a side focus lens that uses an interior lens to make adjustments. Many people prefer the side focus lens, but they are generally more expensive.
4. Shop at a local gun dealer or sporting goods store for your rifle scope. Many gun shops will allow you to bring your rifle in and match it with the scope with which you feel the most comfortable. You may even be able to fire at a practice range to determine which scope offers the best performance in conjunction with your specific rifle.
5. Use online resources, such as SWFA.com, to purchase a rifle scope once you have done the research to determine which scope is the right fit for you (see Resources below).

Tips & Warnings

• You may prefer German crosshairs, where three lines intersect in a way that approximates the sights of the rifle more accurately.
• Beware of shipping and postal charges that may inflate the cost of the scope to exceed the price of a local dealer.

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