Whether you are training or hunting with rifles, it is essential that you have a good experience and accurate results. To ensure that you are getting the best out of your rifle, a rifle scope is mandatory. Animals can be very sensitive to sound or surrounding environmental changes and therefore, if you don’t use a scope for your rifle, you will not be able to shoot from far.
In general, a rifle scope is an optical device which enhances viewing ability of the shooter with the use of telescoping lenses. In this article, we have arranged some important facts to clarify why you should use rifle scope.
Types of Scopes
Depending on your shooting condition and requirements, you may choose different types of scopes. In the market, there are basically three types of scopes available; Variable or adjustable scope, fixed scope and night vision scope.
- Variable scopes: the scope that allows you to modify the magnification settings.
- Fixed scopes: this scope does not come with customizable feature like variable scopes.
- Night vision scope: this one has an infrared illumination for dark conditions.
However, while picking the right scout scope you have to keep in mind for what purpose you are using it for. Depending on that, different scopes are needed to be chosen.
Selecting the right scope based on your purpose
Being a very versatile gun, Rifles can be used for almost any purpose where shooting is involved. You can use it for purposes like practicing, participating in competitive games, hunting and so on. However, type of rifle changes depending on what you are going to use it for.
Home defense: the scopes used for home defense need to be very fast and should provide furious performance. These scopes are usually 1x optics and come with low powered option. In home conditions, speed should be given more priority than precision.
Tactical: tactical rifles need speed and precision as their prime benefits. So, you need choose tactical scopes which are strong and can be durable. You will want to choose an optic which offers waterproof, shockproof and fog proof technologies. Added to these features, you may also want night vision options.
Competitive Action shooting: action shooting sports such as three gun have received huge popularity and thus, optics required for these events have also gained much attention. Due to the nature of these sports being dynamic, you will have experience of shooting with a wide variety of targets and ranges. Therefore, 1-4x or 1-6x scopes will be needed to get the job done!
Target Shooting: Target shooting or plinking is considered as fun activities. So, basically, you can choose any scope for these tasks. Based on the range, you can choose the scope you like. These rifle scopes are not very costly as there is no need of specialized requirements and using these can be real fun.
Apart from different activities and purposes, the mystery of choosing the right rifle scope can be solved by answering two basic questions:
- How far do you intend on shooting and what object will you be shooting?
- How far will you carry the scope and when you will be using the rifle?
Let’s answer the first question. Depending on how far your target is, you have to choose specific magnification feature in a rifle scope. Moreover, the target size will tell you how much you need to magnify the scope to get better shot.
If chances are you will be close to target, (for instance in hunting large games), then rifle scopes offering fixed or variable magnifying feature ranging between 3.5x to 8x will be suitable for you.
On another note, if you are hunting in big open spaces and the targets are small and situated at more than two hundred meters away, you may want to choose 12x magnify-able scopes. While picking the right air soft sniper rifle make sure to buy the right scout as well for proper targeting.
Coming to next question, the amount of time you are carrying the scope and the time of the day you are using your rifle are related to the ideal size of objective lens you need to use for your rifle.
If you have to carry your rifle for a long time, you should consider buying lighter and more compact rifle scope as large objective lenses increase the weight of the rifle scope. On another note, if your hunting environment has low light condition, you need to choose larger objective lenses because it will give you the best quality in terms of viewing the target.
Now that you have a clear idea about how to choose the right rifle scope, you might also want to know what benefits rifle scope exactly offers. Worry not, as we present five crucial facts about rifle scopes hereby:
Benefits of using a rifle scope
To have better performance
One of the main reasons why anyone uses rifle scopes is that it enhances your shooting experience and gives you the ultimate performance. Assuming you are in professional shooting games and you need better scores at shooting. In this case, you must have a rifle scope to get your scores higher as the scopes ensures that you hit the right target.
In times of hunting, it also helps you become a better hunter. Nobody wants to scare away the animals with missed fires, do they?
Enjoyable Shooting Experience
Believe me or not, if you want to make your shooting experience more enjoyable, you will want a rifle scope. Because it gives you an elegant feel and ensures you have overall comfortable experience. Without a rifle scope, you will have difficult time detecting and aiming the right point if your target is far from you.
So, the scope does not just complement the setup of a rifle, it is actually a pretty handy accessory when it comes to shooting.
Ensuring safety
In times when it is extremely dangerous to be physically present, you should consider using rifle scope. Especially when you are hunting dangerous animals, there is a chance of being injured if you come too close to the animal.
So, in those situations, it is only understandable that you need to aim your target from far and that is exactly what rifle scope offers you. With a suitable rifle scope, you can easily ensure your safety and get your job done at the same time.
Competitive advantage
Whether you are in professional shooting or hunting casually, you might want to step up your game by adding scope to your rifle. As the scope gives you better aiming and comfort, it also leads to better scores. As a result, you acquire competitive advantage, especially if you are in professional shooting competitions.
Trains you to be better
Adding scope in rifle will train you to be better shooter gradually. It is pretty obvious that when you have comfort experience in shooting and you start to get better scores, you will be motivated more to outperform yourself. As a result of doing so, your shooting skill will improve day by day.
So, in a way, adding scope is a great decision if you want to be better at shooting whether you are in professional competitions or just hunting.