If you are wondering How To Choose A Long Range Rifle Scope, you must know all the details you need to be able to choose the one with the best possible characteristics and cover the minimum needs you have.
Today, there is a wide variety of different models and brands of rifle scopes, so it is essential to know what the scope will be used for, and from there, you can set the parameters for selecting the right Long Range Rifle Scope.
Checkout the following top-selling rifle scopes from OpticsPlanet.com:
What Will The Long Range Rifle Scope Be Used For?
The Basics
A scope for hunting is not the same as one for shooting during the day or for precision. Defining how the scope will be used will help determine the basic requirements that you must meet.
Among the basic needs, the following are the most important:
Resistance
Especially in the face of recoil, as some cheaper models may not withstand the recoil caused by large-caliber rifles.
Brightness
If the scope is to be used in low light conditions, the Long Range Rifle Scope must be as bright as possible, whereas if it is to be used during the day, this factor is not as important.
Glass And Treatment
The lenses of the Long Range Rifle Scope must be of the best possible quality since this will be decisive in the sharpness of the vision. Likewise, larger crystals with adequate treatment, such as pressurized with nitrogen, not only increase definition and luminosity but also prevent moisture from condensing inside the scope.
Fields Of View And Magnifications
Depending on what will be done, a greater or lesser distance from the targets will be necessary. In cases where the size of the target and the length warrant it, it is essential to have magnifications; the problem is that the more zoom a telescopic sight has, the smaller the field of view will be, so it is vital to consider this factor.
Weight
Some scopes are usually heavier than others, so it is essential to consider the type of activity to be carried out since some activities such as hunting require a light scope to be able to take quick freehand shots.
How To Choose A Rifle Scope Reticle
One of the things that you should take into account when buying a telescopic sight is to learn how to choose a rifle scope reticle since there are different options depending on the function it is going to perform; usually, the models are divided into hunting, competition, and military or tactical type.
- Hunting: This is the most common type of reticle, and they are usually much wider than other types, so they help fix the target much faster and, in this way, to be able to shoot it by surprise. This type of reticle is especially useful for targets that are in motion.
- Competition: They often have “Target Dot,” “Dot cpc,” or “Crosshair” type reticles. They typically require the use of variable magnifications with different correction devices for both height and drift.
- Military or tactical use: Elite shooters, snipers, and others usually use them. These reticles are generally of the Mil-Dot type of just one-thousandth or others, always with specifications to make compensated and quick shots without the need for correction devices.
What Other Accessories Do I Need Besides The Telescopic Sight?
Once you learn how to choose a long range rifle scope, the time comes where you must learn how to choose the accessories that will help you attach this accessory to your rifle: the rifle scope ring and the rifle scope mount.
How To Choose Rifle Scope Rings
Base Measurements
To pick the appropriate rings, the mounting base’s measurement must be taken into account; if this base is integrated into the rifle previously or is a rail-base type, only its width should be measured, and it will be possible to know if 11 rings are needed mm or 20 mm.
Diameter
Now, there are usually two standard measures regarding the diameter of the rings: 1” or 30 mm. Choosing one or the other depends on the diameter of the telescopic sight you have.
However, other much larger measures are used in particular scopes, although they are not typically the usual ones.
How To Choose Rifle Scope Ring Height
It is essential to know how to choose the height of the rifle scope ring. This height is typically divided into High (18-21 mm), Medium (14 mm), and Low (6 mm). There are factors to take into account before selecting a particular height.
If it is the first time that long range rifle scope is used, it is best to use high rings. This allows you to aim more comfortably without problems with the rifle’s design and mechanism.
Likewise, the lens’s width is also decisive when picking the height of the rings, since if the lens is very wide and the height of the rings is low, the installation will be, at least, problematic.
How To Pick A Rifle Scope Ring Mount
There are various types of rifle scope mounts available, and it is vital to know them in order to understand how to choose a rifle scope mount that is indicated for the activity you want to carry out.
On the one hand, there are rifle scope mounts in one piece, and others in multiple parts (usually two components). One-piece rifle scope mounts tend to have a tighter grip, so they are much less likely to lose fixation or dislodge.
It is important to note that this type of rifle scope mounts typically have the rings and the base in a single piece, giving more excellent support but sacrificing versatility in adaptation.
While multi-piece rifle scope mounts allow for greater versatility, more flexible installation, and are much better suited to most rifles’ particular needs. An easy way to know which type to select is to consider the kind of accessories that you want to attach to the rifle.
Additional Rifle Scope Ring Tip
Once you have learned how to pick an extended range rifle scope and already have all your complete equipment, you must know how to zero a rifle scope. This calibration allows not only to practice shooting, but to improve skill precision when using the rifle.
The idea regarding “zeroing” the rifle is that you can accurately shoot to a specified distance. To do this process, you must have at least two paper targets with a one-inch grid (this allows you to perform the calculations for calibration), and a firing range, in addition to your weapon and its implements or accessories such as the long range rifle scope.
How To Zero A Rifle Scope
First and foremost, you must shoot the target from a stable platform to anchor your rifle at two points on the base. Initially, it is recommended to shoot from 25 yards (ca. 23 m) away a total of 3 individual shots, carefully aiming at the target’s center.
The target must then be checked to know the positions where the shots reached and calculate an average of the three shots. Subsequently, taking these calculations into account, adjustments must be made to the sight, both vertically and for wind compensation.
This procedure must be repeated until you can hit three shots in the center of the target paper until you hit the center.
When successful, the firing range should be changed to 100 yards (ca. 91 m) or more, and the above procedure should be carefully repeated.
It is important to remember that this is not a time competition, it is about reaching perfection, so it is essential to do it carefully. This action will not only serve to adjust the scope of the rifle correctly, but also develop shooting skills.
Always remember: practice makes mastery.
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