9 Best Long Eye Relief Scopes of 2021
Eye relief is the distance between the outermost surface of the scope’s eye lens and your eye, from where you can see the full field of view comfortably.
A short eye-relief is not very safe because it will force you to place your eye close to the lens. There is a high possibility of your being hit due to recoil, which will cause a black ring around your eye in this position.
Therefore, you should get a scope with a long eye relief of at least 3 inches. We have carefully selected the best long eye relief scopes in the market and reviewed them below for you to take your pick!
9 Best Long Eye Relief Scopes – Review
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1. Burris Scout (Best Overall) |
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2. UTG BugBuster (Most Durable) |
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3. NcStar SPB2530B (Best Inexpensive) |
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4. Leupold 67825 (Best for Low Light) |
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5. Aim Sports Scout (Shock Resistant) |
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6. NcStar SEPB2732B (Red Illuminated) |
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7. UTG Scout (Wide Lens) |
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8. Tacfun AIM Sports (Complete Set) |
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9. Hammers Scout (With Weaver Rings) |
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PRODUCT |
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1. Burris Scout (Best Overall) |
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2. UTG BugBuster (Most Durable) |
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3. NcStar SPB2530B (Best Inexpensive) |
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4. Leupold 67825 (Best for Low Light) |
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5. Aim Sports Scout (Shock Resistant) |
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6. NcStar SEPB2732B (Red Illuminated) |
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7. UTG Scout (Wide Lens) |
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8. Tacfun AIM Sports (Complete Set) |
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9. Hammers Scout (With Weaver Rings) |
1. Best Overall Long Eye Relief Scope: Burris Scout
Photo: Burris
- Eye Relief: 8.5 – 14 in.
- Magnification: 2.75x, 2 – 7x
- Field of View: 23 – 8 ft. @ 100 yds.
- Objective Diameter: 20, 32mm
- Length: 9.2, 9.7 in.
- Weight: 7, 13 oz.
A generous eye relief, wide magnification range, and a wide field of view make the Burris Scout our best overall long eye relief scope. The product is actually available in two models: one with a fixed 2.75x magnification power and the other with 2 – 7x magnification, which is ideal for accurate long-range shooting.
The two have 8.5 – 14-inch and 9.2 – 12-inch eye reliefs respectively, which work hand-in-hand with the forward mounting design that places them in front of the ejection port. This ensures your eye is safely out of the way while also allowing you to shoot with both eyes open for better target acquisition and situational awareness.
Overall, these give you a relatively wide field of view, which is at 15 ft. and 23 – 8 ft. @ 100 yards respectively. As such, they make it possible to keep the target in the line of sight for longer, especially if it is moving right across.
Both feature high-grade, multi-coated optical lenses for maximum brightness, clarity, and durability. This is further enhanced by a rugged, waterproof, and nitrogen-filled tube that is shockproof & fog proof.
You also get precision-gauged & hand-fitted internal components that maintain consistent performance regardless of shock & vibrations, an easy-to-use heavy plex reticle on the 2.75x model, and a highly compensating ballistic plex reticle on the 2 – 7x model.
The only issues are that the reticles are not illuminated and no accessories (like end caps and mounting rings) are included.
More detailed: Click here
Pros:
Cons:
2. Most Durable Long Eye Relief Scope: UTG BugBuster
Photo: UTG
- Eye Relief: 3.2 - 4.2 in.
- Magnification: 3 – 9x
- Field of View: 37.7 – 14 ft. @ 100 yds.
- Objective Diameter: 32mm
- Length: 8.11 in.
- Weight: 13.9 oz.
UTG’s BugBuster is characterized by a very durable design that is based on the True Strength Platform. This consists of a shockproof strengthened inner/outer tube that is completely sealed and nitrogen-filled for rain & fog proofing.
On top of this, you get premium-quality zero-lockable & zero settable target turrets that enable you to make precise & consistent 1/4 MOA click adjustments throughout.
