What scope should i put on my .308

Why would someone choose the ? There are tons of differently chambered rifles available in this round from old school battle rifles to single shot budget hunting rifles. The scope is vast, and your choices are significant. Due to the commonality of the round and how cheap they can be had for, the rifles are also relatively cheap and easy to find.

You can build an AR 10 for under seven hundred dollars these days or pick up a basic hunting rifle chambered in for as little as three hundred bucks. In the end, the is a mainstay of the rifleman and will continue to be the best of both budget and performance.

Effective range is a tricky concept. The effective range of a round like the will depend on the projectile, loading, barrel length, etc. These can all have an effect on how far a round flies. With that in mind, the general accepted effective range of the Winchester is meters. The Marine Corps trains snipers out to 1, meters with the round, so take that for what it is.

Hunters will often only take shots at yards max because they want to guarantee an instant and humane kill. You need to be able to hit your target in what is effectively a fist-sized target, so even yards is a real challenge for most shooters. If you are shooting out to yards or even past yards, the right optic will make a significant difference.

Some scopes will allow you to adjust for wind and bullet drop on the fly and others that have a reticle that will enable you to do the same. So how do we choose the right scope for our beloved rifles? There are primarily six things to consider: Magnification power, weight, turrets, glass, durability and reticle style.

Higher magnification results in a significantly tinier window of sight but much further observable distances. Some high-end scopes will offer variable power, which grants the user the ability to easily cycle through various magnification power levels. These may be especially handy for scouting out targets and then focusing more in depth once you have identified their location and also for hunters as they never really know how far out their targets will be before dialing in their scopes settings.

Something discussed in my red dot optics guide is the ability to use a 1x sight like an EOTech holographic sight co-witnessed with a prism magnification unit to achieve the same results of a scope with the added ability of quickly switching and engaging close up targets with ease. The first numbers are the power of magnification.

In our example above, this means targets will appear 2 times larger than normal. But wait, there are 2 numbers mushed together with a hyphen. These numbers indicate a variable range of power. This example shows us the scope is capable of a minimum magnification power of 2x all the way up to a maximum power of 25x. Finally, the last number that is given in millimeters tells us the diameter of the objective lens. Keep in mind that this specification will ultimately determine the amount of light that will be used in the creation of sight picture but will also result in a heavier setup, possibly decreasing steadiness.

Weight factor is important because the last thing you want is to be extremely fatigued from a long trek because your gear weighs as much as you do. To the untrained, a scope may not appear like a huge contributing factor in weight, especially when holding it unattached to the rifle, however, do not be fooled, the weight of anything added to a rifle quickly adds up and can impact your accuracy as the rifle becomes more cumbersome to handle and hold steady.

We can negate the effects of the additional weight by choosing a scope that has just enough magnification power and glass size for our uses. Speaking of turrets, there are several different kinds. Turrets are the two sometimes three knobs on a rifle that adjust the reticle for windage, and elevation IE up and down left and right and also help adjust for the parallax effect.

Turrets are rarely ever a deal breaker but can be an important consideration when choosing a rifle. Turrets are generally designed for a specific activity, which we will discuss further, later on. Adjustments are made in either Minute of Angle or Milliradians. These are two units of measure closely related to shooting.

MOA is essentially a super precise way to measure degrees. For every degree, there are 60 MOA. This precise means to measure and adjust a rifle scope is extremely popular and the long-held standard for most shooting. MIL adjustments are popular with tactical shooters and are heavily used in the military.

Fingertip turrets are turrets that can be adjusted with just your fingers. No tools required. Just turn the dial, and the reticle adjusts. This is a quick and easy way to make those field adjustments and to get that perfect shot off.

Slotted turrets require some kind of tool to make adjustments. The slot is often the same you see on a flat head screw you can use a coin, a piece of brass, or another similar tool to make adjustments. These are often for short to medium range tactical scopes.

Target Turrets are named for their use by precision target shooters. Although the vast majority will come in MOA. These turrets allow a shooter to shrink their group and zero their rifle in a way noticeable only to a precision measurement device. Ballistic turrets are designed to make broader adjustments. Sometimes these are known as tactical, and they are designed for quick and easy changes.

