7 Best Long Range Scopes of 2021
Sometimes you might want to reach a little further when hunting or sports shooting, and to ensure easy and more accurate shooting when doing so, you need to have the best long range scope.
Although the term long range is more subjective, in most instances these scopes will be meant for shooting at upwards of 300 yards.
The long-range scopes are characterized by at least 10x magnification power, ultra clear optics and other things like mil-dot or BDC reticles, turret adjustments, and parallax focus.
Check out our buying guide and review of some top-rated long range scopes, for ideas on how to choose one of these scopes.
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7 Best Long Range Scopes – Review
- 1. Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II – Best Overall
- 2. Nightforce Optics C434 – Fast and Accurate
- 3. Leupold VX-6 118504 – Dependable Wide Field of View Scope
- 4. Nikon Monarch 3 6770 – A More Affordable Long Range Scope
- 5. Bushnell G2DMR FFP – Top Notch Scope with Nice Optics
- 6. Millett 6-25x56 LRS-1 – Great Multipurpose Long Range Scope
- 7. Bushnell 752515B – Indomitable Scope for Both Close and Long Range Shooting
- How to Buy the Best Long Range Scopes
- Conclusion
7 Best Long Range Scopes – Review
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PRODUCT |
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1. Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II (Best Overall) |
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2. Nightforce Optics C434 (Fast & Accurate) |
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3. Leupold VX-6 118504 (Dependable Wide Field of View) |
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4. Nikon Monarch 3 6770 (More Affordable) |
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5. Bushnell G2DMR FFP (Top Notch Scope with Nice Optics) |
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6. Millett 6-25x56 LRS-1 (Great Multipurpose Scope) |
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7. Bushnell 752515B (Indomitable for Both Close & Long Range Shooting) |
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PRODUCT |
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1. Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II (Best Overall) |
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2. Nightforce Optics C434 (Fast & Accurate) |
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3. Leupold VX-6 118504 (Dependable Wide Field of View) |
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4. Nikon Monarch 3 6770 (More Affordable) |
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5. Bushnell G2DMR FFP (Top Notch Scope with Nice Optics) |
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6. Millett 6-25x56 LRS-1 (Great Multipurpose Scope) |
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7. Bushnell 752515B (Indomitable for Both Close and Long Range Shooting) |
1. Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II – Best Overall
Photo: Vortex
- Magnification: 4.5-25x
- Reticle: MRAD
- Eye Relief: 3.7 inches
One of the first things that any shooter will notice on this Vortex long range scope is that it is built like a tank using solid aircraft-grade aluminum to ensure it can withstand a lot of abuse. This and its more feature-rich design makes it our best overall scope.
Its most outstanding features include the illuminated reticle with 11 brightness levels that will make it ideal for use in a variety of conditions. And if you combine this with the fast focus eyepiece, picking up a target and aiming will be effortless.
With its efficient L-Tec turret system that also has a locking mechanism and visual rotation indicator, adjustments are easy and more precise.
And it also has a highly reliable optical system with anti-reflective and fully multicoated lenses for maximum light transmission. These lenses are also emerald coated to offer protection from dirt, scratches, and oil.
This scope is quite large and heavy, but this is only because of its solid construction and feature-rich design and hence should not be a huge issue. For its price the lens covers look cheap but you can easily replace them with something better.
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2 . Nightforce Optics C434 – Fast and Accurate
Photo: Nightforce
- Magnification: 5.5-22x
- Reticle: MOAR
- Eye Relief: 3.74 inches
When it comes to rifle scopes you always get what you pay for, and so the fact that this model By Nightforce Optics is the second priciest on our long-range scopes review is a good indication that it is a top-notch product.
But, what sets it apart from the many others out there is that it is designed for fast and accurate shooting and with enough features to help it accomplish this.
These features include a larger 56 mm objective diameter that is designed to allow more light in for one of the best sight pictures. And if you combine it with the exceptional optics, you can be sure of always getting excellent image clarity and resolution at all magnification settings.
Also, this is a rugged and durable solid aluminum scope that has been designed to offer complete shock and weather resistance for use in any weather and on guns with the heaviest recoil.
The price is probably the only notable shortcoming that might put off some shooters, but for a long range scope and this is more so a high-quality one like this it is worth every buck.
