The sights on hunting rifles are becoming increasingly advanced over time. While hunters used to primarily rely on open sights - known as shooting over "rear and front sight" - today there are various forms of aiming aids, mostly in the form of scopes or red dot sights. Over time, specific types of these aiming aids and scopes have emerged for different types of hunting. Three types stand out in particular.
The Classic: The typical and probably most commonly used scope is often referred to as the "all-round scope." It is a solid scope, usually with an objective diameter of 56mm and a magnification range of 3-12 or 3-15 or 1.5-15. These scopes are often referred to by the combination of these values - for example: 3-12 x 56. A dimmable illuminated dot in the center of the reticle has also become standard. This scope is particularly popular among young hunters, as it can be used both for stalking and stand hunting, as well as during twilight and night hunting with the moon. Nowadays, it can often even be combined with a front or rear attachment device. Furthermore, it can also be used in driven hunts. A true all-round scope.
The Driven Hunt Scope: To deliver good performance in driven hunts while keeping the overall weight of the weapon low and the balance high, many - especially more experienced shooters - prefer to use a so-called driven hunt scope. This driven hunt scope typically has an objective diameter between 22 and 42mm and a magnification range in the lower single digits (popular sizes are: 1-4x42, 2-6x36, 2-4x32, etc.). With these characteristics, the scope is designed to facilitate clean shots on moving game at short distances.
The Red Dot: The red dot sight, often simply called a red dot, represents the absolute driven hunt scope. It usually consists of an optic with 1x to a maximum of 3x magnification and shows only a (usually red glowing) point in the reticle. It is also very popular in tactical shooting and sports shooting.
The prices for scopes vary greatly depending on the manufacturer and model. For beginners, all-round scopes are available from about €350-500. Professionals prefer to rely on brand quality, which comes at a price. The range for most high-quality brand scopes is between €2000 - €4000. In some cases, you can spend even more on your optics. The price largely depends on the requirements you have for your scope. These requirements, in turn, are based on your personal hunting practice. How often do you hunt? When do you hunt?
Especially online, you can get a good picture of the scopes available on the market through price comparisons. Gunfinder is designed to help you find the right scope for you. It is important to pay close attention to your needs and the essential characteristics of the scope regarding mechanics, construction, image quality, and magnification.
The so-called "reticle" refers to the crosshair of an optic in hunting terminology. Over time, the reticles of scopes have also developed significantly. While there used to be only a handful of reticles, today there are various hunting optics available with a wide range of reticles. Modern scopes typically come standard with a type of reticle, often designated by a number (e.g., reticle No.4), and usually feature a dimmable illuminated dot. As mentioned above, red dot sights, which only have the glowing red dot as an indicator in the optic, are very popular, especially for driven hunts. The choice of reticle should also be based on the type of hunting.
Light transmission refers to the ability of optical glass or optical systems to allow as many light rays as possible to "pass through."
A good or light-strong scope should have a light transmission of more than 90 percent.
The transmission performance or transmission loss in optical devices, such as binoculars, scopes, etc., largely depends on the optical coating of the lenses.
Another important factor for the level of transmission losses, for example in binoculars, is the types of lenses used in them.
In general, it can be stated that a scope performs better in twilight if it has a larger objective diameter, as light transmission usually increases proportionally with the objective diameter.
There are various mounting systems for scopes and other hunting optics. Among the most well-known and popular mounting types for scopes are the EAW swivel mount, the Picatinny rail, the hook mount, the ring mount, and the Hexalock mount. The mounting types differ significantly in terms of their modularity, application area, and price.
Before purchasing a scope for a new or used weapon, you should consider how you want to mount it on the weapon and whether the two parts are compatible. Especially with used weapons, it is important to pay attention to what base is already available for which mount. The type of mount used can also vary significantly by weapon manufacturer.
The field of view of a binocular or scope is either given in degrees (angle of view) or in meters. The size of the field of view indicates what width of terrain can be observed at a distance of 1000 m through the binoculars.
In contrast, the field of view in scopes is usually specified for distances of 100 m.
Binoculars without wide-angle function have fields of view of up to 130 m. A larger field of view makes it easier to observe large areas and track moving objects. Generally, with increasing magnification, the field of view decreases in every optic, which also depends on the construction of the optical system.
It often happens that even providers of inexpensive entry-level products make generous claims regarding the field of view that hardly differ from those of significantly more expensive brand products. It should be noted that these claims are not necessarily false, but the larger field of view is achieved at the expense of reduced edge sharpness. Other providers, on the other hand, advertise optimal edge sharpness but fail to mention that this was achieved by reducing the field of view.
As mentioned above, there are many different scopes from various manufacturers that cater to many different hunting needs. We would like to introduce you to a few brands.
Zeiss: Since 1904, ZEISS has been a pioneer in the field of scopes for hunting rifles. This leading position has been secured through numerous innovations and an extremely high quality standard. Milestones include the two hunting scopes with variable magnifications from 1922: the Zielmulti, or Zielmultar – and the Zielacht, the first scope that combined high magnification with maximum twilight performance.