High quality glass with the proper glass films and coatings makes a huge difference while low quality glass will greatly reduce the effectiveness of your rifle. The type of glass matters, as does the kind of glass coatings. In general, high-quality glass comes from fine sand often from Asian countries with Japan being an excellent example of quality made lenses. You want glass that is low dispersion or extra-low dispersion. This will give you a brighter image with higher color quality.

HD and ED are terms used to describe this kind of glass. Fl or Fluorine glass is another means to create extra-low dispersion glass. Lens coating is a means to increase the amount of light that passes through the optic, as well as reduce glare. Fully Multicoated optics are the best bet for maximum clarity and reduced glare.

Some scopes also come with coatings that focus on durability, adding resistance to scratching and water repellency. A quality optic is a robust optic. You want an optic that shrugs off recoil and is made for 30 caliber, full powered rifle rounds. This level of durability should leave the optic rated as shock, water, and fog proof. All three are vital for a scope and a quality optic in general. One of the key features of a strong and well-made optic is single piece tube construction.

Being crafted in one piece ensures the scope is rigid and robust, reducing failure points and aiding sight picture creation. Reputation is one way to determine durability, but most companies will publish testing data or stick to strict industry standards regarding the waterproof rating as well as what gas is used to purge the optic for fog.

First off, you want a reticle that provides hash marks of some kind in either MOA or MILs that allow you to compensate for both windage and elevation. This means hash marks, dots, half circles, lines, whatever, run along the vertical and horizontal line of the reticle. An illuminated reticle is an option if you are planning to shoot in lower light conditions and scopes with illumination have increased the versatility but usually also increase the price tag.

They also almost always need batteries, so keep that in mind if you take that route. When you first see Mil-dot you might think these sights are for military use, but the mil in mil-dot has absolutely nothing to do with the military. These offer the shooter advanced information using complex mathematical equations to form estimations of range.

Choosing the right reticle really comes down to personal preference. Some of these reticles come equipped with helpful tools to aid your journey on the path to professional mastery.

These are coined as bullet drop compensator reticles BDC. They include helpful little lines or dots set at multiple levels of range. Now, on to the section of the article where we suggest a few of our favorite caliber scopes. Again, we aimed for all types of scopes, from hunting to tactical, along with all price ranges.

Good optics make good shooting, so here are a few of our favorites! Check Price on Amazon. They make tons of different optics for the sporting community, way more than people give them credit for.

The Diamondback is an outstanding scope at a great price, which is why it is a VERY popular budget scope. One reason I love Vortex is because of their willingness to back their scopes with an exceptional warranty and have good customer service.

Vortex has never let me down, and in my opinion, the Diamondback is a step above nearly all budget scopes on the market. The Diamondback is a simple, variable optic that efficient and effective. This optic is designed for rugged outdoor use, making it a perfect scope for hunting.

The glass on this scope is multi-coated. It provides brilliant clarity across the whole magnification spectrum. The scope is built to be fog, water, and shockproof. It has no problems handling the recoil of a. The field of view FoV is between This is in line with other scopes in that magnification range.

The turrets are capped to prevent accidental changes. This provides enough adjustment range even for long-range shots. The side focus is easily accessible for best image focus and parallax removal between 30 yards to infinity.

Another great feature of the Vortex scopes is that they come with their unlimited warranty. If you are more into longer distances, then use the x42mm version instead. Aiming higher? Undoubtedly, Leupold knows how to make good hunting optics.

The Leupold VX-2 x40mm is not an exception to this rule. It is overall the best scope for rifles for hunting. We reviewed the best EOTech clones. Find the evaluations here! The Leupold VX-2 rifle scope comes with super-clear glass lenses that allow you to use it even in low-light conditions.

The scope produces a vivid and clear image that helps tremendously with acquiring a clear shot onto your target. In Leupold fashion, you also get multi-coated lenses that reduce glare and keep the glass clear under all circumstances. Windage and elevation on the Leupold VX-2 can easily be adjusted with a single finger while you keep your game in focus.

