Rifle Scopes Explained

Last updated on June 2nd, 2022 at 10:52 am

Anyone who enjoys guns knows the sport is full of great anecdotes and stories. As said in a phrase that hunters can reach any target using a medium-size rifle with a wide range, whereas a medium-size shooter would have difficulty hitting the same target with a large rifle.

Rifle Scopes Explained

In Rifle Scopes Explained section. you will learn about the mechanism of rifle scopes. A Riflescope is a refracting telescope-based optical sighting system. It has a reticle (a referencing pattern) placed in a focally suitable location in its optical system to provide a precise point of target. Telescopes are compatible with all types of systems requiring precise targeting but need magnification.

Without any doubt, hitting a target at a longer range with great precision is only possible by the use of scope as it helps in coordination the rifle with the target.

A scope can greatly increase your hunting or shooting performance. The quality of scope matters more than the quality of a rifle. In the end, a shooter with a strong scope is at high to reach the target with an average rifle. If the scope itself is of bad quality, then the highest quality rifle won’t help him to hit the target with accuracy.

How to Choose a Rifle Scope?

Choosing a rifle scope is based on exactly what you want to target since there are various types of scopes tailored to particular types of shooting.

Magnification

The magnification in which you perceive items downrange is directly proportional to the magnifying strength of the scope. Some scopes have a set magnification, which means you can’t change it. Others have variable magnification which enables you to change the magnification several times, even larger than it can be seen through a naked eye.

Variable power scope come with a range of magnification like one that says 3-9x. The other number on the scope indicates objective lens dimension, which is generally represented in millimeters. Whereas, fix power scope does not allow you to adjust anything. There is a power ring on variable power scopes that you move to fix the focus correctly.

Parallax Adjustment

The majority of scopes are design to be use at a distance of around 100 yards, but you should be aware of parallax error while using it. This happens when your eye location is wrong, causing you to miss your goal. However, at higher magnifications, parallax adjustment error becomes even more apparent, making it more of a problem for hunters than for the average deer hunter or target shooter. Nonetheless, most scopes have a parallax adjustment feature in case you need it.

As much as optics would permit, the firearm scope system enhances. New riflescope with target ranges of more than 2000 yards are becoming increasingly popular. Night vision, laser spotting, infrared cameras, and computerize digital monitoring are among the features that develope.

Eye Relief

Eye relief is the distance between your eye and the ocular lens that allows you to view the full field of view. Typically, riflescopes with large objective lenses have longer eye relief than those with smaller objective lenses. Most scopes have a maximum recommended eye relief. If you go beyond that distance, you risk damaging your eyes.

Eye relief is measured in millimeters (mm) or inches (in). The higher the magnification, the shorter the eye relief. For example, a scope with a magnification of 3x has more eye relief than a scope with a magnification of 10x.

Eye relief is important because it determines how quickly you can acquire your target and shoot without seeing it through the scope. It can also affect how much glass covers your target at longer distances, which affects accuracy when shooting at long ranges.

Scope Tube

The scope tube is the body of a scope. It holds the lenses, reticle and other components in place and allows you to mount the scope on your gun. The size of the tube determines how much weight it can hold and how much recoil it can absorb, as well as how far away from the front lens the reticle must be to allow for parallax free viewing. In general, larger tubes are better suite for powerful rifles and magnum cartridges. While smaller tubes are better suite for lower power rifles and cartridges.

There are two common diameters for scope tube: 1 inch (25mm) and 30mm (1.1875 inches). There are also 1/2 inch (12.7mm) scopes, but they aren’t very common anymore because they’re not very durable or versatile compared to 30mm scopes.

Scope rings

Scope rings are the mounting hardware that attach to the firearm and hold the scope in place. They are available in several different styles, but all have one thing in common: they must be sturdy enough to withstand the recoil of a rifle.

The most common types of scope rings are fixed-length and quick-detach (QD). Fixed-length rings use two screws to clamp around the base of your scope, while QD rings use spring-loaded levers to clamp around either end of your scope. Both types typically have multiple crossbolts that lock the ring into place on top of each other to prevent movement during recoil.

Fixed-length rings are useful when installing a scope on a firearm that has pre-existing mounts for a scope (such as an AR-15 or AK-47). However, if you’re installing a new one then you’ll probably want QD rings because they’re much easier to install and remove than fixed length ones.

Lenses

There are many different kinds of scope lenses available, each with its own benefits and drawbacks. These include:

Coated lenses: Coated lenses scopes have a protective coating on their glass surfaces that helps to reduce glare and reflections from sunlight or other sources. This makes them easier to see through in bright light conditions, especially when the sun is directly overhead or shining directly into your line of sight. However, this coating can also make the glass more susceptible to scratches and impact damage than uncoated lenses.

Uncoated lenses: Uncoated lens scopes don’t have any protective coating on their glass surfaces, making them more durable but also more difficult to see through in bright light conditions.

Elements of a Riflescope

A rifle scope is a tube machined from a solid block of high-grade aircraft aluminum at its most simple level. The main outer tube may be make of one or two parts. Steel and titanium are use for the main tubes. Iron is hard and corrosive, while aluminum has the strongest properties.