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3 . Leupold VX-6 118504 – Dependable Wide Field of View Scope
Photo: Leupold
- Magnification: 7-42x
- Reticle: TMOA
- Eye Relief: 3.9 to 4.2 inches
A wideer field of view (16.2 to 2.7 feet at 100 yards) is the key highlight of the Leupold’s VX-6 but not the only one as it still has lots of great features to offer.
They include 2nd generation waterproofing that uses a blend of argon and krypton that is highly effective in keeping water out and eliminating thermal shock effect.
The long-range rifle scope also offers one of the widest magnification range to make it ideal for both short and long range shooting and a generous eye relief of up to 4.2 inches.
Also, with this scope, you get an extreme fast focus eyepiece that ensures you get a generous eyebox and blackened lens edges that will help to reduce light diffusion for brighter images.
There is also an alumina rubber guard for the eyepiece that provides additional recoil protection, and the scope is backed by a lifetime warranty.
Although the reticle is not illuminated and this is one of the heaviest scopes on out long range scopes review, these are still not deal breakers. The reticle is still useful enough and the 26.3-ounce weight is not bad given the scope quality and capability.
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4. Nikon Monarch 3 6770 – A More Affordable Long Range Scope
Photo: Nikon
- Magnification: 4-16x
- Reticle: BDC
- Eye Relief: 4 inches
Besides its small price tag, there are many other things that make it one of the best budget long range scopes out there.
And this includes an ultra ClearCoat optical system designed to deliver up to the theoretical maximum light transmission of 95% for clear and bright images.
This multipurpose scope is designed to be ideal for both field shooting and use from a bench , and it has a quick focus eyepiece to allow shooters to bring the reticle into focus instantly.
Zeroing it in is also super easy and quick and the scope will maintain its settings even when handled roughly. Also, with the spring-loaded instant zero-reset turrets, this is also an easy scope to adjust.
The magnification ring feels quite stiff when the scope is new and will take a little more effort to adjust, but as you continue to use the scope and get used to it, the ring should be easier to adjust.
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5 . Bushnell G2DMR FFP – Top Notch Scope with Nice Optics
Photo: Bushnell
- Magnification: 6-24x
- Reticle: G2DMR
- Eye Relief: 4 inches
Bushnell’s Elite Tactical is a top notch scope that comes in a feature-rich design to deliver excellent optical performance, and it features a solid aluminum one-piece main tube that is argon purged and weather sealed.
The scope uses some fully multicoated optics that combine with ultra wide band coating to ensure maximum light transmission for bright and clear images.
Also, the scope uses rain guard HD anti-fog technology that will keep the lenses free of fog in any condition. And its mil-hash marked FFP reticle will be perfect for ranging and for correction of both windage and elevation.
With this scope, you also get a side focus parallax adjustment for easily adjustable long range accuracy.
While there might be a slight blurriness when the scope is at maximum zoom, this will not affect the sight picture greatly as it is still clear enough for easy aiming and accurate shooting.
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6. Millett 6-25x56 LRS-1 – Great Multipurpose Long Range Scope
Photo: Millett
- Magnification: 6-25x
- Reticle: Mil-dot
- Eye Relief: 3 inches
Whether you are a hunter, target shooter or tactical operator, this multipurpose scope by Millet will be a great choice for you if you want something reliable for long-range shots.
It has a wide 6-25x magnification range that makes it ideal even for close range shots and with a larger 56 mm objective diameter for higher light transmission.
Combining the larger objective diameter and fully multicoated lenses ensures that you get a bright and clear image even when shooting in low light conditions at dusk and dawn.
The 35 mm main tube has also been designed to be larger and stronger for increased durability and to improve the resolution while also making this a more reliable scope.
Shooters will also love the large settable windage and elevation adjustments turrets that are also lockable to maintain your setting and the highly useful quick side focus range adjustment.
3 inches seems like a small eye relief for a long range scope, but what makes this scope special is that it is true and consistent to ensure safe and comfortable shooting from any range. Also, the extra weight comes from the use of a heavy-duty metal in its construction.
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7. Bushnell 752515B – Indomitable Scope for Both Close and Long Range Shooting
Photo: Bushnell
- Magnification: 2.5-15x
- Reticle: DOA
- Eye Relief: 3.9 inches
With Bushnell’s Trophy Xtreme, you not only get a more affordable long range rifle scope but also something with outstanding versatility that can also be very useful for short and medium range applications.
