Best Long-Range Scope For The Money

No matter if you are hunting or target shooting, once you get over a certain distance, all you have to rely on is your scope.

Long-distance shooters need the clearest and most detailed image, as there are many other things to consider when shooting at such a range.

Elevation and windage are part of the picture, and all can influence the outcome. It can mean a missed target or a wounded animal rather than one killed quickly.

Editor's Choice
Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-12x56 Adjustable Objective Hog Hunter, Second Focal Plane, 30mm Tube Riflescope - V-Brite Illuminated Reticle , black
Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 First Focal Plane Riflescopes - EBR-2C (MRAD) Tactical Reticle
Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Circle-X Reticle Riflescope, 4x32mm
Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm Riflescope
Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-12x56 Adjustable Objective Hog Hunter, Second Focal Plane, 30mm Tube Riflescope - V-Brite Illuminated Reticle , black
Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 First Focal Plane Riflescopes - EBR-2C (MRAD) Tactical Reticle
Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Circle-X Reticle Riflescope, 4x32mm
Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm Riflescope
Editor's Choice
Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-12x56 Adjustable Objective Hog Hunter, Second Focal Plane, 30mm Tube Riflescope - V-Brite Illuminated Reticle , black
Vortex Optics Crossfire II 3-12x56 Adjustable Objective Hog Hunter, Second Focal Plane, 30mm Tube Riflescope - V-Brite Illuminated Reticle , black
Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 First Focal Plane Riflescopes - EBR-2C (MRAD) Tactical Reticle
Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical 4-16x44 First Focal Plane Riflescopes - EBR-2C (MRAD) Tactical Reticle
Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Circle-X Reticle Riflescope, 4x32mm
Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Circle-X Reticle Riflescope, 4x32mm
Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm Riflescope
Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm Riflescope

In our reviews, you can find all you need to know about long-range shooting scopes, and by the end of the reviews, you can find the best long-distance scope that meets your budget and requirements. (Read our Night Vision Scopes Reviews)

Contents

Why You Need a Good Long-Range Scope

When you take part in long-range shooting for target practice or out hunting, you need to strike a target dead center, and to do so; you’ll need the right optic to be able to do it. Generally, cheap optics won’t be any good, yet things change, and you can get great value for money.

You require optics that prioritize quality glass, quality reticle, and well-performing turrets and internal components.

It can be a fantastic feeling when you hit the target at 1000 yards or more, yet a long-range shooter needs clear images and scope lines that are true to what you are looking at.

You need good eye-relief so you don’t hit your eye from recoil; you can adjust the scope to deal with wind and elevation.

All this needs to be precise and deliver accuracy.

Top Long Range Scope Reviews

Vortex Optics Crossfire II Adjustable Objective, Second Focal Plane, 30mm Tube Riflescopes

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1. Vortex Optics Crossfire II Adjustable Objective, Second Focal Plane, 30mm Tube Riflescopes

Vortex Optics is the best name for affordable, high-quality long-range scopes. The Crossfire II has 4 to 16x magnification with a 50 mm objective lens, which is perfect for zooming in to shoot or zoom out to track.

The Crossfire comes with excellent eye relief and a forgiving eye box for high-recoil rifles. Construction is anodized one-piece 30 mm tube aircraft-grade aluminum and is both waterproof and fog-proof.

The BDC (bullet drop reticle) is on the second focal plane, so it doesn’t alter as you change the magnification. Also, the V-Brite reticle encompasses the V-Plex format and battery-powered electronics. The illuminated reticle shows the center dot in low-light conditions.

Pros:

  • Delivers an excellent BDC reticle
  • Very easy to adjust turrets with MOA clicks to cancel parallax
  • Quality fully multi-coated lenses for durability and clear images
  • Waterproof and fog-proof

Cons

  • Heavy recoil can cause the reticle to offset
  • Better suited to low to medium recoil rifles

With a guide price just below $200, this is one of the best scopes for long-range shooters on a budget.

The build quality is excellent, and the best long-range rifle scope’s image quality means you never miss your target.

Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical First Focal Plane Riflescopes

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2. Vortex Optics Diamondback Tactical First Focal Plane Riflescopes

Vortex Optics has designed the 6-24×50 Diamondback Tactical Rifle-scope for the needs of the tactical forces. Also, it is perfectly suited for target shooters and hunters.

It covers a broad zoom range, which is ideal for mid to long-range use. The 50mm objective draws light for bright, clear images in challenging conditions like dawn or dusk.

It comes with extra-low dispersion glass, anti-reflection, and fully multi-coated optics that deliver accurate color with improved edge-to-edge contrast.

The scope uses the MOA scale and offers tactical finger-adjustable turrets. Windage and elevation adjustments are easy to make, and there is 15 MOA travel per rotation. The EBR-2C reticle is on the first focal plane (FFP), and you can adjust without touching turrets or estimating range or target size.

Pros

  • Solid one-piece aluminum 30 mm tube
  • Fast-focus eyepiece
  • Supreme dead-hold BDC FFP reticle
  • Fully multi-coated optics

Cons

  • Tight ERD
  • Not sharp at the top end

With a guide price of around $350, you get a lot of scope for the money. It is scratch-resistant, low reflective coatings to last years, and the waterproofing and fog resistance mean you can use it in all conditions. It can easily be one of the best long-range rifle scopes.

Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Multi-X Reticle Riflescope with 3.3-Inch Eye Relief, 3-9X 40mm

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3. Bushnell Banner Dusk & Dawn Multi-X Reticle Riflescope with 3.3-Inch Eye Relief, 3-9X 40mm

Bushnell offers the sleek Dawn & Dusk scope that delivers excellent low-light performance with flawless precision.

The 3-9×40 scope has an exclusive DDB coating, which illuminates views in dim conditions.

The 40mm objective lens delivers glare-free images for exact precision. You can find the X-reticle offers a bright cross-hair for easy focus in any conditions.

The eyepiece is fast-focus for tracking and doesn’t waste time. With dry nitrogen purging, the scope is fully water and fog proof. Lenses are sealed with rubber O-rings to stop moisture intrusion.

Pros

  • Fast-focus eyepiece
  • Strong aluminum 1-inch body
  • Large DDB coated lens
  • Excellent low light clarity

Cons

  • Hard to zero-in
  • Not the longest magnification

With a guide price of just under $90, you have a scope that is easy to use and delivers a great clear field of view in less than favorable conditions. It has a great adjustment range, yet the smaller magnification means it is better suited to lower caliber rifles.

Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm Riflescope

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4. Leupold VX-3i 4.5-14x50mm Riflescope

It may appear a simple scope, yet the Leupold is reliable and can deliver in any condition.

Leupold optics have the scope made from solid aircraft-grade aluminum tube, and it has an innovative shockproof design.

It comes with a premium 50mm central lens that gathers lots of light for bright images. This multi-coated lens repels light scatter and displays true colors over the full magnification range.

Leupold VX-3i delivers great glass quality without optical distortion. The duplex scope comes with a fine set of cross-hairs, letting you focus and calculate bullet drop distance quickly.

The tactile power selector quickly clarifies sights for easy tracking. The Leupold comes with scratch-resistant lenses and dual-spring precision knobs to save your settings.

Pros

  • High-end aircraft-grade aluminum construction
  • Outstanding twilight light transmission
  • Multi-coated lens delivers edge-to-edge clarity
  • Weather and shockproof

Cons

  • Hard to zero-in
  • Expensive

With a guide price of around $545, it is a rifle scope that is at the top of the range yet at the top of features and performance. It is one of the best long-range scopes for up to 1,000 yards like its big brother, the Leupold Mark 5hd 5.

Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II Second Focal Plane Riflescopes

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5. Vortex Optics Viper PST Gen II Second Focal Plane Riflescopes

The Vortex Viper comes in answer to some top scopes for long-range hunting. It has a magnification range of 5 to 25x with a 50 mm objective lens.

The reticle sits on the second focal plane, so it remains the same even when changing magnification settings.

The Vortex Viper hs optics are extra-low dispersion for full color and deliver the best resolution. The lens is argon purged for fog-free shooting, and O-rings make it weatherproof.

The Viper PST turrets are laser etched, which makes the side focus a breeze. Parallax, wind adjustment can easily be set, and the turrets can be set to zero-stop.

Pros

  • Easy to use turrets
  • Easy parallax compensation
  • High-quality glass lenses
  • Comfortable 3.4-inch eye relief

Cons

  • Could do with a large eye window
  • Not suitable for 1000 yard + rifles

With a rough guide price range of around $600, it is a top end of a scope for long-range shooting, yet this scope delivers some of the best lens coating, elevation turret, and side focus options of any scope.

Long Range Scope Buying Guide

When searching for the best scopes for long-range shooting , you have several things to consider.

Here’s some things to keep an eye out for:

Zoom in view of a scope

Quality glass

A scope is nothing if it can’t reach the ranges you wish to shoot at. You see the difference with better athlon optics than if they are low grade. (Find the Best Crossbow Scopes)

Quality coatings

The coatings are as important as the glass. The more light transmission occurring in your scopes, such as on a 56mm objective lens, the better clarity, and brightness is with long-distance shots.

High Magnification

You will need more than 10x power on the top end, though too much, and it may not match the rifle capacity.

Weight

Most times, weight isn’t too much of an issue as over distance, you’ll be resting to shoot. However, you need to keep weights to a reasonable amount as the last thing you want is fatigue setting in.

Ballistic turrets

You can choose from a complex reticle with ballistic turrets, yet expensive. You need an easy-to-use system that delivers a positive feel with precise, accurate adjustments. It also needs spring/coil systems for protection.

Parallax correction

Above 10x magnification, you need side focus or AO to make sure you are on-target with every long-range shot.

Eye relief

You need adequate eye relief space of 2-3 inches or more when using heavy caliber rifles.

Final Verdict

When trying to come up with a recommendation for these reviews, there were many things to consider considering the range in prices.

However, when the price range was matched against performance, it was clear that with things such as the precise magnification ring, high-quality turrets, and the reticle’s illumination. The Vortex Optics Crossfire II Adjustable Objective, Second Focal Plane, 30mm Tube Riflescopes shone. (Find the Best Crossbow for the Money)

Falling in the lower ranges of a shooter’s budget delivers build quality and performance on par with any Nikon black or nightforce optics.

It offers ease of use and delivers clear images at all magnifications and in all weathers. It has to be the best scope for mid to long-range shooting on the market.

Read more: Best Shooting Glasses For Sporting Clays

Best Long Range Scope For The Money

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