The overall adjustment range is 52 MOA for both elevation and windage. The eye relief on this scope ranges from 3. The field of view ranges from The positioning on the rear focal plane works well for long-range shots. The Mark 3HD is a great tactical scope from Leupold. Have a look at our evaluation and recommendation! The Nikon Buckmasters II series is an overall affordable, reliable, and capable family of rifle scopes designed for hunting. The x50mm is specifically interesting as it provides the most common magnification range and combines it with a rather large objective of 50mm.

This provides the scope with outstanding capabilities in non-optimal lighting conditions as the large objective allows a lot of light into the scope. This improved light transmission makes it the best scope for for hunting during dusk and dawn and in otherwise challenging lighting situations.

The scope is built solid and with high-quality components and pairs well with a rifle. It handles the recoil well and stays zeroed without a problem. The glass in this scope is multi-coated and provides an excellent image. The eye relief is a generous 5 inches making it a great pairing for rifles with heavy recoil. It, therefore, is truly a great match for the.

The BDC reticle is a good match for the performance of a. It offers a solid field of view of The overall adjustment range is a great 80 MOA for each elevation and windage. The scope sports a 1-inch tube that is built from highest grade aluminum to withstand any abuse during a hunt. Have a look at our review of the Nikon Buckmasters scope! How do Nikon Prostaff and Buckmasters scopes compare?

Bushnell is known for its high-quality scopes that pack solid components and innovation. And the Bushnell Elite 2. The magnification designation alone shows that you are looking at an interesting scope here.

The scope is built solid and has no problems dealing with the recoil of a. It features a 30 mm tube which allows for lots of light to get through the scope. The optics are multi-coated which helps with the vibrancy of the image.

The tube is argon purged to prevent fog from building up. The scope is overall fog proof, waterproof, and shockproof. The turrets are zero-reset and are easy to adjust. The scope holds zero well even with heavy recoil and is a good choice for the. Additionally, its customized dot design aids in eliminating guesswork when making windage corrections and holdover. You will find it effective to use on various firearms, such as slug shotguns, black powder rifles, rimfire rifles, and high-powered rifles.

It is also equipped with a fast-focus eyepiece, which plays a huge role when it comes to focusing the reticle easily. This scope can also optimize the focus of the image and the removal of parallax through the easy-to-access side focus.

Designed for shooters who need a working rifle or fighting carbine and use the multi-purpose scout rifle; Finger-adjustable, low-profile turrets create a sleek profile Forward mounting design allow The Burris x32mm Scout Ballistic Plex Reticle should be at the top of your list of considerations. One advantage of this scope is that it uses a lens with a diameter greater than the majority of other scopes. This results in clear pictures, no matter what the situation is.

It also acts as a slim optic that offers low-to-medium magnification. This makes it possible for you to place it forward on the. The multi-coated lens of this scope delivers amazing brightness and clarity.

Additionally, its tightly controlled and generous eye relief provides you with a crisp and full view, without dark rings at the edges. This results in speedy target acquisition. The Leupold VX-3i 3. This makes it the perfect scope for general purposes. It is equipped with a fast-focus eyepiece that can speedily focus your reticle deliver a target acquisition, which is locked on. This scope is built to be strong. You can even expect it to handle air guns, slug guns, and muzzleloaders.

The superb lens coating used in this scope helps increase light transmission and boost its abrasion resistance. It can also withstand recoil, due to the T6 aircraft-grade aluminum used in its construction. This scope also utilizes a system designed to provide additional minutes of shooting light, which significantly minimizes glare. With this features, you can expect premium image quality. Overall, this Leupold scope is an excellent deal that promises plenty of advanced and quality features for a reasonable price.

The BDC reticle offers Shooters unique open circles, dots and hash marks aiming from to yards One inch body tube Spring loaded instant zero resets turrets Elevated windage and elevation The Nikon P-Tactical. The matte black finish makes this scope look strong and sturdy, and the scope is compatible with a wide range of rifles.

This scope from Nikon offers several amazing features for its affordable price. Its flexibility promotes ease and convenience during each shooting session. The built-in locking and zeroing mechanisms of this scope allow it to perform well, and it guarantees a higher number of shooting sessions with a lower risk of complicating the zero. It also makes use of spring-loaded turrets to create an instant zero that is capable of holding several ammunition magazines.