Rifle Scopes

Up to eight different lenses are used in scopes, with regions for magnification, orientation, and a targeting system known as the reticle. Riflescopes will have at least the following features:

Objective Lens
Erector Lens
Magnifying Lens
Ocular Lens

A rifle scope has three lenses: an objective lens in the front that lets light in, a focus lens for focusing objects in the scope, and an ocular lens that lets the shooter aim accurately for any object.

Rifle Scope Reticle

The reticle in the range of the gun is the directional arrows or the target point you see as you look through the eye lens at your target object. Usually, the rifle scope reticle is composed of fine wires or simply engraved on a glass plate. Reticles are of different types create according to a particular purpose. The reticle is either in front or back of the magnifying lens, the location of the rifle scope reticle varies in variable power scope. If the reticle is placed in front of the magnifying lens, the size of the lens tends to change when zoomed in. Whereas, if it is situate behind the magnifying lens, it will take the same size.

Rifle Scope Magnification

Rifle scopes are one of the most important pieces of equipment that you can have on your rifle. If you are serious about hunting or target shooting, then a good rifle scope is an absolute necessity.

There are many different types of scopes out there, and they all have different features and specifications. However, even though there are a lot of choices available to you when it comes to choosing a rifle scope, it can be difficult to know exactly what features you should be looking for.

Scope Magnification:

The first thing that people look at when buying a rifle scope is how much magnification it offers. A magnified scope allows you to see objects at greater distances than normal, which can make them easier for you to hit when shooting at long range targets. The amount of scope magnification that a rifle scope offers will vary greatly depending on what kind of gun it is being used on. For example, if you’re using an airsoft gun that shoots around 300 feet per second (FPS), then you probably don’t need much magnification at all because the target will only be around 100 yards away from where you’re standing.*

Air Rifle Scope Magnification

Airgun scopes are typically available with a variety of magnifications. The best rifle scope will have variable magnification from 2x to 7x, 3-9x and 4-12x being the most common. Magnification is usually adjustable by rotating the eyepiece with your fingers or using an adjustable objective (AO) lens which moves in and out of position when turned.

Most popular magnification range for air rifle

The most popular magnification range for air rifles is between 3x and 5x because this offers you a wider field of view at lower magnifications, but still allows you to get a clear shot at longer distances when it counts. Most air rifles come with 1-4 power scopes installed. These are not ideal for hunting, but can be useful for plinking and target shooting in a wide range of light conditions.

More powerful scope magnification range for air rifle

More powerful scopes are useful if you want to hunt small game or shoot at longer distances, particularly in poor lighting conditions. However, they do tend to increase the weight of your rifle and cause more recoil when fired because of their larger lenses and heavier construction materials.

Types of rifle scopes explained

There are various types of rifle scopes that have different magnification power, reticle, and objective lens size.

The types of rifle scopes available in the market are:

Fixed power scope:

These are available in variable magnification range as well as fixed magnification range. The fixed power scope allow you to shoot at different ranges like short range (up to 100 yards), medium range (up to 300 yards), and long range (over 300 yards).

Variable power rifle scopes:

The variable power scope allow you to change the magnification power according to your requirements while shooting. For example, if you need a high level of magnification for long distance shooting then you can increase its power and vice versa. These types of scopes also offer a wide field of view at maximum magnification level whereas they offer narrow field of view at minimum magnification level.

Variable zoom riflescopes:

These types of riflescopes have an adjustable objective lens that allows you to zoom into objects from far away with ease without having any impact on its performance or quality degradation

Types of rifle scopes sight

There are many different types of rifle scopes sight available on the market today. Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. Here is a brief overview of the different types of rifle scopes and what they are best used for:

Red Dot Sight

Red dot sight is one of the most popular sights for rifles and handguns. Red dot sight has no magnification, but they do allow you to align your shot quickly by using a red dot as your aiming point. The red dot will always be in the center of the reticle when you look through the scope

Reflex Sight

Reflex sight is similar to red dot sight, but with an added feature: They have a lens system that allows you to view through them with both eyes open. The Reflex sight allows you to keep both eyes open while aiming at your target, which can help increase your accuracy. The Reflex sights work well in low light conditions. But don’t work so well during bright daylight hours or at night time. Because they don’t have enough light gathering ability

Holographic Sight

Another type of rifle scope is a holographic sight. These scopes use laser technology to create an image on your target so you can see where your bullet will hit before it leaves the barrel of your gun. Holographic sight is also very accurate because they have no moving parts or lenses that could get damaged during use.

Telescopic sight

A rifle scope is a telescopic sight mounted on a rifle, which is used to assist in target acquisition, precision and accuracy. The image size and magnification of a rifle scope depends on the design of the lens system inside. Rifle scopes come in many configurations, varying in size from 1x to 30x or more. A typical hunting rifle has a 3-9x zoom range, while many tactical rifles are set up for 1x to 4x magnification.

