As the site name suggests, this site focuses on rifle scope reviews for various rifle scope models and manufacturers. Let’s face it: these days, rifle scopes are not cheap (at least not the good ones). If you are anything like me, you like to do a bit of research on something before dropping X number of dollars on it to ensure it’s precisely what you want or need and make sure you are paying a fair price for it. Honestly, that’s how this site was born.
In addition, there are many, many technical elements involved in scopes, things like:
- Magnification
- Eye relief
- Adjustable objective
- Reticle choices
- Side focus
- Etc.
If you don’t take the time to understand what all that stuff means, then you might make the wrong purchase. But, like any guy out there who wants to ask technical questions to a sporting sales guy in Bass Pro shops or Gander Mountain and look like you don’t know what you are doing or look uneducated?
No one so here’s an easy way around that as I’ll do my best to provide you with an understanding of standard rifle scope terms so you don’t have to ask those questions.
Having worked in the gun retail business for quite some time, you’d be amazed at the number of people who purchase scopes without having any kind of understanding of the more technical aspects of scopes because they are simply too embarrassed to ask.
In addition to the technical aspects of scope shopping, it can be even more confusing given the sheer number of scopes on the market today. When I was a teenager and shopped for my first scope for my first deer rifle, there were really only two options at almost every sporting goods store I visited: either a 4X fixed power or a 3×9 scope. That was it.
It’s quite different today, with scopes coming in fixed power variations and variable-powered models that cover anything from 3×9, all the way up to 8×32 and beyond. On my last visit to the local Gander Mountain store, I counted 97 different scope models in the display cases.
My own interest in rifle scopes started as a teenager, although I honestly had an interest in most sports optics, such as scopes, telescopes, and spotting scopes. I come from a long line of ancestors with not-so-great natural vision, so I was always fascinated with a scope’s ability to make game more clear and easier to see. Over the years, as my vision continued to decline, I found that hunting with a scope was really my only choice if I wanted to hit anything. That trend has continued, as I now find that I’m having to move up to higher-powered scopes to compensate for my poor vision.
In addition to actually reviewing different rifle scope models, I also hope to provide information (and some opinion) on topics such as:
- Variable versus Fixed power scopes
- Adjustable objective
- Variable power scopes – how much is enough?
- Understanding the different reticles
- Identifying a good scope value for the money
So, what makes me qualified to offer this information? Well, in addition to having a very specific hobby-based interest in rifle scopes and being an active hunter/shooter, I’ve also worked in the retail firearms industry for the last 20 years.
While I don’t consider myself an “expert,” I do believe I’m pretty well-versed in the rifle scope industry. My goal is this: I plan to acquire access to specific rifle scope models, evaluate those models, and then provide a detailed review based on facts, findings, observations, and my opinion.
In short, I plan to share the good, the bad, and the ugly about each scope reviewed. Obviously, due to the potential cost of acquiring each optic for the evaluation process, this will be an ongoing project that will grow over time.
Also, to be completely transparent, a number of the scopes I review will include links to places where those scopes can be purchased. If a visitor follows any of my links to a 3rd party site and makes a purchase, I will receive a commission on that sale (which will then be used to help fund the next scope purchase for a review).