By offering a good field of view and detail, the flexible zoom range satisfies the majority of hunting and shooting demands. The adjustable magnification ring is a disadvantage because it does not feature an adjustment notch. HPBT match bullet. The BDC r The Nikon M x42mm performs excellently when used for elk and deer hunting. It offers shooters the user-friendly Nikoplex reticle, which is unique and distinctive.

A benefit of using this type of reticle is that it is equipped with an elevation cap with markings in the form of yards. This promotes a clean look overall. Additionally, it does not cause dots and hashes to clutter your view. In fact, you can expect it to deliver an undisturbed clear view through the fine crosshairs. Its mm objective lens makes it possible for this scope to be mounted low, while still remaining large enough to offer a clear and bright image.

The scope uses the aerospace-grade aluminum alloy as the main material for its body. The scope also features a multi-coated optic inside, which has reflective compound layers on every glass. This supplies bright and clear views at all times. It also has adequate eye relief. Red Horseshoe reticle matched with grain.

It is LED-illuminated, allowing it to handle long distances and close-quarter battle. It is built with sophistication, allowing any user to utilize it in the quick and accurate acquisition of targets.

This is possible whether you are doing long-range shooting or dealing with close-quarter battles. The ability of this scope to estimate the correct range quickly, while also implementing the correct hold, is what ranks it highly. The premium-quality glass integrated into this VCOG scope is also one of its strengths. This helps improve its ability to gather light without any distortion. With this, expect brilliant clarity and brightness regardless of the time of day you decided to use the scope.

In other words, you can also easily hit your target, even when your environment is not that bright. Not only does it have an excellent range yards according to the USMC , it is also one of the most consistent performing ammunition in the market today. If you want to make the best use of its long effective range, you will need a scope that can give you a good sight picture up to yards.

Note that unless you are an army-trained sniper, aiming for yards is a bit challenging. Still, you should not place your face too close to the eyepiece, because you might not be able to brace yourself enough to prevent the rifle from kicking back.

The magnification power and other aspects of the scope will depend mostly on where you will be using your rifle. If you will be using it for hunting, you need to keep the scope as lightweight as possible.

When you are game hunting, you want to get as close to your target as possible. You will not risk it by shooting at it from yards away. At most, you will be shooting from yards, even when you are using a.

A scope that maxes out at 9x or 12x is more than enough for your needs. In general, the type of scope magnification that you should get depends on for what you will be using the rifle the most.

If you will be using the rifle for game, elk, or deer hunts, and you will only be shooting up to yards, a scope with around x power will suffice. When you are hunting in the woods, your target will not be waiting for you while you make slight adjustments for windage and bullet drop, and of course, you will not be shooting from yards away.

On the other hand, if you will be using the. Also, remember that something that has a BDC reticle will make taking long range shots much easier. Should you choose a fixed magnification or a variable zoom scope? If you are out hunting, you need something that is convenient to use. Choose a hunting scope that you do not have to tweak to get a good sight picture. A fixed magnification is the best choice.

You just peek into the scope and place the crosshairs on your target and then pull the trigger — no fuss or mess. If you will be shooting in a range and you have all the time in the world to line up your shot, then a variable powered optic or variable zoom will work the best. So what are the things and factors to look out for when shopping for a good.

Here are a few:. When you are buying a scope for a. How much magnification you need will depend on your particular use. Note that just because a scope has a higher magnification power than another, this does not instantly mean that it is better all around. Sometimes, you will not need ultra-high magnification power, especially if you will be using the rifle for deer, game, or elk hunting.

Regarding whether or not a fixed zoom or a variable zoom is best, it is subjective. For hunting, you need your scope to have the ability to acquire the target easily the moment you peek into it.

For the. With that said, it does not mean that eye relief should be completely ignored. If you are a beginner at using a rifle, you might not be able to fully absorb the recoil of the rifle using your shoulder.

This means that it, along with the scope, will have a way to go before it stops. If your eye socket is in its way, it will hurt and possibly cause serious injury. The weight of the scope can be due to a number of sources.

For instance, if you want a light scope, then something that has a fixed 9x zoom with a 42mm objective lens is what you should get. It might not be usable for hitting targets yards or more away, but if you will be using the scope for hunting, you will love having something that will not add any more weight to your gear.