4 Details to Keep in Mind Before Buying Your Next Scope for Your Firearm

GunBroker.com
3 min readApr 4, 2022

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Having a scope on your rifle, shotgun, or even handgun can help you aim more accurately than you ever have before. Scopes cut out a problematic part of the aiming process: lining up your iron sights. Instead, you can simply magnify your target, line up your reticle, and fire. Some guns come equipped with scopes, but most of the time, you will have to buy your own. Whether you are getting a scope for your Barrett 50 cal or experimenting with handgun scopes, here are four essential details to consider.

Choose the Magnification You Want

One of the most significant differences between scopes and iron sights is that scopes offer magnification. Lenses help you “zoom in” on your target and get a better idea of exactly where you are shooting. Different magnification levels are helpful for different shooting environments. A 3–9x40 scope allows you to see 3–9 times as far as the naked eye. This scope is typically used for hunting. Higher powered scopes can go up to 24x magnification.

Fixed vs. Variable Power Scopes

When you are browsing Redfield scopes, you might notice that some are fixed scopes, and others are variable. Fixed scopes cannot change magnification levels. They stay at a specific ratio. In contrast, you can adjust variable scopes. The 3–9x40 scope can be adjusted for magnification from 3x the power of the naked eye, all the way up to 9x. You will again want to choose which scope you get based on your situation. Many hunters use variable scopes, but fixed scopes can be more cost-effective and work well for shooting at the range.

Pick a Reticle Style You Enjoy Using

The reticle is the crosshair that you see while aiming through your scope. There are many different styles, so there is an option for every preference. Many hunting rifle scopes use a duplex reticle because of its focused and straightforward design. A bullet drop compensation (BDC) reticle can help you compensate for bullet drop for long-range shooting. Whatever you choose, make sure it is useful for your shooting situation.

Pick an Eye Relief Distance Suitable for Your Gun

Eye relief distance is the measurement between the scope and your eye when you aim down the sights. A shorter distance means you have to get your eye closer to the scope to achieve a full field of view. If your gun has considerable recoil, you need a long eye relief distance to avoid the scope making contact with your eye when you fire. A smoother recoil allows you to use a scope with a smaller eye relief since the gun will not move back as far while firing. If you are adding a scope to a handgun or shotgun, you will want one with a much longer eye relief distance. When adding a scope to your hunting rifle, you can opt for a shorter eye relief distance.

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Original Source: https://bit.ly/3j9tdY9

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