Its versatility stems from its 2.5-15x magnification, and it also has a great size 50 mm objective diameter that will ensure maximum light transmission.
The larger objective diameter and fully multicoated optics provide a light transmission of up to 91% so that you always get bright and clear images even when shooting in low light.
Focusing the reticle is also made effortless by the fast focus eyepiece, and adjustments will not take a lot of effort as the scope uses some precise 1/4 MOA fingertip adjustments.
And you can be sure it will last as it is made from solid one-piece aluminum, and it will offer 100% fog, shock and waterproof performance for increased durability and use in any weather.
At the higher magnification setting, there might be a bit of distortion on the edges of the field of view, but it will not be too much to affect image quality significantly and most shooters will not even notice it.
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How to Buy the Best Long Range Scopes
Picking a good long range scope should be easy if you keep the following factors in mind when shopping.
1. Magnification
Magnification is a primary concern and perhaps the most important thing to consider for a long range scope because you will be shooting from long distances.
However, as much as it might be important to get a powerful scope make sure that you do not overdo things as the scope might end up not being very useful.
You will also need to decide whether to buy variable or fixed power scopes. For fixed magnification scope 10x like what you get on military scopes is often good enough.
If you prefer to use a variable magnification scope, how you intend to use your rifle should help you decide. For example, if you will be using your rifle for long range .22 competitions where the targets are very small, scopes with 10-30x or 4.5-25x like Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II will be perfect.
2. Reticle
It is important to make sure that you have the right reticle type on your scope for long-range shots. And while there are many specialty reticle optics out there that work well, all you need for long-range shots is something with single dots or hash marks.
The marks could be MOA or MIL measurements but it is important to make sure that they have even separations between them. What makes them useful for long-range shots is that they will give shooters easy and consistent holdover for windage and elevation compensation.
While it is true that using these reticles is not overly complicated it will still require some getting used to.
One final note is that it is important to make sure that turrets adjustments go with the reticle type for example if you are using mil dots, the adjustments should be in mil.
3. Objective Diameter
As you try to choose the best long range rifle scope, you also need to think about the objective lens diameter as it affects the quality of the sight picture.
The larger the objective diameter the better as it means the scope will let in more light for a brighter and clearer sight picture. However, anything beyond 50 mm can be a setback as you have to mount it higher on the rifle which can cause accuracy issues.
Keeping the objective lens diameter between 42 and 50 mm is often a good idea for a long range scope, but some shooters will be more comfortable with a larger one like the 56 mm Nightforce Optics C434 .
4. Main Tube
The diameter of the main tube also matters, and so it is another crucial factor that you should not overlook when shopping.
A larger tube is the most preferred as it will allow for better performing magnifiers and the extra space can also lead to a slight increase in light transmission.
The three most common main tube sizes are 1-inch, 30 mm and 34 mm. Before you decide which one to pick, it is important to also note that the larger ones will allow for better elevation adjustments and the size of the tube also dictates the ring sizes you need to mount it.
5. Turrets
Turrets are vital for adjusting the scope to suit your particular shooting condition. Most scopes will typically have 2 or 3 adjustments with 4 or 5 adjustments each.
When choosing a long range scope, you need to make sure that the turrets adjustments match your reticle. For example, if your scope uses a mil-based reticle, the adjustments should also be mil-based.
Also, make sure that the turrets are smooth and easy to adjust and come in a low profile to ensure they do not snag when carrying your rifle through thick brush.
6. Price
Like with all other types of scopes, the more feature-rich a long range scope is the pricier it will be. But, in some instances, you might not need all those fancy features that make the scope expensive.
To make sure that you get value for your money and a rifle scope that serves your needs well, you need to decide what you will be using it and how often.
Typically, you can get a simple long range scope for as little as under $500 but most good models like Leupold VX-6 118504 will retail for upwards of $1,000. Before you start shopping you need to decide on how much you are willing to spend and look for the best model within that price range.
Conclus i on
With the best long range scope mounted on your rifle, long-range shooting is more enthralling. And with our review and buying guide, finding that perfect scope for your long-range shots should be super easy.
If you prefer something that delivers an exceptional sight picture for fast and accurate shooting, the Nightforce Optics C434 is perfect.
However, being an excellent all-round scope that not only has amazing optics but also a solid aluminum build, the Vortex Optics Razor HD Gen II is our best overall long range scope.