With SHOT Show now complete, the industry is posting and videoing and Tweeting and reeling, putting their newest offerings out for the world to see. If you were fortunate enough to get a badge, wandering the halls of the convention will absolutely blow your mind. The aisles are filled with new products of varying quality and coolness, and you can walk for miles and never breathe fresh air unless you cut over to the new section. Be sure to grab a burger on your way through and stay hydrated.
To help cut through some of the noise for those who didn’t make the trip, I did a deep dive and chose 5 rifle optics that were of significant interest. What makes a rifle optic? That used to mean an old Bushnell 3-9x on a deer rifle or 5-20x for those extra-long shots out west. Today, the “scope” of rifle scopes has completely changed (see what I did there?). LPVO’s (Low Powered Variable Optics) have taken over and changed the way we use our scopes. An LPVO provides a low magnification such as a 1x power reticle that adjusts out to 6x, 8x, and even further. I’ve been rocking a Kahles 1-6x for the last 12 years on my competition rifle, but the technology has come so far it might be time for an upgrade for my aging eyes.
What’s the advantage? Imaging engaging targets from 5-500 yds clearly with the turn of a lever! I mentioned the competition application, but these scopes have had an impact on almost every avenue a rifle scope is used. The most prominent to me is woods hunting. Our property in Kentucky has open fields as well as thick wooded areas where visibility is 20 yds at best. With an LPVO, I can use the same rifle and not worry about having a scope full of tree trunk when I’m trying to find that buck that’s staring at me. There are tons of other applications for LPVO’s so look at this list and see if one is right for you!
Lets go on and rip the sticker shock band-aid off and start at the top of the heap with this beautiful piece of innovation. Nightforce is military grade and well known by those who do bad things for good reasons. Their optics are not cheap, but their features and clarity tell you why. When I first saw their LPVO’s I was blown away at just how small and light they are. Significant weight reduction over some others I tried and was just magnificent to shoot through. The reticle in the ATACR models is a bit busy if you aren’t used to it, but if you can do the math you’ll be glad all those dots are in there. Don’t sleep on this one or going to work. You might need to pick up some overtime…
Another military grade tried and true tested brand in optics is Trijicon. If you’re a Marine, you’ve met. If not, you may not have had the pleasure of using one of their optics. This is another beautiful piece of glass that is going to improve clarity and visibility on your targets. I can’t get over how clear the glass is in Trijicon products. At low light they are hard to beat and with variability out to 10x, that 600-yard shot doesn’t look so bad! As with most scopes these days the Credo has a red or green lit reticle for better visibility no matter your mood. Another higher end option, but you will know where that money went when you get behind that scope.
Sig has been in the optics game for quite a while now and they don’t disappoint. The Tango MSR is a great way to try out an LPVO if you are unsure because they have a great price point. This one comes with a mount for a flattop so there’s even more savings in this package then it seems! This Tango features ½ MOA clicks and is designed for MSRs so it runs their MSR BDC10 reticle. It also includes flip lids for covers and 11 brightness settings. This is a great scope at a great price.
The gold ring associated with Leupold is easy to spot on a rack of guns. Is it because of the color or the fact that they’ve been on rifles in our family for generations? Either way, people the world over have trusted Leupold with their shooting and with scopes like the Mark 4HD, there’s no doubt why. “Wait, Nick you said you need all the magnification you can get! This is just a 4.5X!!”
OK, this is true but I am not everyone and there are applications for 4.5x magnification. For those who need it, they don’t want anything else. Remember my “Woods Hunting” example from earlier? Here’s another scope that would be perfect. Just enough to be sure it’s the buck you want. Leupold has added a removable throw-lever for their magnification adjustment making this scope very slim and securing it’s spot in our lineup.
This is the newest release I could find in our category. It’s not available yet but releasing Q1 according to EoTech’s website. This little guy is a lot of power in a small package. Imagine an ACOG that you can adjust from 3-9x and use ACOG mounts with. This is it! While I haven’t gotten my hands on one yet (I’m working on that) I am intrigued by the size and features of this great looking scope. Measuring just 6.8” long this optic provides 10 brightness settings in its lit reticle that can be adjusted with ¼ clicks. I don’t want to speak on it too much, but if it is anything like everything else in the VUDU line, this will be no slouch. Keep your eyes open for this one!
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