The 8 Best Scopes for the Remington 700 308 in 2020
The Remington 700 308 is a bolt-action centerfire rifle that has a range of about 1000 yds when fully maxed out. If used correctly, this gun can be good at long range hunting but it performs best at medium range shooting (500-800 yds).
At this distance, you need a magnification power of about 8-10x plus a range estimating reticle for spot-on target hits. With that in mind, this article looks at 8 of the best scopes for the Remington 700 308 to consider buying.
You can also read other product reviews such as scope for 7mm Rem Mag , muzzleloader scope , scope for 270 , sniper scope , varmint scope .
8 Best Scopes for Remington 700 308 – Review
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1. Primary Arms SLX (Best Overall) |
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2. Bushnell 614124 (Best for the Money) |
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3. Vortex DBK-10029 (Best Long-Range) |
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4. Vortex Viper HS-T (Easy-to-Use) |
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5. Nikon 16523 (Versatile) |
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6. Bushnell 756185 (Fully Multicoated) |
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7. Nikon 6729 (Has Adjustable Objective) |
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8. Nikon 16339 (Has BDC Reticle) |
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PRODUCT |
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1. Primary Arms SLX (Best Overall)
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2. Bushnell 614124 (Best for the Money)
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3. Vortex DBK-10029 (Best Long-Range)
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4. Vortex Viper HS-T (Easy-to-Use)
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5. Nikon 16523 (Versatile)
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6. Bushnell 756185 (Fully Multicoated)
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7. Nikon 6729 (Has Adjustable Objective)
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8. Nikon 16339 (Has BDC Reticle)
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1. Primary Arms SLX – Best Overall Scope for the Remington 700 308
Photo: Primary Arms
- Objective Lens: 44mm
- Magnification: 4-14x
- Eye Relief: 3.14-3.22 in.
- Field of View: 27.20-7.85 ft. @ 100 yds
Primary Arms SLX is first on our list and it takes the overall best spot because it features an illuminated ACSS reticle with 6 brightness settings for its red color.
The reticle has a clean, intuitive design with a horseshoe center plus wind leads, ranging and BDC markings out to 1000 yds, moving target leads to a max range of 600 yds and a MIL-ranging system. This makes it one of the best for accurate, tactical hunting.
Other than that, you get a heavy-duty aircraft-grade aluminum body construction with a 30mm tube for enhanced strength and durability.
More features include parallax adjustment from 15 yds to infinity, a shockproof, waterproof and fog proof design with nitrogen-purged optics and fully multicoated optics with a relatively large 44mm objective lens for brightness and clarity.
The only problem is that this scope has a relatively short eye relief of up to 3.22 in.
Pros:
Cons:
2. Bushnell 614124 – Best Remington 700 308 for the Money
Photo: Bushnell
- Objective Lens: 40mm
- Magnification: 4-12x
- Eye Relief: 3.3 in.
- Field of View: 29-11 ft. @ 100 yds
If you are on a tight budget, Bushnell’s 614124 is the most affordable scope for the Remington 700 308 to consider. Despite this, it is fitted with Dusk and Dawn Brightness (DDB) multicoated lenses for enhanced brightness and clarity in low light environments.
On the inside is a simple, uncluttered multi-X crosshair reticle that offers a classic sight picture and is placed on the second focal plane so as to retain its size regardless of the magnification level.
The lenses are argon-purged for fog-proof performance and packed inside a solid 1-piece 25.4mm tube, with sealed optics for waterproof performance.
Other features include a fast-focus eyepiece, a compact 12 in length, 1/4 MOA fingertip adjustment with 60 MOA max adjustment on windage and elevation and parallax adjustment from 10 yds to infinity.
However, you don’t get an illuminated reticle.
Pros:
Cons:
3. Vortex DBK-10029 – Best Remington 700 308 Long-Range Scope
Photo: Vortex
- Objective Lens: 50mm
- Magnification: 6-24x
- Eye Relief: 3.9 in.
- Field of View: 18-4.5 ft. @ 100 yds
For those wanting to test the limits of their Remington 700 308, Vortex’s DBK-10029 is a high magnification scope with up to 24x, which makes it ideal for long-range shooting that exceeds 1000 yds.
Additionally, it has a tactical, first focal plane EBR-2C MRAD reticle with hash marks for determining windage correction, range, holdover, and moving target leads. This makes it highly precise for enhanced long-range hunting accuracy.
You also get extra-low dispersion multicoated lenses for better clarity, a raised magnification rib on the magnification ring for quick adjustment, solid aircraft-grade aluminum construction with a hard-anodized finish and a precision-glide erector system for smooth adjustment.
However, the reticle is not illuminated for easy viewing of the markings in low light environments. On the bright side, it has a large 50mm objective lens, which ensures a lot of light penetrates through to enhance the brightness of the field of view.
