Scopes and Optics for Hunting
Rifle scopes, airgun scopes, thermal, night vision, rangefinders and binoculars, plus how to mount, zero and use them.
All 18 guides
How-ToHow to Film Hunts Through Your Scope
My scope-cam and GoPro setup, the settings that matter, and the mistakes I made.
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How-ToHow to Zero an Air Rifle Scope (and What Distance to Use)
Step-by-step zeroing, the best zero distance by caliber, and fixing a scope that won't zero.
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ExplainerScope Adjustments Explained: Windage, Elevation, Parallax and Diopter
What every knob on a scope does and the order to set them.
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How-ToAir Rifle Holdover: Using Mil-Dots and MOA to Hit at Any Distance
Build a holdover chart for your load and stop guessing at 20, 40 and 60 yards.
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How-ToHow to Mount and Level a Scope: Rings, Height and Cant
Ring height, eye relief, leveling and torque, done right the first time.
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Buyer's GuideBest Air Rifle Scopes: What Actually Matters on an Airgun
Close parallax focus, reticles and recoil ratings, plus scopes worth buying at each budget.
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Buyer's GuideBest Thermal Scopes for Hunting: Budget to Premium
Sensor resolution, lens size and detection range explained, with the models hunters buy.
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Best Night Vision Scopes Under $500
Digital day/night scopes that work for pest control, and the IR illuminator most of them need.
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ComparisonThermal vs Night Vision for Hunting: Which Should You Buy?
Detection vs identification, price, weather and legality, compared.
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ComparisonFirst Focal Plane vs Second Focal Plane Scopes
How FFP and SFP reticles behave, and which one fits hunting vs long-range shooting.
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ExplainerMOA vs MIL: Which Should You Use?
The math in plain English, click values, and why matching reticle and turrets matters.
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How-ToHow to Sight In a Rifle Scope at 100 Yards
Bore-sighting, the first groups, clicks to move, and confirming zero for hunting.
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Buyer's GuideBest Scope for Deer Hunting: Magnification, Glass and Budget
What magnification and objective size deer hunting really needs, with scopes at every price.
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Buyer's GuideBest Hunting Rangefinders (and Do You Need One?)
Angle compensation, ballistic modes and range, with picks for rifle and airgun hunters.
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Buyer's GuideBest Hunting Binoculars: 8x42 vs 10x42 and Top Picks
Magnification, glass and weight for glassing game, with models at each budget.
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ExplainerWhat Scope Magnification Do You Need for Hunting?
Magnification by distance and quarry, and why more zoom often hurts.
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ComparisonRed Dot vs Scope for Hunting
Speed vs precision, ranges, and which quarry and rifles suit each sight.
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Buyer's GuideBest Scope Cameras for Filming Hunts
Clip-on scope cams vs digital day/night scopes: what records the shot best, and what to buy at each budget.
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