Aside from that, the scope features an EZ-TAP Illumination Enhancing (IE) system that lights up the Mil-dot reticle in either red or green in dual-color mode or 36 colors in multi-color mode. This helps to enhance your visibility in low light conditions.
A set of accessories is included to get you right into the hunt. These include flip-open lens caps, lever-lock medium-profile 1-inch Picatinny mounting rings, and a 2-inch sunshade.
On the downside, the unit has a relatively short 3.2 - 4.2 in. eye relief as compared to the rest. However, it has a powerful magnification of up to 9x and a wide field of view of up to 37.7 ft.
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3. Best Inexpensive Long Eye Relief Scope: NcStar SPB2530B
Photo: NcStar
- Eye Relief: 10.45 in.
- Magnification: 2.5x
- Field of View: 19.5 ft. @ 100 yds.
- Objective Diameter: 30mm
- Length: 8.86 in.
- Weight: 11 oz.
If you are a bit short on cash, NcStar’s SPB2530B is the best long eye relief rifle scope to consider because it is very affordable. Despite this, the piece features blue multi-coated lenses that eliminate glares so that you get bright, clear images.
It also has a generous 10.45-inch eye relief, which gives you enough room to prevent your eye from being hit due to heavy recoil.
Even though the magnification power is fixed at 2.5x, this enables you to shoot with both eyes open and gives you a 19.5-ft. field-of-view, which is wide enough for easy target acquisition.
1-inch Weaver-style rings are included for mounting the scope to your rifle while the lens caps keep the glass-covered to prevent any damages when not in use. The main issue is that the plex reticle is not illuminated for better night time use.
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4. Best Long Eye Relief Scope for Low Light: Leupold 67825
Photo: Leupold
- Eye Relief: 15 in.
- Magnification: 2.5 – 8x
- Field of View: 12.9 – 4.8 ft. @ 100 yds.
- Objective Diameter: 32mm
- Length: 11.4 in.
- Weight: 10.9 oz.
With its Twilight Max Light Management System, Leupold’s 67825 is the best unit for low light use because the system has 3 benefits. It increases the shooting time by up to 20 minutes after dusk, eliminates 85% more glare to give you a crisp clear field of view, and has premium edge-to-edge clarity.
Other than that, the scope has a shockproof & waterproof 1-inch diameter tube that is fully sealed (tested up to a 33-ft depth) and filled with a proprietary gas blend for fog proofing.
This tube is punisher-tested to handle up to 5000 impacts (3x the recoil of a .308 rifle) for maximum durability. The unit is also tested and certified to operate optimally in extreme temperatures of -40ºF to 160ºF.
A rear focal plane duplex reticle is built in, which minimally covers the target to leave you with a clear line of sight. It also remains the same when zooming (2.5 – 8x), which allows you to see the crosshairs even at low magnification.
These markings can be seen clearly at 15-inch eye relief, which is very impressive. As such, you can mount the scope on guns with very heavy recoil because of the long, safe distance. However, the product is very expensive and the reticle is not illuminated.
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5. Shock-Resistant Long Eye Relief Scope: Aim Sports Scout
Photo: Aim Sports
- Eye Relief: 8.5 – 10.5 in.
- Magnification: 2 – 7x
- Field of View: 7.4 ft @ 100 yds.
- Objective Diameter: 42mm
- Length: 11.25 in.
- Weight: 13.1 oz.
Aim Sports’ Scout scope is housed in a solid single-piece aircraft-grade aluminum tube that is designed to withstand heavy shock and recoil. This body has weather-resistant seals and is nitrogen-filled for water & fog-proof performance respectively.
A large 42mm objective lens is fitted on the tube for maximum light transmission and it has a green-fused multi-coating to eliminate glares and prevent scratches.
The unit is fitted with a precise mil-dot reticle and a generous 8.5 – 10.5-inch eye relief, which keeps you safe from heavy recoil. You also get Weaver/Picatinny 1913 rings for easy mounting on almost any type of rifle.