Pros:
Cons:
4. Vortex Viper HS-T – Easy-to-Use Remington 700 308 Scope
Photo: Vortex
- Objective Lens: 44mm
- Magnification: 4-16x
- Eye Relief: 4 in.
- Field of View: 27.4-7.4 ft. @ 100 yds
Vortex’ Viper HS-T is easy to use because of two main features. First, it has a precision-force spring system that uses high-quality parts in the erector spring system for easy adjustment on repeated use.
Second, the unit has a precision-glide erector system, which also utilizes high-quality components in the zoom lens mechanism for smooth magnification adjustment even under harsh weather conditions.
Apart from that, you get a fiber optic turret rotation indicator that gives an easily visible reference point for turret rotations. A hashmark-based VMR-1 MRAD reticle is used to provide wind and moving target leads, and this provides accurate holds at a longer range.
More features include a generous 4-in eye relief, shockproof 1-piece aluminum construction with a hard-anodized finish and parallax adjustment from 50 yds to infinity. On the downside, this scope is very expensive.
More Detailed: Vortex Optics Viper HS-T Review
Pros:
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5. Nikon 16523 – Versatile Remington 700 308 Scope
Photo: Nikon
- Objective Lens: 40mm
- Magnification: 4-12x
- Eye Relief: 3.7 in.
- Field of View: 23.6-7.9 ft. @ 100 yds
With Nikon’s Spot-On Ballistic Match technology, this scope is very versatile because it enables you to identify all the aiming points in its BDC reticle for different rounds at different yardages.
That said, the BDC reticle is quite unique and easy to use because it has small, unique see-through circles for accurate long-range shooting. Since they are small, these create an uncluttered reticle, which gives a normal sight picture for short-range firing.
Aside from that, the unit is equipped with fully multicoated lenses for better light transmission with high contrast views, nitrogen-filled and O-ring sealed optics for fog proof and waterproof performance, and a shockproof body that easily handles heavy recoil.
On the downside, the scope has a relatively small 40mm objective lens, which limits the amount of light that penetrates through to the ocular lens.
Pros:
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6. Bushnell 756185 – Fully Multicoated Remington 700 308 Scope
Photo: Bushnell
- Objective Lens: 50mm
- Magnification: 6-18x
- Eye Relief: 3.5 in.
- Field of View: 20-7 ft. @ 100 yds
Bushnell’s 756185 is characterized by fully multicoated optics for eliminating glares and this is enhanced by rain guard HD lens coating. Combined with its large 50mm objective lens, you get a bright and clear field of view with high-contrast imagery for easy target spotting.
Other than that, the scope gives you quite a relatively powerful magnification of up to 18x that is suitable for long-range shooting while a fast-focus eyepiece lets you easily see a clear field of view shortly after making any adjustments.
More features include 1/4 MOA fingertip adjustments with a maximum adjustment of 40 MOA on windage and elevation, a 1-piece shockproof build that is also waterproof and fog proof, and parallax adjustment from 10 yds to infinity.
The only problem is that the unit is equipped with a multi-x reticle, which does not have compensation markings for bullet drops over a long-range.
Pros:
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7. Nikon 6729 – Remington 700 308 Scope with an Adjustable Objective
Photo: Nikon
- Objective Lens: 40mm
- Magnification: 4-12x
- Eye Relief: 3.7 in.
- Field of View: 23.6-7.3 ft. @ 100 yds
This scope also features an adjustable objective lens for parallax adjustment, which can be done at a minimum distance of 100 yds. Coupled with a fast-focus eyepiece, this setup ensures you get a clear and accurate aim towards the target in your field of view.
Apart from that, the scope is also equipped with a fully multicoated optical system that transmits up to 98% of the available light for bright, high contrast imagery in the field of view.
You also get zero-reset turrets for easy referencing after making any adjustment and these are also spring-loaded so as to maintain their positions even after heavy recoil.
Other features include a patented, uncluttered BDC reticle that is similar to the one in Nikon 16523 , Spot-On Ballistic Match technology for versatility, solid 1-piece aluminum construction that is shockproof and nitrogen-filled, O-ring sealed optics for fog proof and waterproof use.
However, the reticle is not illuminated for easy low light use.
Pros:
Cons:
8. Nikon 16339 – Remington 700 308 Scope with a BDC Reticle
Photo: Nikon
- Objective Lens: 40mm
- Magnification: 4-12x
- Eye Relief: 3.7 in.
- Field of View: 23.6-7.9 ft. @ 100 yds
Just like the Nikon 16523 and 6729 , this 16339-model is equipped with the brand’s own BDC reticle, which has 4 see-through ballistic circles in an uncluttered layout.
This design ensures you get a range estimation advantage for long-range shooting and a normal sight picture on the short-range.
The scope’s field of view imagery is made clearer by its fully multicoated optical system, which contains anti-reflective compounds that keep glares from forming and causing any obstruction.
