The best shotgun scopes are those that fit your gun and go with it to the range. The worst ones make a mess of your guns, get easily damaged, and don’t work well at all. They’re not worth the trouble. A good shotgun scope will save you money while improving your shooting skills. It’ll also protect your eyes against dust, grit, and debris. These scopes come in both fixed and adjustable models; the latter can be very handy if you need to quickly change the magnification or focus distance without dropping the gun.
There are several types of shotguns on the market, so choosing the right one for your needs can be challenging. This guide includes some important features to keep in mind when shopping for a new shotgun scope.
What To Consider When Choosing The Best Shotgun Scopes
When shopping for a new shotgun scope, there are several factors worth considering. The following section will outline those considerations and help you find the best scope for your needs.
Intended Use
Before deciding on which scope is right for you, think about how you intend to use it and what characteristics would be beneficial.
- Long-range shooting: For long-range shots, a high-powered scope with a large aperture (the hole where the ball or pellet goes) works well. A larger hole means you can see farther ahead and thus predict where the shot will land.
- Short-range shooting: If you’re looking for a versatile tool that does both long- and short-range firing, then opt for a medium power scope with a small aperture size. With this configuration, you get a good balance of sight picture and brightness, making it ideal for indoor applications as well as outdoor activities.
- Targeting: This requires a laser-like focus ability, so look for a scope with a strong laser quality.
Scope Coating Type and Quality
The coating of the lens plays an important role in its functionality. There are two main types: single-element lenses and multi-element lenses.
- Single-element lenses have one element (a glass lens) that focuses light onto the target. They tend to be cheaper than their multielement counterparts because they don’t require as many elements to work properly. However, they may not offer the same clarity or performance as a scope with multiple elements.
- Multi-element lenses consist of at least 2 elements (most commonly 3 or 4). These scopes often outperform single-element models in terms of cost and performance. They do, however, tend to be more complex and less easy to manage during a firefight.
Lens Diameter
A scope’s diameter determines how much light it can capture and therefore how powerful a weapon it works with. Lenses come in various sizes, including 20mm, 28mm, 35mm, and 40mm.
- 20mm: This scope has become very popular recently due to its compact size and excellent weight-to-power ratio. It fits inside most handguns without causing too much extra bulk, making it handy for self-defense situations as well as hunting and fishing.
- 28mm: While slightly larger than the 20mm option, these scopes still fit inside most standard holsters. They also perform quite well, having higher resolution and better accuracy than smaller scopes.
- 35mm: This is the industry standard size for telescoping sights and binoculars. Most rifles, handguns, and shotguns come with this size scope unless otherwise noted.
- 40mm: Found mainly in military weapons, this scope is actually a bit bigger than 35mm but doesn’t take up any additional space inside the gun. It performs similarly to other 40mm scopes but tends to be heavier and bulkier.
Weight
If you plan on carrying your firearm around, weight might be an issue. But if you only want to use it when necessary, weight could be less of a concern. However, regardless of whether you need a lightweight scope or a rugged one, there are plenty of options available. Lightweight scopes weigh less than half a pound and typically run from 8 to 16 ounces. Rugged ones usually weigh more than twice as much and can exceed 50 pounds.
Mount Type
There are two basic styles of mounts for attaching a scope to a gun: peep sight and flip up.
- Peep sights consist of three tiny prongs that attach directly to the barrel of the gun. These prongs sit behind the front sight post, which leaves just enough room between them to insert the scope. Peep sights tend to be lighter than flip-up mounts and generally easier to adjust.
- Flip-ups have a knob on the side that controls the angle of the scope. To use the scope, simply twist the knob until you reach the desired orientation. Flip-ups mount securely to the gun and are harder to adjust than peeps, though some allow for adjustment while mounted.
Adjustability
One key difference between scopes is adjustability. Some models feature knobs that allow the user to set the angle of the view, whereas others have turrets that rotate the entire scope instead. Angle adjustments on a scope let the shooter dial in exactly where they want the view to go, rather than having to move the camera positionally to track something moving across the field. Knobs tend to be simpler to operate and adjust, especially in tight spaces. Turrets can be faster and more accurate, but they’re trickier to control.