On the downside, the Scout has a narrow 7.4 ft. field of view, and the reticle is not illuminated.
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6. Red-Illuminated Long Eye Relief Scope: NcStar SEPB2732B
Photo: NcStar
- Eye Relief: 8.7 – 10.67 in.
- Magnification: 2 – 7x
- Field of View: 14 – 4.5 ft. @ 100 yds.
- Objective Diameter: 32mm
- Length: 11 in.
- Weight: 9.6 oz.
This product is characterized by a red illuminated plex reticle that keeps the markings visible in bright or low light conditions for easy target acquisition. Therefore, you can continue hunting after dusk, provided you have a headlamp to light up the field of view.
Additionally, the reticle has multiple brightness settings and precise 1/2 MOA click adjustments while a quick-focus eyepiece ensures you get a clear field of view immediately after changing the magnification.
You also get a relatively long 8.7 – 10.67-inch eye relief to keep your eye at a safe distance while a 1-inch aluminum Weaver-style ring keeps it mounted on your rifle. After use, the included lens caps will cover the glass ends to protect them from any damages.
The only problem is that the plex reticle does not have BDC or Mil-dot markings for improved accuracy.
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7. Wide-Lens Long Eye Relief Scope: UTG Scout
Photo: UTG
- Eye Relief: 9.5 – 11 in.
- Magnification: 2 – 7x
- Field of View: 32 – 10 ft. @ 100 yds.
- Objective Diameter: 44mm
- Length: 11.5 in.
- Weight: 25.4 oz.
UTG’s Scout has a very wide 44mm objective lens that allows a lot of light to pass through to create a bright and clear field of view. This performance is further enhanced by an emerald coating and a wide 30mm tube, which passes as much light as possible to the eyepiece.
In between these lenses is a 6 Mil-dot reticle that gives the ultimate performance when it comes to tactical range estimation. This is illuminated in two ways: dual-mode (red, green) or multi-mode (36 colors), which enables you to hunt in all light/weather conditions.
The tube features a durable design because it is built on the True Strength platform, in which it is fully sealed and nitrogen filled shockproof, waterproof & fog-proof performance.
You also get an integrated angled sunshade, easy parallax adjustment via a side-wheel turret, and two accessories: twist-lock medium-profile Picatinny rings & lens caps. On the downside, this product is very heavy.
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8. Complete Long Eye Relief Scope Set: Tacfun AIM Sports
Photo: Tacfun
- Eye Relief: 8.5 – 10.5 in.
- Magnification: 2 – 7x
- Field of View: 14 – 4.6 ft. @ 100 yds.
- Objective Diameter: 32mm
- Length: 10.5 in.
- Weight: 9 oz.
Apart from the long eye relief scope, the Tacfun AIM Sports comes with a pair of Picatinny/Weaver 1913 rings & rails and a see-through lens cover. This gives you all the required pieces to set up the unit straight out of the box.
Other than that, the product features a solid aircraft-grade shockproof aluminum construction that can withstand heavy recoil. It is also tightly sealed on the glass ends and filled with nitrogen inside for waterproof and fog-proof performance respectively.
That said, the front glass end consists of a blue fused multi-coated 32mm lens, which transmits as much light as possible to give you a bright field of view. On the downside, the reticle is not illuminated.
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9. Long Eye Relief Scope with Weaver Rings: Hammers Scout
Photo: Hammers
- Eye Relief: 9 – 9.5 in.
- Magnification: 2 – 7x
- Field of View: 24.5 – 11.5 ft. @ 100 yds.
- Objective Diameter: 32mm
- Length: 10.5 in.
Hammers’ Scout comes with two Weaver rings for easy mounting on most large rifles. These have a compact 21mm center height and are easily adjustable to accommodate the scope’s 1-inch main tube or larger.