Other features include a versatile Spot-On Ballistic Match technology for use with different types of bullets, precise 1/4 MOA hand-turn click adjustments with positive click turrets that maintain settings even after heavy recoil and a waterproof, shockproof and fog proof design.
On the downside, the reticle is not illuminated for enhancing your low light hunting experience.
Pros:
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How to Buy the Best Scope for Remington 700 308
1. Magnification
For a Remington 700 308 scope, the first thing to check is its magnification. Since the gun is particularly good at medium to long-range shooting, a magnification of about 8x minimum is recommended.
All the units reviewed above fit this description but Vortex’s DBK-10029 stands out because it has a magnification of up to 24x, making it extremely powerful. This allows you to test the limits of your gun at long range hunting.
2. Objective Lens
With regard to the objective lens, size always matters. The bigger it is, the better because this allows more light to penetrate through so that you can have a brighter field of view. This makes Bushnell’s 756185 and Vortex’s DBK-10029 stand out due to their 50mm lens diameter.
3. Glass Quality
Apart from size, you should ensure that the scope has fully multi-coated optics, which basically incorporates the use of anti-reflective compounds in the lenses. This maintains clarity in the field of view by preventing glares while also creating high contrast imagery for easy target spotting.
The lenses should also be argon or nitrogen-filled so as to create an inert environment inside that prevents fog from forming.
4. Mounts
Mounting rings or rails are usually part of the accessory set given with each scope. However, not all of them include these pieces. In such a case, you will have to buy the components separately, which would then raise the total cost of fitting a scope to your rifle.
Therefore, such accessories are recommended because they give you more value for your money.
5. Reticle
For long-range shooting, tactical reticles are recommended for range estimation and high accuracy. This makes the ACSS, EBR-2C MRAD and VMR-1 MRAD reticles in Primary Arms’ SLX , Vortex’s DBK-10029 , and Viper HS-T stand out.
These actually contain wind and moving target leads for enhanced accuracy in Remington’s 700 308 range of around 1000 yds.
However, Primary Arms’ SLX ACSS reticle takes the top spot because it has an illuminated horseshoe at the center. This makes it very easy to use when aiming at targets in low light environments.
BDC reticles in Nikon’s 16523 , 6729 and 16339 are also quite good as their main advantage lies in their simple, uncluttered design, which does not obstruct the field of view.
6. Turrets
Turrets are basically the knobs used for making windage and elevation adjustments. For ease of use, ensure that they produce audible click on every adjustment so that you can make these settings without taking your eye off the target.
More importantly, you need to know what each click means in terms of adjustment. For instance, with 1/2 MOA, this means that every click translates to a 1/2-in movement on the field of view at 100 yds.
With 1/4 MOA such as in Bushnell’s 614124 and 756185 , this means 1/4-in movement on the field of view at 100 yds. This gives more minute movements, which are ideal for fine calibration if you miss the target.
However, for the Primary Arms’ SLX , Vortex’s DBK-10029 and Viper HS-T, their tactical reticles are actually Mil-Dot and MRAD reticles. These use a slightly different milliradian adjustment system, which is a bit complex to use because some calculations are required.
7. Construction
Lastly, durability is a big factor in scopes and it should not be overlooked. Ideally, metallic construction is recommended and aluminum is the preferred choice because it is sturdy, yet very lightweight.
This is the case in Primary Arms’ SLX , which is built using heavy-duty military-grade aluminum. Vortex’s DBK-10029 and Viper HS-T take it a notch higher by having hard-anodized exterior surfaces that resist corrosion for maximum durability.
Conclusion
In summary, all the scopes above are ideal to use with Remington 700 308 but Primary Arms’ SLX takes the overall best spot because it has an illuminated tactical ACSS reticle with an intuitive design for simplified use.
For long-range hunting though, we recommend Vortex’s DBK-10029 because it has a powerful magnification of up to 24x while its large 50mm objective lens ensures you get a bright field of view.
However, if you are on a tight budget, be sure to check out Bushnell’s 614124 because it is very affordable.
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8 Best Scopes for Remington 700 308 – Review
- 1. Primary Arms SLX – Best Overall Scope for the Remington 700 308
- 2. Bushnell 614124 – Best Remington 700 308 for the Money
- 3. Vortex DBK-10029 – Best Remington 700 308 Long-Range Scope
- 4. Vortex Viper HS-T – Easy-to-Use Remington 700 308 Scope
- 5. Nikon 16523 – Versatile Remington 700 308 Scope
- 6. Bushnell 756185 – Fully Multicoated Remington 700 308 Scope
- 7. Nikon 6729 – Remington 700 308 Scope with an Adjustable Objective
- 8. Nikon 16339 – Remington 700 308 Scope with a BDC Reticle
- How to Buy the Best Scope for Remington 700 308
- Conclusion