First Focal Plane (FFP) and Second Focal Plane (SFP)

The reticle is positioned behind the magnification lens in an SFP scope (second focal plane). Objects appear similar in this configuration, regardless of magnification. The reticle is positioned in front of the magnification lens in an FFP scope (First Focal Plane), and things tend to shift as the magnification is increased or decreased. For years, SFP scopes (Second Focal Plane) have been the industry standard, whereas long range shooters have relied on the FFP setup.

As for optics, firearm materials, and ammunition improve, FFP strategies are becoming more common, enabling long-range shooting. Some people define long-range hunting as 40 yards, while others define it as 400 yards. SFP scopes are perfect if all of your shooting and hunting is performed at the highest magnification.

Eye

Rifle Scope Adjustment

The adjustments on a scope are there to allow you to zero in your rifle. Zeroing is the process of sighting in a firearm so that when you aim at a specific point, the bullet will hit that point on the target.

The most common adjustment on a rifle scope is windage, which moves the crosshairs left or right. This allows you to compensate for any errors in your shooting position or grip.

Elevation adjustment moves up or down and compensates for bullet drop due to gravity. You can also use this adjustment to compensate for the effect of wind. Pushing your bullet off course while it’s in flight.

Each type of adjustment has its own screw and knob or lever; that allow you to make minute adjustments without having to dismount your sight from your gun. If you find yourself needing more precise adjustments than what’s possible with these knobs and levers; then you can get a small screwdriver and make adjustments by hand; so that you don’t lose any of those precious minutes spent at the range!

Rifle Scope knob adjustment

The knob on your riflescope pulls the reticle back toward your eye. The only way to adjust it is by unscrewing it and rotating it away from you or toward you.

This adjustment allows you to increase or decrease magnification on the scope. The farther away that knob is pulled, the more power you have on your scope. The closer it is pulled, the less power you have on the scope.

If you have ever used binoculars before, this adjustment mechanism should be familiar to you.

The main reason why people use riflescopes is because; they can shoot at a much longer distance than with just their eyes alone.

How do Rifle scopes work?

Riflescopes work similarly to telescopes. The objective lens concentrates light on a point within the scope. The light from the focal point is magnified by the ocular lens. That light is what you see when you look through a scope. A reticle, also known as a crosshair, is found on rifle scopes. The aim of these markers is to guide where the shot will reach once the trigger is pull.

There are a few controls on rifle scopes that help you to align the scope with your rifle. On a scope, the windage adjustment modifies the horizontal settings, whereas the elevation alteration modifies the vertical settings.

Hold your gun in the spot you’ll be using when taking aim when charging the scope. You don’t want to get a muscle cramp when preparing to shoot, so make sure you’re in a good spot. Pay attention to how your head and neck are situat. You should mount your scope in a way that is comfortable for you.

Sighting-in refers to the method of aligning a scope. It requires time and patience to accurately sight-in a lens. However, all of your hard work will reward. When you can shoot at a goal with the assurance that your shot will be successful.

How Rifle Scope Work Tutorial Video

Safe your scope in the mount by tightening the screws on the mounting rings. Tighten each side of the rings in tiny steps. On both sides, the distance between the top and bottom halves of the mounting rings should be the same. Find a spot 100 yards (91.4 meters) away from your current location.

Bring a range of cartridges with you, and make sure your rifle can fire each of them. Although most rifles will fire a variety of ammunition, neither of the bullets can fire in the same way. You must decide which ammunition is most appropriate for your rifle.

The next step is to detach the bore sighter from the muzzle of the rifle. If the bore sighter is left there, the rifle will be destroyed causing serious injuries to the shooter. Once the bore sighter is remove, place a cartridge in your weapon. Focus on the middle of the target and fire

FAQ’s

Q. What is the best long range shooting scope?

A. The best long range shooting scope depends on you. For example, if you are a beginner and want to learn how to shoot at a distance of 1,000 yards, then you need a scope with a maximum magnification of 6x or more.

Q. Which is the higher magnification scope?

A. The higher magnification scope will have a smaller objective lens, meaning it can gather more light and provide you with a clearer image. The larger the objective lens, the more light is able to enter the scope.

Q. Which shooting scope is best for competitive shooting?

A. Competitive shooting is a sport that requires precision, so you need to make sure that your rifle scope is up to the task.

Q. Which is the best brand for hunting scope?

A. The best brand for hunting scope is the nightforce atacr. It’s a personal choice, and it’s important to choose a hunting scope that works with your shooting style, whether that means a battery-powered scope or a simple sight.

Q. What is the light transmission in hunting scope?

A. Light transmission is the percentage of light that passes through a hunting scope. The higher the number, the more light reaches your eyes

For example, if you have a hunting scope with 90% light transmission, 90% of all incoming light will reach your eye and 10% will be blocked by the lens.

Q. What is the purpose of long range rifle scope?

A. The purpose of a long range rifle scope is to help you see your target at a distance. A long range rifle scope will have more magnification than a short range rifle scope, so it can make aiming easier and more accurate.

Long range rifle scopes also have a larger objective lens than short range scopes, which means they let in more light, making them better for low-light conditions.