Start asking that question around rifle shooters and you will get a variety of answers, suggestions, and advice. Most of them come in the form of a “Rule of Thumb” that someone has read or heard somewhere. In general, these “Rules of Thumb” fall into one of these categories.
- Spend at least twice the cost of your rifle on the glass.
- Never spend less than 1,000 dollars on a rifle scope.
- Spend everything you have leftover in your budget for your rifle scope.
- Price doesn’t matter if it is a (insert a brand name here) scope.
Everyone, it seems, has an opinion and advice to give. I rarely hear anyone talk about finding the scope that best fits your shooting needs and expectations. Very few people go to the store to buy anything with rules such as those listed above in mind. Buying a rifle scope should not be any different. Find the highest quality scope with the features you want at the price that fits your budget.
Shooting Styles and Features – The Two Are Entangled
Before you start shopping for a rifle scope, spend some time thinking about how you expect to use that scope. How you use the scope is a big part of deciding what features you need. There is no reason to spend extra money on features you may never use in the field.
What Type of Shooter are You?
In general, shooters fall into three main categories. Each of these shooting categories demands different features in rifle scopes and should be the foundation of your rifle scope decisions. I tend to categorize shooting styles like this.
- Casual shooters
- Hunters
- Competitive target shooters
- Combat and tactical shooters
There may be some overlap in these categories. Casual shooters, plinkers, and range shooters may also occasionally hunt, as do some competitive shooters. I have found that it is rare among rifle owners to find someone who owns a rifle used only for one purpose.
Casual Shooters, Plinkers, and Range Shooters
This category is, far and away, the largest category of rifle owners I have found. This group of rifle owners represents the average gun owner in the US. I would also guess that the most common rifle in this group is the venerable .22 Long Rifle. I must admit that my Ruger 10/22 gets more use than any other rifle in my gun safe.
As I write this article, a new Ruger 10/22 costs about $300. The vast majority of these rifles become casual shooters used for target practice, plinking, training, and the occasional small game animal. Does it make sense to put a $600 scope on this rifle? Not in my book.
I admit that my Ruger 10/22 is probably overglassed. My Ruger 10/22 sports a Vortex Optics rimfire scope that probably cost about what I paid for the rifle. However, my age and the state of my vision make the variable magnification worth the…