Svarowski: Swarovski Optik is undoubtedly one of the most well-known manufacturers of high-quality scopes and has enjoyed great popularity among hunters for many years. The scopes from Swarovski all have one thing in common – the combination of state-of-the-art precision technology with robust construction and elegant design. Adverse conditions such as poor lighting, extreme temperatures, or simply long distances are not obstacles for the developers and designers of Swarovski scopes, but rather an incentive to always enable the perfect shot in these situations. Flexible ballistic turrets, Swarolight, or Flexchange are just a few examples of the technical innovations with which Swarovski continually perfects its scopes.
Blaser: As a world-renowned and highly regarded firearms manufacturer, Blaser is now also venturing into scopes and is doing quite well in this area. Blaser's credo is: "Only in conjunction with first-class aiming optics can the hunter reliably utilize the performance of his rifle. It is all the more important that the function and operation of the optics are perfectly aligned with hunting practice. Furthermore, if the design of the scope is tailored to the weapon, a combination of unique elegance and performance strength results."
Leica: Leica scopes stand for passionate hunting and good technology. With its series of scopes, Leica has developed aiming optics that are intended to provide the hunter with both detailed visual experiences and perfect tools for a safe, ethical shot. Leica aiming optics are designed to be intuitively operable, durable systems that support ethical hunting through sharp image contrasts, natural resolution, and unparalleled fields of view.
Schmidt & Bender: Schmidt & Bender is a German company specializing in the production and development of high-quality scopes for hunting and sports, as well as for police and military use. In particular, the Police Marksman series (short PM and PM II) is used worldwide by many special forces.
These brands represent a selection from the brand pool of scopes in the upper price segment.
Meopta: Meopta is an internationally operating company with a long successful tradition in the development, construction, and manufacture of high-class optical, opto-mechanical, and opto-electronic products. Meopta is committed to ensuring that its products meet the latest standards in conception, technology, manufacturing, and assembly, and guarantees products and customer service of the highest quality for industry, military, and private end consumers.
Minox: Scopes from Minox are consistently designed in construction and development for the fundamental requirements that exist in hunting and long-range shooting. Minox scopes are intended to be robustly designed and weatherproof. Minox aims to uncompromisingly emphasize the highest quality and fine mechanical precision in construction and manufacturing. Quality, precision, solidity, and durability - these are the values that the Minox brand stands for.
Kahles: The Austrian manufacturer of scopes, Kahles, has focused on two core areas: hunting and sports shooting. Each well-aligned product line aims to best support the hunter or sports shooter in exceeding individual limits and achieving top performance. Since its founding in 1989, Kahles has concentrated on the production of scopes. It is hardly surprising that the models combine extensive experience and ongoing development.
Steiner: Steiner is a traditional company founded in 1947 by Karl Steiner. Today, the company is a renowned international enterprise with 150 employees in Bayreuth. Steiner optics operates in over 80 countries worldwide. The name Steiner optics has stood for very high-quality processing and craftsmanship for over 70 years. The vision of the technically perfect binocular that optimally inspires people in their experiences accompanied Karl Steiner throughout his life. This commitment, which was continued by his son Carl Steiner, still stands today as a credo for the company. Steiner binoculars and scopes symbolize optical innovation and embody the highest quality in their processing.
These brands represent a selection from the brand pool of scopes in the mid-price segment.
Bushnell: Bushnell is the market leader for optical systems in the USA. Many years ago, the Bushnell Corporation, based in South Pennsylvania, began producing optical accessories for sports shooters. Gradually, the product range was expanded to include binoculars, spotting scopes, scopes, night vision devices, and much more. The optical quality of the systems is intended to meet the highest demands while also offering excellent value for money.
Leupold: Leupold and Stevens, Inc. is an American family-owned company run by the fifth generation, which has been developing and manufacturing precision optics for over 100 years. Leupold's success as a company is based on its commitment to fully meet customer demands and provide the best optics for shooting sports, law enforcement, and military purposes.
Geco: The Geco scope series is characterized primarily by high zoom factors and good optical performance. Geco optics can be used in almost all hunting situations and provide good results even in poor lighting conditions regarding transmission, exit pupil, and field of view. These convincing results are made possible by the use of state-of-the-art multi-coatings and optical calculations in Geco Gold scopes. Special attention was paid in the development of the lenses to the fine illuminated dot, as well as the high adjustment ranges and tool-free zeroing with the integrated GECOtrac Target Turret. The compact design features an integrated objective thread and high-quality materials.
These brands represent a selection from the brand pool of scopes in the lower price segment.
You can easily purchase a scope, especially one that fits your weapon and needs, online or from your trusted gunsmith. While the gunsmith usually offers the advantage of mounting the optics on-site, you have the option to compare various scopes and aiming optics by different categories online.
Of course, you can browse the websites of gun dealers for your suitable scope, or also - especially in the case of purchasing a used weapon - search on the common portals where used weapons are listed.
But you can also be clever and use Gunfinder.de. Gunfinder offers you the great advantage that you can customize your comparison according to a large number of category options. Furthermore, Gunfinder searches all the mentioned common portals for you and presents the best results in an overview.
A good quality scope is the key to success, whether shooting at the range or hunting. Scopes bring the hunter or sports shooter closer to targets and objects in the environment, enabling better and more precise accuracy.
By collecting and utilizing available light through their objectives, scopes make it possible to shoot even in poor lighting conditions. This allows the hunter to hunt effortlessly and successfully in the morning or evening twilight with the right scope.