Elevation Adjustment
This refers to the ability of the user to tilt the rifle and manipulate the direction of the aim point. Many guns have adjustable elevators that allow the shooter to elevate the gun above the line of sight to improve their accuracy. Some scopes include built-in elevation adjustments, while others require the use of an external accessory like a tripod or ladder stand.
Focusing
Poor sight pictures are caused by focal lengths that are too short, whereas blurry images are caused by focal lengths that are too long. Scope manufacturers express focal lengths in units of mm (.4 inch), 1/4 inch, and 1 inch. Matching the unit of measurement used by the firearm is essential when selecting a scope. For example, if you’re using a 12mm pistol, scope with a millimeter scale should say 14mm. Or, if you’ve got a .44 magnum revolver, a 1/4-inch scale scope should read 9mm. Never use a metric system (e.g., centimeters) converter to determine the scope’s compatibility with your firearm! Doing so risks damaging the mechanism.
Types Of Shotgun Scopes
Shotgun scopes are designed for specific purposes. For example, a hunter may require a magnified view of the target while sitting in a tree stand.
First focal plane
When you gaze through the scope, the reticle is centered on the first or front focal plane. As a result, the reticle seems to expand and contract with changes in magnification. Nothing actually expands or contracts; instead, your eye just learns to focus on objects that are closer or farther away. Most people discover that this has minimal impact on the capacity to perceive detail at different distances, but at extremely high magnification levels, it can significantly distort vision. It will be clearer and less distorted if you avoid the wayback if you’re using a 1-8X or even 1-10X power.
Second focal plane
The second or back focal plane is used when looking at an object through a wide aperture. With such a large opening, things near the edge get less light than they would have been exposed to with a smaller lens. To account for this, most shooters use a technique called defocusing to control depth of field. The process works by moving the actual lens elements within the scope so the glass is clear enough to see through but not so close to cause critical parts of the image to be blurry. Since many hunters prefer to remain concealed until absolutely necessary, having a good depth perception can be key to being able to make a shot without giving yourself away. Having a 1-4X or even 1-5X power will extend your range and help keep unwanted noise at bay.
Low-light performance
Low-light shooting refers to situations where there isn’t a lot of light available to work with. Longer exposure times are required to capture usable images. Without any additional lighting, a typical 10x power rifle scope will allow about 3 seconds of exposure time before burning out. Lenses specifically engineered for low-light conditions can give you much longer battery lives and improved overall performance.
Long-range shooting
Range shooting typically requires precision knowledge of both wind call and bullet drop along with some estimate of environmental factors like foliage density, sun angle, and weather conditions. A long-range shooter might reasonably expect to hit targets anywhere from 600 meters downrange to well over 1000 meters. While these numbers seem impressive, remember that most rifles aren’t particularly accurate beyond 200 meters and even some professional sharpshooters rarely attempt to hit targets beyond 400 meters.
How We Chose Our Top Picks
We started by searching for the best value in each category. For optics, we looked at price point and quality of materials. Scope manufacturers were contacted to get more specific information about their products.
We based our decision on our personal expertise with numerous brands of shotgun scopes. Additionally, we considered the specifications provided by the scope manufacturer and reviews from reliable sources. Reliability is the most crucial feature, thus we only selected long-lasting, sturdy items that won’t rust or break after a downpour.
Frequently Asked Questions About Shotgun Scopes
What magnification is needed for a spotting scope?
Magnification will vary depending on what you intend to use it for. A good rule of thumb is to take the minimum amount of power necessary and then add 10 or 15 percent extra just in case.
How much do shotgun lenses cost?
Most budget-friendly options are going to be fixed lenses, which typically run between $100 and $150. Premium optics can easily reach $500 to $600, while high-end optics can go up from there.
Can I mount a shotgun scope on my handgun?
It depends entirely on the gun. Some pistols were built with specific mounting locations in mind; some weren’t. For those that were, getting a proper adapter usually isn’t expensive.
Is it legal to carry a shotgun scope?
In most states, yes. However, local regulations and state laws regarding open carrying of firearms with various types of accessories can drastically reduce your available options.