That said, the scope features 32mm premium quality optics that give a sharp & clear view. A fine 4-line plex reticle is etched inside and tuning is done using precise 1/4 MOA windage & elevation click adjustments.
The eyepiece has a quick-focus mechanism that gives you a clear field of view immediately after changing the magnification.
An anodized matte black finish ensures the unit’s body has a long lifespan while bungee-corded see-through lens caps protect the glass ends when not in use. On the downside, the reticle is not illuminated and it does have markings for range estimation.
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How to Buy the Best Long Eye Relief Scopes
Photo: gundigest.com
1. Eye Relief
As stated earlier, eye relief is the maximum distance between the eyepiece and your eye, from which you can clearly and comfortably see the field of view. It is especially important for rifles with heavy recoil because it protects your eye from being hit.
That said, a length of around 3 inches is enough but the longer it is, the better. With its 15-inch relief, Leupold’s 67825 is the ideal scope to buy for large, heavy-recoil rifles and we recommend it.
2. Field of View
This is the viewing area as seen from the eyepiece. It is given in feet at a certain distance (usually 100 yards). You should look for a scope with a wide field of view so that you can focus on a moving target for longer without moving your rifle. Ultimately, this helps to ease target acquisition.
3. Magnification
Due to the provision of a long eye-relief, most of these scopes are designed to magnify of 1 – 8x. If you have a powerful firearm and can make an accurate long-range shot, go for the highest magnification. Otherwise, it makes no sense to buy a high magnification piece if you won’t utilize this power.
Read More: The Best 1-8x Scopes
4. Objective Diameter
This is the point through which light gets into the scope. A 30mm wide objective is good enough but the wider its diameter is, the better because more light will penetrate through, resulting in a brighter field of view. As such, UTG’s Scout stands out from the rest because it has a 44mm diameter objective lens.
On top of this, you should look for multi-coating features for reduced glares and technologies that increase the hunting light. These will give you better vision while also extending your hunting time after dusk.
5. Reticle
For tactical long-range accuracy, we recommend reticles with range estimation markings such as BDC or Mil-dot. Another important feature to look for is reticle illumination, which makes the markings clearer in all-weather/light conditions. These can be found in UTG’s Scout .
6. Resistance
Resistance is usually determined by the scope’s build quality and durability. The best scopes with long eye reliefs should have a solid shockproof body that will protect the internal components from damages due to recoil.
They should also have tight seals to prevent water from leaking inside and the interior should be nitrogen-filled to prevent fogging during cold weather conditions.
Conclusion
As you can see, Burris’ Scout is the best overall long eye relief scope because it has the perfect balance of a generous eye-relief, powerful magnification, and a wide field of view. It is also shockproof, waterproof & fog proof and has high-grade multi-coated lenses.
If you like hunting at dusk though, we highly recommend Leupold’s 67825 as the best long eye relief scope because it has a Twilight Max Light Management System. This extends the shooting time by up to 20 minutes after dark.
NcStar’s SPB2530B is also a good option to consider if you are a bit short on cash. It is very affordable but still features multi-coated lenses and a generous 10.45-inch eye-relief.
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9 Best Long Eye Relief Scopes – Review
- 1. Best Overall Long Eye Relief Scope: Burris Scout
- 2. Most Durable Long Eye Relief Scope: UTG BugBuster
- 3. Best Inexpensive Long Eye Relief Scope: NcStar SPB2530B
- 4. Best Long Eye Relief Scope for Low Light: Leupold 67825
- 5. Shock-Resistant Long Eye Relief Scope: Aim Sports Scout
- 6. Red-Illuminated Long Eye Relief Scope: NcStar SEPB2732B
- 7. Wide-Lens Long Eye Relief Scope: UTG Scout
- 8. Complete Long Eye Relief Scope Set: Tacfun AIM Sports
- 9. Long Eye Relief Scope with Weaver Rings: Hammers Scout
- How to Buy the Best Long Eye Relief Scopes
- Conclusion
